* Please Review! The Zulu tribe is an actual tribe in Africa and they are known for their beadwork. The language I say they speak is the real language they speak.*
London was coming towards the group, dressing like one of the women. Her hair was braided down her back with beads braided through it and she was wearing a head piece that wrapped around her head, going over her forehead. It looked like a series of vines woven together in another braid with more beads placed through it. On her chest she was wearing what looked like a tube top that was made out of beads and part of Derek wondered if he would see any bare parts of her sticking out through the beadwork. His eyes flowed over her exposed, creamy white shoulders and collarbone, down her breasts and to her bare stomach. Wrapped around her waist was what looked like a scarf woven with bright colored threads and it was short. So short, he wasn't sure how it covered her ass, and other parts. Hanging down from the skirt were strands of beads that bounced against her legs as she walked. His eyes continued down her bare legs, noticing that wrapped around her right ankle was another set of bead work.
" Shut your mouth, Dude!" Micah hissed in his ear. " I fucking warned you! You're gaping at her!" Derek didn't even know his mouth was hanging open. He snapped it shut and forced himself to start to swallow. And breath. London was smiling as she made her way to him. And the second she did, she reached both hands out to him.
" Come with me, Derek." She said gently.
And no, to his disappointment, he could not see through the beads. It seemed as though she was wearing a scarf under them. Derek smiled and took her hands. She pulled him up and turned around to lead him around the fire. He groaned silently. The top she was wearing was being held on by four tiny strings. Two tied at the nape of her neck and two around her back, her very bare back. He had never seen her so bare before.
London led him over to the tribe leader where she sank to her knees and urged him to sit across from her. She sat on her knees with placed her hands on her thighs so Derek did the same, mirroring her. She nodded her approval and smiled. Mallick held his hands up to quiet everyone and pull at her attention. She looked over Derek's head to the elderly man but Derek couldn't take his eyes away from her face. Then Mallick began to speak so she looked back to Derek and leaned forward.
" I'm going to translate for you, okay?" She whispered.
" You look amazing." Derek whispered, making her cheeks flush and her lips smile.
" Thank you. Now pay attention." She whispered.
He was trying too, he really was but she looked like a warrior princess straight out a wet dream. He was harder than he could ever remember being, in his life. He had to be thankful for the night and the shadows the fire was casting. There was no way she could see his erection pressing against his cargo shorts, right? As soon as London looked up at the leader again, Derek stole a look to his lap. He could see it but that was because he knew just what side it was laying on but he was confident that she couldn't.
" Hey, you two." Micah whispered as he popped up at their side. " Derek, listen up. London has to recite her part using the tribe's language. I'm going to translated it to you. I will feed you your lines, in English when it's your turn. Got it?"
" Yeah. Can they not speak English?" Derek asked, thankful for Micah being so close. Maybe having the guy so close would calm Derek's raging hormones.
" Some can, some refused to learn. Mallick could but as he has gotten older, he seems to be losing the ability to remember English well." Micah explained.
And just as she had showed him in her apartment on one of their first outings, she held a bowl filled with blood between them. As she spoke in the old language, Micah whispered the words in English. She placed a dot of blood in the center of Derek's forehead while the men of the tribe banged their staffs on the ground in a rhythm. Streak to right cheek, streak to left cheek, accepting him into her tribe, offering him her guidance, protection, and love.
The bowl was transferred to his hands and he dotted her forehead the streaked each of her cheeks, accepting her guidance, protection and love while offering his obedience, protection and love. As Micah whispered the right words to him, Derek spoke them out loud, staring into her eyes with her smiling and nodding him on. Nick stood behind her, translating Derek's words to the crowd around them. Then London leaned forward and kissed his forehead, his right cheek, his left cheek then his lips. As she pulled back, one of Derek's hand flew up and went to her neck to draw her back in for more lip kissing when Micah hissed for him to knock it off, reminding him that the ritual was not finished.
Derek dropped his hand and blushed at his lost of control. He kissed her forehead, both cheeks and then gently on her lips. As he pulled back, everyone clapped, cheered and called out. Together, the couple stood. London moved so she was at Derek's right side. She slipped her hand in his and pulled their hands up. Mallick came forward and started to bind their wrists together with vines. When he was finished, he gave them his back and London leaned into Derek.
" He is telling everyone that the circle is complete, that you are completely accepted into the tribe and are to be protected during your stay here." She whispered. He nodded, leaning down to hear her better.
" So what happens now?" He asked.
" Now, we celebrate. They will put on a performance for us with drums and dancing. They will pass around wine that they make but I won't be drinking it since my system hasn't been exposed to it in so long and I suggest you don't either." London whispered, looking at him.
" This whole thing...London, this is amazing. I have never been apart of anything like this. It feels magical. Thank you for this." He said, making her smile.
" No, thank you. I won't be here again, sharing this if it hadn't been for you." London said.
