"Avery, wake up."
The water was cold against my skin, and I absolutely loved it. Diving further into the water, I felt at peace. Water was like a balm for me. It had always been that way.
"Avery, wake up."
I heard those words again. How could I be asleep while in the water? My head was finally above the water, and I could see it, a looming shadow, a silhouette, and it was getting closer.
The first thing that struck me was the eyes of the person approaching me. They were intense, and I could feel it staring into the depths of my soul. It was trying to tear me apart. Red eyes.
He had finally walked close enough for me to see his face until..
"Avery, wake up!"
My head hit the headrest, and I winced in pain as my eyes snapped open.
"Did you carry firewood yesterday? You're sleeping like a log." Lumina questioned, rubbing the back of my head like it would relieve my pain.
"You know you cannot blame me. I'm basically sitting here not doing anything, and I won't even be chosen or anything like that."
"You.." She opened her mouth to speak but faltered. "What makes you know you won't be chosen?"
"I just know it."
Jade scoffed beside me. "She's just trying to prepare herself in case she doesn't get chosen."
Turning to me with her signature annoying smirk, she continued. "You know, staying in denial doesn't increase the chances of you getting chosen."
"What are you trying to say?" I questioned, getting angry.
She stared at me for a while before harrumphing and looking away.
"Not everyone wants the princess life, you know?" I said again.
It annoyed me that I was really genuine about leaving, yet she claimed I was lying. Would I want to hide my identity forever? I could absolutely not get chosen, and I wouldn't get chosen. As a matter of fact, I decided to leave Riverine Village as soon as all the ordeal was over. I was going to pursue my dreams and travel the world.
"Girls! It's time." Samantha, a young priestess a few years older that us announced.
Standing up from my chair, a wave of nausea hit me. I was nervous. Jade had caused this. Clenching my fists in order to calm my nerves, I took the first step forward.
"Ohh! Avamensythesiy!" The chants began first from the priest, and then the people began chanting as we walked to the spot where one of us would be chosen. Their voices rose and became louder each time the chant was repeated.
A red carpet was laid on the floor for us to walk on, moon flowers were laid round the rug, and we had to remove our slippers before we could walk on it.
The chants became louder, and I was beginning to feel faint.
Our steps were slow as we approached the altar. There was a two second interval between every step, and we did it perfectly like we had been told. We were all in sync.
Our white gowns swept the floor as we walked into the rug, which was directly in the front of the altar and arranged ourselves in a circle.
Right hands would be raised first, and then the left foot goes forward, followed by the right foot letting you take a step forward, you bring the right hands down and move it back slowly bending your back in the process and placing your right foot forward again. Hold the stance for five seconds. Move the right foot to the right in a circular motion so you were facing another side. Wait for five seconds again before twirling twice and ensuring you're facing the altar directly. Raise both hands and cross them, move the hips to the right, and left slowly before going down.
We had practised this dance a million times, and we could do it in our sleep. We practised for a million times just so we could dance for a few minutes.
A horn was blown, and my heart skipped. The ritual would start in a few seconds.
Meanwhile, the chants from the crowd became louder and louder as I counted the seconds left before the high priestess would arrive.
Two bangs on the drum, that was our cue. All the girls stood immediately and started a new dance. This involved a lot of bending and jumping. Two bangs on the drum again, and we stopped.
I saw her, high priestess Freidka in her ceremonial white flowing gown. A long flowing cape was attached to the back of the dress. The cape had silvery ornaments sewn to it, and the tip was tinged silver. Her hair was packed into a messy bun, and a silvery hairpin was placed on her hair. Her ginger coloured hair looked beautiful with the silver hair pin on it. Although it wasn't clear enough, her emerald green eyes, I could see see it staring into my soul.
Varena was right behind her, still looking majestic as always. His long hair had been packed into a bun, which helped in outlining the masculine features of his face. I swear I sighed.
The both of them approached the altar with careful steps, and as soon as they got to the altar, the hall became silent immediately, eerily silent. Pindrop silence.
"We shall begin the ritual.." Freidka announced, her voice tearing through the silence.
"Ox blood for the atonement of our sins!" Varena yelled.
"Sarame!" The crowd chorused.
A/N: Sarame is Riverine for Amen, which means so shall it be done.
"And for the commitment of the clan!"
"Sarame!"
"And for rebirth and dedication!"
"Sarame!"
"The hair dye symbolises just one thing. Blessed by the goddess! The one whose hair holds this dye shall continue the blessings of our Clan through her sacrifice!" Freidka proclaimed, her voice loud and clear.
"Sarame!"
They came down from the altar and began dancing. Unsurprisingly enough, every ritual in the Riverine Clan involved dancing.
Their dance would continue until they lost all control of themselves, this would be the time the girl would be chosen.
Our eyes were sealed shut because if by chance we were to look into their eyes while they were possessed, we could die, and because of this one reason, we couldn't see the dance, but that wasn't a problem as we had watched them do the dance a thousand times. The dedication the high priestess and priest had towards the goddess was astounding.
The dance continued for a few more minutes until the drums abruptly stopped.
The priests were no longer themselves.
"I shall pour the hair dye now!" Freidka announced, but her voice didn't sound like it normally did. It had a more hoarse yet calming sound.
My heartbeat increased drastically. Although I knew I couldn't be chosen, I still felt nervous, especially after Jade's words.
"Impossible! This is astounding!"
"She already possesses white hair!"
I sighed in relief. The ordeal was finally over.
"She really does have white hair! As white as snow!"
'Wow! I didn't know someone already had white hair, I always thought I was the only one...' The words became stuck in my throat as my eyes snapped open.
There, in front of me, were the priests, though their eyes still looked blank, you could see excitement on their faces.
What in the name of all the sacred artifacts going on?
Instinctively, I turned back and I saw them. My parents, my family, my mother. There was remorse on her face, she was regretting. My father had that same look of dejection, he wore that expression whenever he felt useless.
They smiled at me, but it wasn't a happy one.
What was going on? Why was this happening?
Different thoughts ran through my mind, but there was no one to answer my questions, no one to even listen to them.
Before I knew it, I was taken to the altar and made to bow to the statues of the moon goddess and sun god.
My brain couldn't even register all I was doing for the next ten minutes, I moved like a scarecrow would, not aware of anything or anyone around me.
It suddenly became hard to breathe, the air felt stale, and the cool night air had suddenly become as hot as the air erupting from an awakened volcano.
I had to get out. But I couldn't.
A figure in the distance walked towards me. The man I was to be wed to.
My heartbeat, which was already abnorm, l increased again, my pupils dilated, my hands became w, t and my body's temperature increased.
I couldn't wed him, I was a guy.
"Stop!" I yell, d but he continued walking.
"You're making a big mistake. You don't know what you're doing! You have to stop, please!"
He didn't stop. Of course, he didn't. He couldn't hear me. No matter how hard I tried, my lips wouldn't part the way for words to come out of my mouth.
His face became visible, and there was one thing that struck me immediately.
Red eyes.
His eyes were red and blazing like the sun.
I watched as he gave a bow to the statue of the gods. His head didn't go down. He was a king.
"Hello, my pretty wife..."
He reached his hands out towards me, and although I knew I was supposed to take his hands, I couldn't. It wasn't right.
None of this was right.
I bolted.