Village of Pal'qui
District of Toculva
Amerell
Inner Core
21 ABY
She was unbearably excited. The weight of it heavy on her chest, yet she felt so full of energy she may very well explode. It was Amira Cai'del's twelfth birthday; her Independence Day. School had been particularly hard that day. She thanked the spirits that it was lunchtime. Her lunch growing colder on her desk, her friend Odala Loren rolled her brown eyes for the umpteenth time that day, leaning across her own desk to Amira's.
"If you flunk out of school, what good will you be to your family then even if you are of age…" Her cynical yet kind friend kept up her light-hearted teasing.
"Even of age, she won't be much better," a haughty voice drawled behind them.
When Odala wasn't the one teasing Amira, it was Thad Korall, all tough and proud for show with a nasty smirk and an infuriating arrogance. She never did quite understand what made him popular with her schoolmates. Maybe it was that his father represented her district of Toculva on the Council of Seven in Iltheria ("I'm practically royalty" he always said). Amira tried her best to ignore his snobbish, half-witted conversation. She knew if she didn't accept Thad she would face estrangement from her classmates.
"I didn't know it was your Independence Day," a fellow classmate chimed in.
"Do you know your apprenticeship focus yet?" A younger boy asked, "when I'm independent I'm going to Edone to studying mining. All the men in my family become miners."
"Cave rat," leave it to Thad for name calling.
"Knock it off, Thad. If it weren't for the miners, we wouldn't get our crystals." Odala was the only one of the group who could talk back to Thad. She absentmindedly touched her right ear, the crystal hanging there reflecting light as she did so.
"Is it true you're leaving Odala? Heard you might be going to Dol'Hom."
"Who? Me?" Odala sat back in her chair, "no way! I'm staying right here." Amira could hear how ardently her friend's voice was, always trying to prove herself and her family to the village.
"I thought maybe you'd be going to Nal'Com. Isn't that where your great grandfather came from?" An older boy asked, his tone implying disrespect.
The abrupt noise of a chair being scooted back caused everyone to turn.
"What'd you say?" Odala had the boy by the front of his shirt.
The boy was almost a foot taller than her. Amira saw Odala's hand clenched at her side. She was working up a punch.
"Excuse me. What is going on here?" It was the teacher.
Everyone shuffled back to their desks as lunch came to an end.
After her long walk home from school, her brother, Desaquin, was waiting for her at the door, Amira's excitement had peaked to where she no longer could find words. She couldn't sit still and felt as if she could unexpectedly float away. Sitting near the window, she watched as far to the east the sun was beginning to descend below Eyraan's Watch, the highest peak of the Edonian Mountains. Her father would be coming home soon, which meant Amira would finally get her gift.
All children of Amerell partake in the tradition of independence. Once a child reaches the age of twelve they become independent. As a token of this, the child is given precious gift. It is customary for the father, who acts as the head of household, to give the gift on the child's twelfth birthday. While temporarily remaining in the household, the child then chooses an area of expertise to study. This apprenticeship is either carried out in their own district or some choose to go to boarding school's in other districts to study. Amira had yet to decide on what she wanted to learn. She has watched many of her older classmates leave to study far away, eager to leave Pal'qui, their village, behind. She had heard the adults voicing their concerns for preserving their traditions and Amira felt pressured to stay behind. All that her mother had taught her would be wasted if she left Tolculva for another district.
She wondered yet again how her father would choose to encase it. Would it be a necklace like her mother's? Maybe a bracelet. She didn't have her ear pierced so she had successfully ruled out an earring. Her family couldn't afford a hair ornament in silver or gold as she had seen once on the wealthy girls when she visited the bustling business district of Dol'Hom. Maybe it would be a woven hair ornament, though she secretly hoped against it as she didn't care much for headpieces.
Deep in thought, Amira jumped at the sound of her mother's voice.
"Your father should be home soon. Are you excited?"
Amira turned and smiled brightly, nodding briefly before turning back to the window sill, the nightly breeze came down from the slopes of the Ollothan forest and whispered through the trees in the backyard. She could hear children a few huts down playing. The sound of the village elder's chickens settling down for night gave Amira more excitement, her heart fluttering in her throat. It was very near this time of night, once the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the sky with a light pink hue, that her father would walk through the door, which she now turned to look at, the breeze making the woven screen covering the entryway sway back and forth lazily.
