Title: Moon Light Nights
Chapter: 9
I don't know what's going on with the paragraphs. I've been trying to fix
it. So it's not my fault everyone. Any advice would be helpful!
"She thought you were married?" howled Nerfera with laughter. Endymion watched his sisters with his arms crossed not looking impressed as she rolled across the carpeted floor laughing.
"It's not funny Nerrie," he said using the dreaded nickname. Nerfera sat at once and glared at her brother.
"You know I hate being called that," Nerfera stated as she stood up and brushed off her clothes.
"Why would she think I was married?" he asked himself as he clutched his hands behind his back and paced back and forth. Nerfera said nothing but watched her brother pace back and forth.
"Adrian!" he finally bellowed. The knight in blue peeked through the tent flaps. Nerfera lounged against a cushion and waved her hand at the knight. Adrian turned several shades redder.
"Get Sharai," Endymion ordered. Adrian bowed. Endymion noticed the knight's gaze lingered too long over his sister before Adrian departed. Nerfera grinned and watched Adrian leave.
"Why must you torment him so?" asked Endymion. Nerfera laughed and sat up.
"Because it is funny to do so," she simply stated.
"You mustn't play with his heart like that," Endymion commanded. "Sit down brother before you over heat yourself. If it makes you feel better I will not tempt your knight so," she rang out merrily. Endymion rolled his eyes and waited for Sharai to arrive.
"Is he angry at me?" Sharai asked wrapping her sash around her waist. Adrian shrugged. "He didn't appear to be," the knight said.
"Don't worry, little one. We haven't sacrificed the Champion of the Trials for years," Nadia pointed out as she sat in the corner of her tent grinding herbs. Sharai's mouth flew open in horror.
"My sister has a wicked sense of humor, ignore her. We don't sacrifice people not even Outlanders," Adrian soothed the frightened blonde and threw his sister a dirty look. Nadia laughed and apologized. Sharai smiled and headed toward the elaborate tent of Endymion-sol. She entered it and touched her head and heart before bowing her head as a show of respect for the Sol. To her annoyance, Endymion appeared to be amused.
"Well at least you've learned some manners," he stated. Sharai eyes narrowed in resentment to the remark making Endymion smile.
"So this is the famous Sharai I've heard so much about," came a female voice causing Sharai to jump. The voice belonged to a beautiful young woman reclining on some pillows. The woman's hair was swept up into elaborate gold combs. From her ears dripped earrings of gold and rubies that appeared to be worth a kings ransom. She wore a tunic of blood red silk with gold embroidery running through it. Billowy pants of gold covered her legs. On the woman's wrists were bracelets of gold. This could only be one person. "Nerfera," Sharai whispered. Nerfera raised an eyebrow.
"Nerfera-sola, it's an honor to meet you," Sharai corrected and touched her temple then her heart and bowed her head as a show of respect. It was, of course, a simple charade of manners. Sharai would've rather just had kicked the woman off the pillows. Green jealousy flowed through her veins but Sharai's face stayed expressionless. Did Endymion bring her here to gloat over his wife? Sharai turned her gaze to Endymion. His face gave no clue to what if any emotions he was feeling.
"Please sit, I hear you have settled well into our culture," Nerfera said as a smile played on her red lips. Endymion looked restless.
"Yes, as well as can be expected," she said as she sat down across from Nerfera.
"I hear you even beat dear Endy. Now I bet that was a blow to your ego, wasn't it Endy?" Nerfera laughed. Endymion scowled at her.
"Yes I am sure it was, especially by an Outlander," Sharai stated as she raised her chin to stare at Endymion. He stared back not amused.
"You're not an Outlander," he growled at her and continued to pace. Sharai's jaw dropped. "Oh really? Since when have you finally thought up this interesting tidbit?" she asked. She had stopped protesting that she wasn't an Outlander a long time ago. The Bedouin people were too thick headed to listen. A muscle in Endymion's jaw twitched.
