Love's Transformation: An Epic, Post-Apocalyptic Heroine's Courageous Journey

By Emil Toth

A Teen Girl’s Courageous, Heroic Journey
In the first book in The Love Series, teenager Batu fearlessly speaks out against injustice in a post-apocalyptic male-dominated society. Unwilling to subject herself to a barbaric ritual, she insults the High Priest creating a persistent enemy. Selfishly, she marries the Story Teller to continue her quest for knowledge but the marriage turns into a test of wills.

The death of her husband and her baby cause Batu to lose worth as defined by law, and the council decrees she is to be expelled from the village to face certain death. With the Healer’s help, she gains a deeper understanding of life as she faces tragedies, final expulsion, and death courageously and heroically.

If you enjoy The Nightingale, The Celestine Prophecy, Sensible Shoes, and The Alchemist you’ll love reading The Love Series by Emil Toth.

The Love Series delves into love’s transformational abilities, its involvement with courage, its ability to sacrifice life itself, its enriching wisdom, its ennobling grace, and the power of its forgiveness. Order your copy of Love’s Transformation to discover the transformational power of love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emil Toth
• Release date: Mar 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781943767090

Emil Toth

Emil Toth is an author of inspirational, spiritual, dramatic novels and poetry. The past four decades, Emil has been actively creating and participating in spiritual support groups, meditation and esoteric classes. He has given talks and attended various yoga, healing, esoteric and writing workshops. He has worked with Healing touch, Pilgrimage Healing and Reike healing modalities. In 1999 he made a spiritual pilgrimage to India and was initiated by his guru, Mother Bandana. Filled with spiritual fervor he returned and founded the Sacred Waters Spiritual Center with two ladies, where he was the director, facilitator and caretaker. Sacred Waters is a spiritual center designed to provide people with the opportunity to further their spiritual awareness and essence. Inspired, he turned to writing as his outlet for all he had learned. Emil’s most controversial novel, Seven Souls on a Cross concerns a man trying to rid himself of rage by following his visions and building and hanging from a cross for forty days. The sequel, Release from the Cross, follows the lives of those seven souls. The novels in the ‘Love’ series, the first of which is to be published soon, focus on the four stages of love: transformation, sacrifice, wisdom and enlightenment.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Batu was one of twenty-seven sixteen-year-old women preparing for marriage. Her mother, Sophia, had described what to expect at the Rite of Preparation and asked, Have I calmed your fears?

I am not a fearful child, Mother, I am sixteen. Being forewarned does not change the fact that the ritual is disgusting and demeaning."

In your eyes only, Batu. Please accept what you have to do with grace.

Sophia knew from experience Batu rarely acted from a position of grace. She, more than any woman in Kahali history, tormented the council by challenging them to accept women as equals. At the tender age of ten, Batu had already deemed the High Priest to be devious. Sophia prayed Batu would surprise her and not be belligerent toward the High Priest.

To pacify her mother, Batu said, I promise to allow the event to spontaneously unfold.

Sophia knew that would be the extent of Batu’s assurance. It did nothing to appease her qualm. She left Batu sitting on the bench outside their home and went inside.

The High Priest, Romir, toiled for three days selecting the young, hardwood trees to convert them into ceremonial stakes. With his work done, Romir ran his eyes over the stakes laid out in a semi-circle before him. Satisfied, he returned to the village. The next day Romir readied himself for the rite. He carefully slipped the chain of bones over his head, fondling it for a moment. The habit of caressing it was born long ago when he had become the apprentice to the previous High Priest, Tecumsha. The necklace, a symbol of his power and stature as the High Priest, gave him a sense of prestige. It was composed of numerous small bones from various animals and included some from the growler. His armband and loincloth were also fashioned from the skin of the growler. After the Age of Destruction, a large number of lion cubs were born mutated into what humans named growlers. The growlers were larger than lions and had become the most feared predator on the plains. The sheer strength and ferocity of the growler had long fascinated Romir. Because of it, he had fashioned every piece of clothing he owned from its skin.

