C10 The wedding

The scenery of the village is very different from a normal day. The community hall is decorated with colorful papers and long white cloth. Some colorful flowers are put on the top of the pillars to decorate for the wedding hall. Large pots of food are being cooked in the kitchen in the community hall. The after wedding lunch will be held here with the couple leading the dance. Everyone is helping out with the wedding preparations they look so happy with the event it is the Chief’s son after all. The head Chief stood in the yard looking at the preparations and guiding them as much as possible he looks tensed but proud to finally get his son married along with him a few feet away his wife stood with their two daughters each looking around guiding the villagers in the preparations. Tables were set in the hall with brown clothes and steel utensils and plates on top. Large mugs were set in the ready station to serve food and drinks.

They were expected to empty barrels by the hour. Across the road two buildings away a small open carriage was parked with a white horse in front for the bride and her father. The bride in the house was in a frantic state panicking the fact that she is finally getting married. She shook and ran from one corner of the room to another in her corset and one piece cloth biting her nails. Her friends are trying to calm her down, while following her with the accessories and the rest of the fabrics. They movement continued for a long time. Rosa entered the room with the bride’s mother and Olivia. The scenery took a while to register in their head. She could not stop laughing at the situation. Emma gave an “I will murder you look at Rosa,” which made her quickly cover her mouth and step a few feet back to hide her laugh; she still giggled holding her stomach. Her mother shook her head in disappointment. “Young lady you better come out quickly dressed we are getting late.” She kept the veil on the small desk in front of the mirror and left the room. Rosa quickly entered the room and closed the doors. She looked at her friend all red and troubled eyes. She could not figure out whether she is red with shyness or anger.

She slowly took a few steps as if approaching a scared wild animal who will scratch without warning she had tiny tears forming in her eyes. “Need a moment?” Emma shook her head, “No I am alright I am just scared.” Rosa took a wet towel and dabbed her eyes to get rid of the tears. “What are you scared of? You are getting married to your love it is a happy occasion.” She held Rosa’s hand clearly worry was visible in her eyes. “I am afraid something might go wrong. Everything is going on so well it is scaring me so much.” Looking at Emma’s face she was reminded of a baby cat again she smiled at her friend and pulled her cheeks. “Ouch Ouch hey Rosa let go it hurts.” Emma tried to get rid of her hands. Rosa finally let go and patted her cheeks “There you go now you have a perfect blush on those pale cheeks.” She quickly moved and bought the dress in front of her. “Stop over thinking so much. This is your day you should relax and enjoy it.”

Finally Emma calmed down and nodded she stood in silence while everyone moved around her making her wear the light lilac dress and pinned white ribbons around her dress. They tied her hair up to a bun and put some white lily on it. Finally the veil was put on her. She looked so beautiful that Rosa hid a small tear and smiled at her friend. Her young brother Felix knocked on the door and bought a bouquet of white Gerbera daisies surrounded by green leaves in the room. Rosa quietly stood there smiling; Emma changed the flower arrangement after she heard about her headaches. ‘She is such a nice friend I will miss her when she leaves for the capital.’ They decided to make a new home in the capital after marriage which is greatly opposed by the chief and his wife. Rosa quickly took Felix in her lap and hugged the child he is so small and for a while Rosa was having a hard time how to apologize to him. “Should we go and get some sweet cakes?” Felix nodded and held onto her with his small arms. Rosa grinned at Emma, “Let’s go…………” She quickly got out of the room and ran towards the hall to grab some early snacks. She took one last look at the wooden carriage. It was beautifully decorated with flowers on its corners. She felt a bit giddy at the thought of her friend in the carriage the procession will be beautiful. A few of the villagers will accompany them to the temple first then to the hall. Rosa slowed down on the main road walking with Felix in her hands. He put his face in her shoulders looking at the view behind her. “So what will our little Felix do first will he eat the fruit cake or the chocolate cake first?” Felix did not utter anything he just nodded. “You are such a quiet boy Felix. I wish I was like you when I was young instead I was running around all over.” Her heart felt heavy and sad. She started missing her family again. Every step she took had a huge gap in between the steps. She was starring at the ground but her mind was far away from the present view. Felix reached out and patted her cheeks to get her out of the trance. She quickly stopped walking. “Aah sorry dear I think I was leaving our destination behind.” She took a few steps away from the hall. Rosa quickly ran into the hall greeting the people in the yard. The chief left with his family to the temple. They took the pathway to the hall and stopped to look at the beautiful decoration in the hall.

Rosa stood for a while grinning at the beautiful work. ‘This is beautiful Emma is so lucky.’ She giggled at the thought and went to the kitchen on the back. As soon as she opened the door a sweet smell hit their noses. There were oven giving out smoked smell of breads and pies. They slowly walked in to the kitchen and went close to the oven and took in the smell of the pies in it. They were almost drooling at the sweet smell. The main cook looked at them and smiled at their curiosity. They both got a big serving of sample pies and cake slices. Rosa went for her sixth piece of pie when someone pulled her ear. “I am looking for both of you all over and here you are gobbling up all the food.” Olivia stood beside them frowning. “Ah Aunt Olivia we ate just a little bit.” Olivia pulled her up and scolded her for staying in the kitchen for too long. She quickly took Felix and erased the crumbs off his face and took both of them to the hall. It was filled with guests and the newly wedded couple in the center dancing. Along with them more and more couples joined the dance. Rosa scratched her head, “How long were we in there?”

