Bad timing

The rainy season was coming to an end. This period was the easiest one for breeders. With all this rain, grass and water were abundant. Livestock did not need to be moved far away to eat and drink as they wanted. Only one aspect required more work: the enclosure. As recurring flooding made the ground soft and muddy, regular repairs were necessary to keep the enclosure in good condition. Fortunately, Xia showed Imani many tricks to work the wood, and the fences held for the season. Now, with the dry season on its way, water and food would not be as abundant as they were. Xia and Imani would have to travel much farther with their animals to feed them well. In response, they found themselves separated more frequently, and time together became rarer.

Those moments on their own gave Xia and Imani more time to think about their lives. They often thought about their respective families. Imani tried to stay as close as he could to his mother and sister. Several months ago, right after he left his father, he had written a letter to the rest of his family in Gungara’s market. It was concise but full of affection.

Dear Mother, dear Sister,

I’ve met someone I love deeply. She has shown me a new path, and I have opened my heart to it.

I will be moving far from Gungara. If I can, I will stay in touch with you both.

Take care of yourselves.

Imani

Sending this letter had brought Imani both relief and sorrow. He wondered if his words would comfort his family or only deepen their worry. He hoped he would find a way to contact them again.

One day, after some time in Tambara, Imani met a traveling trader who was, by chance, heading toward Gungara. Imani seized the opportunity and entrusted him with a second letter to his family. He cherished the hope that the trader would come back with a response from his mother and sister. Time had passed since then, but the trader had not returned yet.

As far as Xia was concerned, it was harder to keep in contact with her own family since she lived in the kingdom of Zimori. The last thing she had done before leaving Linghua was to pass instructions to Muya, her old mentor. Accepting her request, Muya had agreed to write down every spoken news she received from Xia’s little sister. Hopefully, right before her departure, Xia had also given a letter to a wandering merchant who knew her family’s farm. This merchant would tell her parents and sister why Xia went away. Sadly, it had been possible only once. Ever since, Xia was certain that her sister felt sad not to get any recent tidings from her. As much as she loved to live her dream as a breeder and share it all with Imani in Zimori, she continued to worry about her little sister. To lessen her worries, she found another way to communicate with her family. During her meditations, she thought about them sincerely and wished the best for her childhood home. It was during one of these meditation sessions that she had felt the strange and strong connection.

Xia wanted to reproduce this powerful feeling. She did not know how she had done it, but was determined to find out. To begin, she needed to understand what had triggered this connection. It did not take long for her to figure it out; her meditation had been done during the night. Never had she done it any other time than during the rise of the sun. Xia was conflicted about this discovery. On one hand, she wanted to keep honoring Tudigan, the spirit of the sun. On the other hand, she would have to meditate at night to discover more things about this connection. And so, she decided to meditate twice: once at dawn for Tudigan, and once at night for a spirit she knew nothing about.

After that, Xia experienced night meditations every day. She did it in all kinds of situations: inside her house, outside near the closest stream, with a small torchlight, in complete darkness… None was noteworthy. Every time, she felt the intensity of her night meditations change, but had not yet found the reason why.

When all her trials were over, only one possibility remained. This possibility was the spirit of the moon. In Linghua’s traditions, this spirit was known to be shy and mysterious. It would only act in matters worthy of its time. And who could blame it? It had solely three days per month to fully share its energy. In those circumstances, patience and discernment were needed. Its name was Yulin, the spirit of the moon. It shared a deep link with Tudigan. If the sun were the source of our world, the moon was its channeler. Yulin favored balance and harmony. Some even said it was Yulin who brought the tide from one place to another. Others believed it was Yulin who changed our seasons. Still others claimed it was Yulin who made our days long enough so that plants, animals, and humans could live peacefully. Xia could not tell where the truth was in all those sayings from Linghua. However, she now knew she felt Yulin’s powerful energy flowing through her, and it was marvelous.

As time progressed, Xia’s perception of Yulin’s energy became more precise. She grew accustomed to what had felt overwhelming at first. Strangely, she now perceived this energy differently. It was definitely strong, but not as strong as it could or should have been. She was missing something, something important. How did she know? She could not tell. For this, she relied solely on her instinct.

Every day, this question amplified in her mind. Xia needed to understand what was missing from her connection with Yulin, but she did not know how. Often, as she inspected the animals, she felt her attention wander, trying desperately to find an answer. Imani frequently looked at her. He had observed several changes in her behavior. He could see her losing focus while performing her daily tasks. It was something new for him. He had never seen Xia act this way. Today, she would have even forgotten to inspect their livestock if Imani had not reminded her. As he witnessed her absences, Imani grew worried and decided to talk to her. As Xia and he went back to the village, he told her quietly, “Honey, I…” But he had no time to finish, as someone cut him off.

“Hey, here you are! I’ve been looking for you. You’re lucky, I almost left without giving you your letter.”