Romir looked forward to presiding over today’s ceremony. The ritual was taboo for all men, except for the High Priest and his apprentice. He would have liked to have his apprentice by his side, but he had not found a young man worthy of the position.

Seated on the bench outside her home, Batu waited for her mother to come out. Not wanting to vomit at the ritual, she had taken her mother’s advice and refrained from eating the dawn meal. She grew apprehensive because of the barbaric nature of the ritual. She was sure she would not take part in the ritual but her inquisitive nature drove her to attend. She knew many of the girls would feel awkward and embarrassed. She was certain none would be rebellious except herself.

Sophia emerged from the hut and touched Batu’s arm signifying the moment had arrived for their departure. Mother and daughter walked the avenues until they found the path and left the village behind them. Batu’s anxiety grew as they walked slowly, silently down the faint path deep into the shadowy interior of the woods. The dappled light flickered on them through breaks in the trees. Some two hundred steps onto the path they came to the clearing of the ritual ground.

They were the first to enter the clearing. Located in the center of it were the ominous poles. At the base, they measured about three fingers in diameter. Four fingers from the top, they tapered sharply to one finger in diameter. The slender spike was four fingers in height and tapered to a smooth, sharp point.

Batu’s eyes riveted upon the stakes. They were flagrantly grotesque. Her disgust drove the bile up from her stomach. The whole process seemed primitive, unnecessary and brutal. The spikes loomed starkly in the light of the clearing. She looked at her mother to see her reaction. She could read nothing in her eyes. A twig snapped. It drew her attention to the path. The High Priest, Romir, appeared with three mothers and their daughters. Her skin crawled every time she saw him. She had always felt an underlying evil in him despite his ranking of High Priest. Her gaze lingered briefly on the tribe’s religious leader. He is such an ugly man. How could any woman stand to be near him? Every time he cast his gaze on her, her whole body protested. In the past, whenever she saw Romir in the village center, she went into her home to avoid his gaze. She could not understand how their religious leader was the most unreligious man alive.

The High Priest had a large barrel chest and a stomach that reflected his ravenous appetite. His calves were unusually spindly and out of proportion to the bulk they carried. His forearms were thin while his upper arms were inordinately fleshy like his thighs. His large, round face made his deep-set eyes seem beadier than they already were. His eyes lacked signs of compassion but did display cunning and shrewdness. In unguarded moments they exhibited a fierce and unrelenting look. The sickly yellow tint to his eyes added to his portentous appearance. The nostrils of Romir’s small nose were not flared and caused him difficulty breathing the semi-tropical air. Clenched in his large fat hand was a staff. Atop it sat the skull of a monkey. Its eye-less head glared out over the gathered group.

Romir immediately noticed the troublesome Batu had already arrived. His gaze contained admiration and disgust. She had proved mouthy and troublesome in the past as a child. Despite his disgust, he knew she would not escape being selected as a wife this year. Several men were seeking to make her their own, and he understood why. She was one of the most desirable women in the village. But her reputation indicated she would be trouble for any man. In his eyes, she had many faults. Despite them, he, like most of the men, was not immune to her stunning figure and bewitching face. He had been present on a few occasions when men had stopped talking to watch her. Like them, his mind filled with thoughts of her. Perhaps her father would choose to keep her with him. If that was the case, he would devise some way to impress her with his charms.

More celebrants and their mothers trickled into the clearing. The apprehensive reaction of the women to the glaring spikes did not escape the High Priest’s scrutiny. Who would scream the loudest, he wondered? Would there be any of them strong enough to resist crying or making a sound? It happened, but not very often. His eyes rested longer on Batu than the others. He could feel the blood pumping faster in his body just looking at her. She was not the most beautiful woman, but she was the most vivacious and magnetic.

