Chaart Acrat 1 - The Flying Bride

Chapter 6

Owata wasn't going to stay in the village. But she didn't want to leave the way Siarme had told.

That evening they had to take part in the rehearsal of the wedding ceremony. During the rehearsal Owata often saw Siarme look at her apologetically, but she pretended not to notice. She knew that had she seen those glances a year ago, she would have been on cloud nine, but now they felt like nothing. Siarme was already planning a way to get rid of her.

The traditional wedding dress of honored Tshers was way too big for Owata, so she kept on stumbling. The violet-haired Leonceg who appeared to be the head priestess of the ceremony was looking at her disgruntled.

"No need to panic, it'll go just fine," Siarme said soothingly after the rehearsal. Owata glared at him. "It's as if you really tried to make me your wife."

Siarme looked overly sorry. "I apologize for what I suggested today. If you don't like the idea, then let's forget it. We will learn how to live together eventually."

You wish, Owata thought sourly but she didn't say anything.

She found it difficult to say goodnight to her parents and siblings that night, knowing that she'd never see them again. After the lights had been turned off and her father had started to snore quietly, she dressed up and sneaked behind the house where she had hidden a bag full of her belongings.

The sand road leading to the shia-ags was eerily quiet at night. Many times Owata thought she'd turn back, but she didn't want to give up. The more dramatic her disappearance would be, the more probably it would have a significant impact. At least she hoped so. She wished the system would collapse entirely. Not so that it would be harmful for the villagers, but that it would definitely be harmful for the chief's family.

Most of the shia-ags had left the clearing for food, but the baby was still there with his mother. Owata didn't want to draw near the baby, so she was lucky to spot Tricame on the top of the high tree again.

"Tricame!" she whispered. She couldn't whistle like Siarme, and she was afraid it would cause her problems.

Tricame turned her head and looked down at Owata. Owata tried to make a whistling noise but she didn't manage. She was about to give up when Tricame suddenly dived towards her.

Owata startled, but Tricame slowed down at the last moment to land a few steps away from her. Owata sighed relieved.

"Would you let me climb on your back?"

The lizard was shaking head from one side to another. Owata had been taking care of shia-ags for many years, but she had never rode them. Riding wasn't part of Fiaans' rights so they weren't taught how to do it. Owata tried to keep speaking to Tricame with a low, calming voice and approached her back.

"Stay still for a moment, I'll just put my bag here and..."

She heard steps coming from the sand road. She put her hand on Tricame's back and patted it - Tricame bent her legs so that Owata could throw her leg over the lizard's back.

A tall shadow had stopped at the edge of the clearing. Tricame gave an enthusiastic shriek and started jogging towards it. Owata was holding on, trying to remember how the hunters made their lizards fly.

"Fly, Tricame!"

No reaction. They were approaching the edge of the clearing and the person standing in the shadows.

"Up!" Owata nudged the shia-ags ribs with her feet.

"Who is it?" shouted the person from the shadows.

"I'm begging," Owata whispered. "Let's flee!"

All of a sudden the lizard jumped and started flapping her wings. Owata was frightened and almost lost her grip.

"Hey!" The person shouted. "Come back!"

Owata recognized his voice. She prayed for Tricame not to obey her owner's command this time.

"Tricame? Come down!"

Tricame screamed again and swerved in the air, uncertain what to do. Owata tried to instruct her to fly higher, away from the clearing, but she had lost her sense of direction and she was feeling dizzy...

Tricame dived towards the ground, towards Siarme who shouted and crouched as the lizard flew over him. Owata closed her eyes, but then she felt that Tricame was slowing down and gasping. She opened her eyes, there was nothing but the sky, she peeked behind and saw Siarme hanging on to the lizard's tail.

"You're mad!" she shouted. "Tricame can't carry us both, let go or we -"
"You're saying I should Iet go now and fall? I'll rather drop us all!"

Tricame waved her tail annoyed but Siarme held on. They were losing height.

"I beg, Siarme, let me go, let me escape... Tricame!" The lizard had turned towards the ground and dived, they went faster and faster, Owata screamed and heard Siarme yell some words she didn't understand, they would die, she was sure...

That was when everything came to a halt.