The house was quiet, her brother Desaquin, the ever busy two-year-old, was asleep for the night in the bedroom. Her mother was at the large, ancestral, carved, wooden table which divided the main room. She had a bowl ready to be filled with stew for Amira's father. She could hear the bubbling of the pot over the fire; the savory smell of the season's fresh herbs made Amira's stomach rumble so loudly she was sure her mother could hear it.
"Would you like some?" Her mother asked.
"I'll wait for father." Truth was, Amira was far too worked up to stomach anything.
"Well then, come over here and help me."
Amira gladly obliged the distraction as her belly gave another growl.
Her mother was in the process of preparing freshly-dried plants on the table for extraction. She gestured to a pile of dried flowers.
"Grind those for me."
Amira sat across the table, the milky reddish-brown stone mortar and pestle sat in front of her, worn down from years of use. Adding small bunches at a time, she began the repetitive and familiar motion of grinding down the dried petals to a fine powder. The pungent, bitter smell of the crushed flowers hit her nose, making her wrinkle it. Her mother noticed and laughed.
"You never could stand the smell of Roldish. And what do we use the flowers of the Roldish plant for?"
Amira instantly recognized her mother was testing her, as she did often while they worked, mixing conversation with learning. The answer came to Amira immediately.
"It is used as one of many to reduce a fever, but it is the most effective."
"Very good."
Her mother paused and studied her face, causing Amira to stop her work and look up. The sudden serious expression her mother wore made her uneasy.
"You know, your father and I have told you we'd be happy to send you to a different district to do your apprenticeship. Are you sure this is what you'd like to do?"
"Yes. I mean... I can't imagine doing other things. Besides, I like doing this and I know it pretty well, better than most subjects at school," Amira smiled.
"If it's what you want. You still have the rest of this school term to decide, you know."
"I know. I don't think I'll change my mind, mother. I want to work with you. Then, I could stay here with you, and father, and Desaquin."
Her mother gave her a smile, "I know at your age, sometimes you're afraid-" Amira opened her mouth to object, her mother kept going, raising her inflection slightly, "-of leaving home, or perhaps you don't want to for another reason...Think about the other places you could go. You could go to Dol'Hom, like your father, start a new business if you'd like there. Who knows, you could even end up like the Callenu's boy, serving under the monarchy in Illtheria."
Amira made a face, "I hate politics..."
"The point is Amira, you can't let family hold you back. You can't truly know your heart's desires until you've ventured away. There's the entire galaxy for you to explore. You're most open for discovery when you are exposed, in an unfamiliar place."
"But Mama, I don't want to change. This is my home, that'll never change."
"I just want you to remember, no matter how far away you go- to Illtheria or to Coruscant- we will be here for you. Waiting to hear of your adventures. No matter what."
Amira gave a weary smile. Her family meant everything to her. Toculva was her home. She couldn't imagine leaving Amerell. Going off-world seemed impossible. No matter the hardships and poverty-stricken conditions her family faced, they had each other. Her friends were here. The mud walls of her family's hut, the first snow fall that came down from the Edonian Mountains; the smell of the blooming flowers in the Elusian Fields of Corpora; the peaceful grinding of herbs in the evening with her mother; the stillness of the Ollothan's tall forest, and the festivals to the spirits; how could she leave it all behind? She didn't think she could.
The sun had set long ago, and Amira and her mother had finished all the work that could be done with the herbs. The fire had died down some, the remaining coals glowing dimmer and dimmer. Amira was given a bowl of stew to eat, but it had long gone cold. The quiet calls of the night insects could be heard, the air heavy with moisture. The first of the summer's rain was on its' way.
"Your father must have been held up at work again."
Amira knew better. Her mother kept her voice light and airy, but she could tell when her mother was avoiding the truth. It was true that her father had begun to come home later and later recently. Mother assured Amira everything was fine, but Amira knew she was lying. She heard their quiet arguments in the main room at night, when she lay in the bedroom, snuggled up next to her brother under their light, woven blanket.
