F O L K T A I L S
•The Evening Dance•
Heavy beads on the hips of the maidens shook as they wriggled their waists to the beats concocted by the village drummers. Their bodies writhed and whined to the ruthless rhythm that seemed to command their steps. But alas, they were alive. Each stamp of graceful feet caused the ground to rumble in response, sharing their entrancing zeal.

The young men stood by, fooling around like they were intoxicated by every missable gesture thrown in their way.

Undoubtedly, the view was indeed sweet as wine to their sight as they held back from the jubilee, instead feeding their eyes on curves bloomed on bosoms while ne'er failing to satisfy their desires. All that was desired in their selfish hearts was to feast on the new wines; to take complete ownership.

Ikenna stood alone in a corner where he could see everything; those who were dancing and those who gaped without stopping.

Beautiful maidens flirted and flitted close to him, displaying their deep cleavages through the red wrappers wound around their chests. But they had no effect on the man as handsome as day for it was clear that they weren't close to being his woman.

While the chaos went on, Ikenna's eyes sailed over the multitude. Still he couldn't find her.

Is she not going to show up? He thought as his brows wrinkled in worry. The dance was meaningless to him if she wasn't there, just as his life would be without her in it.

Worry had already gnawed deep, forming a pit inside of Ikenna when he caught a flash of yellow wrapper followed by a twirl of red, clay beads. Royal beads. His breath rose and his heart began to beat faster as he moved towards her.

It was like a magnet attraction; as soon as one sensed the other, everything else was history. Seeing Asuka meant that he was in a new world with only her in it.

"My love." He snaked his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her to himself.

"Ikenna." She smiled, but quickly turned around to face him.

"I have missed you." Ikenna sighed as he took her face in his hand.

"I have missed you too. But we have to leave here or we will be caught by my father's guards. I told them I am only here to watch the dance and we have to be careful especially as we are not at our secret hideout yet." Asuka looked around nervously.

She was on an edge as she knew the consequences they would face if any of her father's spies were to see her with Ikenna. The result would be an immediate end to their relationship and her as well as Ikenna's freedom. It would even be worse when it was found out that Ikenna had touched her in ways that hadn't tipped a hat in respect of the fact that she wasn't yet his wife. Although Asuka was still a virgin, she had given herself to Ikenna in every other way possible.

"Alright. Come let us go to our hiding spot." Ikenna held on to her hand and together they slipped out of reach of the raging throbs of beatings on stretched, dried skin.

Hot sand scorched the bottom of Ikenna's feet as he hurried after Asuka. It seemed like he would always be chasing her—both literally and figuratively.

Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if they would ever finally be together. His mind skimmed over this thought with a painful longing but he quickly brushed it aside and tried not to pay mind to it. He had to live in the present and stop worrying about the future.

Playing hide and seek was a game Asuka loved. She always felt her heart beat in thrill and anticipation for hands that could descend on her any moment she didn't expect. Today, she had hidden more carefully than normal, and Ikenna ran out of options quickly, noticing that she wasn't in any of her usual spots.

It took more wandering and wondering before Ikenna caught her behind their favourite tree. "Finally." He said loudly as he trapped her in between his arms.

"You took long." She giggled as she faux-combed his hair with her fingers. 

"It is just that you've never hid here before. It is the first time ever." Ikenna grinned as he kissed her on the forehead under the tall wood source.

The great mango tree was truly a beauty with its strong, stealthy arms that held unto many ripe children. It was and remained one of Ikenna's most favourite place in the village.

Underneath it were buried secrets; some as stale as weak old soups with reeking stenches while others were as fresh as the round, soft tomatoes after harvesting.

Ikenna loved how old the tree was. The fact that it had been around for generations gave him a feeling of nostalgia. Memories had been created and in time remembered by the carvings on its rough trunk. Still it stood firm, never changing.

Only people ever changed. Memories always stayed the same. They were a part of us just as they weren't. It was exactly like being in a scene when an incident happened.

The incident remained the same no matter what it was and how much time passed. So did the place's memory of it. One's memory of the same thing was a different thing entirely.

Humans tended to contort what they saw to fit their world of reality just the same way they did things and tried to change people to their standards.

Satisfaction had failed to gain a hold on the hearts of men. No matter how hard it tried, the hearts were hardened like they were made of stone. They were only open to the snaky tails of greed; wanting more and more.

That was where Ikenna was different. Greed failed to entice him even in the sweetest of situations. The offers couldn't make him lust for what he didn't have or go crazy for what he couldn't get.

He found life easier when it was taken in small steps. Small steps spent cherishing all that he could; all that he had, all that he made a reality, all that he had worked for.

There were so many things beautiful to be appreciated; the blue sky, the green grass, the beautiful people–his love. What would he do without her?

"Let us do another hide and seek." Asuka tugged on Ikenna's wrist.

"Alright, alright." He chuckled at her eagerness. "You have to also hide this time."

Ikenna had only counted to ten when he heard Asuka's bloodcurdling scream. He rushed in the direction he had seen her leave. "Asuka!" He yelled and moved even further.

"Asuka!" He called out to her again and let out a breath of relief when he saw her standing next to a tree with her back to him. "Asuka." He noted she was trembling. What is going on? He thought as he made his way towards her.

It was then he realised what the problem was. And what a big problem it was. On the tree was a rope tied to man's neck and the naked body was mangled like it had been compressed. Ikenna took a longer look and realised the face was familiar. But of course it was. It was the body of Chief Anagomene.

"No." Ikenna muttered. "Not him." His eyes then turned to Asuka who was still shaking beside him and buried her head into his chest.

She shouldn't be there. She couldn't be there. It was a sin for a woman to behold the face of anyone especially a dead man–worse also naked–who did himself in and wasn't her husband or otherwise related to her.

It slipped in odd luck en route from the path of evil and it was never close to a good thing. This was one of the reasons–ranking insignificantly on the list to sexism–why women were confined to the interiors of their mud dungeons.

If anyone found out about the incident, Asuka would be concluded tainted; in other words she had invited the spirit of the dead to take residence in her. Women who had done this were usually barren or gave birth to children with visible defects.

The only way to reverse the curse was to send the woman to live in the shrine for the rest of her life if she was a virgin. But if she was not, she had to be killed.

Ikenna could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest. He knew he could not let any of the consequences happen to the woman he loved.

He would marry her. He would marry her as soon as possible. He would ask for her hand in marriage before the next market day.

Yes, he didn't care if they didn't have any children. He loved her and that was what mattered. That was all that should matter. That was all that would matter.

"Quick." He said, his voice dripping with a renewed sense of urgency. "You have to leave now Asuka. Run to my house my love. Make sure to not let anyone see you. I will meet you after I am done dealing with this." He bowed his head respectfully at the shamefully bared body.

"What will you do?" Her voice trembled like a frightened child. In that moment all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms forever. But he couldn't. Lest the both of them get caught together and be punished for none other reasons but for the gap in status.

"I need to report this to the Council of Elders and then we need to get the wise one here. But first you need to go my love." He placed his hand on her cheek in a comforting manner. "You must take care. I love you."

"I love you as well." She still seemed shaken but she gathered her wrapper up and off she went.

Ikenna went about the jarring and tasking business as quick as he could but by the time he arrived at home, he realised that she was gone.
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A/N: This book is not flowing the way I want it yet loves. I feel it may be boring for the first few chapters. It will get better though. Hopefully. Thanks for reading sweets. Please don't forget to patronise that little star:)