The steady beat of the congo drum is slowly paced. The air is fresh. The sky is blue. The grass is green.
Hannah had a soft smile on her face. Her hands were leveled by her breast opening and closing, her hips moved with each beat of the drum. "You're doing fine, keep it up." She assured in a warm, welcoming manner. The little girls giggled and looked at each other, talking amongst themselves as their hips moved into tune with Hannah's and the drum beat.
"Girls," Hannah said. "Focus. You wouldn't want to look pagaley in front of the village."
The little girls couldn't stifle their giggles and excitement. They continued their dancing, trying their best to behave. "Now start moving your feet the same time you move your hips, like so," Hannah began to move her feet with each hip, creating a steady rhythm. The young Fanalis girls eagerly copied her, proudly trying to out-do the other.
"In tune, Ayana- like that, perfect." Hannah nodded at the little girl and then returned her view to all five little girls in front of her. "Now start moving side to side, two steps left and two steps right," Hannah did as she instructed. The little girls copied, trying to look as graceful and womanly as Hannah. Hannah let out a soft laugh and looked up. She caught sight of Alois sitting under a coconut tree, sharpening his sword as he watched her. Hannah chortled and shook her head.
"I think that's enough for today, run along." Hannah shooed the young fanalis away. Then she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and made her way over to her husband. She eased herself down beside him and offered him a smile. "Why are you such a pervert?" She asked.
Alois ran the blade of his sword over the iron sharpener once more before he looked up at Hannah. "I like the way your hips move." He said, a smirk playing on his lips.
Hannah rolled her eyes and pulled her hair over her shoulder and began to braid it. "Why are you sharpening your sword? You barely use it." She asked as she glanced down at the iron sword, it had a black iron handle. It was true, Alois was a man who took pride in his strength. He barely used any weapons unless it was completely necessary, but he didn't really use his strength unless he had to. That was what Hannah liked about him, he didn't abuse power. He would have been a gentle giant if he was of a big breed, but he was not.
Alois shrugged. "It helps to be prepared." He put the sword aside and turned to Hannah. "So, what have you been up to? Are you telling anyone about the baby?" He asked as he looked Hannah up and down. She wore her simple white cloth wrappings, as always.
Hannah shook her head. "I don't want anyone to know until I start to show," She looked him in the eyes. "And that includes your mother, Alois."
Alois groaned and looked away. "Come on Hannah, you know she's been bugging me for months about this." He said in a whiny tone.
Hannah shook her head and threw her french braid on her back. "Nope, because once we start telling people I won't be treated the same. The elders might even take away my chain of honor."
Alois let out a sigh and pressed his lips together. "Alright, I respect your decision." He looked up at the palm leaves, the cracks of blue sky between the leaves and the ripe coconuts.
Hannah leaned in and kissed his cheeks. "Just a few months is all." She said softly. Alois turned his head and locked her lips in a kiss. It was wet and passionate. Hannah's eyes fluttered close and so did his own. Hannah reached over and placed her hand on his forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze. Alois caressed her face and gently took her chin. Hannah bit his bottom lip before diving back into the kiss.
When the kiss broke, Hannah's breath was ragged. Alois bit his lip, looking into her sultry sapphire eyes. A soft smile played on his lips. Hannah couldn't help but smile back at him, his smile was contagious. She reached up and caressed his handsome face, then she reached over and picked up his sword and the iron sharpener. "It helps to be prepared, right?" She began to sharpen the sword intently, running the sword over the iron and then running the iron over the sword before flipping it and starting again.
Alois slowly licked his bottom lip and watched her. The way her nimble hands moved quickly, the way her slim fingers grasped the iron and the sword handle.
"If you love me, you go buy me wedding ring~ Ah~ If you like me you go pay me salary~," Hannah's voice was like honey, deep and soulful but subtle and soft at the same time. She held a basket at her side that was full of berries and nuts as she walked, swinging her womanly hips side to side.
"Soup wey sweet na money dey cook am," Mina sang aloud with her friend, holding her head high. "If you want it you go spend to chop am, Ahah~"
Hannah spun around, her braid swinging with her. She held out her hand and bent her back before spinning around once more. "Oga tia ga na kpa we t'ego
My mate they do holiday for ocean front~" She sang aloud, moving her hips gracefully with rhythm as she stepped side to side.
Mina slowly turned in a circle, holding her basket upon her head. "My front eh, my back eh, Dey do you ishin gbaka," She ran her hands over her breast and pushed out her rear end. "If you want to gbadun me well, Mr. Man you must ginger~"
The two women ignored everyone on the trail in favor of their singing and dancing. Men looked upon Hannah's beautiful figure and her dancing and they listened to Mina's voice. The singing and dancing fanalis women disappeared around a tree and soon their voices faded away.
"What's the the gossip among the others?" Hannah asked curiously as she picked ripe red berries. "I have been tied up in other matters."
