"I met someone...." Kai made himself comfortable
"a woman??" Sai-ko excitedly asked
"Not really"
"A man?" Sai-ko frowned
Kai smiled "A goddess...."
Sai-ko shook his head "a pretty woman"
"no no a true goddess not a woman" Kai closed his eyes .....
"mmmmm sure you did..... what bush you been burning on that mountain boy!?!?" Sai-ko laughed
Kai remained un-bothered ....
"wait you're serious?" Sai-ko nudged him "are you sure?"
"yes I'm sure" Kai smiled "she glows and talks to animals and...."
"sounds like a witch to me" Sai-ko interrupted raising an eyebrow as he lit a cigarette
"She's no less a witch than you are a Soucouyant" Kai sat up looking at him
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***(Soucouyant- Caribbean folklore, a shape shifting, blood sucking woman that can take the form of fire)***
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"just be careful of you known who finding out you're leaving your post, if he finds out I'm covering for you, I'd get the treatment again" Sai-ko said raising his shirt to reveal several scars on his back few healed and a few that look new...
"Is that because of me?" Kai jumped of the bolder and approached his brother ,Sai-ko put his clothes back down "don't worry about it I've lost all feeling in that area years ago....I got Sarabi to rub ointment on it, I just pretend to feel pain so Soka will feel fulfilled"
"Sarabi.... how is she..... my sister in law to be" Kai laughed
"You know she hates me, this wedding is just politics, if we marry father gains control over the Harbor on the far side of the mountain" Sai-ko puffed smoke and brushed back his hair..... "And her heart belongs to another, if i could I would let her go..... I want my wife to be happy .. . like how our mother was"
"Happy?!? don't make me sick that happiness killed her" Kai said angrily
"Our mother was happy, she was happy to wed the man she wanted, she was happy to have son's and she was happy to have a daughter .... at the end i think she was happy to die as well" Sai-ko said as he walked off
Kai was silent stationed at his post like nothing happened, moments later another villager came to relieve him of duty... "Finally free...." Kai taught to himself as he strolled through the village.... his eyes became fixed on a talisman just like the markings on Luna's body hanging around the neck of and old man.... "Elder.... Elder greetings what is this?" Kai approached the man pointing at the talisman,
"this... this is the mark of the goddess Luna, She care's for the animals , guides the earth and holds the water in balance.... blessed be Luna" the old man kissed the talisman and looked up to the sky "your mother..... prayed to her often, i was her messenger she will send me with offerings to carry to the temple by the river"
"but there is no temple by the river" Kai responded scratching his head
"Not anymore.... when Saki was no more the chief had the temple destroyed and all resemblance of anything that reminded him of Saki fate in the God's" the old man shook his head as he walked off.
"offering.. hhhmmm" Kai taught to himself..... pondering what do you give a goddess.....
he had nothing of great value, a sword, a knife... clothes.... searching through his belonging for something worthy of an offering. "my mother!" Kai exclaimed there might be things in her stuff, after their mother's death Sai-ko hid a few of their mothers stuff.... Kai began to rummage through his brothers belongings in his tent
"this!!" Kai exclaimed holding up a floral arm band
"Still Beautiful" he sat down looking at it, running his arm over the embroidered flowers, thinking of Luna and if she'd be happy to receive it or insulted.
"Find me Skai!!" Soka voice bellowed outside as he watched the shadow of his father past, when the threat passed he bolted for the forest again seen by villagers