Voris paced the wooden floor so loudly, his thumping steps could be heard outside.
:”blasted women take too long to get ready, it’s just a festival, not The Procession!” He pounded on the door again. “If you three don’t hurry up, we’re going on ahead. If we wait too long all the cakes will be gone already!”
“You and your damnable cakes! Maybe it would do you some good to skip a cake or two. You can barely fit your best tunics anymore.” Lani called back from behind the door. “Go on ahead, we’ll catch up with you three later. “ Voris needed no more convincing. Abruptly he hitched the cart to the house, leaving it for the women and Jawn, and began on foot. Narim reached out to Jawn, feeling strangely lost. It had been a while since they’d been farther than a Length away from one another.
Will you be okay?
Ow… uhm.. yes I mean. Oh, That is uncomfortable! Go on ahead, I’ll be sure to find you as soon as I can. Oh.
Narim tried hard not to laugh aloud, knowing what torture Jawn must be undergoing at the moment. Laughing would be cruel, but he was still certain Jawn could feel the humor he felt.
I’m sorry, my friend
No response.
The trip into the village was brief but entertaining. It was clear Voris did not understand the stoicism of a Tarik such as Mayar, nor did Mayar understand the way the old man shouted and guffawed at the most random times. The village was bustling with life under the setting sun. As dusk descended upon them, so did the crowds . Narim finally understood Voris’s anticipation, albeit unfounded. Every so often they would pass a booth selling Festival Confections. And Voris would stop at each one, buy enough to keep a family fed for a week and deftly tuck his new acquisition in his bag. By the time night had arrived and the torches in the square were lit, Voris was heavily weighed by the great bundle of cakes he’d acquired. No matter how many times Mayar or Narim offered to carry the burden of cakes, Voris refused, clutching the bag as if at any moment it would be stolen from him.
Narim looked around anxiously for Jawn. He could feel Its presence coming closer, but amidst the confusion of the crowd, he couldn’t quite make out how far. His thoughts began milling over the things that he’d been avoiding since that fateful night in the hayloft… No, from the first time Jawn came to him. He knew the truth, he knew how he felt, but his struggle came in whether or not it was right.
The crowd began milling away from the square, heading toward the gates on the south end of the village. The three of them followed the throng of people down a hill into the darkness until they all suddenly stopped and grew silent. The sound of a hand drum accompanied by some sort of wooden pipes wafted over the silence. It was as if the whole crowd was holding their breaths in wait.
“It is said…” Voris whispered gently to Narim “that the love between fireflies is powerful. Twin lights, fading in and out in search of one another in the darkness. The gestalt of two souls shining brightly in a lovers embrace, the dancing delight of lights and love. We revere the dance of the fireflies in hopes that our lives, too will be filled with love for one another as we search for our soulmates during this period of darkness.” A gasp rippled through them , forced whisperings announced the arrival of the first firefly.
The tiny yellow light faded in and out, flitting over their heads lazily. In an instant the sky came alive with millions of fireflies. Shouts of glee, children squealing in delight, greeted the frenzy of lights. Narim was overcome with awe. A smile spread across his face and he felt like a small child again, filled with wonder. He felt someone reach an arm around his waist, turning him to meet a vision that was far more awestriking than all the fireflies in the world.
A chill passed through his body as he struggled to make sense of what was in front of him. This strange woman was breathtaking under the firefly light. It wasn’t until a rogue firefly drifted in front of the woman’s face that Narim recognized who stood in front of him. This was Jawn!
Jawn was truly a vision, draped in a corseted emerald gown. The sleeves were fashionably long, successfully hiding Its elongated hands. Copper hair which had always been bound in a collection of leather bands was set free and spiraled nearly to the ground, plaits woven carefully with daisies fell to Its shoulders to frame the contrived bosom produced by the corset.
“I know I look downright silly.” Jawn sighed, attempting to appear exasperated, yet being unable to hide a smile.
“No.” Narim struggled for the words he wanted to say. He wanted to tell Jawn that It was simply the most beautiful person he’d ever seen but he was stricken dumb. Another chill passed through his body. He opened his mouth but still no words came. His thoughts tumbled into eachother, struggling for their say. Narim had been reluctant to revist the confusion this Androgen caused in him. He refused to entertain the why questions that sometimes surfaced when Jawn stood so close to him. Why did his heart pound, why did his face grow radiantly hot sometimes.
Jawn isn’t a woman, his mind tried to say, Even if you did have feelings for It, It wouldn’t have any for you. Narim chose to ignore logic. He pulled Jawn to him in a tight embrace. The months of confusion that he’d spent so much time trying to avoid finally faded away from him.
“I knew from the first moment I saw you that I had to have you.” Narim whispered in Jawn’s ear. “I don’t care if you can’t feel the same way, I don’t care if you’re not really a woman.” The heat in his cheeks burned through him. He felt a strong fear of rejection right then. What would he do if Jawn pushed him away right then. Jawn made no sound as Narim released his grip on It.
“Kinda stupid, huh?” Narim muttered. “I und-“ In the dim light, Narim could see the faintest glimmer of tears in Jawn’s eyes. The way the Androgen looked up at him right then said more than any words ever could.
Before Narim could respond in kind a deafening roar sounded around them. All around them fire and death bloomed, instantly incinerating the fireflies that had just moments ago drifted around them lazily.
