{ Ten orbits later }
A hand trailed down her face.
Makana gently pushed it away, shaking her head. "You know we can't do this anymore." She whispered in the tongue of Tuza, her ears flattening in sadness. The hand trailed down, landing on the bed in disappointment. Makana turned away from the body currently facing her. She bent over to retrieve her sleeveless shirt from the ground.
Makana's ears popped up in surprise as she felt lips press feverishly against her lower back. She sent a glare over her shoulder. "You are not making this easier, Chu'a." Makana snapped. The person behind her drew back.
Chu'a was a semi tall Tuzi, who lived up in the floating city above the capitol, known as the Drift. He was a rich business man, taking after his father's trading company. His skin was a few shades bluer than hers, his unusual short dark hair attracting Makana even more. It was easier to run her hands through his head, which wasn't common among the Tuzi men.
"I'm trying to make you stay, that is my goal." Chu'a chuckled. Makana pursed her lips, not moving away. "I need to, Chu'a." She reminded him with a helpless shrug. "But Makana, I love you. Please stay." He whined as he grabbed her wrist.
It was Makana's turn to chuckle. She snatched her wrist away from Chu'a, pulling her shirt over her head. "No you don't. We love each other's bodies, nothing more." She said bluntly. Chu'a let out a laugh, rolling to the other side of the bed. Makana used this opportunity to slip on her underpants.
As she stood, her thin elbow length locks fell over her face. Chu'a quickly made his way over to her, stumbling as he pulled his underpants up. "Makana, please." He begged, placing a warm hand on her forearm. Annoyance flared inside of her. It was a cycle that she was getting tired of.
He begged her to stay. Then she would remind him of why they couldn't stay together for long. "You are... two bits older than me. We both have deuces. You live in the Drift. Your papé already has a date set out for you and your deuce to unite—"
Chu'a groaned loudly, cutting her off. "Should I continue?" Makana said, yanking her arm away from him. She bent over to retrieve her skirt. "Just give up your deuce—"
"And then you will?" Makana asked flatly, crossing her arms. She knew Chu'a's deuce was a rich young woman who had been paired with him since he was two orbits old. His family needed a strong family to unite with.
Makana also knew that women who gave up their deuces would never unite with anyone else. Most men were already paired. She knew Chu'a didn't love her truly, and she was completely fine with that because she didn't love him back.
"Makana..." He sighed.
Chu'a traced his fingers over her golden inking that was marked on her elbow. She shivered, frowning as she realized he was trying to seduce her all over again. He knew one of her weaknesses was getting her inkings touched. Makana scoffed, jerking away from him.
She slipped into her ankle length skirt, the double sided slit showing off her colorful bracelets clanking around her ankles. Makana pushed her hair back, heading to the nearest reflector. She tapped the white bulky stick that was planted on the table beside the bed.
The white stick flickered on, a holographic reflection of herself lighting up. Something she could never afford herself. Makana peered into the reflector, checking herself. The soft skin under her eyes were a few shades darker, indicating the lack of sleep she was taking on.
Each time she would glance in a reflector her mind would subconsciously remind her of her mamé, which didn't help her current situation. Makana frowned, causing the golden strip of inking in the middle of her bottom lip to stretch. She grabbed the band around her wrist to pull away her locks from her face.
Makana counted her earrings on each ear, making sure none of them went missing. She didn't want to seem the slightest bit suspicious to her family when she returned home. Ten. Five complete earrings on each ear, she leaned back in relief.
The reflector beeped twice, announcing the losing connection with her face because of the sudden distance. Letting it blink off, Makana turned away. Her eyes darted nervously to the window made from clearstone, something very rare to see in her sector of Sakami.
It was barely light outside. A few beats before dawning. She cursed under her breath, knowing it was definitely time for her to leave. Makana massaged her face, trying to seem as if she'd been awake for long beats working. Chu'a sauntered over, giving her a lazy smile as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.
She held back a hiss. Her turquoise eyes met with his deep purple ones. "Take care, love." Chu'a whispered. Makana resisted another frown. The Tuza character for love was terik. It held different meanings altogether. It could mean love, dear, or even harlot. It was a strange character, hard to interpret in a conversation. Most people avoided it.
Only strong deuces would utilize it when they were sure what they mean to each other. Currently, Makana glared at the confusing nickname she had just be given. She lifted her chin higher in defiance. Makana felt a small part of her fill with satisfaction as Chu'a's eyes trailed down her neck.
