North x Northwest - Chapter 366

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Epilogue Chapter 366

Epilogue 2: Sawa

Lil shook her head helplessly.

“Don’t even ask.”

The sound of drums drowned out the splashes of the waterfall. Dozens of warriors from the clan surrounded and watched them till two of the onlookers stepped forward and wrapped red cloth around Lil and Ed’s shoulders. A distinct pattern was embroidered with gold thread near the chest of the fabric. No actually, it was more like a seal than a pattern. Clasping their belts, they were led to M’jasiri and the priest, who stood in front of a well engraved with a complex motif in the centre of the altar.

M’jasiri looked Lil up and down and smiled, baring her fangs. She then pointed to the pattern on their chest and said.

“Sawa.*”

The priest bowed deeply toward the black well and repeated.

“Sawa.”

The word “sawa” echoed as if the well resonated it, leading Lil to grasp the pronunciation clearly. She leaned toward Ed and asked him under her breath.

“…Sawa?…”

“…It’s the last name they’re giving us…”

Lil, unable to hide her embarrassment, whispered again.

“…Why are they giving us a last name?…”

“…Because we’re now adults?…”

“…Then why are we given the same last name?…”

Ed, who was silent for a moment, answered with a bit of uncertainty.

“Bonding… it’s because we’re going to do a ritual?”

“…A bonding ritual?…”

“…I suppose it’s a ritual that unites two or more people into the smallest unit of society? A group of people who share the same roof to shelter from the rain, go hunting together, share grain and meals, and raise children…”

Lil continued in a whisper, feeling even more awkward now.

“Do you mean a wedding? No, are we getting married like this?”

“…It appears to differ from the Empire’s definition of marriage… From what I can tell, the bond appears to have nothing to do with the number of pairs of men and women in that unit…”

“..?”

Lil glanced back over her shoulder and confirmed that what Ed said was true. She spotted people in groups of two, three, and five wearing cloth with the same seal.

“…When these clan people become adults, they’re made to belong to a specific group where they perform duties as a member. And this ceremony is to signify their union…”

“…G-good. Then at least we should consider ourselves lucky that there are only two of us…”

“…I agree…”

Although she said she was glad, Lil actually remained a little flustered.

‘In any culture, it’s difficult for an outsider, who opposes those in power, to survive… Does this mean it’s necessary to perform the bonding ritual? Will that be okay? I don’t dislike the idea of living with Ed, but this is catching me off guard. However, if we need to stay here for an extended period of time and are unable to leave, this is our best option. And on top of that, if I have to unite with someone, sleep under the same roof, and share meals, not just here but anywhere, my choice would undoubtedly be Ed.’

Ed, who had noticed Lil’s expression, spoke up first.

“…It’s up to you whether to continue this or not, but if you don’t want to, you better say it now…”

“…What do you mean? What is there for us to do?…”

“…Reject the ritual…”

Ed appeared serious, but Lil was so surprised that she laughed in vain.

“…Do you really think I would rather die than live with you?…”

“…We’ve already washed ourselves in the river, so they won’t kill us if we refuse the ritual. I can assure you of that…”

“…No, we’ve been living together for years; what is there to be afraid of? This ritual doesn’t change anything…”

“…”

“…And at the very least, the ‘ritual’ here isn’t as formal as in the Empire…”

“…”

Lil gathered her courage and declared.

“I’m already bound to you, in body and mind.”

“..?!”

Ed’s eyes widened in surprise, sending Lil a message.

‘He had no idea I have always thought that way…’

The sight of Ed’s reaction hurt her a little.

‘Up until now, even after years of being together, he appears to believe I can leave him at any time… No, no matter how much I avoid an official recognition of our union, how can he think that the times we spent immersed in each other, the pain we endured together, and the moments of joy we shared, were things I took for granted? We’ve gone through this difficult world together, so how could I separate his presence from mine?’

“Just because I don’t plan on getting married, doesn’t mean I deny our relationship…”

Lil knelt in front of the well opposite Ed. The well was made of red earth and looked ordinary, but its edges and surrounding area were filled with ancient stones. Through the many years, the inside of the well had been stained and covered with moss.

