Yuna waited breathlessly for Lulu's response. The High Priestess slowly put down her goblet and sighed.
"I have seen many possible endings for the journey. It is not for me to tell you any of them," she said calmly.
"But . . . you must tell us! We have to know what to expect!" Yuna said imploringly. Lulu eyed her sympathetically.
"I am sorry, Yuna," she said sadly. "But fate is a fickle thing. You must carry out your destinies in ignorance. If you knew what to expect, you would be unable to resist the powers that would compel you to alter your fate. Believe me when I say you are better off following your raw instincts. You judgement cannot be tampered with by knowledge of the dangers you will face. Do you understand?"
Tidus and Yuna glanced at each other, each wanting to beg her for answers, but they both knew that what she said was true. Lulu leaned forward slightly, her wine-coloured eyes earnest.
"Listen to me," she said in an urgent voice. "There is a reason why you two were chosen by the gods to carry out this grave mission. It has been written in the stars that the both of you were designed for such a task. If neither of you can find a way to stop Sin, than I am afraid no one can. You both have the strength to face it and somehow call on your gifts to defeat it. I cannot tell you how you must do this, or why you are the ones selected. Indeed, it is a pity that such a burden should fall on young shoulders. But I do know that the Higher Powers have faith in you. And so do I."
Touched by the Mistress' words, Yuna could not find a way to reply. The enormity of her task suddenly dawned on her, with much more impact than it ever had before.
She swallowed and lowered her head for a moment.
"I thank you, Mistress Lulu," she said at last. "I thank you for sending your men out to rescue us, and for your hospitality. But my companion and I are tired, and if you could kindly spare us rooms-"
"Of course," Lulu said, cutting her off in an oddly polite way. She stood up, and was much taller than Yuna suspected her to be. "I've had a guesthouse prepared for you. This way."
Gratefully, the two guests rose and followed the mage out of her residence into the dirt paved village street. There was more activity now that the sun had fully risen.
Lulu received many greetings and polite bows as she led Tidus and Yuna through the village. One little boy even offered Lulu a small blue flower, blushing furiously when the Black Mage gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek as a thank you.
"You are welcome among us for as long as you feel you need," Lulu said, coming to a stop in front of a new building. It was smaller than her house, but it too was made of strong granite and it was larger than the peasant houses. "I will leave you two to settle in for your stay. Take your time, and please come sit with me for tonight's festival."
"What festival?" Tidus asked curiously, tearing his eyes away from the guesthouse. Yuna too was interested to know. The priestess smiled.
"The Festival of Brenjaka," she replied with a flash of excitement in her normally placid ruby eyes. "In our tongue, Brenjaka means 'good harvest'. It is the most exalted celebration of my people. Every year we pray for a good yield by devoting one whole night dancing, singing, and feasting in the name of the Divine Parents, and in turn they bless our crops. It is really quite a spectacle. I hope you will join me?"
"Of course!" Yuna said with an eager smile. "I would love to. Tidus?"
"I'd like to see it as well. I heard about this festival from an old medicine woman who lived in my neighbourhood. She was a follower of the Old Way too," the young man replied. "She spoke about the festival quite often."
"Really? What was this medicine woman's name, I wonder?" Lulu asked, raising her dark eyebrows.
"I think her name was Vanya."
"Ah, Vanya. I believe she is Jardo's mother," the black mage said with a faintly surprised laugh. "She left our village a long time ago, when I was but a child. She told everyone that the gods had told her to go and see the world before her old age surpasses her."
"Small world," Tidus said, shaking his head with a grin. "She was as crazy as they come. I wonder whatever happened to her? I moved away when I was young, and haven't seen her since."
"No doubt she still lives," Lulu remarked, clearly amused. "Jardo has a habit of saying 'That old hag refuses to die'."
Yuna and Tidus laughed at this, and then Lulu excused herself. "I have duties to attend to during the day. Remember tonight."
With that, she took her leave, and Yuna walked into the guesthouse to inspect it. It was a cozy accommodation, spacious enough for the both of them. Someone had kindly lit a fire in the hearth.