While his mind wondered, the last of the celebrants and their mothers drifted into the ritual center. Looking over the participants, he saw they were all present. The group hushed and stood by the poles.

Clearing his throat, he raised his voice and said, The celebrants will now position themselves in back of the ritual shafts suitable to them and face me. The mothers will stand behind them.

After they were in place, he continued, With this ritual, you will prepare yourselves for union with your men. This shall signify your coming of age both physically and religiously. After this service, you will be able to unite with a man and take part in the creation process. The severing of your tissue and opening of your passage is the final preparation needed to conceive.

He cleared his throat of phlegm and sang, the lyrics told of a woman whose beauty caused a god to take her as his mate.

Upon finishing the song, he swept his eyes over each woman before he spoke, "The moment is at hand to prepare yourselves for the man you will bond with once you are in union. We will begin with Boco, while the mothers sing the inspiring song, Sacrifice of the Virgin."

Batu inwardly thanked her mother for arriving early and choosing the last stake, knowing the order from her own experience.

Boco barely heard the women singing as she hesitantly positioned herself. Her face contorted with fear. Then, slowly, she lowered herself on the point, she cried out and jerked free from the shaft. Sobbing, she turned and lurched to her mother who comforted her.

One after the other the sixteen-year-old women performed the ritual.

The last celebrant was Batu. He found it difficult to keep his eyes from revealing his desire for her. He signaled to the women to sing and waved his arm in her direction ceremoniously. With great deliberation, she stepped up to the pole, her gaze came to rest on its sinister presence. She glanced toward the High Priest and then turned unexpectedly to face her mother. The act caught the mothers by surprise. They halted their singing. Sophia’s heart pounded wildly. She had seen the same look of defiance on her daughter’s face time and again and openly cringed.

Batu turned back to face the High Priest and proclaimed, "I have grave doubts that this ritual can prepare me for bonding with a man. If I cut myself on the arm, it will cause pain and I will lose blood. I am fighting to understand how this ritual is any different. I have witnessed these women become prepared for bonding and union in your eyes and in the eyes of our religion. You will not witness another. Impaling myself will not prepare me in my eyes. I choose not to participate in this barbaric act.

I declare before everyone here that I am now prepared to be with a husband of my choosing. Whether you believe I am, it makes no difference to me. I know I am a woman, and bonding with my man will break my membrane. Some grotesque stake whittled by you will not break it. I have witnessed my sisters undergo this practice and I see the shame and degradation you have put them through. No woman should be subjected to such idiotic, sadistic and inhumane practices. If you were a man of principle and integrity you would have put an end to this ritual the moment you took over the mantle of High Priest. Since you have not, it speaks of what you think of women. This ritual is disgusting and demeaning as are you.

Batu turned and looked at her mother, standing with her mouth agape. Sophia was as shocked as the others witnessing the rebellion. Throwing her shoulders back, Batu walked briskly to the path leading back to the village.

The words were like a knife in Romir’s stomach. She had spewed out her irreverence defiantly, catching him by surprise. He listened to her dumbfounded. His desire for her instantly disappeared. The moment she stopped talking, he screamed at her, Batu, you will be punished for your insults and disbelief. When you die, you will be thrown into the area of demons in the Land of No Shadows. Mark my words well. You have disgraced yourself, your parents and the tribe. The gods will not stand for this!

Rooted to the spot by his bewilderment, he could do nothing more than watch as Batu’s mother ran to catch up with her. Silently, he cursed her and swore to deal with her ruthlessly when the opportunity came.

To the women before him, Romir growled loudly, Such acts of impudence and disrespect for tradition are what brought catastrophes upon our ancestors.

Pointing his finger at the women he warned them, Even the vehicles of destruction that flew in the air during that age were no match for the forces unleashed by the gods. I can only hope that the wrath of the gods will not spill over onto the rest of us because of Batu.

