[Day 29 | Day 10 at Topaz Island]
I'm woken up by a knock at my door. I feel a bit nervous. I remember that today's the day I get 'married'.
I stand up, put on my pants, and answer the door. One of the tribesmen is here. "Good morning, Grey. Are you ready to be paired? We will prepare you for the ceremony."
Me, "Absolutely. Do I have time to get cleaned up first?"
He nods, so I head over to the water closet, and quickly run through my morning routine. Freshly showered and in new pants, I pick up the two flowers from my table, and walk off with the tribesman.
The first stop seems to be someone's house. A man and two women are there, and some time is spent fitting me for new pants. They're.. rather decorative, with several leather tassels, a bunch of beads, and dyed many different colors.
In my new pants, I am then taken to another hut. Inside, there are various jars, and I'm sat down on a stool. One of my escorts takes my two flowers, raises his eyebrows when he sees one is Topaz-covered, and gently places them on a nearby table before leaving.
An older woman is standing among the jars. "We will apply some paint to you for this ceremony. Normally, white body paint is used. For you, black body paint will be used."
I look at my skin. Yeah, that makes sense. "Okay."
She takes a small paint brush, and begins.
... this is going to take a while, isn't it?
With nothing to do, I connect to Sentral, then to the bird near Ban'yun. I reach out to her mind.
¬there you are# we will be ready to depart momentarily)¬
¬got it# I'm sending over a bird with Topaz to protect you a little more effectively)¬
I identify one of the birds with Topaz, and have it fly over, hastened with telekinesis.
¬Grey)¬
She doesn't follow up immediately, so I ask ¬what is it£)¬
She takes a moment more, and then ¬no# sorry# this is something I want to say in person# so will you be watching over us on the way over£)¬
I respond, ¬Sentral will be once the modified bird arrives# no kurs will be able to draw near you)¬
I send another modified bird to the center of town; it wouldn't do to let the protection of the villagers against kurs lapse.
Hmm.. Right. I wanted to write down the vow. I think I'll remember it, but if I fuck up, I can just feel the writing with my gem sense and recite it. I take some time to etch it into part of Sentral's box, and confirm I can still read it.
How's the satellite...? I check, still good. The planet looks about as far away as I recall.
The bird arrives at the Hardbark village. I instruct Sentral to fly it to the ground in front of Ban'yun, land, and then disconnect myself from it. Sentral will protect them from kurs while the Topaz portal is open.
Last item of business, I need to bring Wed back over. I have Sentral open a Gate, vertical once more, so Wed can use whatever magic he uses to get over. I look through with an early bird, once the Gate is open. He seems to be waiting. I send him a connection.
¬Wed# sorry I'm not here to pick you up in person# they woke me up incredibly early# need any help getting over£)¬
¬I can make it)¬ He disappears. I see him step out from behind a cart, so I close the Gate and stow it again. ¬I assume you're in the village right now£)¬ I nod with the bird, and send him an image of the house I'm in. ¬I see# I'll see you soon)¬
I guess I can work on my rings? They're working on my right arm now, so I hold up the ring with my left. I remove the Jet, and focus on the Amethyst and Emerald...
- - -
He does find me soon enough. The woman doing my body paint glances up, then turns back to her work. I almost speak in 'Topazian', but switch to Jensin. "Howdy Wed! It's a bit rushed, but I'm getting married, or something similar."
Wed, "I can't say I blame you. In your shoes, unmarried, I would do exactly the same thing. Working with her was... challenging. When she begins wearing clothes, it will still be easier for me."
I laugh, but feel a firm hand on my shoulder remind me to keep still. "I suppose you're right. I do wonder if she'll get me in trouble with her beauty? If some noble falls in love with her, I might have a fight on my hands to protect her."
He chuckles. "You're strong enough to take on a single noble no problem." He looks at me squarely though. "If it comes to that though, your anonymity is gone. I think it will happen sooner, rather than later."
Me, "I can't exactly imprison her. Be honest with me, Wed. If it comes down to it, could I take on an army?"
Wed, "A normal one? Yes. Just be careful with mages like we talked about before. We've confirmed Sentral can protect you against the usual avenues of attack, but esoterica is something you can never predict. Picking a fight with a nation is something I strongly recommend avoiding, as they may have several mages like this." He shrugs. "I can't imagine you picking enough of a fight to warrant that sort of attention, but keep in mind that not everybody acts rationally."
I smile, "I'll try to avoid causing any national incidents for at least a year or two."
