"Ahh another beautiful sunset… Living here is quite peaceful, but I still don't know anything about where I'm from."
Star sat on the top of the mountain city and sighed as she looked down in the valley.
She turned and looked at the path she had walked up and saw her guide walking up the path. She stood up and smiled at her.
"Queen… see you."
Star opened her eyes wide and hugged the guide. "Sorry. I was surprised you spoke common."
She looked at her confused look and sighed. "Queen… see you… come."
She nodded and followed the guide down the path. She walked in silence watching the guide. "Come… Come…"
She walked towards the large stone doors and waited for them to open. Once the opened she walked in and saw the queen laying on the raised platform. She stopped and bowed.
"About time you arrived. I was getting bored with all these oldies around. Let's talk, and drink."
She followed the queen to a side table and sat with her holding a mug in her hand. "Tomorrow is going to be a fun day…"
Star looked at the queen. "Why is tomorrow going to be a fun day?"
"There will be a fight tomorrow… A big feast and lots of drinking."
"A fight?" Star looked at the queen confused. "Why has the battle come to the city?"
"No, no no. Our tradition women choose the men they marry. The mountain walker has turned the heads of a few women, so they'll be fighting it out tomorrow. The winner gets the mountain walker…"
"How will they fight? Will the loser die?"
"Hahahaha… It's not that type of fight. It's a dance, a special type of dance. No one will die and no bloodshed."
Star nodded. "Ahh my queen. I've been here for a while and still don't know anything about where I'm from. Do you have any ideas?"
"That's the other thing. One of the older people around here is coming to talk with you about that. They'll also be here for the battle tomorrow."
Star smiled. "This sounds like a lot of fun for tomorrow. Is this battle a usual big event?"
"Not at all. But this time it's big since he's a mountain walker and not of our people. His future wife will make him become one of us."
"CRREEAKK"
She looked up at the stone door opening and smiled as Slouen walked into the palace. She stood up and walked towards him. "Hello Slouen. Are you enjoying your time in the city?"
"It's an interesting place to live, but I've been getting strange looks from the woman. It's like they're fighting over me or something…"
She stood as he bowed towards the queen. "My queen you've summoned me. What can I do for you?"
Star smiled and held back from laughing.
"Welcome mountain walker. Tomorrow there'll be a feast here and a wedding��"
"A wedding… That sounds fun. Who's getting married?"
Star looked at the queen who was also smiling. "You'll be… Tomorrow the dance of hearts will happen. The winner will be wedded to you and you'll become a tribes-person."
"I see… Do I have a choice in this matter my queen?"
Star was holding her hand over her mouth and chuckling at the red faced Slouen.
"There is no choice. Here you'll be under the protection of your wife from tomorrow. So please dress well tomorrow. Don't worry they'll treat you well."
"As my queen asks, I'll obey."
"That's good to hear. Tomorrow will be a big day for you… Rest up well. I'm sure your new wife will make sure you don't sleep tomorrow night. You too child. You both need rest. Off you go."
Star nodded and bowed walking out of the palace with Slouen. She looked at him and smiled.
"Looks like you'll be here until your old and grey. It doesn't seem like a bad place to live in."
She heard him sigh. "Yes, you're right girl. At least I'll be part of the tribe after this. It all makes sense now with all those strange stares from the women."
She nodded. "This is for the best. Since this is your home now."
"You are right. This is my home now. I must follow its rules."
"I'm going to go sleep Slouen. It was good to see you have a good rest."
She smiled and waved him farewell as she walked towards her dorm that she shared with her guide. She smiled at the guide as she walked in. "Tomorrow… big… sleep…"
Star nodded at the guide. "I know you don't speak my language but thank you for trying and talking with me."
She looked at the confused look of the guide and smiled while hugging her. "I sleep…" She pointed to the cot and undressed laying in the bed closing her eyes instantly falling into a deep sleep.
"Dong… Dong… Dong…"
Star opened her eyes and looked at the guide sleeping next to her in the cot and smiled. "Wake up… The bell is ringing."
She watched as the guide opened her eyes and sat listening to the bell with worry on her face.
Star looked confused. "What does the bell mean?"
"Hurry… late… battle…"
Star smiled and dressed with her guide before they ran out towards the palace. She saw the large doors already open and cursed.
"Made it. I hope they haven't started yet."
She saw a large crowd of tribes-people in the hall standing in a large circle and Slouen in the middle of the circle sitting on the ground wearing tribal clothing. She smiled. "Just in time."
"As the bell rings throughout the valley. It's time for the tribe to bring another into our fold. Let the warriors come forward to do battle."
Star made her way through the group with her guide and stood watching as two women made their way towards Slouen. She looked up at the raised platform and saw the queen and an elderly looking women sitting next to her. She lowered her head towards the queen.
"Little bird… you come…"
She turned and saw the masked warrior standing behind her and smiled. "Yes. We just made it in time. Can you tell me about these warriors?"