The High Priest glared after Sophia and Batu.

Take care that you teach your children to respect tradition or you will be chasing after your child.

He cursed Batu silently, knowing that the one who needed to hear his words the most had fled. He could see the women were shocked and upset with Batu. What they felt could not compare to his anger. Hastily, he concluded the ceremony, wanting instead to run after Batu and beat her senseless.

Batu had ruined the ritual. He chose not to linger and talk with the women as he normally did. He left the ceremonial grounds in a rage. He kicked the ground on the path sending dirt flying. Growling aloud, he sounded like an angered beast. He could not fathom a woman showing such disrespect for him, his position and tradition. It was unheard of. His anger grew with each step that brought him closer to the Religious Hut. No woman had ever committed such an irreverent act. None! Such intolerable behavior could not go unpunished.

CHAPTER TWO

The fading admonitions Romir yelled at her meant nothing to Batu. She felt no remorse for what she had done. She was relieved she did the right thing. Hearing someone coming after her, she turned to see her mother running toward her and waited. Drawing next to Batu, Sophia said nothing. They walked in silence. They broke free of the trees and the Great Sun’s brilliant light captured them. A flood of reassurance washed over Batu. She had no reservations about what she had done. Looking at her mother, she smiled, hoping to ease her mother’s misgivings. It did not change the forlorn look on Sophia’s face.

Sophia had waited until she was reasonably calm before she spoke. Frowning she said, Do you know what you have done? You broke with tradition and worse have angered the High Priest. How could you do it?

Mother, I did not know I was going to do what I did. The longer I stood there and watched, the more barbaric and disgusting the whole ritual seemed. I could not submit myself to it. I may have gone along with it for your sake had not the horrible High Priest been there. With him looking on, I was repelled as much by him as the ritual. I could not degrade myself. It revolted me to see the women impale themselves with him leering at them. He knows nothing of who I am or my desires. But he stood there and dared to speak to me and the other women of bonding and union.

She stopped talking for a moment and shook her head. Aside from all that, it was worth doing what I did just to see the look on his face. Incredibly, she laughed as she recalled his reactions.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Sophia had to agree with Batu’s assessment of the High Priest. She had thought him loathsome but had always been afraid to mention it to anyone. She also felt uncomfortable around him. She kept these thoughts from her child.

You will again be the topic of harsh conversation and may lose some friends, she warned Batu.

Mother, if I worried about such things, I would be afraid of doing anything. My only true friends are Chloe and Cimi. They alone have understood my desires. The rest cannot be considered friends. I shall be able to contend with the talk as I have in the past. I only hope you understand how I feel about all of this.

Honestly, after all these years, I am still shocked and surprised by your unpredictable nature, but I have come to accept who you are.

Sophia knew what Batu did would deepen the division in the tribe. From experience, she was aware that the tribe held no soft emotions about Batu. They did not simply like her or dislike her; she elicited much deeper feelings. Women either admired and loved her or were upset with her aggressiveness. The men saw her as a rebel and a threat to tradition; they hated her for that, yet they grudgingly acknowledged that she was very desirable.

Sophia rubbed her forehead. She wondered if Batu would ever stop causing turmoil. Aloud she said, After all these years, it is still hard to understand you. You are so rebellious and independent it frightens me. What will you do when you are no longer in our house, and who will accept your actions? It is doubtful your man will be lenient like your father.

I have already thought of it, Mother, she said without elaborating. Reassuringly, she placed her arm around Sophia’s waist. For Sophia, it was not comforting to know Batu had given it some thought. Such statements usually were portents of future problems. Several strides later Batu playfully bumped her hip to her mother’s and warmly smiled. Sophia gave into Batu’s playfulness and returned the bump. Both of them giggled.

They continued walking slowly home. Sophia wondered what her father, Aahi, was going to say about the incident. She would have to think of a way to tell him without breaking the taboo against speaking of the act that consummated the rite.

