Chapter 18 - Vini Flowers

Akirexer early in the morning like she always did every morning. She stretched herself and got out of bed yawning. She changed her clothes and quietly left the bedroom. Sharumez was still snoring softly when she closed the door. Akirexer went downstairs to clean but paused surprised to see that the house had already been cleaned.

'Who could have cleaned?' she held her head in thought.

Akirexer heard the sound of plates in the kitchen and she went to check. She looked on surprised at Emelinia washing the last plate. She watched her in silence as she dried up the sink. Emelinia picked the bin from underneath the sink and startled upon meeting Akirexer's eyes.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Akirexer grinned sweetly, "But why did you have to go through all the trouble?" she asked, bewildered.

"I got up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I thought of helping you clean." Emelinia replied with her eyes on the floor.

"Help me clean? Honey, you have done everything." Akirexer said, amazed. "Go and throw out the trash while I make us tea." she set the kettle on the gas stove.

It wasn't long after Emelinia returned from taking out the trash when Akirexer finished preparing the tea. She gave Emelinia her cup and she blew on it. Emelinia was about to take her first sip when she caught Akirexer frowning at her headband. Emelinia blew on her tea again and sipped it.

"Why don't you, at least, take off your headband when you are home?" Akirexer expressed her thoughts.

Emelinia swallowed her second sip, "I feel uncomfortable without one." she briefly justified herself.

Akirexer sipped her tea, and then shook her head doubtfully, "I understand that but you should at least allow yourself to be yourself here. We all know that you are a seer and none of us will make you feel uncomfortable because of that. You have such beautiful hair, let it breath for once."

Emelinia silently took in Akirexer's words. She took off her headband, letting her hair fall down her back.

Akirexer got up and neatly plaited it into one big braid so that it didn't go into her face. When she was done, she stepped back to admire her work and gently clapped her hands in satisfaction.

Emelinia blushed a little and faced down with a little smile.

Akirexer took her to the living room and put her in front of a mirror. Emelinia gapped at her reflection in the mirror. For the first time in her life, she saw her own beauty and it felt amazing.

Akirexer smiled at her through the mirror and Emelinia shyly smiled back. She looked further into the mirror and her eyes widened at Naian staring at her. She turned to him and faced down in discomfort.

"Good morning, Naian." Akirexer greeted him.

"Good morning, mama." Naian replied.

Akirexer got back into the kitchen, leaving Emelinia all alone with Naian. Emelinian grew tensed as she felt him staring at her birthmark. Her legs couldn't move so she helplessly stood still. They both heard Akirexer tell Naian that his breakfast was going to be ready soon and Naian told her to take her time.

He then turned to Emelinia and said, "Good morning, Emelinia."

Emelinia nervously nodded her head.

Naian proceeded to walk into the kitchen and went outside. Emelinia heaved in relief when he left. She couldn't quite understand why she felt uncomfortable with Naian. He wasn't mean or rude to her and he spoke to her the least in the house.

The sight of Sharumez interrupted her thoughts. He smiled fatherly at her as he folded his sleeves. Emelinia warmly smiled back at him. She was more comfortable with him than anyone else in the house. She assumed that it was because she met him first.

Emelinia picked up the vegetables on a tray on the table and went outside. She sat on a chair on the lawn and started cutting them. Before long, she heard Sharumez approach the door and she watched him and Naian walk out.

"I will see you later in the evening," he said to Emelinia.

Emelinia waved goodbye to him as he and Naian rode out.

Two women passing by saw Emelinia and when they got a glimpse of her birthmark, they gasped. Emelinia watched them whisper to each other and then look at her in disgust. Her heart sank at their obvious rejection. The kindness of the Sharumez household made her forget her place. In that society, she was nothing but an outcast.

Akirexer walked out of the house balancing laundry in her arms. Emelinia took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. She didn't want Akirexer to see that she was upset. There was no need to worry her.

"I will help you with the laundry as soon as I am done with cutting the vegetables for the stew," Emelinia gladly offered.

"No, I will manage. I have done a lot more than this before." Akirexer winked at Emelinia.

"I insist, ma." Emelinia replied, giggling.

Akirexer held her waist and took a look at the laundry again, "Alright, we will wash them together. Sharaina will cook lunch."

****

The two women who saw Emelinia arrived at their homes. They wasted no time in getting the attention of the other women. A good number flocked to them and surrounded them. They murmured among each other as they wondered why they were called suddenly.

"Naavi and Wela, can you hurry up and tell us why you have called us all here. We don't have time to waste." one of the women spoke up.

"We have chores to do." another one with a little baby on her back emphasized.

Naavi and Wela stomped their feet on the ground as they beat their chests and twirled around. When the other women saw that they were doing the angry dance, they worried. They started to wonder what upset them even more.

