Hey everyone! Sorry for not posting last week, covid's a little shit. Anyways, here's the new chapter!
Enjoy!
Onya stood motionless in the throne room, leaning against the wall. For the occasion, she had put on her best clothes, which, in her language, meant that she had brushed the dirt off her coat and untangled her hair.
A small committee of onlookers whispered around the room, as Leksa stood before her throne, devoid of makeup and warfare, simple and restrained. She seemed so young, and so serious. Onya sometimes forgot that she was only in her early twenties. Leksa had seen enough to fill a lifetime.
The double doors opened and silence fell as An entered the throne room, the child in her arms. She walked to the center of the room, then bowed respectfully to Heda, slowly and silently.
"What is she doing?"
Onya turned on her side to find Natshana watching the scene, standing on her tiptoes so she could see better. She had washed and tended to her wounds, combed her hair, and put on all-white clothes, which further accentuated the color of her skin and hair, so that the only color she wore was the bruise on her cheek. For the first time, Onya wondered if she was not indeed the daughter of the moon.
"She's presenting the child to Heda and the Wormanas."
Titus approached An and took the child from her, heading for a tub of water. The baby immediately started screaming, making Kassy giggle.
"And now? What is he doing now?"
Titus was bathing the child, covering him with water. Natshana winced, as if the child's cries hurt her.
"He's washing the influence that his parents had on him."
"Why?"
"He is a Natblida. He is not anyone's son. He is one of the future heir to Heda."
"It looks like a baptism."
"A what?"
"A baptism. Something that Christians do, I think. For their religion, I mean. They put the kid in the water or pour water on its head, and then they say that the kid is blessed by God."
"I see. Did you have a baptism?"
"Nah. Mom was an atheist. Said I could choose when I'd be older."
Natshanagada said nothing, lost in thought as she watched Titus wrap the child in swaddling clothes. He brandished it at arm's length, and announced in a deep voice.
"Here is the new Natblida, Vega."
"Ahw Hell no," Kassy whispered, and Onya clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. "Hell to the fucking no. They're not naming a kid after Las Vegas. Do the bald man even know what was happening in Las Vegas? Everyone was getting married. Everyone!"
Onya coughed to hide her strangled laugh, attracting the gaze of several Wormana as Kassy continued to mutter under her breath. Finally, Titus stopped holding the child at arm's length and the screams died down.
Onya let out a breath of relief. It hadn't gone so badly.
It was a disaster. It was a real disaster.
Onya couldn't even find the words to express how catastrophic the situation was.
She didn't know how, but she had ended up with the baby in her arms. Her mother had simply abandoned him to her and Onya found herself awkwardly trying to hold the child who was starting to whimper, annoyed to be in such an uncomfortable position.
The world was against her.
Kassy appeared beside her, nibbling on a piece of cheese bread that Oksana must have given her.
"What are you doing?"
Onya gave her a pleading look.
"Please, help me."
"Wow, wow, okay."
She tossed her bread over her shoulder and held out her hands, taking the baby from Onya's arms and resting it in hers. Onya breathed a sigh of relief, shaking her numb arms.
"You okay dude?" She asked Onya, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.
"He cannot stop crying."
Kassy frowned, lifting the child up to sniff him.
"He didn't wet his diaper and he's not hungry, I saw your mother feeding him. What's wrong, little guy?" she crooned.
She lifted him against her, pressing his stomach against her chest and his head on her shoulder as she rocked her hips to rock him. And she started patting him on the back.
"What are you doing?" Onya asked.
"Shhh, watch and learn."
A few seconds later, a burp sounded loudly, Onya raised an eyebrow while Kassy cracked a smile.
"See? He had gas."
She tucked him back into her arms, placing one hand behind his head as she slowly rocked her hips from side to side. The baby opened his big black eyes to stare at her, mouth agape. Kassy didn't even seem to realize that Onya was still beside her, her gaze locked with the child's. The corner of her lips lifted slightly as she whispered sweet nothings to him, and Onya found herself unable to look away, as if hypnotized.
The bubble of peace was abruptly shattered as a scream rang out.
Onya turned around to find her mother who ran up, throwing herself on Kassy to snatch the child from her. Natshana found herself motionless, arms outstretched, tears rolling down her cheeks. Onya wondered if she was reliving the death of her daughter, and the way she had been taken from her.
"What were you thinking?!" An shouted to her daughter, catching the eyes of the other guests. "Why would you give her the child?!"
Kassy just let the tears fall, blinking her eyes wide. She didn't even seem to have the strength to move as the child screamed at the top of his lungs. Even Leksa seemed to wonder what was going on, as she slowly approached.
An continued to glare murderously in Natshana's direction.
"She is an outsider, a murderer. She will dirty him and make him as white as her!"
While her mother was too busy insulting Natshana to notice her, Onya slowly approached and took the child from her arms, without An noticing her. Holding it awkwardly, she walked over to Kassy and handed the baby back to her.
An abruptly fell silent, mute with amazement and indignation.
"How dare you?!" She breathed, too offended to put timbre in her voice.
Already Natshana was rocking the child again, whispering sweet words to him, and Onya stood in front of her.
"Back off. The child likes her. She can take care of him, and she will. And there is nothing you can do to stop that."
Wide-eyed, An turned to Leksa as if asking for support, but Leksa looked away, ignoring her to resume a conversation with a Wormana.
Natshana had sunk into a recess in the wall, sitting on an opening. The child had stopped moaning and was shoving his little fist in his mouth, a strand of white hair trapped in his little fingers.
Onya turned her back on her mother to join her. She was shaking, but she had done it. She had succeeded. She had stood up to her mother.
Onya sat down next to Kassy, releasing a strangled breath in her throat.
Kassy leaned her head on her shoulder, and the child cooed happily.