The traveling merchant was finally back from Gungara. Surprised, Imani needed a moment to answer.

“Oh, may I see this letter, dear merchant?”

“Yes, here it is. I was told it was very urgent. I advise you to read it right away.”

Grateful for the letter, Imani listened to the merchant and read its contents.

Dear Son,

Your sister and I have received your letter.

Let me tell you that, as your mother, I respect your choices. If you can live decently where you are and find happiness with someone by your side, I will not complain.

Sorrowfully, I must share terrible news. As painful as it is for me to write, you must know that your father has passed away. He left us in only two days. I could do nothing for him.

If you can, please come and mourn with us for a time. Your sister and I would still feel a great deal of joy to see you again.

I hope to hug you soon.

Nyasha

Imani watched the letter and read it over, and over, and over again. He had left Gungara feeling ready for anything to create his new life. In one moment, it was shattered.

Imani’s relationship with his father, Zano, had always been a tricky one. Zano had been a devoted father, constantly present for his son. At least, as long as things went his way. Imani never truly came to terms with how his father had reacted after he saved an ill sailor. Since Imani had left Gungara with Xia, a part of him had been relieved not to continue being a merchant’s advisor to his father. The other part missed him a bit but was too hurt to share it aloud. Imani decided to return to Gungara and mourn with his mother and sister. He would be there one last time for his father, no matter what Zano had done to him in the past.

Xia wanted to support Imani through his mourning and did not hesitate to follow him to Gungara. Before their departure, the couple discussed with their neighbor. They were still distant after the healing event. Yet, regarding the situation, their neighbor agreed to take care of their livestock during their absence. They could leave their animals peacefully.

Xia and Imani traveled with the merchant as he knew the fastest path to the city. It took them one week to reach the large stone city of Gungara. Once they crossed the gates, Xia felt a deep connection to this place. She had already perceived a similar sensation the first time she was in Gungara. Yet, at this moment, she had no time to stop for it. Right now, she was trying to be there for Imani; he needed her.

Soon, they reached the house of Imani’s family. Both Xia and he were welcomed warmly. His mother, Nyasha, was a calm and large woman. She had a tired smile, lightened only by the presence of her son. Next to her was Runako, his sister. She was tall and imposing. A strong presence emanated from her. For Xia, it was disturbing to look at Imani’s sister. She had the exact same features as him. Even her haircut was identical. Xia realized she would have to pay close attention if she did not want to accidentally kiss the wrong person. The thought made her smile. Then, Xia turned to look at Maita, Imani’s grandmother. Maita was watching them all in silence. Her eyes pierced her grandson and his foreign partner. It was not easy to figure out what she was thinking. Suddenly, Xia shifted her attention back to Imani. The atmosphere had changed in the room. They were going to speak about Zano, Imani’s father.

Three weeks had passed since Zano’s death. His body had been buried under an ancient Musasa tree near their house. To accompany Imani, everyone went out and watched the tree in silence for several minutes. After that, they all let Imani be alone with his thoughts. He needed some quiet time with his father.

Soon, Xia found herself alone with Imani’s family. She spoke with them and enjoyed their company. At one point, she even received a word from Maita, Imani’s grandmother.

“You are beautiful, my child. I never saw anyone with the fineness of your features. But that’s not important. There’s something else I want to tell you.”

Her curiosity piqued, Xia listened carefully as Maita continued.

“You are exactly where you should be. I can feel it, you know.”

Maita chuckled softly and slipped out of the room, leaving Xia alone. It made Xia smile to herself; it seemed it was finally her turn to receive a few enigmatic words from Imani’s grandmother. It was just as Imani had told her long ago. She smiled again as she thought about all the things they had been through together. Here she was meeting his family. They were nice but impressive, very different from her own. Sadly, being with Imani’s family also reminded her how much she missed her kin. A part of her even childishly tried to find a way to join them back in Linghua for a time. She thought about it a first time, and a second time, and a third. On the fourth, she realized it could actually be a good idea. What if Imani and she went back to Linghua for a few days? It could even be good for Imani to travel a bit, far from Zimori, far from his father. Of course, they would be questioned by the guards on their arrival, but she could pretend to come back for an urgent request at Muya’s workshop. Glad of her idea, Xia waited for Imani.

Once Imani got enough time with his father, he returned to the house. Xia was ready and shared the plan with him. From the very first time, Imani considered it seriously. Even in this state, he remained a good listener. As they discussed the trip, one thing became clear: their main problem would be the animals. The dry season had just ended, so Xia and Imani would have to be back before the next one. They had no choice; it would be too much work for their neighbor to keep an eye on their livestock during the dry season. Quickly, Imani wrote a letter to their neighbor. He promised to give half of the newborn livestock. Since he had already made a similar deal with the first year’s offspring, he extended this promise for a second year. Within an hour, the letter was sent. The next morning, Xia and Imani would leave Gungara and travel to Shuijin.