Aahi waited for his family to return from the ritual. The moment he saw his women he did not like what he saw. Sophia had the look of a worried mother. He stood up as they neared.

Directing his eyes to his woman, he asked, What is wrong? What happened?

Batu grabbed her mother’s arm to prevent her from answering. I have not fulfilled my Rite of Preparation. I refused to impale myself.

Puzzled and shocked he asked, Impale yourself? Why would you do such a thing?

It is part of the ritual to prepare myself for union, she replied. Sophia could not be stilled now. Panic was evident in her voice.

Batu, you have broken the taboo! You are not to speak of such things to a man! I warned you about that.

Aahi responded to the disclosure with shock. He grabbed Batu’s arm and led her inside their home. Inside Sophia was about to speak. With a wave of his hand, Aahi silenced her. Instinctively, he lowered his voice in case anyone walked past. His voice was strained as he spoke, The damage has been done. The taboo has been broken, so speak to me of this impaling.

Sophia detected the agitation in her man’s voice and apprehensively listened, while Batu described what took place at the ritual. She could not believe her ears. Cautioning Batu not to speak meant nothing.

Aahi was startled to hear the details of the mysterious rite. His brow tightened. Sophia was correct; a man should not hear such things. Batu not only broke with tradition she had broken the vow of silence. The shame was Aahi’s as well. It may be they all had to fear the wrath of the gods for what had transpired.

Seeing how disturbed her father was, Batu regretted telling him what took place. Perhaps she had gone too far this time.

Father, I am sorry if I put you in jeopardy, she said in honesty.

Aahi saw her sincerity. He was proud of her. He drew her to him and stroked her hair, but the worried look did not leave his face.

Every time you break with tradition, I am responsible to render punishment, and I have been exceedingly tolerant. This time you and I have broken the taboo, the law. The gravity of what we have done is immense. The council is ordained to deal with such acts. The normal punishment for what we have done is to be beaten, while the whole village watches. You must not tell anyone that you broke the taboo. Swear that you will not speak of this to anyone. Do you understand?

Yes, father. I did not break the taboo in defiance. You need not fear that I will speak of it. It was not my intention to involve you.

Aahi grimaced as he spoke, Breaking with a religious tradition is in itself a tremendous blow to our family. You will lose face as well as we. Unfortunately, there may be problems with the High Priest. The future will be treacherous. You must be extremely vigilant where Romir is concerned. He will not forget what you have done and may seek retribution through the gods.

Suddenly weary, Aahi rubbed his eyes. Batu, you must understand repercussions are rippling out from your actions. Sighing heavily, he drew her and Sophia into his arms. Managing a worrisome smile to the women he tried to reassure them saying, Your impulsiveness has led to problems in the past, and we have survived. We have lost friends in the past, and we may lose some again. What is important is that we always stand united and not speak of this again.

CHAPTER THREE

Romir’s anger drove him to the Teller of Stories’ hut. Thomas heard the High Priest’s angry voice calling out to him. Thomas, it is Romir. I must talk with you.

At the entrance of his home, Thomas waved his hand beckoning the large man in. Please sit down.

Romir entered but did not accept the offer; he paced irritably in the hut and complained, I was conducting the Rite of Preparation for the women, and I was shocked and angered by Batu’s words and actions.

What did she do?

She did not complete the rite. If that was not enough, she grievously insulted me in front of the other women.

Thomas was dismayed to hear the news. I am sorry to hear that. I have never been shown disrespect by any woman and neither have the High Priests before me. If she were mine I would beat her until she could not walk.

Your attitude toward punishment is strange, Romir.

"I cannot help it. The woman drives me insane. It is unfortunate that only her father can punish her for breaking with our religious tradition.

Thomas, I know you have told Aahi you want Batu as your bride, but I must warn you, she will cause you nothing but misery. She will lead you to disaster. Mark my words well, Batu is trouble. Women like her have always brought disaster upon men. She will corrupt you.