Makana had definitely grown over the past ten orbits. Her gently curved and smooth neck seemed to glimmer in the light, growing exposed and she held her chin high. Her elegant carved cheekbones matched her angular shaped face. Makana blinked, her long and full lashes brushing against her light purple greenish tint of skin.
Her nicely sculpted eyebrows and straight nose added to her radiant beauty, not as much as her older sister, but enough to have caught the attention of Chu'a. Makana knew she had him wrapped around her finger, and she was going to use that as leverage to end everything between them.
"Goodbye, Chu'a. Don't come here again. Don't look for me anymore. I wish you and your deuce a strong life unified." Makana said, jarring Chu'a out of his trance as she recited the line one usually said in a pairing ceremony.
Makana turned away quickly, plucking her phet made bag from the ground. She left the small house in a hurry, her bare feet slapping the hard stone slabs they called stairs. Her heart strummed in a fast rhythm as horrific thoughts swam across her mind of being discovered.
She knew well enough the consequences for those who got discovered being disloyal to their deuce. Man or woman, the loyal deuce would get to decide the punishment for their other half. It could range from being exiled to getting executed. It was one of the Decrees... at least that was what Makana assumed.
A sound rustled behind her, causing her to spin around in shock almost instantly. With ears pinned back and pupils narrowed to slits, Makana braced herself for whoever it was that saw her exiting the compartment building. As her eyes faced forward, she realized it was no one.
Until her eyes trailed down to the ground.
A frown fixed itself on her lips as her shoulders slumped in flooding relief. Makana stared down at a small creature only a few measures tall, coming up to her calves. Her ears loosened as the tension rolled off of Makana.
"Nemat," she grumbled. "What are you doing here?"
The creature was a pretty common specie in the nation of Sirinu. Most common folk who could afford them often bought them as domestic pets. They were small in size, not much use for them other than to dwell on how cute they were.
Nemat seemed to smile as he stared up at his owner with those big irresistible black eyes without irises or whites. He was what the Tuzi people called, mazit. Which literally translated to mesh, also meaning mixture. No one had the time nor the care for its actual scientific name.
Her mazit stayed still, his wide forked tongue rolling out of his mouth as he began to pant under the strong rays of the Star. His bright green fur gleamed under the starlight, making it look as if someone had sprinkled gems all over his coat.
Makana had no idea how Nemat was so quick and stealthy when he was a few more pounds heavier than most mazit. She began to consider the fact that he had six limbs, three on each side, which was why he was fast. She shook her head, dismissing the intriguing thread of thoughts.
Makana crouched down to pet him, careful to avoid the thin horns that curled around his circular ears. His fur was pleasant to touch, fuzzy and extremely soft. Her smile stiffened as she thought of the wild mazit that lived in the forests and who were hunted for the very same furs.
Nemat leaned into her touch, his mouth spreading open as he purred loudly. His stubby teeth shone surprisingly brightly, a few chunks of fruit stuck between the narrow gaps. His eyes lazily opened, his ears perking up.
The mazit sniffed the air, his flat black nose twitching. Makana stilled, finally hearing it as well. Her ears swiveled backwards as she heard a twig snap. She whirled around, ready to hit someone with her bag.
She rolled her eyes in annoyance as she lowered her bag. Nemat stood up, trotting over to the person happily. Achak stood before Makana, her deuce. He silently rose his hands in the air as if he were surrendering. Makana frowned at the sight of him, his presence sparking irritation.
Just how Makana had grown beautifully, her deuce had matured as well. He didn't pick his nose or made loud jokes in class. He was at least a head taller than her, his long braided hair hanging loosely around his face.
Achak wasn't hideous, Makana knew that. He was almost an exact replica of his father; serious eyes and handsome features. Her deuce had a slightly stronger tint of green in his skin, causing his soft brown eyes to pop.
Achak was a hard working man who had a job in a small plantation Makana's father owned. Ever since they graduated from academy at the age of sixteen orbits, he had been working in the fruit plantation. Which meant he was always in Makana's household. Her parents approved of Achak greatly, always letting him linger around.
She found it endearingly annoying.
"Makana. Fancy seeing you here, my sweet jot." Achak said with a smile. Makana frowned, knowing how the jot fruit wasn't sweetest fruit out there. Achak scratched his head, his biceps tightening hard with muscles. His open button shirt shifted, exposing his bare muscled abdomen.
Makana lifted an eyebrow, not impressed. "What are you doing here, Achak?" She questioned, slinging her bag over one shoulder. Achak dropped his arm as he noticed Makana's disinterest over his body. Clearing his throat he answered. "I work for your papé, remember? I was just heading down there before dawning."
