50 The village chief's messenger
But just as I thought the tense moment had passed, a loud snort erupted from Gina. With a scoff, she quickly dismissed my compliment, saying, “Don’t mind him, Mom. He’s just trying to talk his way out of trouble. Believe me, you definitely don’t look stunning when you’re angry, so don’t fall for his lies.”
It took all of my effort not to click my tongue against my cheeks as I looked at Gina in pity. As expected, my mother’s expression, which had seemed to calm down, immediately turned to Gina and bore into her with an intense gaze.
Gina gulped nervously, realizing the gravity of her words. She turned her head away and stammered, ‘I…I didn’t mean it like that, okay?’
But before she could explain any further, my mother’s finger jabbed towards the entrance of the hut. “Get inside. Now,” she commanded.
Yeah, this was definitely the first time that I am seeing her so angry.
Without hesitation, Gina sauntered into the hut, eager to escape our mother’s withering glare. As I turned to follow her, the sound of heavy footsteps grinding and crushing against the reddish clay soil reached my ears, causing me to pause.
I pivoted on my heel and focused my gaze on the approaching figures. One of them was a grown man dressed in a tulga similar to mine, carrying a cotton-woven bag over one shoulder. The other was a young girl, roughly my height and age, with short black hair and a piece of cloth tied around her waist that stopped at her thighs. Her long-sleeved midriff top was held together by buttons at the front, revealing a generous amount of cleavage for all to see.
Noticing her slightly perky breasts and toned long legs, I couldn’t help but think that she bore a striking figure to Reena, albeit with her own unique alluring appeal.
As I turned to face the newcomers, I realized that my mother was already politely greeting them with a warm smile. It didn’t take long for me to recognize the man as the village chief’s messenger, and judging by the girl’s resemblance to him, I could only assume that she was his daughter.
After a few seconds, they came to a stop in front of us, and the man addressed us with a courteous smile. ‘Is this the household of Miss Celeste?’ he asked, his gaze shifting from my mother to me and then back again.”
“Yes, I am Celeste, and this is my son, Orion” My mother responded with a nod and pointed towards me.
Taking the hint, I stepped forward and introduced myself. “My name is Orion,” I expressed.
The man nodded in acknowledgement and cleared his throat before introducing himself. “Even though you might have already guessed, I will introduce myself again,” he said. “I am Thak, the village chief’s messenger, and this is my daughter Tala. She will also be participating in this year’s awakening ceremony.” He gestured towards his daughter, who remained silent and simply nodded in response.
Thak proceeded, “As per the village head’s instructions, your awakening ceremony is scheduled to commence tomorrow. Therefore, you are expected to be present in the village chief’s compound immediately after sunrise tomorrow, to initiate the awakening process.” Pausing briefly, he allowed his words to sink in before continuing, “I regret that I was unable to deliver this message yesterday, as intended. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to do so. I sincerely hope that you can forgive me for this delay.” he apologized, his exhaustion evident in a long, tired sigh that escaped his lips.
“Please don’t concern yourself with it. We appreciate you coming today to inform us,” my mother responded graciously, conveying her gratitude for his presence.
Thak acknowledged her response with a nod, and proceeded to draw his handbag forward, reaching inside to retrieve a stunning wooden chip. It was intricately carved, depicting rays of light spreading outwards, and he presented it to me with care.
I eagerly extended my hand to receive the beautiful wooden chip from Thak, marvelling at the intricate design of the rays of light spreading outwards.
“As previously mentioned, it is essential that you arrive promptly after sunrise. However, to gain entry into the compound, it is compulsory that you present this chip to the guards. Make sure not to forget it, or risk being labelled as a latecomer and losing valuable points,” Thak explained, arching his eyebrows in a knowing manner.
I nodded my head in agreement, fully comprehending the importance of the wooden chip and the potential consequences of forgetting it.
“Good. I will be expecting you tomorrow, Orion,” he responded as he turned his attention back to my mother and said, “See you later Miss Celeste.”
“Alright, have a good day, Mr Thak,” my mother politely responded, and we watched as Mr Thak and his daughter turned around and walked away. Ignoring the fact that the little girl didn’t say anything, I couldn’t help but notice the way her perky buttocks kissed the fabric tied around her waist, and the hypnotic sway it showcased as she walked away.
I withdrew my eyes from her waist the moment I was done appreciating the view and turned towards my mother, asking her the first question that popped into my mind immediately after that conversation.
“What does Mr Thak mean by ‘points’?” I questioned.
With a chuckle, my mother proceeded to explain, “Remember how I told you that you will be learning how to reproduce with a woman and to awaken your gift and inner strength?”.
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“Well, during your training, you will receive points based on your performance. The points represent the kind of gift you can request from the village chief or what kind of gift the chief will give you. So, it’s best to avoid situations where your points will be deducted, unless you don’t mind failing your awakening ceremony,” she added, emphasizing the importance of the points.