It was nearly midnight when they heard the rumble of her father's ancient speeder bike. At last her father was home! She heard the engine cut, the customary two clunks deemed it so. Her father's heavy footsteps coming around the side of the hut, the slight disturbance of the screen as he pushed against it. Finally! Her very own gift of independence. She couldn't wait to show Odala, and rub it in Thad's face that she got hers months before he would.
Amira saw the look on her father's face and knew something was wrong. His face was drawn, he looked weary and troubled. Amira went over nevertheless and gave him a hug around the middle. Surely, no matter the trouble, he remembered her most important birthday. He smiled tightly to her, his eyes showed a sadness and without another word, he headed to the bedroom. Her mother followed.
Amira could hear their voices, quiet as to not wake her brother, yet forceful. Another argument. Only this time she knew exactly what it was about. She stared at the fire.
He forgot.
He didn't prepare her gift. She wasn't getting it. Her stomach twisted in knots and her heart began to beat a little faster. She felt the bite of disappointment so great she wanted to scream. She would have to face her classmates tomorrow as the same girl. The girl without independence. Hot tears began to well up, her view of the fire becoming blurry.
Just as Amira thought about running out the door, she heard the voices stop, her mother reappeared, her face tight, her eyes full of emotion.
"He forgot," Amira stated the obvious as she avoided her mother's gaze.
"He did. But I did not." Amira turned to looked at her mother as she came over to where Amira sat, kneeling down in front of her.
"Happy birthday, my daughter. You've earned your independence."
Her mother opened her palm and Amira looked down. In it was a thumbnail-sized crystal. The beauty and clear depth of it shone bright as the light of the fire caught it. Her very own Ambestine crystal. Her independence in all its' physical, radiate glory. But Amira knew the gift would never truly be right. For one, it should have been her father giving the gift, and second, Amira recognized the familiarity of the crystal immediately. It was her mother's.
Her mother read the expression on Amira's face, "I'm sorry it couldn't be unique and your own from the start. But I want you to have this. In time, I hope you will make your own."
Amira took the crystal necklace from her mother and felt the heat of it match the tears which had begun to fall. Her mother embraced her.
"I know it breaks tradition but I know you'll cherish it the same."
Amira hugged her mother tighter, letting her tears flow freely, grasping the crystal so firmly, her hand was hot with its' warmth.
"Mother..." Amira began, her voice but a whisper, "do you think—"
"Amira."
Amira jumped and blinked rapidly, the memory slowly fading to the back of her mind. She looked around to see her classmates staring at her. She felt a nudge on her left arm and turned to look at Odala who jerked her head to the front of the room. Amira turned her head and saw her teacher standing at the front, waiting.
"What...?" Amira managed to say quietly, her mind still adjusting.
"What year was the 60 Year Conflict between Alderaan, the Monarchy of the Amerell, and the Qui'al resolved."
"Uh, 10 BBY."
"Correct. Try to stay with us, Amira."
"Yes, ma'am."
Amira put her head down with embarrassment as class continued on.
A few hours later with the sun high, Amira, Odala, and Thad made their journey back home from school.
"You should have seen your face. You looked like a Kantan who realized it lost its herd."
Amira grimaced. She didn't like to compared with livestock, especially when that comparison came from Thad. With school done, the timing came just in time for the week's end. The Aryt'al was tomorrow and Amira was eager to celebrate.
"Did you know that this year marks the 3000th Aryt'al."
"Who cares?"
Amira had to hold back her tongue against Thad's comment.
"Oh yeah! I forgot. I wonder if the festival will be any different, you know, like something special, something big," Odala said.
"I haven't heard anything," Thad said, his false sense of elitism creeping into his voice, "my father hasn't said anything about it."
Amira couldn't resist, "How would he know? It's not like this is a global festival. It's only in Toculva."
"My father happens to be an important figure and is close with The Elders, so actually, he would know."
Amira quickly looked away, feinting embarrassment when instead her annoyance had peaked and she clenched a fist at her side to stop herself.
Odala ignored the tension that had settled between the two, "my neighbor helps out with the festival preparations too and they haven't said anything to my family about it so I guess it will be the same as usual."
