Finding Contentus

Chapter 135: The Inheritance of Parenthood

She waved her eyebrows at Genesia. "Or at least... something close to a sister with your binding bond. Though for a time it looked like you were going to follow in Mpho and Sekai's footsteps, hmm boy?"

Hmm... no we are not doing this. Genesia remained quiet. He was not going to have this conversation with his mother. He had already gone blow for blow with Neosa about his relationship with Kakara ever since their memories had linked back together.

Sensing his embarrassment, Bantii decided to spare her son by moving on. She spread her palms.

"As you can see, Nephy has made me proud. I expected nothing less from my apprentice. She is, as Miya said, the unseen hero," she said, fanning herself like she was overheating.

She then detailed the family network of blood and water between Jibade family, Mambo bloodline, Vamagi clan and Racaan.

Neosa wrinkled her nose when she heard about Atum and his sister Isees as if she was covered from head to toe in dung. Ah, well, if it meant producing Nephthery and Kesi, and having the wings of Isis drop down to Ramiya, then what could she realistically say? People picked who they picked to breed with after all. The resulting offspring had no choice or say in the matter.

Genesia didn't even bother to react. He figured, actually, given the outdated accounts of inbreeding practices that used to be the norm in Gypti culture. His attention was fixed on the second pair of planet sized eyes from Rosari. Green eyes.

"Mama." He had relapsed a thousand times already and he didn't see himself stopping any time soon. "What Rosari said to me—"

Bantii made him look at her, holding his chin, rubbing at his stubble. "What you need to understand is that there are many sides to the same universal truth. You will go mad if you think about it too much as she did, moony boy."

She shifted to Neosa, holding her chin. "You will become as crazy as Waboragreeti if you act on Mami Wata's fortunes too much, sunny girl."

Genesia and Neosa's expressions could not have been more different. Genesia looked at her sideways, sullen. Neosa looked at him sideways, angrier than a steaming pot.

"And you'll both come back from that madness, that craziness, because you are Racaans, because you're vital, because you are my children."

"When will Ìbejí's immortality run out in us?" Genesia's gaze returned to his mother.

"When it has to, I suspect. That is a time that even I am unaware of. None of the gods are in fact. Ìbejí is... indiscernible. Only you will know. Although, and I must warn you—"

"There's a risk of it running out before it should. A risk we'll have to face before the coming of age of Supreme Septum," Neosa cut in.

Bantii hissed sourly. "There's only so much I can do for you. Askies."

"Askies?" Neosa looked outright offended. She brought things to a halt, getting right up in Bantii's face.

"Mama, have you actually slowed down to really process the miracles you have done for us, for the world? Mama Earth would be lost without your bright light! None of this would have happened without your speed and timing! If anything, the world should be kneeling and saying sorry to you for wiping its lakes of tears from the rivers you shed!"

Bantii's eyes had opened as wide as city gates, staring at her daughter in slight shock, seeing so much of Rassy's fearsomeness in her, especially the solid tiger lines on her face, matching with the dashed tiger lines on Genesia's face.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You've crafted our tracks even before we were born, even before you and Papa made us," Genesia spoke with resonance, standing in front of her. He was taller than her now.