Child of Mara

Promise

The whole tribe hums as they travel. Tae recognizes the song and Mar laughs with delight when he joins in. The Father Tribe takes nothing with them, just exchanges sharp smiles and glances attached to words Tae cannot hear. He can't help but wonder how Mar could stand it. However, the Marans do speak to Mar, their words clumsy but well received. None speak to Tae, although their looks are curious if not friendly.

When night falls, there is no meal made. The Marans find a soft place to rest and work in an almost off-putting harmony to settle everyone down. Children are hushed, elders are cared for, and Mar is wished good-night by every voice. Tae eats an apple self-consciously.

"River-Chaser thinks that looks gross," Mar whispers in his ear.

Tae almost chokes when Mar points to a Maran about their age who does in fact have a disgusted look on her face. When Mar giggles, River-Chaser goes red and scuttles off to straighten an already straight pile of leaves. Tae tosses the apple core into the undergrowth.

"Now you know how all the nuns felt watching you eat raw liver."

Mar laughs. "Well I had to watch them eat pie."

"Fair enough."

Mar-Mother approaches and clears her throat. "Come, Tae. I made a place for you."

Tae gratefully accepts the makeshift bed and watches in the darkness as Mar curls up next to Mar-Mother who strokes their hair. If Tae reaches out, he could just touch them.

His fingers curl in his shirt instead and he forces himself to sleep.

"Wake up, Tae!" Mar pokes his face. Tae brushes their finger away with a sleepy growl.

"Come on..." Mar tugs at his arm until he sits up bleary-eyed to find at least two dozen sets brown eyes staring at him.

"Ah!" Tae jumps and the Marans mirror him. "S-sorry, you all startled me."

Face burning, Tae turns away to stand up, brushing some greenery from his hair and pants. Mar tugs his arm again.

"Everyones waiting, come on."

"I can see that, Mar," Tae hisses. "I'm right behind you, lead the way."

Mar squints at Tae but shrugs. "Okay, to the mountain!"

The Marans cheer. With a sigh of relief, Tae turns around to find them no longer staring. After a few minutes of walking, he does notice an occasional tribe member giggling and then looking back at him. Tae gets the distinct impression he's the subject of much of the Father-Mind's conversation.

The ground gets less wet and more rocky until the path becomes a steep climb. Tribe adults carry the smaller children and two strong looking Marans take the Leader between them. As they go higher, Mar gets quieter. No longer chatting with their reunited friends or pointing out flowers to Tae.

A cave yawns open and Mar pauses at it. All eyes on them, they whisper, "I remember."

"The Cave of Origin," the Leader says as he's lowered to the stone floor.

"My birthday place."

Tae blinks at the cave. Mar did say the tribes gathered for their birthday each year. He gives a quiet chuckle realizing that this wasn't a universal Maran event. It was because it was Mar. Yung would have to edit his book.

Leader turns to River-Chaser, and she sprints off into the cave. Leader leans over to Mar explaining, "River-Chaser will fetch Mother-Tribe. We will take you to the place you need to be."

Mar nods solemnly with a deep breath. Slowly, they take off their worn pack to rummage inside. Retrieving a piece of paper they walk up to Tae. He's eyeing the cave nervously but snaps back when Mar holds out a piece of folded paper.

The paper trembles as Mar holds it up. Their voice shakes too. "Y-you can't come with us, Tae. It's not safe. But I won't leave without saying good-bye, I promise."

Tae eyes burn and the pit swallows him whole.

This is what he'd been dreading.

He falls to his knees and pulls Mar tightly against him, crushing the paper between them. "I don't want you to go, Mar. I don't want to say good-bye. We're family. You're all I have."

Mar doesn't move, just let's Tae hug them. "I want to go home, Tae. You have to let me go."

Tears run into Mar's brown hair. "I still don't understand what that means!"

Mar throws their arms around Tae's neck. "I know." They wiggle out of Tae's arms and press the paper into his hand. "Wait at the bottom of the mountain, promise?"

Tae says nothing, just scanning Mar's face like there will be an answer there. A solution, a compromise, anything.

"Promise me, Tae."

He takes a shuddering breath. "I promise."

Mar nods, turns, and runs into the darkness of the cave. The Marans spare Tae one more unified glance before joining Mar, slowly disappearing until Tae is alone.

The Literan falls forward onto the stone and sobs. With stiff hands, he opens the paper hardly able to make out the butterfly amidst the tears.

I'm sorry.

Mar's writing does little to stop his heart from breaking.