"Yeah. Lame, as usual," Thad droned.
Amira focused on the fields of cally that were beginning to grow tall, their bright blue stems reaching higher for the sun, the leaves almost as big as Amira's hand. She could see a herd of Kantan in the distance, their shrill wails the common sound of Corpora. Here life centered around agriculture and Amira had always found it calm, even calmer than her own district's demure way of life. In the summer, though, it seemed even slower, almost lazy. The haze of the sun above was bearing down on them, as they trekked down the worn dirt path, cracked from the heat and lack of rain. She remembered hearing one of her classmates mention an impeding drought. She looked at the crops, laid out as far as the eye could see on both sides of the path and felt a pang of concern for the people of Corpora. The crops and animals were their source of livelihood; without them they would suffer. She closed her eye for the briefest of moments to send word to the spirits. Maybe they would listen and bring relief.
"Are you finished plucking those?" Amira's mother asked.
Amira gathered the white, brown-speckled leaves and pushed the pile across the wooden table, taking care to grab any stray leaves that managed to get stuck in the deep grooves of the wood grain.
The familiar sounds of their work filled the silent room: her mother's grinding in the mortar and pestle, the small pluck, monotonous as Amira continued her work at pruning the leaves from their stems, and outside, the soft, melodic sound of the wind chimes stirred in harmony. Desaquin would be waking up from a nap at any moment. A knock at the door interrupted the quiet atmosphere.
Amira went to the doorway and recognized the blonde peeking between the slats of the woven curtain.
"You coming?" Odala asked.
Amira looked over to her mother and her unfinished work, hopeful.
"Go ahead. Just be home before sundown."
Amira gave her mother a smile before flipping up the door screen and joining her friend outside the hut.
Odala gestured to the bow and quiver set beside the door, "you'll want to bring those. Thad has a new course ready for us. Can't wait to fail that one too…"
Amira smiled at her friend's overly-exaggerated sarcastic look.
Grabbing the worn archery set that had belonged to her father, they set out towards the edge of the village. The Ollothan loomed ahead, the forest dense with skinny pines and ground ferns as it rose up almost ominously. Amira and her people knew there was nothing to fear in those woods despite what ignorant outsiders seemed to think.
"Hey! Amira! Wait up!" A familiar voice called from behind.
They turned to see their classmate, Jayder Zancress, running towards them.
"…not the new kid…let's get rid of him before it's too late…" Odala whined in a whisper.
"Oh, come on. He's nice," Amira turned around again, waving.
Odala gave a glum look before resigning with a sigh, "Whatever."
Jayder caught up with them, his auburn hair neatly combed.
"Hey, Amira," Jayder gave a straight, white-toothed smile, "Hey, Odala…"
Odala had her arms crossed as she gave Jayder the once over, her expression of dislike obvious as she looked at his showy, fine-fabric clothing. She gave him a curt nod and small noise of acknowledgement.
Amira gave her friend a hidden nudge before turning to Jayder.
"We're going to into the Ollothan to play, you should come."
Jayder smiled warmly at the invitation and they set off again, halting at edge of the forest. Jayder almost kept walking but Odala yanked him back, annoyed. She gave a confused Jayder a look.
"What?"
"What do you mean what? Geez. Hasn't your father, the supposed "anthropologist" told you anything of the Qui'al traditions?"
Jayder's face fell, crestfallen and embarrassed.
Amira stepped between the two.
"Enough, Odala. Jayder hasn't been on our world for more than two phases now. You can't think he'll know everything."
Odala looked down at her feet, looking sullen. Amira saw the faint pink on her cheeks and knew her friend was hiding her turn at embarrassment.
Amira turned to Jayder explaining, "the Ollothan is sacred to the Qui'al. It's where all the spiritual energy of our ancestors and the present comes from. It's a place where those who are lost go to be found, a place of healing, and a place of knowledge. We must enter the forest properly, to show respect," she felt proud as she quoted her cultural studies textbook almost perfectly. She was confident she would do well on their upcoming quiz.