"Since you won the Trials," he stated. Sharai's temper flared that proved equal to her friend Rei's.
"Well I'm so glad to finally get your approval," she said dryly.
"Forget what I said about you learning manners," Endymion stated back causing Sharai to turn and glare at him. Nerfera looked at the two with amusement. They would be perfect for each other.
"You're dismissed, Sharai. We'll have to get together and talk," said Nerfera with a smile. Sharai forced a smile on her lips and walked out not bothering to bow. Nerfera raised an eyebrow and watched the girl depart.
"You have a handful there, Endy," Nerfera laughed.
"I know," he said.
Deva scowled as she saw the outlander leave Endymion's tent. What was the girl to him? A mistress maybe? Deva's stomach lurched at the thought of the ugly little piece of humanity in Endymion's arms. How could she be his mistress? She was a freak. Who would want hair that color and not the dark shade of the Bedouin people.
"Get me some wine," she commanded to the servant girl, Sivina and threw her goblet at her.
"So what they want?" asked Elidi as she looked up from her handiwork. Sharai shrugged.
"I haven't any idea. Strange," she said as she shook her head. "You didn't insult them, did you?" asked Elidi as she started sewing again.
"No..Yes, I didn't bow when I left. Endymion's gonna kill me later. It's just I got so mad that I just wanted to drag her out to the street and...ugh what am I saying. I'm losing my mind and it's all his fault," she stated.
"Who Nerfera-sola?" asked Elidi with a frown.
"Yes and I can't believe I kissed him!" she stated from inside the tent. Elidi looked up with wide eyes, her hand was frozen in mid stitch.
"Who Endymion-sol?" she asked slowly. Brat and Nadia walked up to the tent to just in time to hear Sharai's last statement.
"Do you love him?" asked Brat.
"No...Yes..I can't," came Sharai's uncertain reply.
The darkness erased the light over the desert sands. Sharai sat on a dune watching the sun set. Eventually the camp behind her settled down to sleep. The winds wiped around her causing her to shiver. Endymion had been avoiding her since the meeting with him and Nerfera. She got up and stretched. She had needed time to herself to think. She headed to Nadia's tent. All she needed now was a good night of sleep. Elidi was waiting for her by Nadia's fire pit.
"You can't go in there," Elidi stated. Sharai crossed her arms.
"Elidi do not give me any problems tonight, I'm not in the mood," Sharai spat. Elidi rolled her eyes.
"Who put a burr under your saddle," she asked as she wrinkled her nose.
"Look all I need is to go to bed, just leave me alone," Sharai stated.
"I'm sorry, you know," Elidi spoke up.
"What?" "My father only wanted sons but he got me and my sister instead. He despised us so I went off to Jereiah's school to train to be a warrior and you an outlander took it away from me. I hated you," Elidi stated matter of factly. The words hung in the air before Elidi continued. "But I realized that you weren't my enemy, mostly with Gavin's help. I've had to fight for everything I have, you know. Forgive me, I know this doesn't excuse my behavior toward you but please forgive me," Elidi said. Sharai nodded.
"I forgive you. I would rather have you for a friend then an enemy anyway," she said and hugged the dark haired girl. Elidi gave her a dazzling smile.
"Good night," Sharai said and started to pull up the tent flap.
"You really are stupid aren't you?" Elidi asked. Sharai's stiffened as she turned to look at Elidi with puzzlement.
"What?" she demanded.
"Ok not really stupid but ignorant at least," said Elidi as she pointed to two sashes that had been intertwined on one of the poles of the tent. Sharai stared at her blankly.
"Nadia and Rankin," Elidi hinted.
"What about them?" she asked.
"You really are ignorant," stated Elidi with wonder.
"I'd like to think not," said Sharai.
"Rankin has been courting Nadia. He certainly didn't hang around for your cooking."
"HEY!" Sharai protested.
"Anyway, they just got married. Since Outlanders must have some strange ideas about this sort of thing I'll explain," Elidi offered.