Thomas calmly said, You are talking out of anger, Romir. I have always found Batu to be highly principled.

Romir waved his hand dismissing Thomas. Your view is colored by your desire for her, Thomas. Do not enter into union with her. She will disrespect you and disgrace you and your position.

It is unfortunate she broke with tradition, Thomas agreed. Because she has done wrong, it is Aahi’s place to release me from asking for her hand.

It would not surprise me if he did not do so, countered the High Priest. If he had not allowed Batu such liberties in the past, she would never have done this and all of the other things to aggravate our people.

Growing irritated, Thomas said, I am not as sure as you that she intended to aggravate anyone. I believe she does things because of her principles.

Ahhhh! scoffed Romir. She has no principles. She is evil.

Having had enough of Romir’s anger, Thomas moved toward the huge man and said, I will wait for Aahi, and I promise you, I will discuss this matter with him.

Romir waved his hand angrily. This has gone past discussion. You must take action. Do not be beguiled by her face and form. Her beauty must not suck you in. I am telling you do not make her your woman.

I am well aware of Batu’s impulsiveness, Romir.

This is not impulsiveness. She is irreverent, disrespectful and vicious. I warn you, Thomas, she is a vile woman.

Tired of his ranting, Thomas placed his hand on the High Priest’s shoulder and guided him to the door. Though he felt impatient with Romir, he recovered his poise and said diplomatically, I thank you for worrying about me, Romir. It is appreciated, and I will take what you have said and weigh it in my decision.

In parting, Romir said, Mark my words well. If you take her as your woman, she will bring you disgrace. He lumbered away, the anger evident in his huge body.

Thomas watched Romir stomp away. While he mulled over Romir’s outburst, he caught sight of Aahi making his way toward him from the opposite direction. He waited for Aahi certain he wanted an audience with him.

Visibly showing the pressure he was under, Aahi exchanged greetings and came directly to the point. I saw Romir leave. I assume he has told you of the incident?

Yes. He told me Batu has broken with our religious tradition.

It does not surprise me that the High Priest would run to tell you what happened.

I am very concerned Aahi.

Are you worried about her breaking with tradition? asked Batu’s father.

No, what worries me is Romir’s anger. He spoke of how he would beat Batu, if she were his responsibility.

Such words do not set well with me either. Thankfully, it is not his responsibility to discipline her, Thomas.

For that Batu can be thankful, Thomas replied.

Aahi looked stressed as he spoke, It is with great reluctance I say this. Since Batu has not fulfilled her Rite of Preparation and broken with our religious tradition, I release you from your decree of wanting to make Batu your woman.

A long pause ensued before Thomas spoke, I have not answered hastily because I wanted to choose the correct words. It is true that she has demonstrated little regard for convention and tradition. She seems to have caused more turmoil and talk than the rest of the people of our tribe combined since she has been old enough to talk. All of that matters little to me. I love her too much to let Romir’s anger, or the villager’s wagging tongues, keep her from being mine.

Aahi’s eyes were unflinching as he answered, Your words are true. She has been troublesome, and I have been extremely lenient with Batu. I also know it would have been easy to squash her spirit.

Aahi hesitated and then made up his mind to share an intimate fact with the man waiting so patiently for him to continue. I witnessed my mother’s spirit beaten down by my father. It broke her heart and mine. I vowed never to do it to my woman or my child. This is why I have been so lenient with Batu. If you still want her as your woman, it is in your hands. You are free to say you do not want her.

Without hesitating, Thomas answered, "Thank you for trusting me with something so personal.

I have not changed my mind Aahi. I am greatly impressed that you and Sophia have allowed Batu to grow up being true to herself. Rarely do parents allow a child to develop their personality as freely as you have done. You have encouraged her independence and that will create opportunities for my growth. I pray my love proves to be as unconditional as yours. I truly hope I am wise enough to give her what she needs to continue to grow.

