GODS AT THE CENTRE ( EDITING)

CHAPTER III, ESOLA: A WIFE'S FEARS AND TALES BY MOONLIGHT

"Well, I'm glad to have dinner." Esola watched her husband pronounce as he entered the dining room before taking his place at the head of the long table.

Esola sat to his right, next to her was Bibu who seemed very eager to eat.
Aris and Tasa sat across her.

She had changed into a simple blue gown.

The servants had already placed the meal before them. It was a simple meal.
In lacquered clay bowls, one for each member of the family, hot yellow Opah balls were cooling in the evening air.

"The aroma of this Opah is enough to feel your belly." Emmeso's exhaled the glorious steam over the table.

"Then, you wouldn't mind giving me yours, since your belly is already filled with the aroma," She said casually while splitting her meal into neat quarters with a knife.

He pretended to scowled at her "Never!"

"Ha! See the look on your face!"

Bibu clapped his hands together and shot an urgent gaze at Tasa who was about to eat a slice. She froze, spoon hanging mid air, mouth open.

"Don't eat, we haven't thanked the gods yet!" He looked at Esola for support.

"Yes, that's true, Tasa that's not good of you." She raised a brow in her direction. Tasa grinned sheepishly and jabbed her plate idly.

She faced Emmeso, he got the message.

He lifted his plate high above his head, and they rest did so. He intoned a prayer and they all followed:

"Riches to the Earth for her gift,
Thanks to Idem for his water that grew,
Aoha, for his sun that nourished,
And to Ivaka for his fire to cook it."

"And lastly," Emmeso said as they began to eat, "Thanks to the gods for the nose to perceive the sweet aroma."

"And the mouth for gluttons to gorge themselves."

And when she did, she shrugged her shoulders with an innocent grace. "What? Why are you staring at me that way?" Inwardly, she was grinning. How she loved to toy with him.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing." He said before he flashed his teeth and leaned towards her, so that only she may hear it.

"And for wives who are often wrong in thinking that they're cleverer than their husbands, we give thanks."

She let out a laugh. "That's a good one, I would have spit back fire at you, but this Opah is too good, I want to savour it."

She closed her eyes in rapture as the flavor rushed over her tongue. Good pepper, the right amount of salt, it's perfect.

"This is good."

"Who's the glutton now?" She ignored his jibe. The food was all that mattered now.

"Papa! Aris showed me a map today. He said that the Baldic sea is really big, bigger than twenty cities put together?!" Tasa questioned with eager eyes.

Those two are always together. Well, that's to be expected. They grew up together. They're too close though, too close.

Emmeso nodded. "Yes, it's very big," he finally said after swallowing.

Esola took another bite and watched her daughter. She kept silent. She didn't feel like talking.

"I hope to see it one day, please describe it for me." Her eyes were pleading now.