"How kind of you," Sharai mentioned flatly.
"It usually takes place during the night, a man will come to the tent of the woman with an elder. He will offer his sash to her. If she accepts she will give him hers and they will intertwine them and tie them to the tent. The elder makes sure they exchange a vow of marriage and the man enters the woman's tent and I believe you are old enough to know what happens next," Elidi stated. Sharai blushed and nodded. "Come on you can stay with me tonight. We'll look into building your own tent soon," she said.
"So they will always keep them intertwined?" she asked.
"Yes, each night they will hang their sashes together. If one mate dies then his or her sash is buried with them and the living mate sew a ribbon of black to tell of their morning," she explained. Sharai nodded. It made sense.
"We exchange rings," Sharai offered. Elidi grunted.
"Why can't you have normal customs?" she asked and wrinkled up her nose. The two walked along in the moonlight.
"Wait," said Sharai as she stopped short. Elidi looked at her strangely.
"What?" "There are no sashes outside Endymion's tent," Sharai pointed out. "And?" asked Elidi with an odd expression her face.
"And what about Nerfera?"
"What about her?" asked Elidi.
"She's sola!" Sharai stated.
"And?" asked Elidi with an unamused expression her face at the game Sharai was playing.
"Why isn't her sash intertwined with Endymion's?" demanded the blonde. Elidi looked at Sharai as if she had grown two heads.
"Eww," Elidi snorted with disgust.
"What?" demanded the exasperated blonde.
"We don't marry our siblings," Elidi explained.
"Siblings? Nerfera is his sister?" asked Sharai with shock. "Yes," Elidi sounded as she was explaining something to a small child.
"Then Endymion isn't married?"
"that's correct,"
"But she is sola," Sharai pointed out.
"That's because Endymion hasn't married. Once he does she will take the position of a lower queen called Solana," Elidi explained. Sharai laughed out loud and wrapped her arms around the black haired girl. Elidi looked at the girl strangely.
"I think you've been out in the sun too long," she said with a sigh.
"She thought you were married?" howled Nerfera with laughter. Endymion watched his sisters with his arms crossed not looking impressed as she rolled across the carpeted floor laughing.
"It's not funny Nerrie," he said using the dreaded nickname. Nerfera sat at once and glared at her brother.
"You know I hate being called that," Nerfera stated as she stood up and brushed off her clothes.
"Why would she think I was married?" he asked himself as he clutched his hands behind his back and paced back and forth. Nerfera said nothing but watched her brother pace back and forth.
"Adrian!" he finally bellowed. The knight in blue peeked through the tent flaps. Nerfera lounged against a cushion and waved her hand at the knight. Adrian turned several shades redder.
"Get Sharai," Endymion ordered. Adrian bowed. Endymion noticed the knight's gaze lingered too long over his sister before Adrian departed. Nerfera grinned and watched Adrian leave.
"Why must you torment him so?" asked Endymion. Nerfera laughed and sat up.
"Because it is funny to do so," she simply stated.
"You mustn't play with his heart like that," Endymion commanded. "Sit down brother before you over heat yourself. If it makes you feel better I will not tempt your knight so," she rang out merrily. Endymion rolled his eyes and waited for Sharai to arrive.
"Is he angry at me?" Sharai asked wrapping her sash around her waist. Adrian shrugged. "He didn't appear to be," the knight said.
"Don't worry, little one. We haven't sacrificed the Champion of the Trials for years," Nadia pointed out as she sat in the corner of her tent grinding herbs. Sharai's mouth flew open in horror.
"My sister has a wicked sense of humor, ignore her. We don't sacrifice people not even Outlanders," Adrian soothed the frightened blonde and threw his sister a dirty look. Nadia laughed and apologized. Sharai smiled and headed toward the elaborate tent of Endymion-sol. She entered it and touched her head and heart before bowing her head as a show of respect for the Sol. To her annoyance, Endymion appeared to be amused.
