The village bustled with preparations for Daoyi and Kenyai’s engagement ceremony. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion, marking the beginning of their union and Daoyi’s official recognition as the tribe’s future leader alongside Kenyai. But instead of excitement, Daoyi felt an unsettling tension in the air.
In the days leading up to the ceremony, he had noticed more and more whispers as he passed by, furtive glances and hushed conversations that quickly fell silent when he approached. He tried to push the unease aside, focusing on his duties, but the feeling gnawed at him like a festering wound.
On the eve of the ceremony, everything came to a head.
Daoyi was in the communal hall, helping his mother with the final touches for the celebration. The smell of Lavender filled the air, and the soft glow of lanterns cast a warm light on the preparations. But his mind was elsewhere, distracted by the whispers that seemed to follow him everywhere.
That was when Abeta approached, her smile too sweet, too sharp. “Daoyi,” she called out, her voice dripping with false concern. “I’ve been meaning to speak with you.”
Daoyi turned to her, already wary. “What is it, Abeta?”
She took a step closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I thought you should know… there are rumors spreading. People are talking about you, questioning your ability to fulfill your role as a Carrier.”
Daoyi’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?” he asked, though he already knew. He had heard the whispers, the doubts, the cruel words spoken behind his back. But to hear it from Abeta, spoken so plainly, made the wound feel fresh all over again.
Abeta shrugged, her eyes gleaming with malicious glee. “They’re just concerned for the future of the tribe. After all, what if you can’t bear children? What if the Goddess didn’t truly bless you as they say? It would be a disaster for the tribe if they were to place their faith in someone… inadequate and unreliable.”
Daoyi’s breath caught in his throat, and he felt his chest tighten with a flood of emotions—anger, fear, humiliation. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked, his voice trembling.
“I just thought you should know,” Abeta said with a mockingly sympathetic smile. “It’s not fair, is it? That so much depends on you. But the tribe has to think of its future.”
She lingered for a moment, as if savoring the effect her words had on him, before finally walking away, leaving Daoyi standing there, frozen in place.
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Later that night, the weight of Abeta’s words pressed down on Daoyi like a wet blanket. He sat alone by the riverbank crying softly, the same spot he often retreated to when the pressures of his life became too much to bear. The stars above twinkled in the night sky, but they felt distant, cold.
His mind raced with the rumors Abeta had spread. Could they be true? Was he really unfit to lead? What if the tribe’s future was doomed because of him? The thought clawed at him until he could barely breathe. He couldn’t go through with the ceremony tomorrow—not like this.
For a brief moment, he considered running away. The thought crossed his mind before he could stop it. He could disappear, leave the tribe behind, and spare them the burden of his failure. But where would he go? Who would he be without his tribe, without his family?
A twig snapped behind him, and Daoyi flinched, quickly wiping at his eyes as he turned to see who it was.
Kenyai stood there, his brow furrowed with concern. “Daoyi,” he said softly. “I’ve been looking for you. What’s going on? You left the hall without a word.”
Daoyi looked away, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s nothing.”
Kenyai wasn’t convinced. He stepped closer, kneeling beside Daoyi. “Don’t lie to me. I can see something’s bothering you. Tell me.”
Daoyi hesitated, his hands trembling in his lap. “Abeta… she told me about the rumors. That people think I’m unfit to be a Carrier. That I might not be able to… to give the tribe what it needs.” He sniffed.
Kenyai’s eyes darkened with anger. “Abeta said that?”
Daoyi nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. “She’s not wrong, is she? What if I fail? What if I can’t give you children? What if I’m not enough, what if–?”
Kenyai grabbed Daoyi’s shoulders, turning him so they were face to face. “Listen to me,” he said, his voice firm but gentle. “You are more than enough. I don’t care what Abeta or anyone else says. The tribe’s future isn’t just about having children. It’s about leadership, about strength, about the bond we’ll share. And you, Daoyi—you’re everything I could ever want. Everything the tribe needs.”
Daoyi’s eyes welled up with tears, his emotions too raw to contain. “But what if I fail? What if the Goddess didn’t bless me the way everyone thinks?”
Kenyai cupped Daoyi’s face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears. “You won’t fail. The Goddess chose you for a reason. I chose you for a reason. And I’m not going to let anyone, least of all Abeta, make you doubt that.”
For a moment, Daoyi simply stared at Kenyai, his heart pounding in his chest. The weight of the tribe’s expectations, the fear of failure—it all felt a little lighter with Kenyai by his side. He leaned into Kenyai’s touch, letting out a shaky breath. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Kenyai smiled softly, his forehead resting against Daoyi’s. “You never have to thank me. I’m with you, always.”
They stayed like that for a while, the silence between them filled with unspoken understanding. Daoyi felt a warmth spread through him, not just from Kenyai’s touch, but from the knowledge that he wasn’t alone. Even if the tribe doubted him, even if Abeta tried to tear him down, Kenyai believed in him.
And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.
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The following morning, as the village gathered for the engagement ceremony, the air was still thick with tension. Daoyi could feel the weight of every gaze on him as he stood beside Kenyai, the two of them dressed in ceremonial garb, their hands clasped together as they faced the Priestess.
Abeta lingered at the edge of the crowd, her eyes gleaming with barely concealed satisfaction. Daoyi caught her gaze for a brief moment, but instead of feeling the familiar sting of doubt, he felt a surge of resolve.
He wasn’t doing this for Abeta, or even for the tribe’s approval. He was doing it for himself. For Kenyai. For the future they would build and share together.
The Priestess raised her hands, her voice ringing out across the gathered crowd. “Today, we stand witness to the union of two souls, blessed by the Goddess. Daoyi, Carrier of the Kampe tribe, and Kenyai, son of the High Warrior, will lead us into a new era, one of strength, unity, and hope.”
As the ceremony continued, Daoyi felt Kenyai squeeze his hand, a silent reassurance that they were in this together. And as the final words were spoken, sealing their engagement, Daoyi lifted his head, meeting the eyes of the tribe.
He wasn’t running away.
He would face whatever came next, with Kenyai by his side.
YOU ARE READING
Unique
Storie d'amoreIn a world in which he is one of kind, Daoyi must face all the challenges put before him to become what he was born to be.