Amira led the way, walking parallel to the tree line until they came upon one of the old open stone temples erected thousands of years ago. The recent renovation by the village had restored the temple to its old glory: the stone has been washed clean of dirt, new ceremonial tassels had been woven and hung, freshly dyed a bright cobalt blue. They walked up the three steps to stand in its' center. Amira and Odala stood side-by-side and together gave two claps, forming the traditional rite of passage hand gesture. Giving a slight bow, Amira spoke, "please let our friend, an outsider, safe passage. He knows of your presence and will respect it as we do."
Amira looked over her shoulder, signaling Jayder that he too should bow.
He gave an unsure one, trying to mimic the hand gesture.
"Onward, then." Odala was the first to walk down the three steps that led into the forest.
The group headed up a steep hill not far from the forest entrance. Odala had stopped to pick up the day's walking stick, a habit of hers. Amira noticed that Jayder wasn't quite as fast as them, and when they made to the top, she could see how winded he was. A few minutes later, crashing through the undergrowth, the ferns shuttering as they passed, they came to the edge of a clearing. Below was a hollow that Amira and her friends had discovered years ago. Ever since then it was deemed their "hide-out". Taking the small narrow path down, using the embedded stones as foot holds, they made their way down. At the bottom they saw Thad sitting there, waiting.
"There you are! Thought you'd gotten lost." Thad shouted as he jumped down from his rocky perch.
"You always say you thought we got lost. When will you figure out we don't get lost," Odala taunted back.
Thad just smiled and shook his head. He looked at Amira and saw her bow and quiver hanging off her shoulder.
"I guess Odala already told you, but I made a new course," he gestured with arms sweeping across the clearing, "maybe this time you'll actually be a worthy adversary."
Amira felt her insides warm and squirm with dislike. She stood a little taller.
"I already am." The firm tone of her voice surprised her, even Thad looked a little impressed. But only for a moment before he composed himself and gave a smirk and an arrogant hmph.
This was the third time Thad had created an archery course in their forest hollow. The first two times, Amira had lent Odala her bow and arrows and each time Odala managed to miss every target. Needless to say, she felt that archery was dumb anyway.
"Didn't see you back there, Zancress. Do you even know what this is?" he held up his bow, "I doubt they have them on that filthy factory planet you call home."
Ever since Jayder's arrival, Thad had been nothing but rude to him. Amira guessed it was because Jayder was two years older than the others and stood almost a foot taller than Thad. He acted so much older too. Amira admired his maturity. She only wished the others could see it too.
Jayder stiffened before straightening himself, "On Kuat, we have more sophisticated weaponry, such as ray guns and ion cannons."
Thad narrowed his eyes, silent. The two boys regarded each other for a moment.
Thad's face twisted into a nasty sneer, "at least Amerell didn't mass produce weapons for the Empire."
Amira gave a small gasp. It was common knowledge that Empire's massive fleets were produced in Kuat's legendary ship yards.
"Have you forgotten your planets' role in the Empire. Was it not your precious gem, Ambestine, that powered the Death Star?"
Thad growled, his fist pulling back as he stomped over to Jayder.
"Stop it! Both of you," It was Odala that stood in the middle this time, "can we just forget it? Thad and Amira have a competition to play."
Amira smiled nervously. She felt sorry for how the other's have been treating Jayder since his arrival. Most of her classmates saw him as an outsider. She heard the adults of her village whispering about his family. The way they looked at them. It was clear that they wouldn't accept them. Jayder may have come from a wealthy family, with more money than Amira could ever imagine, his cloths spun from the finest of textiles that were elaborately dyed and embroidered, but she had seen the compassion in his eyes, and the ignorance to his status among her people. His family was nothing but polite and curious.
Amira couldn't help but give a small smile as she realized that no one stood up to Thad's cruel comments, yet this boy had, and he had managed to beat Thad at his own game. For that, she commended him.
Thad spit on the ground before turning his back on the group.
"There's six targets, best out of six wins." He turned back to look at Amira.
"Ladies first…" he sneered.