Mina giggled and covered her mouth. "Like your partner turn husband~," She said sweetly. Hannah rolled her eyes and turned to look at Mina. "Are you gonna tease me about it forever?" She asked.
Mina was a woman of brown skin with a red undertone. She stood 5'5 with a slim curvy silhouette, her bust was medium and her hips were full. She had long black hair, she kept some pinned up with an imperial gold clasp while the rest flowed down her shoulders. She had long, oval features with a narrow nose with warm brown eyes that had monolid eyelids. She wore a deep red sari and gold bangles around her feet and hands. She had a silver piercing on her lower lip.
Mina hummed and walked over to another berry bush. "Maybe~" She hummed as she picked a few more.
Hannah waved her hand. "Tumbum (Whatever)," she said.
Mina dramatically sighed and turned around. "So I hear somebody is getting divorced," She said excitedly.
Hannah's eyes widened. "Is it Mey and Fin?" She asked. "Because from what I've been hearing is he went with another woman."
"Mhm~ The woman is that pretty little blonde one who doesn't fight for her own, she just sits in a mirror and combs her hair. " Mina twirled a strand of her nior hair and rolled her eyes. "I mean, what would she do if the slave traders were to invade? She can't just kick them, they've got some top-notch shit."
Hannah shrugged. "I don't know about her, but I'm not trying to be a sex slave for anyone. I'm not going down without a fight."
Mina giggled and smirked. "But you are his sex slave, are you not? Can't have a marriage without sex." Mina threw her hands up.
"Will you please-"
Hannah did not get to finish her sentence, a twig was snapped. Both Fanalis women dropped their baskets and took a defensive stance.
"Who is there?" Hannah demanded. "Show yourself before I am forced to hurt you."
Mina tightened her jaw, eyes searching the tropical lush for a sign. All was quiet for a good minute. Then two fanalis children came running out of the lush, laughing and giggling. Hannah relaxed her stance and let out a sigh. Mina gave the fanalis boy a good thump on the head, sending him running. Hannah bent down and picked up her basket and put it on her head.
"We'd better get back." She suggested, placing a hand on her hip.
Mina nodded and picked up her basket, putting it on her hip. "Please. Anything else that sneaks up on us is getting killed."
A fanalis child ran up and grabbed Mina's arm. "Come quick! Enfer and Royal are fighting!"
"You cannot step in the same river twice," His mother used to tell him. "The river waits for no one."
Alois walked along the river bank, his hand behind his back as he looked at the rushing clear water. He could see the fish swimming along the bottom. He could see the plants. He could see the sandy floor. It reminded him of Egypt, of the Nile. That was where Alois had come from. He could remember a woman's face, round and dark with the most brilliant blue eyes. He could remember reaching for her nior locks. He could remember her smiling down at him. Alois liked to think that was his mother, being she had his same blue eyes. But he had a mother, she was here and she always told him that was where he had come from. The men had brought him back with the spoils of war.
His intense icy blue eyes reflected the gentle waves. Alois let out a sigh and looked down at his bare feet as he walked.
"Fear is a disease that weakens the heart and poisons the soul."
Alois always remembered a man telling him that. The voice was husky and gruff. He found himself remembering it often, with the life that he led, with exactly what he was. Alois kicked up some sand and spun around, then continued walking. Maybe it was his father. Alois would make sure to tell his own son that when he was old enough- if Hannah birthed a son.
"And exactly what are you doing?" Came a voice from beside him.
Alois looked up at the source of the voice and rolled his eyes. "I'm not in the mood, Enfer. Move your pint-sized ass."
They chuckled and fell into stride with Alois. "Isn't it funny my warrior name means hell? When my actual name means heaven?"
"I don't care, Ciel." Alois sighed as he pinched his nose bridge.
"Oh," Ciel stopped to look at him. "You will care when I wash the floor with you for calling me short."
Alois blinked and looked Ciel up and down. He took a step closer, his jaw tightening. "I'm sorry?" He asked. "Who exactly are you going to wash the floor with? You can't even produce enough sperm to make your mother proud, oops- forgot she's dead."
Ciel chuckled and licked his bottom lip. "Is that all you've got?" He asked casually.
Alois gave Ciel one hard shove. "Pray to Solomon I won't kill you." He towered over Ciel, looking down at him with murderous intent in his eyes.
Ciel smirked. "You seem to think because you are bigger you will win."
A large piece of bamboo was slipped between the two fanalis men. "You two are brothers~ Where is the love? Aren't we all Fanalis?"
Hannah waltzed right on in there and took Alois by the shoulder. "I am so sorry if he has offended your Ego, Ciel." She said with a smile as she took her husband and walked away. Hannah held him with an iron grip until they were further down the river bank. Then she slapped him on the back of the head.
"Would you care to explain, husband? Did he insult your cock size?"