:”blasted women take too long to get ready, it’s just a festival, not The Procession!” He pounded on the door again. “If you three don’t hurry up, we’re going on ahead. If we wait too long all the cakes will be gone already!”
“You and your damnable cakes! Maybe it would do you some good to skip a cake or two. You can barely fit your best tunics anymore.” Lani called back from behind the door. “Go on ahead, we’ll catch up with you three later. “ Voris needed no more convincing. Abruptly he hitched the cart to the house, leaving it for the women and Jawn, and began on foot. Narim reached out to Jawn, feeling strangely lost. It had been a while since they’d been farther than a Length away from one another.
Will you be okay?
Ow… uhm.. yes I mean. Oh, That is uncomfortable! Go on ahead, I’ll be sure to find you as soon as I can. Oh.
Narim tried hard not to laugh aloud, knowing what torture Jawn must be undergoing at the moment. Laughing would be cruel, but he was still certain Jawn could feel the humor he felt.
I’m sorry, my friend
No response.
The trip into the village was brief but entertaining. It was clear Voris did not understand the stoicism of a Tarik such as Mayar, nor did Mayar understand the way the old man shouted and guffawed at the most random times. The village was bustling with life under the setting sun. As dusk descended upon them, so did the crowds . Narim finally understood Voris’s anticipation, albeit unfounded. Every so often they would pass a booth selling Festival Confections. And Voris would stop at each one, buy enough to keep a family fed for a week and deftly tuck his new acquisition in his bag. By the time night had arrived and the torches in the square were lit, Voris was heavily weighed by the great bundle of cakes he’d acquired. No matter how many times Mayar or Narim offered to carry the burden of cakes, Voris refused, clutching the bag as if at any moment it would be stolen from him.
Narim looked around anxiously for Jawn. He could feel Its presence coming closer, but amidst the confusion of the crowd, he couldn’t quite make out how far. His thoughts began milling over the things that he’d been avoiding since that fateful night in the hayloft… No, from the first time Jawn came to him. He knew the truth, he knew how he felt, but his struggle came in whether or not it was right.
The crowd began milling away from the square, heading toward the gates on the south end of the village. The three of them followed the throng of people down a hill into the darkness until they all suddenly stopped and grew silent. The sound of a hand drum accompanied by some sort of wooden pipes wafted over the silence. It was as if the whole crowd was holding their breaths in wait.
“It is said…” Voris whispered gently to Narim “that the love between fireflies is powerful. Twin lights, fading in and out in search of one another in the darkness. The gestalt of two souls shining brightly in a lovers embrace, the dancing delight of lights and love. We revere the dance of the fireflies in hopes that our lives, too will be filled with love for one another as we search for our soulmates during this period of darkness.” A gasp rippled through them , forced whisperings announced the arrival of the first firefly.
The tiny yellow light faded in and out, flitting over their heads lazily. In an instant the sky came alive with millions of fireflies. Shouts of glee, children squealing in delight, greeted the frenzy of lights. Narim was overcome with awe. A smile spread across his face and he felt like a small child again, filled with wonder. He felt someone reach an arm around his waist, turning him to meet a vision that was far more awestriking than all the fireflies in the world.
A chill passed through his body as he struggled to make sense of what was in front of him. This strange woman was breathtaking under the firefly light. It wasn’t until a rogue firefly drifted in front of the woman’s face that Narim recognized who stood in front of him. This was Jawn!
Jawn was truly a vision, draped in a corseted emerald gown. The sleeves were fashionably long, successfully hiding Its elongated hands. Copper hair which had always been bound in a collection of leather bands was set free and spiraled nearly to the ground, plaits woven carefully with daisies fell to Its shoulders to frame the contrived bosom produced by the corset.
“I know I look downright silly.” Jawn sighed, attempting to appear exasperated, yet being unable to hide a smile.
“No.” Narim struggled for the words he wanted to say. He wanted to tell Jawn that It was simply the most beautiful person he’d ever seen but he was stricken dumb. Another chill passed through his body. He opened his mouth but still no words came. His thoughts tumbled into eachother, struggling for their say. Narim had been reluctant to revist the confusion this Androgen caused in him. He refused to entertain the why questions that sometimes surfaced when Jawn stood so close to him. Why did his heart pound, why did his face grow radiantly hot sometimes.
Jawn isn’t a woman, his mind tried to say, Even if you did have feelings for It, It wouldn’t have any for you. Narim chose to ignore logic. He pulled Jawn to him in a tight embrace. The months of confusion that he’d spent so much time trying to avoid finally faded away from him.
“I knew from the first moment I saw you that I had to have you.” Narim whispered in Jawn’s ear. “I don’t care if you can’t feel the same way, I don’t care if you’re not really a woman.” The heat in his cheeks burned through him. He felt a strong fear of rejection right then. What would he do if Jawn pushed him away right then. Jawn made no sound as Narim released his grip on It.
“Kinda stupid, huh?” Narim muttered. “I und-“ In the dim light, Narim could see the faintest glimmer of tears in Jawn’s eyes. The way the Androgen looked up at him right then said more than any words ever could.
Before Narim could respond in kind a deafening roar sounded around them. All around them fire and death bloomed, instantly incinerating the fireflies that had just moments ago drifted around them lazily.