Amira glanced at the other two as she walked towards the first target, one situated haphazardly on a low tree branch. The old woven pouch was starting to tear at the bottom, the dried grass inside beginning to finds its way out. A crude bullseye had been painted on the pouch, lopsided and fading. Amira slung her quiver of arrows over her left shoulder and checked the tautness of her bow's string with a few quick pulls. Odala and Jayder and taken to the rocks to watch the competition unfold. Odala looked a little bored, her eyes on Thad with a ghost of a smile on her lips. Amira was her best friend, but she knew where Odala's feelings really were. She felt a little pang of jealously that it was that self-centered, foolish boy that had taken her place. Odala had mentioned Thad a few times in a strange context. Love was a mystery still to Amira. Fourteen was a time of change and Amira felt as if she was missing a curious, new concept. Jayder gave her a small smile when their eyes met. She felt her heart skip a beat. Why was she nervous this time? It must have been the anticipation of beating Thad…
She drew her first arrow and staring at the target, slowly notched and drew it.
"Try to aim for once," Thad said loudly to her side.
"Shh! No talking, Thad!" Odala, always the trusty rule keeper.
Amira felt her heart beating faster than normal, her palms damp. She let the arrow go and a breath later saw she missed the target completely as she heard the arrow collide with the underbrush who knows how far away.
Thad started to laugh, "Wow."
He elbowed her out of way. His bow was made of metal, gleaming bright and new. A gift from his esteemed father no doubt. Amira knew exactly where Thad had got his arrogance from. If Thad was hardly enough to handle, his father was out of the question. Once when Amira asked her mother why Mister Korall was the way he was, she mentioned power and how he let it go to his head, forgetting what his roots in the village really meant. Now he thought himself above them.
Thad easily prepared his own arrow and after a few seconds, found his target just to the left of the bullseye.
The next three arrows weren't much better for Amira, but Thad had misjudged as well. Amira was only one shot away from a tie.
The second-to-last target was a downward shot into a small hollow in the rocks twelve feet down. Standing on the smooth boulder above, Amira took a few seconds to compose herself. She let her eyes close and started to control her breathing. She felt a familiar sensation similar to instincts swell inside her. Opening her eyes she was sure of her target, the sensation flowing through her as she sucked in her last breath before holding it. As she let the arrow go, she felt the success before it hit the mark. She scored a five. A bullseye, dead center. A first for her since Thad had taught her and Odala how to shoot. With twelve points, Amira felt she might have a chance at winning. Thad's smile had disappeared with her last shot and he hastily shot his fifth arrow. He hit the edge, outside the target. A zero. His glare at Amira made her own pride swell. She was going to win.
The last target was placed at far end of the hollow, on the rocks were Odala and Jayder were sitting. The four of them moved to the opposite end for the victory shot. At sixty yards away, the shot was daunting.
Thad hadn't dropped his glare and Amira busied herself with adjusting her footing to try and keep distracted from her nerves. She repeated her slow process of aiming as she did before, her nerves keeping her from focusing on her instinctual sensation. She tried to calm herself, feeling a tug at her hands, but before she could act on it, her hand slipped, the arrow flying into the target with a thud. She had hit the bottom on the target. A one. She felt her limbs grow heavy with dread. She didn't get it. She wasn't going to win. Thad gave a small chuckle as he regained his haughty confidence. Amira looked down and when she heard the arrow hit its mark, a glance up revealed a bullseye.
Everything was dead quiet before Thad gave a victory whoop.
"Nice try, for a girl that is," he snickered.
Amira didn't say anything just gave him a glare that only made him laugh. She knew better than to let it show that he got to her. She walked away toward the others.
"You almost had him," Odala said, placing a hand on Amira's shoulder, giving it a squeeze, "next time."
Amira tried to smile, but the bitterness of disappointment still stung.
Jayder smiled at her, saying loudly, "Odala told me that you've only been shooting for a few months now, and this was only the third competition. You sure had me fooled. I think you're just as good, maybe even better than Korall over there."
Thad whipped around, annoyance crossing his face.
"Maybe you failed to notice, Zancress, but I won. That makes me better."
Jayder just stared back and smiled, egging him on.
"Not how I see it."
"Well no one cares what a snobby immigrant has to say."
"Oh. I'm the arrogant one then?" Jayder shot back.
Thad's fists were curled at his side, and judging by his face, it wouldn't take more than another comment for him to throw the first punch.