"My fellow women of Gemhules, there is a great insult upon us." Wela said and the women gasped.

"Tell us of this insult!" one of the women fiercely demanded.

"Our sister, Akirexer, has been insulted!" Naavi exclaimed.

Upon hearing that, a few women started dancing the angry dance. Dust was raised as they constantly stomped the ground. At that point, more people went to see what was happening. The women danced for a few minutes before they stopped to listen to how Akirexer was insulted.

"My women, Sharumez has brought an unwed girl into his house who isn't related to him!" Naavi said and the crowd of women roared in anger.

"To make matters worse, this girl is a disgusting seer! This means that her sole purpose in that house is to be his concubine!" Wela added and the crowd went mad with anger.

One woman stepped out of the crowd, "Surely, how can you both think like this? Sharumez is a respectable man. He can never do this. What makes you so sure that he is having an affair with that girl?" she expressed her doubt.

"Foolish and naive woman! Do you think that we are idiots? We saw him speak to her lovingly in a suspicious way before he left for his shop. Akirexer was nowhere in sight. She probably doesn't even know that her husband's mistress is in her house and you are here sprouting nonsense? Shut up!" Naavi rudely argued her suspicions.

"We, the women of Gemhules do not tolerate abuse of women! We stand up for each other! That home wrecking harlot has to leave this village!" Wela viciously yelled at the doubtful woman.

"Even still, what makes you think that she is his concubine?" she asked again, clearly unconvinced by the allegations.

Naavi gritted her teeth as she eyeballed her. "Your foolishness knows no bounds. Surely what other relationship can a female seer have with a man? You keep quiet or we will make you regret it!"

"If we allow that whore to stay in this village, she will come after our husbands and our sons!" a convinced woman in the crowd yelled.

"We will flog her and shave her head before kicking her out! Women like her are a disgrace!" Wela declared and the women started dancing the angry dance.

****

Sharaina woke up and found Akirexer and Emelinia washing clothes outside. She took her breakfast outside and chatted with them as she ate. Liss and Mayla arrived and greeted everyone before joining Sharaina on the porch. As they all talked, Sharaina saw Light and Velan walk out of the mansion. She tried to wave at Light but he didn't look in her direction.

'Did Light just ignore me?' she worried to herself.

Sharaina watched them ride away in their carriage. She wondered where they were going. Liss caught Sharaina looking longingly at the carriage and she playfully nudged on Mayla who in turn grinned deviously. Sharaina was so deep in thought that she didn't hear them giggling at each other. Mayla rolled her eyes and pinched Sharaina.

"Ouch, what was that for Mayla?" Sharaina whined.

"You aren't happy that Light won't be around today?" Mayla teasingly asked Sharaina, "Don't worry, your boyfriend will be back." she laughed with Liss.

"He isn't my boyfriend." Sharaina lazily replied as she ate.

"So, you two just kissed and have agreed to be just friends?" Mayla tilted her head in confusion.

Akirexer and Liss gasped.

Sharaina choked on her food, "Are you serious?" she coughed.

"Was the kiss supposed to be a secret? I'm sorry, my mistake." Mayla laughed hard.

"Why didn't you tell me that Light is your boyfriend?" Akirexer asked Sharaina with her hands on her hips.

Liss clapped her hands triumphantly. "I knew that there was something between you two."

Sharaina grew overwhelmed by all of them asking questions about Light and her at the same time. The giggles and laughter forced her to stand up. Sharaina glared at Mayla who just smirked at her.

"Light and I have never kissed before. I don't know what you saw that night in Vanimaq but clearly your eyes deceived you." she said.

Mayla who faced away grinning. she wasn't convinced at all.

Sharaina turned to Akirexer, "Light isn't my boyfriend. We are just friends. If you don't believe me, ask him yourself."

Liss saw the angry mob of women approaching the house with whips and immediately stopped laughing.

"Why is that large group of angry women coming this way?" Liss pointed at them and everyone turned to see.

The women got into the yard and continued dancing the angry dance. Emelinia dropped the dress she was rinsing on the grass the moment she recognized Naavi and Wela. She shakily covered her mouth afraid.

Akirexer and Sharaina knew immediately that they were there for Emelinia.

"My fellow women, to what do I owe the pleasure of you visiting me today?" Akirexer politely asked them.

Naavi pointed at Emelinia, looking at her with so much disgust and hatred in her eyes, "We are here to throw her out!"

Akirexer and Emelinia tensed at her words.

"But what has she done for you to decide to throw her out of the village?" Akirexer anxiously asked Naavi.

"She is having an affair with your husband." Naavi answered and then angrily pointed at Emelinia. "She is his concubine!" she accused.

