A Word a Day

Day Four: Bone

        Smoke spiraled through the air, the burning scent tickling the nose hairs of the tribe's many members. The women smiled at the smell, their blue face paint decorating their tanned faces. Their golden brown locks were tied back in secure braids, beads looping around the strands in intricately beautiful patterns. Reddish-brown eyes sparked with excitement as the women gathered up their children, instructing their husbands to remain in the tent with their children while they attended the ceremony. Only a few males were allowed the honor to attend the christening of the chieftess's small daughter: the chieftess's husbands, that of the village elder, and the priestess's servant.

        Hahnee counted himself ever so lucky to be one of that small number; Yepa bade him to come along to view the ceremony. It was an honor even if he had no clue why the priestess wanted her lowly orphan servant, her tejoo (slave), to attend such a momentous occasion. Upon his questioning, Yeba had merely hushed him, insisting that the ways of the spirits were not to be explained by mere people. Hahnee, having lived with the peace-loving white-haired young woman for five years, had long since learned not to question such declarations; thus, he gave in without much arguement.

        "Pay attention, Lallo," she whispered to him, her silver eyes piercing. "What happens today will go down in history, and you will go down in history with it."

        In all honesty, Hahnee had no clue what Yeba meant. He might be excited to attend the future chieftess's christianing, but he did not desire eyes to fall on him. He was different from the other males, somehow. Instead of golden brown hair, tan skin, and reddish-brown eyes, he had the look kinown to be that of those women blessed by the spirits to serve as priestesses. It was why his mother had abandoned him, and why Yeba had taken him in; she was curious as to what purpose the spirits had for a pale, white-haired, and silver-eyed boy.

        He had been christianed Hahnee by the people of the tribe, for he came to them as a hopeless beggar. Yeba, however, preferred to address him as Lallo, an endearing term that simply meant little boy, usually used by mothers. Hahnee knew, however, that his own mother had never called him Lallo; she bitterly called him Ata'halne, because he interrupted her life by being so very different.

        Hahnee had returned his mother's love by no sparing her the tears when she died.

        Sitting down quietly beside Yeba, who was dressed in a blue and white feathered robe, a staff made from the bark of a birch tree held tightly in her right hand, Hahnee looked from the attire of the other attendants to his own. He felt out of place in hissimple loincloth -- even the other men donned fineries of some sort, gifts from their wives, no doubt. Hahnee sighed when he felt a gentle hand reach out to caress his cheek. A smiling Yeba looked down at him, softness in her shimmering eyes.

        "Do not despair, Lallo," she whispered to him. "You need not such ridiculous fineries to earn the grace of the chieftess; you are destined for greatness."

        Hahnee gave his mistress a withering smile, thankful for her efforts to make him feel better even though she hadn't succeed. He stooped down to take up dirt, rubbing the substance between his thumb and forefinger as it drifted back down to the ground, only a few grains remaining in the crevices around his fingers and nails. He loved Yeba dearly, but her ways were a mystery.

        Finally, the music began to start, causing Hahnee to jolt upright, craning his neck as the chieftess came into view, her vibrant red hair standing out brilliantly from the sea of brown. She was scantily dressed in short red and black feathered skirt, a black furred shawl draped around her torso. A crown of bones sat upon her head, and in her arms lay a baby girl. Her firstborn daughter.

        "Blessings to Songaa, the man to bless me with my heiress," Chieftess Galilahi spoke without effort, nodding briskly toward her sixth husband. He bowed recpectfully.

        "Thank you, Madam. Your blessings are valued."

        A smile curled Calilahi's red lips as she took her place standing beside the log Yeba and Hahnee rested upon. "Yes," she agreed, and Hahnee could tell that she was pleased. The brilliant woman looked to Yeba with sharp golden eyes. "Well, Sister?" she prompted smoothly. "Shall we proceed?"

        Yeba nodded with a small smile, using her staff to propell herself to her feet. "We shall proceed, indeed," she agreed, taking the tiny babe from her fellow leader.

        The girl was wrapped in a soft bearskin blanket, her red hair contrasting mightily with the black fur. The babe's eyes were close, but Hahnee already knew that her eyes would be golden, just like those of all the chieftesses that ever were. He smiled in the baby's direction, feeling more and more honored to attend such a momentous occasion as each second passed.

        Yeba pulled a woven pouch from her belt, craddling the child in one arm. Then, to Hahnee's surprise, she held it out toward him. "Please take out the pendant for me, Lallo."

        Bowing slightly as a sign of respect, Hahnee accepted the pouch, extracting a carved pendant in the likeness of the sun, strung aroung a woven string along with various clay beads. Feeling odd holding the holy artifact, Hahnee held it out for Yeba to take shakily. To his relief, she didn't even look at him when she took it from him, hovering the object above the slumbering baby.

        Yeba closed her eyes, facing upward in the manner that Hahnee had seen her do many times before; she did that whenever she spoke to the spirits. For a long while, she stayed like that, before her eyes opened and she smiled.

        "She is to be called Chu'mana," Yeba spoke in a quiet voice. "For she will grow up to be as cunning and sly as a snake. She will strike fear into her enemies, and inspire love and admiration from her subjects. These are the words of the spirits."

        "Let it be so," the audience chorused.

        Yeba then turned to smile down at Hahnee. "Yes," she agreed. "Let it be so. And let her priest rule aong beside her."

        A hush washed over the crowd. Priest? Some other, unnatural tribes had male priestesses, but...

        Yeba pushed her staff into Hahnee's hands, and he looked at her in disbelief. "Serve her well," she told him. "For you, Lallo, are the future.

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I'm so glad that this challenge has some leniency on the 30 days thing! I was at a Christian function all weekend and slept almost all day yesterday. I know this piece isn't my best work -- it came out nowhere near as good as I wanted it to -- but I hope you still enjoy it. :)