2
A R Y A
➳
Drumbeats and loud singing filled the cool evening air while several dozen Gis performed the traditional dance around the big fire.
“Here. You're welcome.” Mahili, the gentle little kitchen assistant, handed us the full plates.
“Is that Katuza ?” the young warrior Nzuak - chief of the Akars - inspected his plate skeptically. His bare dark torso shimmered in the light of the fire and the traditional Gis body paint - which we all wore on our skin - lit up. But unlike the Retanis, who preferred the color white, his glowed blood red - the color of the Akarer.
'It is, indeed. Freshly prepared and deliciously seasoned. You absolutely have to try it.” father boasted proudly while grabbing his own plate. The lavishly decorated headdress that adorned his long, black hair, which was braided into a ponytail, left no other suspicion than that he was Chief te Retani .
Nzuak didn't seem really convinced. His mouth, lips parted by a line of blood-red body paint, twisted in disgust. “We Akars prefer the meat of the river snakes.”
I stifled a snort. “Katuza is one of the most precious dishes of the old tradition and requires a lot of effort” You had better be grateful, the words already floating on my tongue as Father's sharp gaze tingled my skin . I cleared my throat. “It would be unfortunate if you missed out on such a delightful indulgence of flavors.”
His dark eyes sparkled coolly as he looked me up and down, pausing at my bust a little too long. “If the chief's daughter says so.” With that he was about to put a bite in his mouth.
“Wait! What about the prayer?”
Nzuak stopped moving and raised his eyebrows. His disparaging gaze burned my body like oil on a hot fire.
“Arya!”
Despite my father's warning, I couldn't stop myself. The blood boiled in my veins. “The Retani tribe does not simply accept offerings from animals as a matter of course. They deserve the blessing of Gaia and our esteem as well as our love on their way to the afterlife.”
“By the gods Arya!” exclaimed Father, then turned apologetically to Nzuak. “Please excuse my daughter. She seems to have completely forgotten manners today.”
Nzuak took a sip from his goblet. “Don't apologize Honaw, we all know how emotionally immature women can sometimes be when it comes to a deceased Gaian being.”
That conceited fool! Who did he think he was? My fists trembled as I waited for Father's next words.
“I knew we were thinking the same thing.” Father said with a laugh and patted him on the back in a friendly manner.
A stab pierced my heart and I winced. He hadn't exchanged a single word with me alone today. Hadn't noticed me coming back from the hunt and now he didn't even mention that I had gotten today's meal. I narrowed my eyes and hissed, “Do you know how difficult it is to hunt a monkey? The hardest there is. And I was the one who guided today's victim into his next life.”
The Akar frowned and eyed me as if he didn't believe my words. “Her?”
I glared at him and lifted my chin. “Yes, I . The first arrow of Retani.”
The multiple scars on his body showed as he tensed his muscular upper arms. Akarers were known for having the greatest fighting force and the most unbeatable art of warfare, with which they emerged victorious in every war. The scars on Nzuak's body and on all other men of his tribe made this clear. They wore them with pride as a symbol of how strong they were and how many wars they had fought successfully. And Nzuak's body was covered with scars.
The drumbeat grew louder while neither of us stopped the gaze duel. His jaw twitched and his eyes darkened. Nzuak didn't like it when anyone challenged him. And certainly not a woman.
As strong as the attacking art of the Akars was, it was rumored that they had an equally strong division of roles, in which the woman used to say shockingly little.
I wasn't one of his wives and I certainly wouldn't let him intimidate me.
“Nzuak, I would like to discuss something else with you.” Father started to get up.
“When it comes to the attacks-”
“ In private .” he cut me off and then left the big fire with Nzuak.
My fingernails dug into my palms and I averted my eyes from the picture they shared as the betrayal pierced my heart. Dad didn't even have time for me on my birthday. I would never be good enough for him, I was the wrong sex for that.
➳
“Come on Rya, a dance.” Rowtag held out his hand and looked at me invitingly. “I bet that will take your bad mood out of your face.”
My gaze only darkened and I looked away demonstratively.
He followed my gaze and sighed. “By dawn he and his tribe will be gone.”
I snorted but said nothing further, my eyes still on my father and Nzuak, who were talking away from the fire.
With a loud thud, Rowtag dropped beside me and leaned back on his elbows in a relaxed manner, causing his leather vest to slip and revealing a more than usual view of his toned washboard abs. 'He's got pretty big dog ears if you ask me. And that nose, oh by the goddess Gaia, I already feel sorry for his beloved one!”
“You gossip worse than a dozen women combined.” I rolled my eyes but couldn't keep the corners of my mouth from twitching.
He ruffled my hair lovingly. “What else am I supposed to do if I want to make my Misahvi , my sister, laugh?”
My heart warmed and I punched his arm. “Dumbass.”
“Thank you, I love you too.” Rowtag grinned, then ate the rest of his dinner in one bite and flirted with any women with his looks. Something more important caught his attention, however, and the women were suddenly forgotten. With big eyes he eyed my brimming plate. “Isn't that you?”
“Not hungry.” The monkey meat wobbled like pink pudding as I pushed my plate toward it.
He shrugged and grabbed the plate while my teeth ground at the Akar's loud laughter. “What's he doing here anyway?”
“I heard they were discussing the adjacent strays.”
I frowned. “Why should he discuss matters that concern only our tribe with Nzuak?”
“No idea. Maybe he wants to help us, after all they're not bad when it comes to taking out opponents.”
I almost wanted to growl like a wolf. “It's none of his business!”
'Anyway. But what's important...' Rowtag cleared his throat. “I have something for you.” He pulled something out from behind his back and my eyes widened when I spotted the quiver with a whole new set of arrows.
“Rowtag! That's-' I shook my head in disbelief. “That's too much! I can't possibly accept that.”
“Of course you can, after all, twenty-two orbits of the sun are not small! That should be celebrated.” he winked at me and handed me his gift.
I marveled at the noble weapon in disbelief. I then lifted my head and gave him a fierce, if a bit stiff, hug. “Thanks.”
“With pleasure.” He smiled and I felt a faint blush appear on his cheeks. He was about to add something when a great shadow fell over us.
“Arya, a word.”