Aahi looked into Thomas’s eyes and saw he spoke honestly. It is good to hear you speak so freely as well. Rest assured you are high on my list as a possible husband for Batu.

Aahi parted wishing Thomas were younger. If he were, it would be easy to choose him to be Batu’s man. He walked away slowly, hoping the meetings with her other suitors, Nathan and Mason would go as smoothly as they did with Thomas.

Thomas sat down and watched Aahi walk away. He reflected on Batu’s contrary behavior. Assessing the number of times she was the center of controversy, he had to admit that it seemed to be escalating. But throughout all of her adventures and misadventures, her rebellious nature and penchant for causing disturbances did not appear to harm her relationship with her parents. He hoped theirs would be the same.

Having paid close attention to Batu, he was certain she would continue her displays of independence after they were in union. He knew his life with her would be chaotic. Hopefully, she would be more complacent and accepting of tradition, raising their children. He smiled inwardly, the solution could be to keep her filled with new life and then she would be too busy to be anxious over the social ills of the village.

Children were an extremely important part of marriage for Thomas. His union with Joan failed to produce a child before she died. Already past the mid-point of his life, he longed to hold his child to his heart. Visualizing Batu’s broad hips, he felt them to be well suited to bear a child. His passion flared up, as he held her image in his mind. He longed to have her in his bed and demonstrate his love for her. Batu would provide him with strong and intelligent children.

CHAPTER FOUR

Romir was disappointed with the Teller of Stories. Thomas seemed cold to his warnings. Preoccupied with his thoughts, he made his way back to his hut. His parched mouth hung open. Inside the hut, he removed the cover of his drinking bowl and drank deeply from it. Anger and confusion raced drunkenly within him. How could the gods let an act so venomous go unpunished? Why were the gods not immediately destroying Batu? What was their reasoning? The questions raced through his mind, but there seemed to be no reasonable answers. If he were a god, he would have slain her long ago.

He had to talk with Aahi. This insanity of Batu’s must not be allowed to continue. He headed toward Aahi’s hut. His walk slowed. He struggled with how to impress Aahi that he must severely punish Batu. Still deep in thought, he found himself in front of Aahi’s hut.

Aahi, it is Romir. May I enter?

Sophia went to the entrance and looked at Romir. He detected the uncertainty on her face.

My man is not here. He has gone to see Thomas.

As he should, after what has happened, snapped Romir.

Romir saw the reaction on her face, but she managed to reply in a level tone. If you wish to wait for him, you may do so out here. Turning abruptly, she retreated inside her home and left him looking angrily at the entrance.

He slammed his bulk down on the bench cursing Sophia under his breath for her rudeness. A moment later, Sophia exited with Batu in tow. He glared openly at Batu. They walked in the direction of the river without talking to him. Romir’s stomach churned as he glared after them.

Returning from his amicable meeting with Thomas, Aahi was disheartened to see the High Priest waiting for him. Romir stood up as he approached.

What took you so long? I have been waiting to speak to you about Batu’s irreverent behavior.

Please, let us discuss this inside away from the eyes of the villagers.

Romir took notice of the inordinate amount of people gathered in the village center. The word had spread quickly of the incidence. Seeing them, he would have preferred to berate Aahi in front of them. He had no choice but to follow Aahi inside. Aahi motioned the High Priest to a bench and sat down himself.

Has your woman told you what Batu did?

She has.

This is the most grievous in a long list of things Batu has done. It must stop now. In the past, I have not shown my anger toward Batu for it did not involve our religion. Now it involves me. I demand that you punish her severely not only for breaking a religious law but for her irreverence and disrespect toward me.

I am sorry for what she has done Romir. I will take steps to insure that she does not do it again.

It will not happen because I will not permit her to take part in the ritual, growled Romir.

I do not think she wants to participate.

Romir pointed at Aahi