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Chapter Twelve

Ghenie

I rest my hands on my round stomach, looking around at my most trusted comrades. It has been a few months since my announcement to my people. Construction has been done on the alcove near the sea and today is the day we’ve all been working towards.

Today I am going to present our Ancestors with their new resting place.

It is my duty to usher them into their new home, making sure it’s cared for, making sure it’s never abused.

The Ancestors have explained I will have new duties if this works.

As Toralleh of our people, it will be my most sacred duty to gently guide those who pass into their new resting place.

I will harbor them in my own mind until I can safely bring them to their new home, here in the alcove.

When I was given this title, there was a small ceremony where the last leader, for lack of a better explanation, shifted the Ancestors from his mind to mine.

I will do this same ceremony but this time, no one will receive them.

They will stay here, encased in the walls of stone nature has made just for them.

A place that has been shared with our people, a place of joy and memories and loss and love.

The People’s Hope is what we’ve named this place and it is my desire that it encompasses that name to its fullest extent.

“Are we ready?”

Everyone around me nods their heads, witnesses to the ceremony. I will lean on them for strength. Christian kneels beside me and takes my hand, bringing it to his mouth so he can kiss my knuckles.

“Are you sure this is safe?”

“The Ancestors would not allow anything to happen if they thought it might harm our baby.”

Christian’s eyes grow soft. “I appreciate that but right now, I’m more worried about you. Are you going to be alright, Ghenie?”

My heart skips a beat at his worry for me.

He loves me, even if he hasn’t said those exact words yet.

He shows me his love through his actions, by granting me the privilege of seeing his softness.

I know that when Christian is ready, he will finally say those words and when he does, that will be a privilege all on its own.

“I will be alright. Thank you for being here and lending me your strength, pruist .”

He rolls his eyes at the familiar pet name. With one last kiss pressed into the middle of my forehead, Christian is standing back, slotting himself into place in the circle around me.

“Thank you all for being here,” I say from my place on the ground.

“Today, we welcome Layperry history to be made. No longer will our Ancestors be tied to one person, but instead, they will be tied to each and every one of us, available for prayer and supplication. Today we embark on a new chapter of our story.”

I lie back in the dirt, resting my mind.

There are waves of voices crashing through me.

Soon, they will finally be free in a way they haven’t been before.

Just as I was tied to them, they were stuck being tied with me.

They were forced to see me live my life, forced to see my love for Christian, forced to feel not only my joy but also my pain. This will be good for all of us.

I take some steadying breaths, doing my best to clear my mind, putting myself away. I bring the Ancestors to the front, focusing on them. Then I repeat the process that was once carried out when the voices of our people were bestowed to me.

“Ancestors,” I say, my voice sounding like many to my own ears. “I release you.”

Normally, this is where our next Toralleh would call out, embracing them. But this time, no one embraces them. Or maybe it would be more appropriate to say that we all embrace them. I can feel them trickling out, leaving my mind. The alcove around us grows warm with their presence.

They are all around me, a tangible presence within The People’s Hope. If I concentrate, I swear I can still hear their voices but instead of them shouting, it’s a gentle whisper.

When I open my eyes, everything is exactly the same yet completely different.

I am me but my mind is blissfully silent.

I feel as though I can hear myself think for the first time since becoming my people’s leader.

Tears slide down my cheeks against my permission.

It takes all of my control not to openly weep in relief.

My breath is shaky as I suck in a giant gasp.

I look around, finding Timalah, Gendry, and Christian looking around in wonder.

They can feel it too, they can feel the Ancestors’ presence.

This is exactly what I dreamed would happen.

This is a sacred place for all those who need guidance and acceptance.

This is the place my people can come when they need hope.

“Ghenie,” Timalah says slowly, his eyes wide. “I can feel them. I can almost hear them. This is--” his words leave him.