The sound of the drums became increasingly louder, and the warriors chanted in one voice something resembling a prayer. Ed knelt in front of Lil with the well in between. The priest approached and slammed the sceptre into the floor, bringing the prayer to an end. M’jasiri took a step back, and the priest’s voice rang out.

Ed quietly translated the priest’s words so Lil understood them.

“The descendants of the water dragon, newly born from the womb of the sacred beast, were transformed into bodies of the earth.”

The priest crossed Lil’s left and right hands and had her hold Ed’s left and right hands respectively. He then lowered their hands, tightly clasped together, into the well, submerging them in ice-cold, black water of unknown origin.

“Be united like a river. Together, flow through the world and fill your path with the beauty of life.”

Suddenly, a current was felt in the well. It was like a river falling violently in the upstream, bending in the middle, and flowing leisurely in the downstream. However, when a panicked Lil tried to look down at the well, the priest grabbed her by the chin.

Lil’s gaze was naturally drawn to Ed, whose eyes had turned pale as the sun shone high between the cliffs. The water droplets on his hair and eyelashes sparkled. Lil knew that Ed didn’t think this was ‘just a ritual’ because although he always spoke lightly, his actions were never rash. And her determination to push through with this was as strong as his. She just never liked the marriage customs of the Empire, but continuing her life with him was what she wanted for the rest of her life.

“Therefore believe that raindrops form rivers, believe in meeting when separated, believe in easing when times are difficult, and believe in the upcoming abundance when the ground seems to be frozen solid…”

The well gradually heated up, as if it were starting to boil, and Lil realised that this was indeed a ‘not as formal as the Empire’s’ ritual that Ed referred to. She instinctively tightened her grip to not let go of Ed, and Ed’s grip tightened on hers as well as he endured the pain. No one could be stronger at that point. Her nails dug into the back of his hand.

They could have easily escaped the pain by simply pulling their hands out of the well, but neither Lil nor Ed let go. In the next moment, the boiling water instantly cooled down, but it didn’t stop there, for the water suddenly became as cold as ice. Their blood vessels, as well as their flesh, had frozen, and they were paralyzed from the fingertips down. They couldn’t feel anything. The frozen sensation felt worse than the previous heat.

When Lil let out her pent-up breath, even her breath was cold.

The priest continued.

“Believe even if you cannot hold it in your hands or see it with your eyes because not only the rough waves are passionate and not only the calm waters are peaceful. Never lose faith without knowing the depth of the water beneath.”

The priest struck the sceptre several times, causing the space to tremble as if the pole was pounding not only the ground but also the waterfall and canyon. The coldness quickly subsided, and the priest slowly drew their hands above the well. They looked at their hands, which were holding each other in the black water, and saw only clenching marks on the skin but no other wounds. Even when Lil and Ed tried to recall the pain from the past, nothing came to mind, as if the previous sensations had merely been an illusion. Nonetheless, the shock lingered as an afterimage, and their entire bodies were soaked in cold sweat.

Lil and Ed released the breath they had been holding simultaneously. Their gazes were locked, but they were unable to say anything.

The drumming began again.

Ed’s thumbs rubbed the backs of Lil’s hands. It felt like he was touching her for the first time. As if a new connection had been made. Black water lapped over their hands as they checked each other’s palms.

When the priest raised his arms and began reciting an unknown phrase, Lil grabbed Ed’s hand.

It was the hand of someone she would never let go of, and who would never let go of her in return. The skin covered in droplets sparkled in the falling light, and an unchanging faith emerged from the fluid of the black well. All of their anguish and hesitations sank into the depths of the ancient waters, and a strange sense of mystery overcame Lil.

Ed’s hands that were in concert with hers were as beautiful as ever.

‘…From the beginning to the present…’

Lil lowered her head and pressed her lips against the back of Ed’s hand.

It was then that she realised that under any distant sky, and over any distant years, their bond would only grow stronger…

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Footnote:

Sawa: sawa has multiple meanings in Swahili; okay, same, similar, right, true, etc… But can also be roughly translated to ‘equal’ and we think that’s the meaning the author was going for.

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End of Epilogue 2: Sawa

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