Aeloo | Child

Chapter 5- Our pink blossom

Many seasons had passed, and many pink blossom ceremonies had taken place. Siyo himself remembered when Hui became an adult, which was considered to be within one's twenties, and one of these flowers had been placed in her hand by Ikyk. It was apparent that he had become quite fond of her. Thus, he spent much of his adult life courting her until the ceremony came and he asked this question formally. Timidly, she smiled and gave the flower back to him, situating it in his hair.

"Next time, you should give it to Lrka. She watches you from afar. She hasn't forgotten when you were children and you gave to her that wooden oukan toy when she lost her own. She still has it, and images her own children playing with it"

and that was all Hui said as she walked away.

Next year, Ikyk and Lrka were formally partnered.

But, before that next year- in fact, not long after that very moment, Siyo sat alone at the creek's edge where he had long ago shared his first meal with Hui. Siyo, sweet as he was, was much too innocent to be anything but the sweet cheerful child he would always be. Thus, he thought not much of partnering or even of courting. But he did think of Hui. Throughout the years, he enjoyed being around her more than anyone else.

In fact, he was starting to think much more of her than ever before, and he couldn't explain the palpitation his heart had shocked his system with when Ikyk handed that flower to her. It froze him; in fact, it felt like the whole world had frozen in that moment. He'd long thought of Hui and Ikyk as mere good friends, just as she and he were, and couldn't recognize Ikyk's courting for what it truly was. Now, he was thinking about courting more than ever before. Reality had hit him.

Then, the voice behind him hit him.

"Siyo! Is that you, Siyo?"

He didn't blink, lost in his thoughts. Until, at least, she sat beside him. Then, with her face so close to his, he finally saw her.

"Hui? Hui!"

he smiled, and his anxieties all but melted away.

"Are you calling me to the huts? I did not know the feasting had begun."

she smiled and shook her head

"Oh, no! It has not. I was just looking for you, that is all."

"Why is that?"

With her smile, she blushed and turned her head. This caused him to tilt his, until he felt a soft surface grace the skin on his left arm to where she sat. The scent was unmistakable, and when he looked, he saw a pink blossom flower.

"Will you take it?"

her voice was a mere whisper, she was holding her breath.

To him, everything finally made sense.

"Hui!"

he gasped, unable to keep the smile off his face.

"Come look, Hui."

he said sweetly, brushing his hand through her hair as she looked back to him.

in that moment, he held the flower in her hand and placed upon her a gentle kiss.

"I assure you, Hui, it is ours!"

With this, they both began a great giggling and they shared an embrace. Truly, from this point on, they would be each other's to share and together they raced back to the huts with all the energy of the children they once were. When they ate, they ate together and before the night was over Hui lay fast asleep upon his lap. Afterwards, he carried her home still asleep in his arms. And as he walked, he contemplated this new phase of his life and all the wonders it was to bring.

After their ceremonial partnering, they would build a hut all their own. Soon enough, they even had a family, and welcomed their first-born daughter, Seii, into the world in sun-shine when the sun was in Ose and the moon was in Geneir. This, of course, made her ascendant Nomtn.