章節 7: Chapter 7: The End of a Period
A few days later, it was the day of departure. Lutsey had gotten ready and picked up his things. His bow with his yellow and black arrows and supplies. She checked to see if she had taken her dagger and headed for the highest branch of Kelutral. Nevertheless, she stopped for a few moments to turn to the hammocks that were still full. As the clan was not yet up, the young warrior wanted to take the opportunity to avoid a painful and difficult farewell. She smiled as she thought back on her memories of her life here, in this clan which is, for her, her family as much as the one who raised her. Then the terrible memory of the death of Joltsyn and Twilo came back to her, bringing a terrible weight back into her heart.
Lutsey: It's time now.
With this thought, she turned her head and resumed her walk towards the highest branch of Kelutral. No sooner had she arrived than she saw Joltsyn waiting for her in the company of Me'em, her Ikran.
Lutsey: How did you know I would be leaving today?
Joltsyn, smiling: We're twins, Lutsey. Don't forget that. In fact, you'll need me to guide you...
Lutsey : Not false.
No sooner had she finished her sentence than another voice interrupted her.
Voice: Lutsey! She turned around and saw Neytiri. Neytiri hugged her, crying.
Neytiri: Stay! Please stay! I don't want you to go! Seeing her like that saddened Lutsey, but her destiny lay elsewhere. She hugged her older sister tenderly in her arms, aware of the trials she was undergoing.
Lutsey: I want to, big sister. But my place is no longer here. My people need me.
Neytiri : So do we!
Lutsey: Not as much as they did.
The young Menariyä tunti would have liked to avoid this. But it's too late now and two tears ran down her cheeks.
Lutsey: Big sister... I will visit you as often as I can. You have my word.
Voice: When a Koltyan puts her word on the line, she will do everything she can to keep her commitments. The young olo'eyktan saw her adoptive mother and her adoptive father immediately remember them with a sad face. Neytiri stopped her crying and looked at them before detaching herself from Lutsey, despite the visible traces in her face.
Lutsey: Mother! Father! You shouldn't have.
Eytukan: Even though it's painful, we have to be there when you take control of your life.
Mo'at: The child takes flight. I knew it would happen one day, but not this way. Before it does, I'd like to give you a gift. Lutsey's ears stood up and his kxetse described a question mark.
Lutsey: What, my sa'nu? (Lutsey considers Mo'at to be her birth mother, not having known her true) With these words, she held out a blindfold with the symbol of a body of Ikran standing proudly in the middle. The upper part of the body was red and the lower part was yellow. When Joltsyn saw it, she opened her eyes in surprise.
Lutsey: What is it?
Mo'at: It's a gift your mother gave me as a sign of our friendship. As her daughter, it's rightfully yours.
Lutsey: I don't think I can accept it.
Joltsyn: You have to, big sister. This blindfold, is an illustration of your future as an olo'eyktan of our clan.
Lutsey: I can't! This object is the symbol of the alliance between our two clans!
Eytukan: Except that now it's no longer necessary.
Lutsey: What do you mean?
Joltsyn: He is talking about you. You were raised by the omatikayas and your blood is Menariyä tunti. This fact illustrates this eternal friendship. Lutsey had his hand on the inheritance, hesitant. Mo'at's left hand placed itself on his and held it tightly.
Mo'at: Take it. It's my gift.
Lutsey: But...
Mo'at: Do it for me. To remember your first family. A tear fell on the youngest girl's right cheek as she thought of all she had left behind.
Lutsey, smiling: That's not necessary. You are, forever, in my heart. But I'm going to accept it anyway. For you, my family.
Mo'at waved his hand away as Lutsey looked at this blindfold. The only remnant her birth mother left behind. She then put it on her forehead and hung it on the back of her head. When Mo'at saw this, she smiled a sad smile.
Mo'at: You are the image of your mother. I feel like I see her again in you. Now it's time for you to leave. Your people will need you.
Lutsey: You're right.