"Well at least you've learned some manners," he stated. Sharai eyes narrowed in resentment to the remark making Endymion smile.
"So this is the famous Sharai I've heard so much about," came a female voice causing Sharai to jump. The voice belonged to a beautiful young woman reclining on some pillows. The woman's hair was swept up into elaborate gold combs. From her ears dripped earrings of gold and rubies that appeared to be worth a kings ransom. She wore a tunic of blood red silk with gold embroidery running through it. Billowy pants of gold covered her legs. On the woman's wrists were bracelets of gold. This could only be one person. "Nerfera," Sharai whispered. Nerfera raised an eyebrow.
"Nerfera-sola, it's an honor to meet you," Sharai corrected and touched her temple then her heart and bowed her head as a show of respect. It was, of course, a simple charade of manners. Sharai would've rather just had kicked the woman off the pillows. Green jealousy flowed through her veins but Sharai's face stayed expressionless. Did Endymion bring her here to gloat over his wife? Sharai turned her gaze to Endymion. His face gave no clue to what if any emotions he was feeling.
"Please sit, I hear you have settled well into our culture," Nerfera said as a smile played on her red lips. Endymion looked restless.
"Yes, as well as can be expected," she said as she sat down across from Nerfera.
"I hear you even beat dear Endy. Now I bet that was a blow to your ego, wasn't it Endy?" Nerfera laughed. Endymion scowled at her.
"Yes I am sure it was, especially by an Outlander," Sharai stated as she raised her chin to stare at Endymion. He stared back not amused.
"You're not an Outlander," he growled at her and continued to pace. Sharai's jaw dropped. "Oh really? Since when have you finally thought up this interesting tidbit?" she asked. She had stopped protesting that she wasn't an Outlander a long time ago. The Bedouin people were too thick headed to listen. A muscle in Endymion's jaw twitched.
"Since you won the Trials," he stated. Sharai's temper flared that proved equal to her friend Rei's.
"Well I'm so glad to finally get your approval," she said dryly.
"Forget what I said about you learning manners," Endymion stated back causing Sharai to turn and glare at him. Nerfera looked at the two with amusement. They would be perfect for each other.
"You're dismissed, Sharai. We'll have to get together and talk," said Nerfera with a smile. Sharai forced a smile on her lips and walked out not bothering to bow. Nerfera raised an eyebrow and watched the girl depart.
"You have a handful there, Endy," Nerfera laughed.
"I know," he said.
Deva scowled as she saw the outlander leave Endymion's tent. What was the girl to him? A mistress maybe? Deva's stomach lurched at the thought of the ugly little piece of humanity in Endymion's arms. How could she be his mistress? She was a freak. Who would want hair that color and not the dark shade of the Bedouin people.
"Get me some wine," she commanded to the servant girl, Sivina and threw her goblet at her.
"So what they want?" asked Elidi as she looked up from her handiwork. Sharai shrugged.
"I haven't any idea. Strange," she said as she shook her head. "You didn't insult them, did you?" asked Elidi as she started sewing again.
"No..Yes, I didn't bow when I left. Endymion's gonna kill me later. It's just I got so mad that I just wanted to drag her out to the street and...ugh what am I saying. I'm losing my mind and it's all his fault," she stated.
"Who Nerfera-sola?" asked Elidi with a frown.
"Yes and I can't believe I kissed him!" she stated from inside the tent. Elidi looked up with wide eyes, her hand was frozen in mid stitch.
"Who Endymion-sol?" she asked slowly. Brat and Nadia walked up to the tent to just in time to hear Sharai's last statement.
"Do you love him?" asked Brat.
"No...Yes..I can't," came Sharai's uncertain reply.
The darkness erased the light over the desert sands. Sharai sat on a dune watching the sun set. Eventually the camp behind her settled down to sleep. The winds wiped around her causing her to shiver. Endymion had been avoiding her since the meeting with him and Nerfera. She got up and stretched. She had needed time to herself to think. She headed to Nadia's tent. All she needed now was a good night of sleep. Elidi was waiting for her by Nadia's fire pit.