"Wait… watch…"
Star nodded and saw the Queen stand up and started talking in the whistling language. She turned to the warrior. "What is she saying?"
"Queen say… Battle of hearts. Reveal heart… mountain walker… fight well."
She turned and looked at the women who were standing and waiting for something.
"Clashhhh."
She turned as a group of masked warriors started to play music. "Music… start. Watch…"
She watched the first warrior dressed in long red and orange silks start dancing to the music. "Her dance… wild… fire… strong…"
Star nodded looking at the warrior dancing. "You're right. She is dancing like she is a tiny spark of fire. It's wild, but also very beautiful."
"Is dance… emotion… I choose…"
She looked at the masked warrior with an open mouth and smiled at the warrior. "Seems you're not married yet?"
"Soon battle of hearts for me… too busy dance of war…"
Star looked back at the dancer and smiled as they jumped and spun causing the long silks to spin in a large circle. "That's beautiful…"
She heard the music end and the warrior stood panting. She looked at Slouen's red face and held back laughter.
"Mountain walker shy… I like wildfire… Ice warrior weak."
"That was an amazing dance. I can still feel the fire and heat of that dance in my heart."
She felt her chest heaving and breathing deeply. She closed her eyes and settled her breathing. She opened her eyes and looked at the next dancer. "You said she was a warrior of ice?"
"Yes… warrior of ice… too calm…"
She looked at the woman with long hair dressed in flowing ribbons and silks. As the warrior stood in the middle the entire hall went silent.
"Tap… Tap… Tap…"
She watched the warrior tap the floor with her foot as the sound came off the walls her mouth fell open. "It's like water dripping onto the floor in Eternia…"
She felt her chest and listened to her heartbeat to the tapping. "My heart is beating in time with her tapping… This is incredible."
She watched the warrior start moving. "This is familiar… This dancing like a river and rains… Why does this feel familiar?"
She closed her eyes listening to the music and then opened focusing on the dancer's movements."I know this dance, but it's also different… I must talk with the elder after."
As the warrior danced she felt tears fall and wiped them away with the sleeve of her clothes. "It's speaking to me… This dance… She closed her eyes and saw a memory of someone dancing on a metallic surface. "Ahhh…" She clutched her head from the throbbing headache.
"Baby bird… ?"
She opened her eyes and looked at the masked warrior and nodded. "I'm fine… Just a headache."
"Baby bird… Think too much… Force and pain… Relax let come… No pain."
She nodded and turned back to the dancer as the music stopped. She looked at the queen whistling and speaking in the tribal language. She turned to the warrior.
"Mountain walker battle of heart over… Queen chose winner is warrior of ice."
She heard cheers in the group of tribes-people as the warrior of ice approached Slouen and wrapped her hands around him. She looked at the smiling queen. "Mountain walker. Tonight, as the moon rises, you shall be married to the warrior of ice. Now let's eat and drink all day to celebrate."
Star watched Slouen with a smile as the warrior of ice held his hand and pulled him out of the chair towards the large tables set up.
"Hahahahaha… He's going to be busy for a while."
She turned and looked at the queen who had sat down and was talking to the elder. She approached the queen and bowed.
"Child… Good timing. I hope the battle was interesting?"
Star nodded. "Yes, it was interesting, especially the warrior of ice… I have a memory of seeing a similar dance, but it was on a large metal disc…"
"A metal disc, were they dancing at night?"
Star shook her head. I can't remember, but I remember the rain. It was raining."
"Child… I know of your past family and where you're from."
She turned and looked at the elder sitting down. She bowed. "Please elder… Can you tell me about it?"
"You're a child from the waterdancers. They dance to bring the rains and calm the storms. When they war danced, they used water and ice to destroy their enemies, but they haven't been heard from for many years."
Star looked at the elder. "I got my nature tested, and I have blood of water and of lightning. Does that make any sense to you?"
She heard the elder sigh and look at her eyes.
"Nature I'm not sure, but those eyes I'd recognize them anywhere. Only a group of men would have those eyes, whenever they war danced all tribes would run from them. They were called the storm brothers."
She looked at the queen confused. "Are you saying my mother was a waterdancer and my father was a storm brother?"
"That's right. We haven't heard from both tribes in a long time, but their blood is considered the strongest among all tribes. They also lived the highest up our holy mountain."
She looked out at the celebrating tribes people, and then turned and looked at the elder and the queen. "Will you grant me permission to climb the holy mountain? I wish to learn more about where I'm from."
"Child you've got the blood and you deserve to be up there. We can't stop you from climbing, but we'll send you a guide who'll go with you part of the way."
Star smiled and bowed towards the elder and the queen. "Thank you… I feel excited knowing I'm on my way home…"
"Child you're already home. You are free to come and go as you please. No warrior will ever war dance with you after they know your blood. For now. Go celebrate with your mountain walker friend, have fun."
"Thank you, my queen, and elder."