Amasa

Chapter eight- love or lie

The day of the rain festival had finally arrived. There was a particular ambiance that held every Pokoda villager captive as they went with their regular routines that morning ,a certain flamboyance, a noticeable ambiance that held every villager captive and possessed them from within. The scent of celebration lingered in the air and made my nose tingle. Multicolored indigenous roots and flowers had been hand picked and laid out on fresh leaves in front of me,still sweating out the morning dew.

Runesu had shortly informed me of how the children had been searching for the best bark in the bush to clean the their teeth and acquire the status of the most impressive smile. Toddlers also picked up fleshy seeds to fill the dancers ankle shakers for the festival.

Runesu did not beam as she usually did. She continued to explain the glow on the villagers faces, the pungent scent of smoked meat down in Karimba and the exceptional vibrancy of cultural outfits and face paintings the villagers had tirelessly worked on.

Runesu carefully lifted the bowl that was previously sitting on my hut floor, scattered among other various accessories and paints that could drip drool out of other young girls and handsome men's mouths for different reasons. The bowl Runesu frequently picked up contained a vibrant purple, which she carefully dipped her finger in and gently dabbed on my full lips so they were even more pronounced. I sat quietly as Runesu put excessive effort to add to my so said eminent beauty.

"Runesu..."

"Hold on my Princess, I am almost done applying the stainer."

"I think what you have done is enough."

I spoke through her closed lips, trying to reduce their movement to a minimum.Runesu's frantic actions radiated desperation to keep our conversation in the channel of formality.

"I need to get every part the same shade my Princess."

Calmly taking the bowl from Runesu's caress, I placed the bowl back onto the floor. Runesu's change in character for the last couple of days was taking me aback, I had no sense of understanding to navigate in these new waters, all I could do for now was reciprocate Runesu's energy at par.

"No need for perfection, no one will notice such small details anyway."

"It is very necessary my Princess, many eyes will be on you...considering that you rarely socialize with the villagers freely as you do so during the festival."

Runesu's words released the nerves of trepidation I had been suppressing all morning.

"Even if their eyes are on me, perfection does not matter."

Every word left my mouth with the weight of deceit. Perfection was all I could think about. The villagers thoughts were just as important as my Fathers...growing up under King Toga's ruling, I knew that the perception of the tribe was just as powerful as the perception of the King. Runesu started rummaging through the accessories, carefully observing every detail to decide which anklets and necklaces were most deserving to be worn.

"I do not mean to cause you anxiety my Princess...but you are soon to come of age and now the Pokoda men are wondering if King Toga has already received your bride price from a foreigner. I myself am curious to why King Toga's approach to your marriage is so relaxed."

Calmly looking up and following every festivity line drawn on Runesu's body that followed all her natural crevices....from the uneven dots that happily sat on her face as the sun is in the morning sky to the colorful lines that made their way down her forearm running smoothly down, I admired the beauty in which Runesu easily wore her tradition. Her appearance exuded calm and confidence in her culture in the same way she had lightly spoken of expected Pokoda practices.