The Immortal Guardians: Book III

Chapter 11

The following day at dinner, it was rather awkward. Byron hadn't spoken to me since the break up. The boys were being moody to him too.

"Would you like to join the Maiden Ceremony?" Chief Anika asked me with a smile. My face started to burn. I could only imagine what it was about.

"Not really" I could feel their eyes on me. My face was going to melt off.

"It is nothing to be ashamed of" Chief Anika patted my back. I tried to tell her that I wasn't shamed but I probably looked like a bubbling idiot. "You should join the girls. It is also a good way to tell young men that you are eligible for marriage" she laughed at my face. I probably looked scared.

"Join it." Chief Anika smiled kindly at me. "There might be a few surprises for you"

She introduced me to a few other girls that were going to participate in the ceremony. The girls were staring curiously at me. I could only imagine that I looked like a nervous wreck.

"Nope...I can't do this" I gulped, the other girls were undressing. They were going to shower in the river. Naked.

I had only been naked in front of others once or twice. I could barely recall it but now it was uncomfortable. I started to back away.

"Come on Iris" Honoria waved at me. She was starting to disrobe. I couldn't help looking up at the sky.

"You know. I don't think I should participate" I gulped nervously clutching my robe tightly around myself. "I don't plan on marriage and sex isn't really in the cards for me" I started to back away.

"Stop being so embarrassed. We are all girls. Its okay, don't be ashamed of your body"

"I'm not ashamed, just not comfortable with my body" I tried to explain to her. "You know props to you for having the confidence to walk around naked but I don't have it"

Honoria rolled her eyes at me.

"Nobody has confidence we all pretend we do. We only have to bathe in the river and we are done. We have a comfortable dinner and make our request."

"Request? Request for what?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"The type of man we would like to marry?" Honoria sighed heavily. "I would love to marry the Chief's grandson, he is so handsome"

I made a face at her. I took a deep breath and disrobed. I hurried into the water. They all started to talk about Byron much to my dismay. Even at a maiden Ceremony he came up. That was dreadful.

When we got out, there were some nice white robes waiting for us. I quickly put mine on, wrapping my head in a bun. We were given a silver band to place on our heads. The experience hadn't been so bad but it wasn't something I wanted to repeat.

"What kind of man is your type, Iris?" Belva asked me. We were walking back to the town.

"The boys having a late dinner, they just wanted to get a look at us" Honoria whispered in my ear. She linked her arm to mine. Belva took my other arm.

There was a lot of gigging as we made our way into town. I noticed Ezra and Thomas were present.

I wanted to cover my face and hide. Ezra was waving at the girls. He saw me and he burst into laughter.

"Iris, call me" he put his hand to his ear. "I hear you are eligible"

I opened my mouth to retort but Belva put her hand on my mouth.

"Don't say a word"

I settled on giving him a rude gesture. Drake nudged him to keep quiet.

"Thomas is handsome" Belva craned her neck looking for him.