Chapter 50 Maminka, Systritsy, and Bratya #2
Theron and I shake our heads like guilty children caught red-handed and pawed.
The fasting was explained to me the day before as well.
From the morning of the bonding ritual until dawn the next day, both mates must abstain from food.
Mina said it was a precaution after a few unfortunate brides had food poisoning during their ceremonies.
It also served to cleanse the body—two rabbits in one claw, as she put it.
But now, with all these nymphí bustling around us, a new and horrifying thought strikes me. Everyone in this room has already seen me bare.
Dear goddesses above.
“Oy! Theron!” Kael’s voice booms from outside.
Theron exhales a long sigh. He leans down to me, still pinned beneath everything that just happened, and murmurs, “We’ll meet tonight, my beautiful mate.”
His gaze is smoldering, his arousal more than obvious. Then, with a reluctance that almost makes me laugh, he straightens and leaves the house. And just like that, he’s gone, with a frustrated expression and a hard cock.
“They took him to the farthest stream from this one, Your Majesty,” Na?a says as she helps me out of my dress.
We’ve arrived at a stream on the opposite side of ávera. I still don’t quite understand why Theron and I have to be separated for the preparations, but tradition is tradition. As long as it doesn’t harm anyone, I’ll go along with it.
Na?a folds my dress and hands it to a nearby nymphá.
“What happens in the winter?” I ask, holding my hair in a loose fist as I dip my toes into the water. The coolness is a surprise, but not unbearable. “Do the mates still have to cleanse outside?”
Elder A?na, standing nearby, brushes her paw over the crystals adorning another nymphá. “In colder weather,” she explains, “there are two options. First, the woman cleanses at home in warm water. Second, she dips quickly in the stream outside.”
“Why would anyone choose outside when there’s another option?” I ask, turning to face her fully. “Wouldn’t it be easier to do this at home? All year round?”
Elder A?na takes my hand in her paw. She steps into the stream, the water lapping just below her knees. Vólkin-style knees. For me, it will likely rise to my thighs.
“Mother Nature has four elements,” she begins. “As her child, you must embrace them. The water you cleanse yourself in now is hers, created naturally and pure. It cleanses not only your body but your spirit.”
I nod, stepping into the stream after her. The water is cool but invigorating, flowing around me gently.
“The second element is fire,” Elder A?na continues. “We will light a fire under the full moon. It symbolizes passion and your awakening.” She gathers my hair in her paw, guiding me.
I dip beneath the surface, letting the water cover every part of me. With my eyes open, I take in the underwater world—the green moss carpeting the stones, the smooth pebbles beneath the current. It’s beautiful.
Elder A?na tugs my hair lightly, signaling me to rise. I break through the surface, the brisk air meeting my wet skin, and take a breath.
Mina and Essin rush to wrap me in soft furs before the shivers set in. The warmth is comforting, and I pull the layers tighter around myself. Mina’s crystal necklace catches the sunlight, sending tiny flecks of light dancing around us.
“The third element is earth,” Elder A?na continues. “Theron will demonstrate his skill in energy transfer by creating a blue rose crown for you.”
“A blue rose crown?” I echo, tilting my head. “Theron grew blue roses for me when we first met.”
Elder A?na hums in amusement and then chuckles. “Well, then he’s made this task even harder for himself. Now, he’ll have to outdo himself to impress you.”
A smile tugs at my lips. “Do I make a crown for him too?”
The idea of crafting a crown for Theron makes me smile wider. I can grow blue roses, and the thought of him with beautiful flowers adorning his head is . . . nice. He’d look so pretty.
But the moment the words leave my mouth, the air shifts. Every female around me freezes and turns to face me, their expressions ranging from confusion to outright horror. Each one stares at me from a different angle, as if trying to confirm they heard correctly. Nymphí included.
Pinching the bridge of her snout, Elder A?na sighs. “I’m almost afraid to ask what kind of traditions humans have these days.”
I blink, completely baffled. “What did I say?”
Mina steps forward, her gentle smile trying to soothe the awkwardness as she begins leading me toward my home. “The entire purpose of this ritual,” she explains, “is for you to awaken and for your mate to prove he’s worthy of you.”
“The goddesses may align two souls,” Essin chimes in, “but the male must demonstrate his dedication, hard work, and sacrifice. Who would want a useless male?”
“How would a gift make Theron useless?” Am I missing something important here?
Na?a shakes her head. “You are a woman,” she says.
“You are the gift!” Essin finishes with a dramatic huff, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
I should tell Theron to never, ever speak of my gift to him to anyone. For our safety.