Author Games: The River of Night

Task One: Of the Heavens

Masika Aarahm

Masika watched her mother in utter awe. The way that her mother's body glided as though it were actually one of the golden ribbons in her hand was truly graceful. Her toes were pointed perfectly as she extended her body outwards with her hand skilfully twirling the ribbon in a circular motion that followed the path of a bird preying on its food.

Of course, there were other women who were pirouetting behind her mother but Masika only had eyes for the woman she respected and loved. All Masika could hear was the strings of the harp and the pleasant harmony of the clarinets that her mother danced to. She wished she would be like that – dancing in front of the nobles with a silken skirt tied around her waist while the rest of her body would be glistening with golden necklaces and armbands. Her heart would beat to the music as she floated around the room with the audience watching her.

"It's getting late, Masika, father wants to walk us home," her sister's harsh voice broke through the melody and Masika was broken from her trance. The darkness suddenly crept into the room as Masika realised that Ra had pulled the sun over the horizon long ago.

Please make tomorrow last longer, she prayed to Ra wishfully. The feeling of euphoria slowly faded from her body.

"I don't have a statue for a sister, do I?" Sarambe rolled her eyes. Masika took one last look at her mother, catching her leap into the air as her legs extended outwards. She was a bird with her legs as the wings and the golden ribbon was her sky. Her feet landed softly on the ground as she grounded her flight.

Sarambe tugged Masika's arm forcefully.

And please make my sister ill, Masika growled in her mind.

The young girl pulled her shawl further over her head and she followed her sister through the silent crowd. Music weaved its way through the crowd captivating each person as they watched the dancers. The music faded out and the room was suddenly filled with applause yet Masika was busy ducking her own way through the crowd which gained scowls from the older guests.

Masika wanted to say that she was sorry but her sister was in such a rush that she could barely keep up without stumbling. Although her sister was bossy and although she knew her sister acted like a mother should – Masika simply wanted to stay and dance. She wanted to lift her own feet off the ground and be a bird in the sky that could fly so high that Nut herself would be impressed by her skills.

Yet Masika could feel the sandstone beneath her feet and knew exactly how far away she was from the ground.

The pair finally pushed through the curtain until they were outside in the crisp night air. A gentle breeze smelling of scorched sand brushed past Masika as her feet padded on the sand.

"I wanted to watch mother," Masika told her sister, "Do you think I'll ever be as good as her?"

"You'll never be a dancer if you don't find a husband," Sarambe replied obnoxiously.

Masika felt the breeze nip at her legs as she frowned, "You're not married."

Sarambe fell silent while Masika, unaware of her words, tilted her head to the sky that was dotted in silver lights. She was aware that she would be married soon but didn't understand the situation her sister was in. Sarambe was a pretty girl, with beautiful curves and long silky hair, but her personality was plain bossy and many of the men found her rude despite Sarambe's attempts to alter herself.

Masika, on the other hand, had never tried to change herself. She was obsessed with the art of dancing and she barely had the will to keep her feet planted on the ground. She wanted to twirl and bow with as much elegance as her mother until she could no longer dance.