Makana nodded, biting her lips for asking such a stupid question. Of course. Achak would always be in their backyard before dawning, hacking away weeds and roots of endless fruits with her father before she would even wake up.
"I could ask you the same thing." Achak's voice lowered, suddenly serious. A warning. Makana shrugged it off, pretending not to notice his tone. "I was just dropping off some groceries for a customer from the store." She was surprised how easily the lie glided down her tongue.
Achak stared down at her suspiciously. "So you did this... a few beats before dawning... does your store even have delivery?" He asked. All traces of humor had left his face. Makana sighed. Achak had grown over protective and overly sweet ever since he found out she was his deuce. It would make her insane.
"Yes, Achak. The customer was old, needed some few vegetables for their breakfast. Besides, I got stuck working the late shift for a few days." Makana told him. Which wasn't completely true. Achak pursed his lips, not entirely convinced.
"Well then, let me walk you home. I don't want you out here alone in the dark." He said, offering Makana his arm. She supposed he was right about that. A few orbits ago, the economy began to hinder, causing a small percentage of crime to go up. It wasn't seen much in the sector of Sakami, but that didn't guarantee anything.
With a great deal of hesitation, Makana finally took his arm. Although Achak didn't say a word, she could notice the slight satisfaction in his eyes. "Nemat, come." She called over her shoulder, earning a soft snort from her mazit. He trailed after them quietly, his stubby tail wagging excitedly.
Achak led her through a small road that was engrossed with plant life from either side. Makana felt a small twinge of disappointment prick her. One of the reasons she had agreed to spend time with Chu'a was because of the location of the small house.
It was structured like a box, made from hard stone. The house had a more modern look to it, something that was usually seen in the capitol. Chu'a had it built orbits ago when he was old enough to inherit a healthy part of his father's money. He loved the oceanic views that the sector of Sakami offered. It was the perfect little house where barely anyone would bother him.
Makana was surprised that Achak had discovered the small path that usually people avoided to use. She thought no one would ever find them there. If she had stepped away from the house with Chu'a, she surely would have gotten caught.
"How did you find this path?" Makana asked, curiosity taking over her common sense. She knew better than to pick and poke at the already fragile subject. Achak didn't meet her eyes. "I found it one day when I was late to your father's plantation. You know how I live on the middle of Sakami." He answered coolly.
Makana lowered her eyes to the ground. Her face burned with shame and nervousness as she considered the possibility of Achak lying to her. Perhaps he was following her around to see where she was going at glooming when she snuck around with Chu'a. She swallowed a hard lump forming in her throat.
"Oh," was all that she managed to get out.
They overstepped a puddle, forcing Makana to slightly hop. Her shoulder bumped against Achak. He gave her a small smile, as if she intentionally did it. She didn't return it. Her eyes focused to the path before her.
There was a few glitchbugs still out, their low buzzing humming in her ears. Their dull blue light twinkled on and off all around them. Makana swatted one away in annoyance as it flew too close to her face. They were the size of an eye, big and fat. She vaguely remembered capturing them as a little girl.
Makana recalled how, together, glitchbugs formed brighter light. They would illuminate her whole room. She blinked, not sure why that particular memory had chosen to waft up in her mind. She ducked under a wepcha leaf, chuckling quietly to herself as it tickled her ears.
Wepcha leaves came from the wepcha tree, a tall and thick plant that stood strong in most forests around the spheriod of Tuzuno. Their leaves were large, the length of at least two ranges. The Tuzi people would use the dead wepcha leaves for all sorts of things. Food wrappings, curtains, jewelry, paper, and more. It was one of the materials that were very useful once dead.
No one ever dared to rip the leaves out of the branches. It was blasphemy to kill wildlife just for sport. The Tuzi only seemed it honorable to use already dead leaves, animals, and other things. The wepcha leaves would also be used as shelter when it would rain, or if there was too much starlight.
Makana glanced at Achak, her smile falling as she realized he didn't share her energy. Her deuce shoved the wepcha leaf away from his head in annoyance. Makana's ears sagged as she fixed her stare to the ground.
Achak was a very uptight man who never seemed to share the same perspective as Makana. It was exactly that that worried her. If they were going to get united one day, she certainly didn't want a serious deuce. Especially for her future family. But with each passing day, she was realizing how Achak wasn't going to change.
Makana let her arm slip away from Achak as they neared her home. The house was medium-sized, made of thick clay that appeared a light brown color like most of the houses near the coast. The sturdy clay made their house cool against the humidity of Sakami.
