Ceri (in the photo)
Faster... Faster!!!
I climbed down the large rocks of the cliff that surrounded our territory. My leg slipped in my hurry, but I was too excited to care. I landed on my ass on the next rock and soon slid to go further down.
Hurry! I need to hurry! After all these years, I was finally allowed to go to the annual gathering.
to the Agape
The month of love... All the women in the clan spend half the year recalling their adventures of the previous Agape, and the rest of the year they dream about the next one. I shared their happiness and their stories. Everything they tell me is interesting to me, even though they refuse to let me in on the intimate details. I always hoped that one day I would at least attend the gathering.
The gathering is the first day of Agape, where all the Aellas and Aellos meet, usually at the eastern beach on the island. The ritual begins when the Aellos start a big fire and signal their invitation to our clan with drums. The Aellas then descend from the mountain and head towards them. They all mingle and talk; it is a big celebration where sisters meet brothers and fathers meet their children, sometimes for the first time. And the most important event is when each one choose someone from the other clan as a companion for the Agape. Then every Aello leads his chosen one to his den, which is usually a cave or a cabin built above a large tree.
I looked at the smoke that reached for the sky. The gathering was still going; only after all the Aellas were taken that our Leader leaves to her Agape, and that's when the fire is extinguished.
I still had a chance to get there, but at this pace I won't make it in time! I hurried more, jumping and sliding from one rock to the other. Climbing down our mountain cliff is very dangerous, but I was too excited to care. In fact, I had begged my aunt Halina to allow me to be at the gathering each year. As a 17 year old man, I was now old enough to hunt and live down in the forest. But Halina never allowed me to. She said I was her last reminder of my late mother and that she couldn't live apart from me.
This year I insisted so much and finally got her to allow me to step out of our territory, for he first time!!! I promised to get back to the mountain and wait for them; like every year, I will spend a month alone until the Agape is finished and the Aellas come home.
For once, our young Leader didn't resist much. She actually told Halina to let me do as I pleased so I'd stop whining. No matter the reason, I got permission! My aunt Halina is actually an elder, which means that she used to be the Leader of the Aellas before; that happened before my birth. She's very loving and respected from the rest of the clan, so once she gave up to my begging, no one had it in them to protest, not even the strong Aella-hunters. Besides, they were too occupied preparing themselves and their children to the Agape to mind what happens to me.
I was actually supposed to leave with them, like everyone else. But then the Leader had to lose her stupid bead necklace.
'Don't come until you find it', she said. She's a couple of years older than me. We grew together, but for some reason, we never spoke or played together. I spent hours looking for it and I finally got it. Oh my, I'm going to be late... I need to hurry!
I jumped off the last rock of the cliff. I wiped my forehead and grinned proudly; I made it... I left our mountain for the first time!!! Alright, now where was that smoke again?
I looked in the sky, barely seeing it between the thick trees. I quickly started towards it. The forest was such a beautiful and mystical place... It was so good to walk in and yet I couldn't help be cautious as I walked deeper and deeper.
A while later, I was doubting my direction. But from where I stood, I couldn't see the smoke anymore. So I had no choice but to take my chance and continue further.
Agape... I'm coming!
I wonder what the Aellos look like... Are they taller than me? Handsome? Are some of them really nice while the others are rude, like the Aellas told me? Do they look scary?...
And more importantly, will they accept me as one of the tribe even though I'm an Aella...... only not a woman. Will... will they even talk to me?
The Aellos have been forbidden from stepping into our territory for centuries. Thus, I've never actually seen a grown one. I saw many children grow up. Once the boys reach a certain age, they're sent to live with the Aellos' clan. Only I remained above the cliff year after year... yet no father send to claim me.
The thought tugged on my heart and I ignored it, like always.
I kept thinking of how it would feel like to be in the Agape like the others, but as my mind focused on my dreams and hopes, I didn't notice the sharp slope that I stepped into until it was too late.
~~~~~
"Ow..."
I sat and wiped the mud off my face. I looked up me to see the whole path that I fell from. My, it was a miracle that I hadn't broken my neck. I sighed and gathered my courage, then I stood to climb the muddy slope.
To my surprise, a sharp pain shot through my leg and I found myself falling on my ass. I tried to move my right foot, only to whimper in pain again.
I kept trying to at least pull myself back up the slope, but the mud made me slip every time. I was losing so much time here. I looked up at the sky that was reddening, signaling that the sun was already setting.
How am I going to reach the eastern beach??? And even if I did, how will I get back home! I can't walk, let alone climb the high mountain cliff!!
I didn't know what to do. I've been told that the forests could be dangerous, that was why the Aellas weren't allowed there aside from the few Aella-hunters.
If I was at least close to the gathering, maybe my aunt could hear me?
I was about to start calling for help when I realized that if I did, I will certainly bother many Aellas; My aunt will worry about me, the Leader without doubt will be annoyed, and it will take a couple of Aella-hunters to lead me back home...
With that in mind, I decided I had no choice but to find the way back on my own. So I started to climb the slope once over and over. However, every time I kept sliding down and grunting in pain.
It didn't take long for me to get exhausted, though. My beautiful surroundings now looked eerie, and my foot hurt more. So I let myself lean back and sit under a tree, while sighing heavily at the sky.
"Hey there", a strange voice called, making me look to the upper end of the slope, "Are you alright?"
I pressed my back more against the tree and stared in amazement at the creature before my eyes. He was handsome... he was more beautiful than anything I have ever seen.
The beautiful set of muscles grabbed the branches of the trees and walked skillfully down the slope without slipping not even once. When he reached me, he halted to gaze at me while I did the same.
He took another step closer to me and started talking again, but I didn't register what he was saying.
An Aello
Finally, I meet someone like me. And he's so heavenly gorgeous! His body, his moves, the melody of his voice... and my, my, those eyes...
The heavenly creature smiled at me: "I was certain I knew all the Aellos there are on this island, yet I don't remember ever seeing you. Could it be that... you come from the northern territory?"
Aye, I wasn't a real Aella; I was a man
I wasn't an Aello either; I have never been claimed nor have I belonged to their clan
I was wierd, the only one in such a situation. The handsome Aello was expecting and answer. All I could do was nod as all my words drowned in his voice.
He chuckled and added with the most beautiful smile: "Don't tell me you were heading to the gathering?"
I felt embarrassed that I couldn't even make it to the gathering on my own, so I looked down to escape his hypnotizing eyes. He simply smiled and tilted his head while still gazing at me: "What should we do? Even if I take you there, all the Aellas would be gone by then. The Agape will most probably start before we make it; the gathering is on the eastern side of the island, which is the complete opposite to here"
I sighed. Great, I had a feeling I was walking in the wrong direction.
He stood and scratched his jaw lightly with his forefinger, then he said hesitantly: "I can...... well...... I live not far from here and you shouldn't stay out in the forest alone, especially at night, so..."
He smiled and reached an inviting hand to me:
"Want to come to my den?"
~~~~~~
AN: Hey dear fans! I got the idea for this story yesterday in the middle of the night! I know, no pirates, weird right? :p But tribe men are smexy toooo!! Next hapter, I'll introduce you to SUPER SEXY Ithel ;)
Tell me what you think of it :D
Bisous ^_^
In case you missed the warning : [Contains adult themes and graphic content + abuse to be expected + possible r ape + manxman]