All around them drums started beating hard and the women started dancing, stomping and clapping as they did it. There was singing, loud yelling, excitement. As she started to look away, he leaned in, hoping to kiss her again. He groaned and pulled back when he realized it wasn't going to happen. That night. It wasn't going to happen that night but Derek promised himself, he would kiss her again and it would be before they left to go back to the States.
The night was like nothing he had seen before. Derek watched in awe, still tied to London, as the tribe danced and laughed. Her boys reach took a turn at one of the drums, having learned how to work the anceint animal skin instruments. They didn't use drum sticks or drum sets. The drums was set in between the player's legs and a series of different hand placements produced the sounds. When Derek asked, London confirmed that she too knew how to play them as well as knowing all the dances the women and children were doing.
Late into the night they celebrated. The fire soared higher as voices sang louder and louder. Old, traditional songs that made be sung for centuries ran out loud and clear. Sitting beside him, London joined in on the songs, smiling and swaying with the music. Derek watched her with a smile. Her singing voice was not something he had heard before and he was pleasantly surprised in it. A few songs she translated for him. They told stories of great hunters and hunts the hunters had taken. Some were about warriors and huge battles that were won.
Afterwards, the ties were cut and London and Derek were freed. The boys and the couple piled into the jeeps. As they drove back to the center, Derek's head was spinning. There was so much to take in, so many things he had learned and seen. He was smiling to himself even though he was a mess of mix emotions. Part of him still regretted bring her there, part of him was glad he had done it.
" You okay?" London whispered, leaning into him. Derek looked back at her and smiled.
" Yeah. This was great." He said.
" You sure? You're kind of quiet." London said.
" I am dead tired." Derek admitted, making her nod.
" Yeah, me too." She said. Derek hitched his head to the side.
" Come here. Use me as your pillow." He said.
She laughed but did as he said. She moved across the seat and leaned her head against his shoulder. In between their bodies, their hands linked together and their fingers melted into each other. She squeezed him while he rubbed her. The rest of the ride back to the center was spend in silence, from all four in the jeep.
And after the center was locked up tight for the night, every one had changed their clothes, they settled into their beds. Derek took the one free bed that was across the room, directly across from London. Thanks to donations a few years back, the center had been given an air conditioner that ran on solar power. It charged all day under the hot Africa sun and had enough power to run 24 hours a day. Derek, one for, was grateful for the cold air. Never in his life would he ever take air condition for granted again.
" Good night, London!" Craig called out in a sing song voice.
" Don't start." London snapped into the darkness. Someone cleared their throat. " No. Please you guys!"
" But we haven't got to do it in so long!" Nick whined.
" And you don't need to do it tonight either." London said. Someone else cleared their throat. " I'm serious! Don't! I don't want to hear it!"
" Good night, sweetheart, well it's time to go!" Nick started to sing out. London groaned and Derek grinned as he rolled to his side. He opened his eyes to see her turned to her back and cover her face with her hands.
" Goodnight, sweetheart, well it's time to go!" Craig sing next. Someone started drumming out the music on his chest.
" I hate to leave you but I really must say," Micah sing.
" Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight!" Gage was next.
" Well, it's three o'clock in the morning, Baby I just can't do right." Wesley next.
" Shut up!" London yelled, dropping her arms to her sides.
" Well, I hate to leave you, baby, I don't mean maybe!" Greg sing.
" Because I love you so! Goodnight, sweetheart, it's time to go!" All six guys started to sing as her hands went into fists and she shook her head.
" I can't not believe you are doing this!" She yelled out.
" I hate to leave you but I really must say, goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight!' They sang louder to cover her curses.
" Goodnight, Sweetheart!" One by one they all said it.
" You guys are dicks." London snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.
" You have missed it and you know it." Micah said. Derek thought he saw her smiling but it was hard to tell.
" I have, a little bit." She said. " I haven't been sung to at night in a long time."
" Ah man! What's up with that, Rock Star!" Nick asked.
" Yeah! What kind of singer are you that you ain't singing to our girl when she sleeps!" Wesley play snapped. Derek laughed and turned back to his back. He put his hands behind his head but looked over to her.
" A shit singer if you ask me!" Gage said.
" He is a shit singer. I looked him up." Craig was next. Derek wasn't getting mad. How could he when London was looking back at him and that time, he could see her grin.
" So you don't like singing to girls?" Greg asked.
" Alright, shut your fucking mouths." Micah said. " We can't have Derek Lord running back to the States bitching and crying his little famous ass off."
" All she has to do is ask." Derek said. Silent went through the room a second before a fresh round of noise greeted him. Only it was the sounds of fake throwing up and gagging, with all the boys making fun of him and riding his ass. Derek got it. It was their way of accepting him into the center.
And when it finally went quiet in the room, Derek turned back to his side, tugging both hands under his pillow. London was laying on her stomach, sleeping peacefully. Derek stared at her until his eyelids were to heavy to stay awake.