Wed, "Well, that was an enjoyable sidetrack. Hope it helped with the jitters."
Me, "Thanks, Wed. I know I want this, want her. I am not even thinking about backing out."
He grins. "Thought that'd be the case. I'd wish you happiness, but there's no need. I see a happy future for both of you."
Me, "Thanks Wed. It's reassuring to hear it from you."
Wed nods, "I'm going to go brush shoulders. Good luck."
- - -
Later on, someone brings in stews for myself and the older lady. She's almost done, and I have a lot of body paint on now. I can't see the design too well, except for my arms, but it seems well made. Curls, right angles, thick and thin lines.. Seems entirely artistic, but there might be some symbology mixed in. I can't tell.
I haven't quite finished improving my rings, but I might be marginally stronger and agile now? Hard to say.
Rin comes in as we're eating. She smiles, "That body paint looks good."
Me, "Thanks for that. She's been working hard."
Rin gives her a small bow, then turns back to me. "Anyway, you will be going out soon. Stand near A'yado. Ban'yun arrived, and... wow. Try not to let your jaw drop when you see her."
Me, "That beautiful huh? I'll try to keep my composure."
She walks over to my side. "You'll definitely be making a pleasant memory this afternoon. I need to touch you for a moment, don't move." She... reaches her hand into my pants, and gropes me. I'm bewildered, then, oh is this the anti-water thing again?
She withdraws her hand. "Have fun, okay?" Her role finished, she leaves.
- - -
The older woman finishes painting me. She's been oddly untalkative, which is fine with me, but it's a bit unusual. As I stand, she says one thing. "Give her many children."
I definitely will. "Understood." I pick up the two flowers again. Leaving the house, I head over to the shrine. Quite a lot of people are gathered there, most of the village, I'd say. By this point, it's around mid-day. I think we have... less than an hour? until it rains? Curious timing.
A'yado seems to be standing at the front of the shrine. I.. kind of imagined that we would be standing on the thing itself, but with a massive fire going on the burn area behind him, I'm glad we don't. The shrine is still decorated from yesterday, and there's even more than when I left. The chest-high totems seem to form something of a walkway where the other tribesmen are not standing, so I use it to approach the shrine. As I near A'yado, he gestures to my right, his left. I stand where he indicates. He smiles, nods, and says, "Welcome, Grey. We will begin once Ban'yun arrives. Your woman tells me you have chosen a family name, 'Vai', is this correct?"
Me, "That's right. Vai'grey and Vai'yun."
He nods, then looks ahead. We patiently wait a few minutes.
A murmur goes up, and people shift around. I look for my newest mate, and
find her
.
She immediately stands out due to her white body paint. Her face has a few designs, as do her cheeks, neck, forehead. She's wearing some sort of feathered headdress, in the style of a circlet rather than anything that hangs. Brown, white, and red feathers adorn it. Around her neck is a graceful choker, the.. the one I made for her, now entwined with what must be hardbark.
Her breasts, oh gods her breasts, so large, are covered in white patterns as well, the left with countless symbols I don't recognize, the right a graceful swirl leading to and encircling, but not encroaching upon, her pink areola. Her stomach, tight with muscle and no fat, shares the symbolic white markings.
I make an effort to close my mouth, redirect my thoughts, and look her in the eye; she's looking back at me. We share a smile as she approaches.
She seems to know what's going on, so I go along with it when she moves to A'yado's other side, gently takes my hands into hers, with both of us holding the two flowers. She holds my gaze as A'yado starts speaking.
I try listening to him, but Ban'yun knocks on my brain. I pay attention to her instead.
¬Grey# we're here# it's really happening# we will be
mates
)¬ She's trying to suppress her expression, but it's showing through to an extent.
I'm psyched as well. ¬I'm thrilled that you will be at my side while we see all that the world has to offer)¬ I listen to A'yado for a moment, he's going on about the tribe or something. If Ban'yun doesn't care, I suppose I don't either.
Her expression softens. ¬I know that you do not love me truly yet# I do not blame you# we have had little time together# know that I have fallen in love with you# I will ensure that you fall in love with me as well# I will serve you with devotion befitting a proud woman of the Hardbark tribe# you will never once regret becoming my mate# I swear it#)¬
Fuck. How do I follow up with that? Taking another auditory peek, it sounds like A'yado is not done talking yet. ¬Ban'yun# I don't know what the future holds for us# but I will endeavor to live up to your high expectations of me# I will show myself worthy of your love# fifteen years from now let us look back at this moment while surrounded by our many children as the start of our blissful lives together)¬