Emelinia covered her mouth with both her hands in shock while Akirexer looked at Naavi in disbelief. Sharaina walked up to the women, eye balling them. The women boldly stood there ground. None of them were fazed by Sharaina's anger.

"What did you say about my father? Repeat yourself, I didn't hear you." she dared.

Wela stepped up and clapped her hands before holding her waist. She gave Sharaina the 'are you stupid' look. Wela heard Naavi scoff and she grinned at Sharaina.

"We aren't leaving this place without her." Wela sneered.

"I want to see how you are going to be able to drag her out of here." Sharaina dared Wela.

Wela boldly got closer to Sharaina until there was a little distance between their noses. The both of them glared at each other without blinking an eye. Akirexer held Emelinia's hand while Liss and Mayla shielded them.

"Look, we are just helping you and your family by getting rid of this outcast." Wela said through her teeth.

"We don't need your help." Sharaina hissed back.

The women drew closer and surrounded them. Five of them pounced on Emelinia but Akirexer held her hand. She begged the women to leave her alone but they refused to listen. They just pulled her away. Liss and Mayla held Emelinia and tried to pull her away but it was hopeless. Emelinia started to cry. Sharaina went to them and pulled Emelinia away from everyone hard. Akirexer held Emelinia in her arms as she cried.

"What is wrong with all of you? You claim that you stand for women's rights but you are here shamelessly oppressing one!" Sharaina screamed at them.

"It is you who is shameless! You are supporting your father's concubine!" Naavi screamed back at Sharaina.

Sharaina slapped her so hard that she fell to the ground confused. Naavi blinked her senses back in order. Holding her red cheek, she shot a glare at Akirexer who didn't appear to be upset with what Sharaina did to her. Naavi got up with the help of Wela and another woman. She kept her angry eyes on Akirexer as she gritted her teeth.

"Your daughter has slapped me and you aren't going to do anything about it?" she furiously asked Akirexer but she didn't answer. "This girl you are supporting will never get married. She is after your marriage. You are a foolish woman Akirexer! But unlike you, we are not fools. We will never give this disgusting girl a chance to come after our men!" Naavi spat blood on the ground.

Wela faced the mob, "Grab that girl now!"

The whole mob pounced on Akirexer and Emelinia and separated them. Others held Sharaina, Liss and Mayla back and they started to drag Emelinia out of the yard. Just then, out of nowhere, Naian pulled Emelinia away from the women. He firmly held her hand and viciously pointed at the women. They backed away without a second thought.

Sharumez stepped up and fired daggers at the mob, "Is this how you can treat your fellow woman?" he asked them in sheer disgust.

Wela held up her hand, "Don't lecture us on what is right and wrong. You should be ashamed of yourself for what you have done. We are here to rid this village of your whore." she sneered as she rolled her eyes.

Nami, Light's mother, was on her way to work when she saw the commotion ahead. Her curiosity kicked in and she went to see. She saw Naian holding Emelinia's hand. She looked at the birthmark on her forehead and she smirked. She crossed her arms and continued to watch the drama.

"We all know that no one can ever marry this girl so that's why you have brought her here. On one side you have your wife and on the other, your whore!" Wela screamed at Sharumez.

Sharaina slapped her so hard with the back of her hand that she fainted.

"Sharaina!" Sharumez angrily called out Sharaina.

"You can't honestly expect me to just stand here and listen to disgusting insults against you, papa!" Sharaina yelled back. She pointed to the mob. "Let me hear one of you insulting my father and you shall see!"

"We just want the girl!"

"You say that no one can ever marry her?" Naian asked them and they screamed yes.

Naian looked at his mother's flower garden. His attention was on the sparkly yellow powdery flowers. Naian pulled Emelinia to the flower bed and got a handful of the flowers. Everyone watched him in utter shock as he smeared the flowers on Emelinia's head until her hair was filled with yellow powder. He furiously glared at the mob and pointed at them.

"You have all seen me rub vini flowers onto her head therefore you now know that she is to be my wife. You have no right to throw her out of this village. If any of you oppress or abuse her you will feel my wrath."

"You are really going to marry this girl? She is a seer!" Naavi said, horrified.

"What I decide to do with my life is none of your business. You have said what you wanted to say now GET OUT!"

The women left the yard in shock. Emelinia looked at Naian with teary eyes. She couldn't believe that he had done that. She forcefully freed her hand and ran into the house crying. Sharaina went after her but Sharumez held her back. Akirexer walked to Naian and worriedly held his hand.

"Are you sure of this decision you have made?" she asked him.

"It had to be done." Naian got on his horse and galloped away.

Emelinia is to be Naian's wife, what lies in store for them? While their story takes off, what is to become of Light and Sharaina? Leave a comment. Written by Rechiana