"You can't go in there," Elidi stated. Sharai crossed her arms.
"Elidi do not give me any problems tonight, I'm not in the mood," Sharai spat. Elidi rolled her eyes.
"Who put a burr under your saddle," she asked as she wrinkled her nose.
"Look all I need is to go to bed, just leave me alone," Sharai stated.
"I'm sorry, you know," Elidi spoke up.
"What?" "My father only wanted sons but he got me and my sister instead. He despised us so I went off to Jereiah's school to train to be a warrior and you an outlander took it away from me. I hated you," Elidi stated matter of factly. The words hung in the air before Elidi continued. "But I realized that you weren't my enemy, mostly with Gavin's help. I've had to fight for everything I have, you know. Forgive me, I know this doesn't excuse my behavior toward you but please forgive me," Elidi said. Sharai nodded.
"I forgive you. I would rather have you for a friend then an enemy anyway," she said and hugged the dark haired girl. Elidi gave her a dazzling smile.
"Good night," Sharai said and started to pull up the tent flap.
"You really are stupid aren't you?" Elidi asked. Sharai's stiffened as she turned to look at Elidi with puzzlement.
"What?" she demanded.
"Ok not really stupid but ignorant at least," said Elidi as she pointed to two sashes that had been intertwined on one of the poles of the tent. Sharai stared at her blankly.
"Nadia and Rankin," Elidi hinted.
"What about them?" she asked.
"You really are ignorant," stated Elidi with wonder.
"I'd like to think not," said Sharai.
"Rankin has been courting Nadia. He certainly didn't hang around for your cooking."
"HEY!" Sharai protested.
"Anyway, they just got married. Since Outlanders must have some strange ideas about this sort of thing I'll explain," Elidi offered.
"How kind of you," Sharai mentioned flatly.
"It usually takes place during the night, a man will come to the tent of the woman with an elder. He will offer his sash to her. If she accepts she will give him hers and they will intertwine them and tie them to the tent. The elder makes sure they exchange a vow of marriage and the man enters the woman's tent and I believe you are old enough to know what happens next," Elidi stated. Sharai blushed and nodded. "Come on you can stay with me tonight. We'll look into building your own tent soon," she said.
"So they will always keep them intertwined?" she asked.
"Yes, each night they will hang their sashes together. If one mate dies then his or her sash is buried with them and the living mate sew a ribbon of black to tell of their morning," she explained. Sharai nodded. It made sense.
"We exchange rings," Sharai offered. Elidi grunted.
"Why can't you have normal customs?" she asked and wrinkled up her nose. The two walked along in the moonlight.
"Wait," said Sharai as she stopped short. Elidi looked at her strangely.
"What?" "There are no sashes outside Endymion's tent," Sharai pointed out. "And?" asked Elidi with an odd expression her face.
"And what about Nerfera?"
"What about her?" asked Elidi.
"She's sola!" Sharai stated.
"And?" asked Elidi with an unamused expression her face at the game Sharai was playing.
"Why isn't her sash intertwined with Endymion's?" demanded the blonde. Elidi looked at Sharai as if she had grown two heads.
"Eww," Elidi snorted with disgust.
"What?" demanded the exasperated blonde.
"We don't marry our siblings," Elidi explained.
"Siblings? Nerfera is his sister?" asked Sharai with shock. "Yes," Elidi sounded as she was explaining something to a small child.
"Then Endymion isn't married?"
"that's correct,"
"But she is sola," Sharai pointed out.
"That's because Endymion hasn't married. Once he does she will take the position of a lower queen called Solana," Elidi explained. Sharai laughed out loud and wrapped her arms around the black haired girl. Elidi looked at the girl strangely.
"I think you've been out in the sun too long," she said with a sigh.