𝙋𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

        

𝙎𝙄𝙓𝙏𝙀𝙀𝙉, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖼𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗆𝗈𝗇𝗒

—— ఌ︎ ——

        THE MATING CEREMONY was in full swing. The main beach of the village had come alive, torches lit everywhere, music playing, Metkayina people were adorned in their nicest clothing, paint decorating their faces and bodies.

        Zahala sat between her parents with Ov’il next to their father. Her mother held Na’ana, the baby wearing miniature paint patterns. The Sully family surrounded themselves with the warriors and their families. They fit in. Zahala hadn’t expected them to come, but Neteyam and Lo’ak weren’t there.

        Ronal and Tonowari sat beside Tanilu, their children and Rotxo with Kiri and Tuk. Villagers danced to the music around the beach and in the water, swimming with ilu while the underwater world was brightly illuminated. The tulkun whined and groaned just in the deep waters, taking part in the celebrations.

        Everything was for Zahala, everyone was there for Zahala, hoping for the young girl to be correctly paired with her mate. But Zahala was not happy to be there. She didn’t want to be promised to someone now, and have to mate with them three years later.

        What she truly wanted was for Neteyam to wisk her away to their secret spot, and she could be with him. But that wasn’t possible. So Zahala sat between her parents, sulking to herself. Mayan kept telling her to put on a happy face to attract the right mate, and she did, just to make her stop talking. 

        Onacor and En’tulak kept eyeing her, Ao’nung’s harsh glare keeping them from approaching her. The ceremony’s true purpose was set to begin momentarily, and Zahala hoped Neteyam didn’t arrive in the middle of it. She didn’t think he was coming, so she never got a chance to warn him of what the ceremony entailed. Neteyam would explode if he saw it.

        Zahala fixed her lovely floral crown as Tanilu stood, the music stopping at his hand movements. The villagers retreated back to land, forming a large circle with the Ae’tuak family. “Welcome, and thank you all for coming to the Mating Ceremony of Zahala te Ae’tuak Mayan’ite. My daughter!” the entire clan cheered and shouted for Zahala, who gave a shy smile.

        Tsireya looked at her cousin, seeing her uncomfortable face, and she frowned. This was something that she knew Zahala absolutely hated. It wasn’t her, nothing about this event was Zahala. Tanilu continued as the clan’s shouts died down. “This event will begin as it traditionally does, with the eldest brother leading his sister away.” Tanilu gestured to Ov’il, who looked as though he would kill anyone who touched his little sister.

        And with more shouts and cries of encouragement, Zahala and Ov’il stood in the middle of the large circle on the sand, music beginning again. Tanilu sat beside Mayan as they watched their children begin the ceremony. Ov’il tried his best to make the moments he had with Zahala great, so that she would remember spending time with him, and not the next parts of the ceremony.

        It started with Onacor, and then En’tulak, and then three more boys all in Zahala’s age range. She looked miserable, but Mayan glared at her, so she fought to keep the smile on her face. Tsireya, Ao’nung, their parents and the Sully family could see right through it. Ronal was disappointed that Mayan was making her daughter do this ceremony the traditional way, rather than morph it to make it comfortable and light-hearted, like she was planning to do for Tsireya.

       Jake and Neytiri held sadness in their eyes as they watched the girl their eldest son held deep care for. They knew how much this would kill Neteyam, and they were very glad he and Lo’ak had chosen not to come.