She hugged each member of her family before she went towards Joltsyn. Then Lutsey called Tahni. Tahni arrived with a loud cry, waking up the whole clan. The young warrior crossed her arms, scrutinizing her ikran with an air of reproach under the laughter of her family. After a few moments, her horsewoman caressed her head and gave her a piece of meat with a small smile on her face. The flying beast chewed it for a moment before swallowing it.
Lutsey: It's time to go, baby. Let's go to our destiny.
To answer her, she handed him her right antenna. She made tsahaylu and mounted it under the gaze of Joltsyn who was waiting for her. The oldest of the menariyä tunti looked at her family one last time.
Lutsey: Father, Mother, Big Sister.... May our next meeting happen as soon as possible!
Once that was said, Tahni took off and joined Me'em. Neytiri and her family watched the two of them gradually drift away from their visions, with sadness.
At the Kelutral of the Menariyä tunti,
Eltya felt her strength leaving her. Her time had come. But she was waiting for the return of her first little girl beforehand. She had been waiting for this for eighteen years now. Finally, the flapping of two Ikran wings could be heard.
At the top of the Kélutral,
Two sisters were conferring as they set out to get down from the branch.
Joltsyn: Lutsey... Are you sure? Don't you think that's... a little cavalier?
Lutsey: There's no way I'm going to take a partner for any reason other than heart. A partner has to be with you for the rest of your life, and I refuse to share my life with someone I probably won't love.
Joltsyn: You won't change your mind?
Lutsey: No.
During the trip, Joltsyn explained to her that she would probably have to choose a partner to obtain the status of olo'eyktan, according to tradition. But her sister made it clear to her that she would not follow this path at all. She felt her determination to keep this freedom and she respected it. After all, she had done the same thing with Twilo, for which she was reprimanded, but she didn't care . Suddenly, she felt a headache coming on, disturbing her concentration. This sensation was felt by her Ikran and her sister, disturbing them.
Lutsey worried: Are you okay?
Joltsyn grimacing : Yes. It will pass
Lutsey was not convinced but did not insist. Her mind was focused on the future battles she would have to wage against the detractors. Finally, the Kelutral appeared in front of them and the two warriors landed on the branch. Then they went upstairs where a crowd of people surrounded a dying woman. A young man who had noticed them told them the news.
Warrior: My Joltsyn, your grandmother is drawing her last breath. She will soon join Eywa. Joltsyn couldn't help but express sadness at the news as she walked towards her elder daughter. Even though she had noticed that her condition had been getting worse and worse these days, she was the person who raised her and one of the last members of her family.
Eltya: My little girl... You're back!
Joltsyn smiling and holding back her tears: Yes grandmother.
Eltya: I... felt an energy...like...you...like you...so you did it?
Joltsyn: Yes grandmother. Here she isLudsey approached Eltya timidly. At the sight of her, Eltya's tired eyes widened for the first time in years, with immense joyLutsey.
Eltya: There you are... Wilya.... I thought you were dead...
Lutsey, bowing: Eywa granted me life. I regret to know you only during your last breath.
Eltya: I...regret me too.... However.... I thank ... Our Mother for granting me ... in my last moments ... the joy of ... seeing my first little girl. The one... that I thought... I had lost... with my daughter.
: I share your joy but also... the sorrow of my twin sister.
The old Tsahik coughed before speaking again.
Eltya, whistling breath : We... so... are... all... destined... to... reject... anoint our Mother.
Lutsey: Yes, but I regret this lost time.
Eltya: This... moment... is enough for me... to fill everything. I am...sure...that you will know how to...lead our clan.... Wi..th...Disce...rnment... Ludsey could not help but express surprise at hearing this. How did she know? She did not have time to answer that the old Tsahik gave up her last breath.
Lutsey: Rest in peace... With our Mother.
Eltya's funeral lasted the rest of the day, as Joltsyn had difficulty concentrating with her migraine and had to be helped by her sister. Finally, a calm came over the rest of the evening to pay tribute to a woman who was able to rebuild a clan that was almost destroyed. But her last words had been heard. The three pretending families, the Kolap, Mal'yis and Bolyus began to question Joltsyn and Lutsey about their meanings.