Olivia pushed them forward to join the party. “Too long to miss the bride and groom enter through the union gate. Emma missed you and you were gobbling up snacks you ruined your appetite and Felix’s as well.” The party went on with dances and food being passed from one table to another. The Chief himself sat on one of the table and started a drinking match with his friends. Rosa was invited to the group dance by Emma they twirled and moved around the hall with their partners. The music played for another round and ended with a lot of cheers. The next music was a slow dance round. Rosa excused herself and sat beside a few of the girls to rest her legs a bit. Besides her the girls were talking about finding partners. They talked about one male to another cross checking their earning to family. A senior of the girls came over carrying her child in her arms. She started commenting about the faces included. Olivia poked her at this chance. “Anyone caught your eyes?” “Ah Aunt what are you talking about?” Rosa raised her head to answer and rub her arm. “Emma is just two years older than you. Why don’t you find the one you like there are some great grooms here?” She joined in the group. That young master over there in brown has his own shop and farm. They started talking more and more about the qualities for a long time.

Rosa felt a bit embarrassed by it, “Aah this is crazy talk I am hungry again. I will go get more food.” She quickly broke off from the group and ran to the food table. She could hear them giggling and continue the previous discussions. ‘Tch what was that weird discussion these people can be so shameless at times.’ She thought as she reached the table. Her eyes fell on the couples on the dancing floor. It was nice to see them smiling while they held their partners hands. Finally the Chief came over to the dance floor. He held the hand of his wife grinning. “One more round of music for this beautiful lady who made me lucky by being my wife.” This made his wife blush and the hall erupted in laughter. The Chief still grinned and lead his wife to the dance floor. One by one more couples started to join the dance floor. They moved and cheered to the music the whole night. Rosa decided to leave the room slowly. She walked out of the door and took slow steps out of the hall some of the villagers are sitting at the doorway. They cheered in the music while drinking. Rosa took the road to the river side again. The more she took steps away from the hall the more the village became empty. The roads are barren and the houses have no lights coming out of them. The only light showing her the way is the moon. The roads and houses feel empty like a ghost town with a slight breeze hugging her. She pulled her shawl closer to her shoulders hugging herself. She stopped for a moment in the middle of the road. The music could not be heard anymore. The villagers might be really late to go back to their homes.

It took a few moments to reach the river bank. The ground was filled with grass and at few places there were some white grass flowers bended with the wind. To her surprise another known figure was sitting on the bank of the river. She thought she alone left the hall. Edan was sitting and looking straight on the other side of the river. She slowly came close to him and looked towards what he was looking at. She could find nothing, she tried again for confirmation yes there was nothing to look at. She slowly sat beside Edan and put a hand on his shoulder. “What are you doing here all alone?” Her sudden appearance made him jump a bit but he composed the next moment. He just shrugged his shoulders and went back to starring at the nothing in the riverside. “I did not think that was a place I am going to be missed. Why are you here?” Rosa put her chin on her knees. “I felt exhausted there.” He nodded at her reply. “I will be leaving in two days.” “Is it time already? I thought you will stay back and manage the store.” She replied without moving from here position. “No I think I will go out like Eugene.” He let out a sigh, “Father is not happy about it.” She finally understood why he is here alone. Edan has a complicated relationship with his father. There were days when Edan would leave his house and stay with Justin and her because he had an argument with his father. Justin is the one who usually handles the argument and stops the problem but as Justin was not present here the argument must have been a heated one which made him leave the hall and sit here.

Rosa raised her head, “So what are you planning to do? At this rate you will not get support. How will you leave?” He did not seem bothered about it. “I am already packed I am leaving as soon as the boat arrives.” He pointed at the tree close to him. There was a bag hidden behind it. She looked at it once and then back at him. “You were leaving without a farewell to anyone.” She felt a bit sad. A whistle was heard which made Edan stand up and he ran close to the bank took out a white cloth and shouted back waving his hand. A small boat came close to him it looked as if there were two people rowing the boat. They waved back at him as they reach closer. Edan ran back to get his bag. Rosa stood up and walked slowly closer to the boat. “Edan are you sure about this?” He stopped in front of the boat and looked back at her. “I left a letter back home. Tell father I will make it up to him when I return.” He slowly stepped on the boat and handed some coins. The person holding the coins nodded and started to leave. He will cross the river and on the other side rent a carriage to one of the camps. Rosa took time to register what happened it was so long that she did not even ask him which camp he is leaving for. She kept looking at the boat till it disappeared from her view. Suddenly a feeling of emptiness filled her. It was as if she was bidding a family member farewell. She stood on the spot her legs took a while to move. Finally Rosa decided it is time to head back after all Olivia would be worried for her. Since Justin was out of town she was invited to spend the night with them. She slowly walked back. ‘What will happen when they get Edan’s letter?’ The next morning might not be a favorable one. She dreaded the feeling of facing his father and conveying the message. She kept on continuously sighing at the thought. ‘Ahh this is a pain what should I do?’ Her answers were not to be answered. A lot of things happened together. She heard mixture of screams, some were of people screaming in fear others were roars of anger. Some horse sounds could be heard. There was fire crawling its way around the place. She ran quickly close to the main hall where everyone was. Her heart sunk in what she saw as she walked closer.