"Geez. You two are worse than the Guane twins at school… let's go swimming." Odala said as she went over and hooked her arm around Thad's, pulling him away.
Amira hung back with Jayder. They walked in silence for a few moments before Amira hesitantly began, "…Uh, thanks, for that back there…"
"You're welcome."
Their trek to the small pond left them all hot and damp from the humid heat. Amira hoped that rain would finally come. Thad ran ahead, throwing his shirt off as he leap from a rock into the pond below. Odala stopped near the bank stripping down to her underclothes before wading in. Amira noticed Jayder's expression.
"You don't like swimming?"
"Er, no. I don't actually know how to swim. There's no pools of water back on Kuat."
"Oh. I wasn't really in the mood to swim so come on, let's sit over there."
Amira pointed to the far bank where large, flat rocks backed up to the water. She sat on the edge, letting her dirty bare feet dangle in the water. She watched as Jayder removed his boots. Such a strange concept to her… shoes.
"Don't your feet ever get hot wearing those?" She said, pointing to his shiny boots that were now coated in dust.
"I… guess? I've nothing to compare it to since I don't ever go barefoot."
Amira's eyes widened in curiosity, "ever? Even at home?"
"At home we wear slippers. They're made of fabric."
Amira looked over the water, regarding his comments, watching Thad and Odala wrestle each other in the water, Odala dunking Thad's head, shrieking as he grabbed her leg and pulled her under.
"So then your people never wear shoes?" Jayder asked.
Amira knew that most of the Qui'als of her village would be insulted to hear him refer to them as "your people", however, Amira knew he meant well and she never heard an ounce of intentional disrespect from him.
She shook her head, "Only for travel and at the festivals, when we travel to the Grand Shrine. We wear woven shoes. They're like those… slippers, you talked about. You have to cover your feet when going into the Grand Shrine. Going barefoot is seen as disrespectful because of the presence of the sprits and it's a place of purity."
"Yet the woods where they live are not considered pure?"
She shook her head again, "the Ollothan is a natural world, and we can be our natural selves here so long as we respect these grounds."
"My father met one of the elders, the one that's considered your people's… spiritual leaders, isn't that right?"
"Yes, that's Al'Tayoen. She leads the village in all spiritual things. She can also talk with the spirits, but most outsiders don't understand or believe that part. Do you have any spirits on Kuat?"
"No, we are a very simple people. We work hard, whether it be in the manufacturing of ships or other means, like education. What drives us is ambition and a job well done. My father was never very good with his hands. My grandparents feared that his future might be hopeless, at least on Kuat that is, but he found his passion in learning and knowledge, so they sent him to Coruscant to a university there. He became an anthropologist and met my mother while studying there. Then they had me, and now we travel the galaxy, so my father can do his research."
Amira felt a twinge in her stomach, "how long will you be here on Amerell, then?"
"About a year. That's usually how much time is needed for him to gather adequate information." Jayder gave her a wistful look.
A look that confused Amira. Maybe he liked it here so far and didn't look forward to leaving. The twinge in her stomach grew a little stronger. Amira wasn't sure she wanted him to leave. He was a good friend, and she had enjoyed getting to know him in the last few phases. She gave a short sigh.
"Well, we have the rest of this cycle. Better make it count!"
Unsure what to do with herself, she jumped up and without stripping her clothes down, leaped into the water. She came back up only to see a now soaked Jayder. He looked stunned before bursting out laughing. Amira joined him soon after.
"I can teach you to swim. I've taught other kids from school, and they were a lot younger than you."
Jayder looked hesitant before shrugging, "why not?"
As he unwrapped his intricate shirt, Amira tried hard not to stare. It was like it had just struck her how different boys looked from girls. The way she could see Jayder's muscles moving under his skin as he did. She felt heat rise in her cheeks before she looked away, dropping herself under the water.
"See you tomorrow, Amira!" Odala waved as she ran off with Thad.
Amira waved and turned to Jayder.
"I was surprised how fast you learned today," Amira said.
"I surprised myself. It's a lot easier than I thought. I can't wait to go home and tell my parents that I know how to swim. They look at me like I'm crazy," Jayder laughed.
"Are you coming to the festival tomorrow?" Amira asked.
