A Place To Bloom

Abomination

Footfalls in the grass.

It was still dark, but in the morning's dusk I could make out Miyani's hand creeping towards the knife at her belt while her eyes remained closed.

A rattle of metal keys came with Taganu's smiling voice. "I see you had company."

Miyani relaxed and sat up, stretching her arms and legs out as one by one, my limbs were freed from the chains. I hadn't yet the strength to do more than let them fall and drape myself over the log that was Blue's body such that my hands and feet dropped to the grass on both sides of him. By the time I mustered up the strength to do something, all I could manage was to roll over onto my back onto the grass.

Taganu knelt beside me. "You need to get ready—Kylen likes to leave first thing in the morning."

I wheezed out, "I'm getting up."

Miyani tapped Blue's cheek and called his name a few times, but he didn't budge. A pang of worry shot through me. "Is he OK?"

"Uh..." Miyani smiled. She then turned to Taganu, "gæðude ŋayi vemɪʃaθʊ'aʒʊ?"

Taganu chuckled lightly. "Every morning."

She put the words together, "he... laktheesss... evvrieee moaning. Blue!"

My lizard friend croaked long and low, then curled his neck away from her and tucked his head between his body and mine. I needed to talk to her about that boy.

She giggled lightly and kissed him on his haunch. "Is OK.'

We made our way towards the mess, and she looked up at me with a warm smile. I loved her eyes. I loved the way her eyes widened when she was happy. I loved her perfect lips. Every time I kissed her, the whole world felt right. I didn't know why, but God, I'd have given anything just to hang on to that.

What did it mean, this custom? I tried to imagine how I might feel if she went through with it and even knowing it's supposed to be just a thing in her culture, I just couldn't settle my mind on it. I had to wonder if Lacius went through any of that with Ahmi.

I tried to understand. Miyani chose someone when she became a woman. That was one. I had no idea how many lovers she'd had since then. I really needed to talk to her.

After scarfing down some saltless goop from the mess I went to grab my things. As I changed my clothes, Miyani stood and watched with a big smile on her face. I smiled. "Oh, so you're just going to watch, I see."

She held up a finger. "Watch, see. I learn. ʃo'ibi, keʃo'ibi."

I dropped my filthy clothes to the floor and stood before her. "That's interesting. ʃo'ibi, that's..."

She grinned, gazing all over my naked body. "ʃo'ibi, watch, keʃo'ibi, see."

As I started to look over my armor, she shook her hands and stopped me, "no."

I looked at her, confused. "You're saying don't put my armor on?"

"No," she shook her head. "No ama put."

At her instruction, I went topless with my thin trousers and boots. She saw the silk loincloth Tani had given me lying in the dirty pile and tilted her head at me, pursing her lips.

"Oh," I shrugged. I felt stupid. I struggled for words and looked down. "I, just... I don't..."

Miyani shook it off. Then she grinned, "I watch you!"

That made me laugh. "Oh, you're going to watch me?"

"I watch you!" She giggled. We left the barracks and made our way across the training grounds, and by God's mercy the sun had risen enough for me to absorb those delicious curves she had, barely visible on her dark skin.