"Problem," Tidus said suddenly, emerging from one of the rooms to the side. "We only have one bed."
"Oh!" Yuna said, surprised. She felt her cheeks redden slightly as her bicoloured eyes fell to the large mattress in the bedchamber.
"I'll take the floor," Tidus offered gentlemanly. "I've had worse during my training."
"Now, now," Yuna protested. "There's no need for one of us to be comfortable and the other one not. Either we both get the floor or we both get the bed, and it doesn't make much sense for us both to be uncomfortable on the floor."
Her own words surprised her. Tidus too seemed a bit taken aback. He opened his mouth to object, but Yuna wouldn't hear of it.
"Not another word, mister," she said, hands on her hips in a business-like manner. "We're both mature enough to handle sharing a bed, aren't we? Besides, we slept next to each other on the ground while we were on the run."
Tidus closed his mouth and then shrugged. Nothing more was said on the matter, to Yuna's relief.
"I'm tired," she said. "We've had a long day. I'm going to rest for a bit."
"Want me to wake you in a few hours?"
"Yes, thank you. You're not worn out yourself?"
"Not so much. I'm going to take a look around the village for a while."
"Okay, but be sure to get some sleep before the festival starts. It's going to last all night, I believe."
"Don't worry, I'll save my strength for it," he told her, heading out the front door. She waved goodbye and then crawled under the blanket of the wide bed, grateful to sleep on something soft rather than the hard earth. She was asleep in mere seconds.
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True to his word, Tidus gently shook Yuna awake four hours later. Feeling better after her rest, the young woman yawned and stretched luxuriously as she sat up. The sky was still light outside, but in a few hours the sun would begin to go down, then the festival would start. Yuna was keen to see the festival. She had never heard of it before, but it sounded exciting.
Glancing down at the floor, she noticed that Tidus had prepared himself a small cot. He had lain down his cloak on the rugged floor and taken a pillow from the bed Yuna slept on. Strangely, she felt a stab of disappointment. She rather liked the idea of sleeping with Tidus' warmth at her side.
"So, what is the village like?" she asked, standing up from the bed, willing herself to banish such thoughts. She remembered the smell of soap on his skin. It appeared that he had a bath while she was sleeping. Tidus was busy rooting through the haversack for something to eat. He tossed an apple at her over his shoulder. She caught it deftly as he replied,
"Nothing out of the ordinary from other villages, but the people are friendly."
"This festival sounds exciting, don't you think?" Yuna asked, taking a bite of the apple. Tidus grabbed one for himself and leaned against the wall as he chewed it. "Growing up in the temple, I was never allowed to go anywhere without an escort, nor was I allowed to attend big gatherings. Up until the Children of Light ceremony, I never went to any big town celebrations."
He frowned at her thoughtfully.
"Why were you so heavily guarded there?" he asked curiously. Yuna shrugged.
"All girls in the temple were. Even the boys training to be priests had most of their privileges taken away. I suppose I was put under extra protection because of who my father was. Perhaps the temples simply wanted to keep me unspoiled should I ever be chosen for the ceremony," she replied uncertainly.
"Well, hopefully tonight will make up for all the festivals you missed out on," Tidus said, winking. Yuna grinned back.
"I hope so."
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In the given time before the festival, Lulu managed to prepare Tidus and Yuna for the festival herself. After Yuna had a quick luxurious bath, she and Tidus had made their way to the High Priestess' house.
To Yuna, she gave a dark earth brown dress that only came down mid-thigh and revealed her arms as well as her neck and a bit of her chest. She then had a serving girl paint Yuna's face with wild markings. It was only applied lightly so that it would not be so overbearing on her face. Her eyes were lined in black, and beneath it were a few neatly marked smudges of red and yellow. There were hints of dark green on her eyelids. For an extra touch, Lulu added a small gleaming gemstone bead to rest neatly between Yuna's eyebrows. In addition, she also received jewellery to wear temporarily, a necklace of polished red gemstones, and earrings of amber drops. In all, the outfit gave her an exotic look, a savage mystery that hinted a side of her that she did not realize she had. Seeing herself in the mirror, she felt the sudden urge to dance wildly, uninhibited and free from the reservations forced into her nature from youth.
