Almost an entire tribe took up the boardwalk, all smiles as they bowed at the waist and I gawked at the sheer amount of treats and other random things on a massive cart. “Little lady of Luls'jah, please allow us to express our deepest gratitude,” The eldest woman there bowed her head deeper at the end and my brain grinded to a halt. “We gift you our prized pigs.”
“Oh, no thanks. No pigs for me,” I waved off the offer while opening the door further. “Uh, not that I don't appreciate this. Really, but I don't have the room, or anything to keep them healthy and fat?”
It was the right thing to say when the entire group lit up with wide grins.
“A-And I would feel bad accepting. I haven't done much,” I went on and got firm shakes of the head.
The nearest child, a toddler really, blinked black eyes up to me and tugged my dress skirt. “Tank,” She beamed and I crooned, kneeling to brush my knuckles along her chubby cheek.
“Aren't you the sweetest?”
She giggled, pressing a sloppy kiss to my hand.
“Little Lady of Luls'jah, we cannot take back our gifts,” The man went on, English clear and eyes pleading. “This is our penance for allowing evil to fester in the hearts of my fellow Elders. We cannot return to our homes knowing that we have not shown our appreciation.”
When he put it that way, it made me feel even worse.
Here they were, in the fanciest of their beautiful clothes and I wasn't presentable or coherent. I sighed, stepping out and wincing when the people parted like the Red Sea. At the end of their long line, a huge cart piled high with beautiful things had been dragged by two boars. Their dark bristles and almost tame temperaments were as unexpected as this visit. “Hello,” I greeted and watched their brown eyes light up. You never knew how smart a creature was. Better to be careful.
The silks and cloths piled high in the cart would make more lovely pieces to wear. More than I'd get through in my month's stay here. The rainbow of colours drew my attention first. In sturdy plain trays stacked on top of one another, pretty silvers, carved bone and shells spread out. I sniffled, rubbing my eyes. “This is all so beautiful,” I husked and reached out to hug the Elder that had come to stand just outside my personal bubble. He stiffened up before reaching around to pat my back.
I turned to give another person a hug and laughed when they reciprocated happily. The children were easy to thank and babbled in coherent English about toys.
“I'm not sure this will all fit in my room but would you mind helping me carry most of it inside?” I asked them and they dove into action. I didn't get the chance to grab anything because the children perked up and were a sea of laughter as I led them to my room. The first piles were neat and set on the desk where I had left space. The others folded in baskets that I hadn't noticed from the cart.
The sets of clothes were set in the drawers of my desk when I pointed them out and I helped a struggling woman heft a gorgeous bowl up and set it on my head. The tuk'yim was the most ornate and gorgeous silver thing I had ever seen. She bowed low when I thanked her.
Somehow, everything ended up in the room and not cluttering my floor space. I noticed the silvers in a layered basket of thick leaves. I'd have to be careful with that.
Once they were all set down and safe, I walked out the quiet people and winked at Josh while he picked his jaw up from the floor.
They initiated another round of hugging and I soaked upthe warm words and even warmer people. The ladies waved off the jolly band of men and fluttered around me to give playful reminders of dance lessons. They said they'd see me at the next lesson of traditional Dir'dir Isles rituals. I waved them off with a wide grin and watched the small procession leave with their well behaved swine, emptied cart and cheer.
“What the fuck?” Josh whispered, eyes wide when I twirled on my heel and came skipping back inside. “Was that?”
I spun twice to work off a bit of energy that crackled under my shin. I was allowed be over the moon (and battled) at the glorious gifts. “No idea, but they're so nice. Maybe they do that for visitors they like?”
He shook his head, going back to petting Miles’ head when my brother grumbled in his sleep. There was a reason us three joked his spirit animal was a spoiled house cat. “No chance. If anything, they're wary of foreigners. They don't say more than four words to any of us unless it's for a service or directions. You? It felt like they worshipped the ground you walk on. They gave you a shit tonne of stuff too.”
I plopped down at Miles' bare feet and draped my arms over the back with extra care not to jostle him. “Okay, I admit that was weird. Still, they're so nice. I can't just tell them no,” I pouted over to him and he rolled his eyes. “You shut your cake-hole. I think I made more friends.”
“Or groupies,” He teased and a glint of the old playfulness shifted in his looser body language. The old Josh, one of my best friends since primary school, shone through. “Just, be careful, okay? We don't want you starting a cult.”
I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep my laugh at bay. “I'd make every Tuesday ‘fishcake day’. Initiation would be memorising Under The Sea from my favourite Disney movie,” I mused out loud and he groaned. He should know to expect that from me by now. “What did I do today?”
He frowned. “You were napping since before we got back. That lady, Tol'sh, or something said that she'd visited to drop off a few fabrics for you.”
I racked my brain but got nothing.
I'd figure it out before I went to meet Kol again but for now, I’d get reacquainted with the man that held Miles' heart in his clumsy palms. I ordered a few platters of fish and some crab while I listened to Josh rant about how cute Miles’ scrunched up nose expression was.
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
The ocean tides slapped relentlessly against the shore, an angry wind howling around the open beach. Atlas stood at the sandy perch, arms around his body as he gritted his teeth and watched the four women approach, from the water itself. There were no faces or features shown, only the glistening fabrics covering their faces from view. The first to stop inches from him was smiling when she pushed back the sea-veil. Less graceful bodies flopped onto the dock, shuddering males that scrambled to stand behind the four formidable women that had come from the sea.
“Mother,” He bowed his head and wished he didn't see her vicious grin before he shut his eyes. “Welcome back.”
The woman didn't reply with words. She swept past and onto the sand like she owned the place.
Atlas let out a long sigh and the other three ladies hidden with their entourage followed. They left him alone on the dock, staring out into the dark horizon.
36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7Amw8aRg6
