Of Winds And Quakes

4. The Onyx

Year of the Lilies
Torrid Season
The Path to the River
Kintil

• Mavli•

I'M NOT MAD AT ALYSIA. I can't possibly stay mad at her but I was hurt by the way she swatted away my concerns like an annoying swarm of flies. So I was happy when Cirok joined us and even happier when Alysia left.

"Is she OK?" Cirok asks me watching Alysia as she quickens her steps, her springy hair bouncing on her shoulders and soon disappears from our sight.

I shrug my shoulders. "She's fine." I reply.

I'd do anything for a cold drink at this moment, I can't wait to dip in the river to evade this torturous heat.

"How did you sleep?" Cirok asks with his huge eyes on my face. I wonder what he sees when he looks at me. Frankly, I'm no beauty compared to Alysia, I'm very plain. The only attractive feature is the small mole on my upper lip. Here in Kintil we find moles very attractive as far as they are in the right place.

"Pleasantly," I say," I was so tired yesterday after helping my mother at the market and hunting down my sister, I fell into deep sleep the moment my body touched the mat."

Cirok chuckles,"really? I couldn't sleep a wink. I stay awake all night."

"That explains the eye bags", I mutter but he hears me and laughs," Is it that obvious?"

I nod. And his eyes crinkle with a smile. Cirok is beautiful. He has a rugged beauty to him; sometimes when I think of getting paired and starting a family he comes to mind. I know he's a potential husband and mother would approve of him because his parents are wealthy and highly respected merchants.

He laughs again. I'm starting to think he's overdoing it, I can't possibly be that funny.

"When we get to the river," I say to him," you'll bathe downstream, away from me and my sister."

"Of course," he nods. "You said you hunted your sister down yesterday?"

Now, it's my turn to laugh. "Well, you know how she's always wandering off and spending time by herself?" Cirok nods. "We were looking for her and my parents sent me to find her." I'm sure there are some rumours of my sister's strangeness but if he has heard anything, he doesn't show it.

"Anyway," he lets out a breath," I have a confession to make." His words make me halt in my steps and turn to face him. Oddly, he doesn't make eye contact and looks anywhere but at me.

"I didn't just happen to see you guys," his eyes dart here and there like he's about to tell me a secret. " I was following you and Alysia."

"Following?" I feel my forehead wrinkle and I can't hide the surprise in my voice. Why would Cirok be following us?

"I'm afraid so," he says.

"But why?" Are we suspects of betrayal? Is Cirok a spy? I doubt that because if he is, he won't be telling me that.

"I'll make it clear to you in a moment." His hands fumble in the pouch of his calico pantaloons and retrieves a folded piece of white clothing. My breath catches in my throat and it suddenly becomes difficult to breathe.

In our culture, when a folded white piece of clothing, whether calico or silk depending on the wealth of the giver, is presented it signifies a marriage proposal and within the cloth usually lies a piece of jewellery which also depends on the wealth of the giver. The royals and nobles give rubies, gold, silver,diamonds, emeralds or sapphires but the commoners give onyx, topaz, lapis lazuli and platinum.

Tears threatens my eyes but I blink to hold them back. I won't let the tears to fall over and let him know how much I'm hurt. How dare he give me a Proposal to my sister? I turn away and make to storm off but he grabs me by my wrist and twirls me to face him.