Tidus was given a dark green lace up tunic that only went down to his waist, and kept his brown trousers. He too allowed the young serving girl to apply face a bit of paint to his face. Only his under eye was marked in black, and there were dark green and yellow stripes across his temples. Then there was one dark red streak running from his tear ducts diagonally downward, stopping at his cheekbones. He was then loaned a dark brown leather belt embroidered with rich designs of crimson and golden thread. He was given brown leather wrist cuffs with similar designs like his belt, and a necklace with a long animal tooth on the end.
For fun, Lulu had forbidden the two of them to see each other until the look was complete for both of them. She had positioned them on either side of a drawn curtain, smiling secretively at her own game.
"All right," she said at last, coming to stand at the end of the curtain, ready to unveil the two companions. "Take a look."
She tore the curtain aside and waited with an almost childlike eagerness to see their reactions.
Yuna gaped in amazement. Tidus was wide-eyed and speechless.
Yuna had never seen Tidus look so raw, so powerful as he did adorned with festive paint on his gorgeous features. He looked like a true tribal warrior. In the firelight from the hearth in Lulu's home, he looked even more impressive. He was breathtaking. Yuna felt a quickening of desire, more intense than she'd ever felt for him.
He too seemed entranced by her appearance. His mouth opened and closed, and then all he could do was give an astonished laugh. Yuna did the same thing, covering her mouth as her eyes took him in hungrily.
"You look . . ."
"You're so . . ."
"Wow . . ."
"Amazing . . ."
Their marvel gave way to more laughter.
"You look wonderful," he told her at last, smiling. Even with his face paint, the expression was warm and heart melting. Yuna beamed.
"Likewise. It's as if I'm looking at a real clansman," she told him generously, nudging his arm. She had never worn so little clothing in front of others before, and was not aware of how graceful and slender her legs looked, smooth in the golden firelight. She was not aware of how well the dress hugged her slim figure, hinting at the delicate slope of her breasts, how enchanting her eyes were accentuated by striking paint. She was not aware of Tidus' pulse rapidly increasing at the sight of her, the curve of her soft lips.
"Thank you, Mistress Lulu, for making us so handsome for the ceremony!" Tidus said, grinning at the black mage. Lulu was also decked out in tribal costume, keeping her black corseted dress. Her raven hair was still in its usual cluster of braids, but she was a large headdress of peacock feathers and jewels, as well as a tasteful amount of face paint. She looked every bit her part of the High Priestess.
The woman nodded her head at him, smiling back.
"It was my pleasure. I've had more than my share of fun dressing you two up," she said with an edge of mischief to her deep voice. Yuna took the serving girl's hands and kissed her forehead.
"And thank you for doing such a wonderful job on our face paint," she said kindly. The girl blushed and smiled back, not fully understanding the words of a foreign language, but understanding the gesture and tone of voice. Se bobbed a polite curtsey in response, blushing even harder when Tidus grinned down at her. Obviously Yuna was not the only female present that found Tidus handsome.
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"Sweet Yevon . . ." Yuna breathed, gazing in awe at the scene that lay before her. At her side, Tidus was stunned and silent. Lulu came to stand next to them, a serenely proud look on her painted face.
"Quite a sigh, isn't it?"
At the village centre, the entire population had gathered. Off to one side, there was a performing platform for the musicians and singers. On the opposite side of the vast arena, there was a long table overflowing with plates of the most delectable looking food Yuna had ever laid eyes on. Mountains of cheese, flagons of ale and beer of countless different flavours, endless bowls of fresh salad, platters of roasted meat cooked to perfection, pitchers of spring water, and a staggering supply of ripe fruits.