A little path winded up to their front door, perfectly circular stones creating a straight line. Makana remembered placing them on the ground with Koko when they were young, before Kaipo was born. The stones were crafted by a family member, made with a special liquid that prevented any plant life to grow near it.
Makana sighed, looking to her right. Her house rested at the top of a small hill that overlooked more houses and the ocean. If one would stand in the perfect angle, the glittering ocean could be viewed along with the Star that was beginning to rise. The trees broke up from where she stood, parting because of the road that slithered down to the rest of the neighborhood.
Her parents had chosen the house because of the vast backyard it held. They wanted to continue her father's legacy to grow fruits and sell them. Makana thought of it as lonely, living in the far side of their neighborhood with no real neighbors. But over time she had gotten use to it.
Makana sidestepped Achak and made her way through the stone path. She didn't bother inviting her deuce inside, he always came through the front door. Makana jumped over the two steps and pushed aside the oval shaped door made from wood. It groaned loudly, announcing her presence.
The stack of stairs to her right were dark, meaning most of her family was asleep. The dimly lit kitchen to her left was silent as well. She left the door open for Achak. Makana made her way quietly to the living room, padding down the three steps carefully.
Achak closed the door, shutting it noisily. Makana whirled around, sending him a glare as her ears flattened. Achak ducked under the archway the led into the living room, oblivious. The lights suddenly flickered on. Makana spun around as her ears shot up.
Inola was seated on one of the thick floor pillows, facing them instead of the motion producer that stood on top of a heavily decorated table. She had an old book in her hand, though everyone insisted of her using the modern technology of electropage, she still read real papered books.
Makana's mother stood, her beautiful hair tied back into a low bun. Over the years she had gotten only a few wrinkles near her eyes. Other than that, it seemed as if she hadn't aged. The Tuzi population were known for their good and thick skin. They always joked about the humidity repaying them with good looks.
Now, anything but joyous mirth was on Inola's face. She pursed her lips, just like every time she got ready to scold her daughter. Before Achak could intercede for Makana, she spoke up. "Mamé," she inclined her head, a sign of respect. "I'm sorry I came late. I had a late shift again."
Inola stood still as Makana planted a soft kiss on her cheek. "You know I don't mind the extra hours, Makana. All I want is for you to let us know." She replied with a serious tone. Her eyes briefly darted to Achak before settling on Makana. Her fingers drummed against the book.
Even though she said nothing, Makana could feel the accusation in the air as plain as day. She opened her mouth to explain but Achak cut her off. "Inola," he started out, inclining his head as well. "Nothing happened, I assure you. I found Makana... on her way home. I decided to accompany her the rest of the way. Your daughter is safe with me."
Amusement danced in Inola's eyes before she turned away from both of them. She left the living room and went to the kitchen. Inola placed the book down and began looking through the jars and bowls of ingredients that stood in organized shelves. Makana trailed after her mother, cautiously moving up the steps to the kitchen.
"Achak, sweet, Pua is in the plantation already. He is gathering the tools and told me to tell you he wants you to help him out." Inola said as she plucked a small jar from the shelf and placed it on the counter. Achak nodded, giving Makana one more glance before retreating to the other side of the living room.
He pushed open one of the clearstone doors and disappeared. Makana eyed her mother, who was preparing some sort of herbal tea. A few moments of silence passed, causing the confusion to grow inside of her.
"I know he's your deuce," Inola started out, not looking up from the bowl of herbs. She used a thick wooden stick to crush them. "But I nor your father like to see you running around with Achak after dark." Makana frowned as she realized her mother thought she was having relations with Achak.
She couldn't help but to feel sick at the thought of laying with Achak. He was handsome, yes, but not appealing in any other way. She almost resented him. Makana supposed it was better for her mother to think that, than to be suspicious of where Makana really was. "Mamé, it's not like that. He was telling the truth." She said.
Inola nodded quietly, a small smile over her lips. "Just be careful, yes? I suppose you don't want your father finding out?" Her mother turned away, some pots clanking. Makana rolled her eyes in frustration. "There is nothing to tell him because nothing happened." She emphasized.
Her mother didn't respond, continuing to prepare the tea. Makana's shoulders dropped. She moved toward the stairs, sliding her bag off her shoulder.
"Makana?"
Makana paused at the bottom of the wide staircase. She glanced over to her mother. Inola almost seemed tired under the dull lighting. "Yes, Mamé?" Makana whispered. Inola grew serious. "Promise me, you will be careful." She said. Makana held back the urge to snap at her.
"I promise."