Christian quickly gets on the ground with me, wrapping an arm around my back. I tip sideways, leaning against him fully. “You must feel so relieved,” he whispers so only I can hear. “I’m so happy for you.”

“I am so happy too,” I say right back. “I am happy for my people but I am so happy for me. I can think again. I am myself. I don’t have words to express the things I am feeling.”

“That’s okay. Save your words. Just take a moment and enjoy the peace.”

That’s exactly what we do. I’m not sure how much time passes but we stay like that for a long time, sitting together in the Ancestors’ presence. Eventually, the sun begins to set and it is time to finalize these changes.

“Timalah, it will be your duty to make sure this place is always protected. A warrior with eyes on the entrance at all times might be necessary. We will never bar entry, but we also do not want people misusing this place.”

“Understood,” Timalah says, nodding his head.

Christian clears his throat, getting everyone’s attention. “May we have the room please? I just need a moment with Ghenie and umm,” he waves his hands around in the air. “And with the Ancestors. Or whatever.”

Timalah, Gendry, and everyone else files out. I can hear them outside, Timalah already planning a schedule for his warriors to take on sentry duties. My heart feels so full while my mind feels so empty. It will be an adjustment but one I truly look forward to.

Christian moves until he’s kneeling in front of me instead of against my side. He takes my hands in his own, squeezing them.

“Are you well?”

Christian nods. “Very.” He licks his lips, trying to find his words. Finally, he just blurts them out. “I love you.”

I suck in a sharp breath. Hearing those words hits me square in the chest. It feels like a warm balm, covering my soul. It feels so good and leaves me breathless.

“I love you, Ghenie. In front of your Ancestors, I have a question to ask you. Would you consider marrying me? We can follow your new tradition. We can get in front of everyone, declare our feelings for each other, and be united as a family unit.” Christian clears his throat, doing his best to stay composed but I can see how hard this is for him.

That makes these words even more potent, more special. “I am yours.”

“I am yours,” I say to him, mirroring his declaration.

I can feel the warmth around us increase, the Ancestors are cheering in their own way, revealing to us their feelings about our match.

“I have been yours for a long time. It would be my honor to publicly declare that. But I would also be happy with something smaller to fit your comfort. Something for just us and those closest to us.”

Christian gets a soft look on his face and I am once again honored that I get to see this side of him. “I appreciate the offer,” he says softly. “We can plan something together, something we’re both comfortable with.”

“I love you. Your comfort is important to me.”

“ You are important to me,” he says before he’s wrinkling his nose. “Okay, that’s my line. That was too sappy for me.”

I chuckle softly, overwhelmed with my love for this man. Without saying another word, I pull him forward and hug him tight. All around us, it feels like the Ancestors are hugging us too, holding us together, approving our relationship in a new way that I haven’t felt before.

“There is one more thing I wish to discuss with you.” I bite my bottom lip, running my fingers over his arm. “I feel more free than I have in years and I wish to share that with you. May I?”

“Yeah, Ghenie, of course.”

I take his hand in one of mine, my other hand going to his face.

Then I close my eyes and push into Christian’s mind.

I have kept myself from invading his space while my mind was clouded with the Ancestors.

I never wanted to accidentally push them into his mind or share his thoughts with them. I wanted him to have his privacy.

I push my feelings into his mind, letting him feel them for himself.

Christian sucks in a sharp breath, his body tensing. I hope this is okay. Now that my mind is fully my own, I want you to experience this with me. I want us to be open to each other. I want us to form a bond.

Christian’s eyes lock onto my own. I want that. Not here, not now. We’ll do this when things feel right, when we’re alone in the comfort of our own space. We’ll make it special .

I nod my head. “Your thoughts are still your own, but now I feel comfortable speaking to you in this way.”

“Thank you for sharing this with me.” Christian kisses my forehead gently.

“ Pruist ?”

“Yes?”

“Will you take me home?”

Christian pulls back and smiles at me. “It would be my pleasure.”