The giant gathering circle was lined with sitting cushions for dining, as well as for the people too weary or incapable of dancing. The sky was dark, with only a few stars peering down shyly from above. The moon was a thin crescent, nearly undetectable, but gloriously bathed in silver light. All around the gathering circle, there were torches positioned to add visibility, but they were not needed, for at the very centre of the ring, there sat an enormous bonfire, roaring hungrily at the heavens.
Even small children were present, fiercely proud in their play paint and festival clothes. Yuna was startled to find that many women of different ages were walking around topless, exposing their sacred female parts for all to see. There were several men who were nude as well, displaying themselves proudly.
In all her life, Yuna had never seen anything like it. The Children of Light ceremony had been so rigid and sombre. This festival was entirely feral, a celebration of nature and Her phenomenon. It was a tribute not only to the gods' power and grace, but also to the earthly beauty of their mortal children.
And then the music started.
Never did Yuna ever imagine such sounds could exist. Never in all her years had she ever experienced music like this. It was beyond anything her sheltered temple life would allow. It was wild and savage music, blood-pounding drums and haunting melodies from wind instruments of all shapes and sizes. The singers began, grunting and crying out in primeval songs, ageless and eternal songs of the Old Way. Yuna felt tears in her eyes. It was an emotion she couldn't describe. This was a freedom she had never felt before. At her side, Tidus fidgeted slightly, anticipating that first remarkable dance that will trigger a night of celebration of all things beautiful in the world.
Yuna was becoming a slave to that music. It pulled at her heart compellingly, drawing her deeply into the rhythm. Without even thinking she moved forward, joining the growing crowd of dancers. She walked as if in a trance into their midst, feeling the drumbeat resonating in the ground at her feet.
Before she knew it, she was dancing. She was moving in a way she didn't know her body could move. Her hips swayed, arms above her head, fingers combing the air along with the music's flow, spinning, twirling, whirling around unstoppably. Her eyes were closed, but it was as if she could use every other sense to take in her surroundings. The smell of food and close bodies, the sound of primitive song and excited voices, the feel of the pounding earth beneath her and the heat of the people surrounding her. She then felt something new.
A gentle hand on her shoulder. She stopped and opened her eyes to find a young man about her age, naked from the waist up, smiling at her. He had short wiry black hair and chocolate brown skin, white flashing teeth and dark sensual eyes. Yuna stared up at him.
"Dance with me?" he invited, posing it as more of a question than a demand. Yuna smiled up at him and took his hand, nodding once.
She did not notice the intensity of blue eyes following her every move with her dark-skinned dancer.
For some time, Yuna danced with this young man. She learned that his name was Kohan, and he was a new resident from a distance country far across the sea. He had crossed the ocean and travelled the lands after his parents were taken into slavery, until he came to the village for protection. The people did not question the colour of his skin or his unique language. Instead they embraced him as a brother and invited him to stay with them, offering to enlist him into the Shadowstrikes under Jardo's command.
He was a spectacular dancer, moving with a natural grace and style that was both alien and exciting to be a part of.
Yuna had many offers from other young men that night, and even a few women as well. Yuna obliged all of them, relishing her newfound sense of physical and spiritual liberty. She felt powerful. She felt beautiful. For the first time in her life, she felt truly attractive and strong. For at least one night, she could forget about the shy young girl from Besaid Island inside of her. For one night she could forget about the grave mission she must carry on with later. She could forget about Sin, and Seymour, the temple's deceit. None of it mattered tonight. Just for tonight.
She had thought it would be awkward at first to be separated from Tidus, to be alone in a crowd of strangers, but she was relieved to see that he too was occupied, dancing with his fair share of eager young girls. Yuna smiled, even mentally sidestepping her immediate jealous instincts, pleased that he too was having fun.
Yuna had just pulled away from her latest dancing partner, a bashful young boy with curly red hair. She stood alone amidst the swirling mass of dancing bodies, wondering what to do next, when she felt two strong arms slip around her waist. She sucked in her breath at the suddenness of it, her nose taking in a familiar masculine scent. Slowly she glanced up over her shoulder, losing herself instantly in the depths of those infinite azure eyes. She shivered compulsively at his touch, the heat of his breath on her neck as he whispered,
"My turn."