Jayder nodded, "my family is coming too. My father will be doing observational work, and some interviews. I'll see if I can get him to interview you."
"Oh, uh, no. That's okay. I, um… I don't like to be the center of attention."
"That's a shame," Jayder said softly, a look passing between them.
"Well, um, I better… go. My mother probably needs help. Help with, ah… the meal! Yes the meal. See you tomorrow night then."
"Good night, Amira."
Jayder paused before leaving, and as he walked away, Amira felt herself grow hot and smile for no reason at all. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut and keep her cool?
Walking into the hut, she found her mother still at work, two bowls set out for the meal on the table. She knew her brother would be asleep by now, and the missing bowl meant one thing: her father wouldn't be joining for the meal tonight.
"Father staying late at work again?"
Her mother tried to keep her composure, "I don't honestly know. Nowadays I never know."
Amira could hear the bite in her comment. She understood that her father was staying late at work most nights, trying to support them. She wished her mother would be more understanding.
"Take those to the drying shed."
Grabbing the tied bundles of freshly cut plants she made her way outside and to the backside of the hut. Next to the herb garden was a small, crude shed, the door missing a latch and a hinge near the top, making the door lean at an odd angle. Inside was just as plain: The packed dirt floor uncovered, a wooden counter slung across the shed on the far side. The few items were tools for her father's speeder bike and obscure, long-forgotten junk. The left side of the shed was clean and used for their medicine making. Labeled glass jars, crammed with dried leaves lined a shelf and above that various wads of plants were hung from the ceiling to dry. Stepping up on an ancient wooden stool, the habitual creak of it as it found her weight, Amira reached high and hung the freshly-cut bunches one at a time.
As she made her way out of the shed, carefully closing the shabby door as to not have it slam shut, the corner of her eye caught movement. Standing a few yards away was her father.
And he wasn't alone.
Amira watched for a moment as he father looked around warily, as if he didn't want to be seen. Amira swallowed hard, her heart beginning to race, as she crept behind the shed and poked her head out to watch the encounter. He father hadn't seen her, his back to her. The fading light made it difficult to see and the stranger he was talking to, but she recognized a hard-looking man, younger than her father. He looked annoyed. Her father putting out his hands in front of him, his palms up, looking as if he was trying to explain something. They were too far away for Amira to make out any words. A glint caught her eye as the stranger moved his hand to stroke his short facial hair. A blaster. And another holster below that harboring a large curved knife. The man cut her father off short and spoke back, his posture and face aggressive. Her father resigned and looked down, shaking his head. The stranger made a point for her father to see his holsters. The man crossed his arms and looked absolute.
Amira watched her father walk away slowly, his face shrouded in shadows. The man watched him walk into the hut. Amira waited breathlessly for the man to turn and leave. Finally, he did, but as he did so his eye caught something and Amira found herself staring right back at this strange, dangerous man. She gasped and flung herself behind the shed.
He has seen her.
She swallowed, breathing hard, fear seizing her. She shut her eyes waiting for him to approach her. But when what seemed like eternity had passed, she bravely snuck a peek around the corner and found nothing there. The man was gone.
Letting her composure come back she went back into the hut. Her father was sitting at the table, eating from a bowl, staring at the fire, looking troubled. Her mother offered her some food, but Amira shook her head. She wasn't hungry. She told her mother her head had started to hurt and that she was going to lie down. Making her way into the bedroom, she changed into her nightclothes and laid down softly next to Desaquin, his soft breathing barely audible. She stared at the ceiling for what seemed hours, before feinting sleep when she heard her mother come in. Her father never came to bed that night, and sleep evaded Amira. She couldn't help but feel as if that man she saw was a very dangerous man. And not only had he threatened her father, he had seen Amira.
She felt her throat close tighter as a sudden feeling washed over her. A feeling that she hadn't felt in a very long time. Its familiar grasp made her aware that something wasn't right. Her head ached as an anonymous, distorted voice continued to scream warnings inside her head. Her mother had always told her that Amira had a sharp perception, and Amira had noticed it seemed stronger when the threat of danger was near. She could do nothing but try to quell the voice inside her head and pray to the spirits that she was wrong.