Vilya Mal'yis : What did it mean? According to tradition...
Lutsey: I know it well, but laws are made to be changed. You can insult me, nothing will make me back down in my decision.
Ultey Kolap: Who are you to dare to say what we should do?
Ultey Kolap : Qui êtes-vous pour oser dire ce qu'on doit faire ?
Lutsey: My grandmother was clear, wasn't she? I am Lutsey Koltyan Silwyn'ite, and I am Joltsyn's twin sister.
Given the resemblance between the two, no one questioned the links of filiations between them.
Culy Bolyus : Joltsyn, reason with your sister!
Joltsyn: Although I don't agree with Lutsey's methods, I do share his opinion on the matter. However, I think I know how to solve this problem. Is this what you've been waiting for, big sister? She answered with a smile.
Lutsey : Lutsey: We're really twins as far as I can see. I would never say it out of my mouth because it's against my principles. But you're more open about it than I am.
Joltsyn: Each contending family will choose a champion. That champion will challenge my sister in single combat. The first one who raises his hand in a sign of surrender or states his abandonment will have lost. If my sister loses, she will agree to bond with the winner. But if she wins, you will have to accept her as olo'eyktan. What do you think? The statement of this condition created a hubbub within the clan. The families argued among themselves.
Lutsey: Are you afraid? What do you have to lose? The three finally agreed, following this provocation, and the first to come forward was Koltyey. Lutsey circled around him, watching him with his lively and fearsome look. He chuckled his throat.
Koltyey in thought: By Eywa, how beautiful she is! I must absolutely win! Afterwards, I will be able to conquer her heart with time.
With these words, he took the dueling staff, followed by his opponent. They circled around for a moment. Koltyey saw only Lutsey and did not listen to his family's encouragement. He wanted to make her his wife. With this in mind, he attacked the eldest daughter. The elder attacked her from the side with the right end of the stick. She cut off contact with a blow from her weapon. He retreated. He barely had time to recover when he kicked himself in the stomach. Under the violence, he fell on his back. He got up, took the stick. He attacked again, but Lutsey interrupted him with the backhand stroke of his left hand after countering the attack with the right end of the stick. With a quick movement she made a circular blow which Koltyey ducked by lowering his head. But she immediately followed it up with a vertical blow. The violence of the blow almost made him lose his weapon when he parried it with the center of the stick. Lutsey took advantage of this flaw to launch a violent rising shot that made his opponent sensitive to the next attack. She knocked him down with a kick to the face. Moments later, he found himself with the right end of the stick near his throat, ogling his opponent to admit defeat.
Others replaced him. Their performance was no better either. Vilyan, son of Filyey from the Ma'lyis family, after having thought for a moment that he would dominate her by these sequences on both sides of the elder, let himself be dominated by confidence. That's what she wanted and she took advantage of a moment of inattention to get out of contact and put him down with a rotating kick towards her feet. He tried to get up but she stopped her attempt by violently hitting him on the left forearm, making a bruise. Then she turned him over and threatened him with the weapon. He reluctantly gave up.
It was then Ilyun of the Bolyis clan. Being gifted with the stick, he gave her a hard time and she escaped several times from a disarmament. She faced him, out of breath while he was still in good shape.
The clan believed, at that moment, to find their olo'eyktan in him, under the smiles of his father and mother.
Ilyun: You'd better give up. But it was without counting on the young warrior's fighting spirit.
Lutsey : If you want to get me, you'll have to do better than that!
It surprised the clan that she could continue despite her condition.
Mother Ilyun annoyed: Why was she so stubborn?
Joltsyn with a smile: You seem to have forgotten who our mother was. You won't make her give up so easily
Ilyun preferred to ignore the remark and tried to bend Lutsey.
Ilyun: You lost. Admit it! You don't stand a chance against me! You're already out of breath and I haven't made any effort yet.
Lutsey: Poor fool. But just because I'm a woman doesn't mean that you've already won.
Ilyun: Very good. I will make it clear to you now.
Then, she dodged a shot intended to knock him down with an acrobatic jump, putting herself behind her opponent. The opponent elbowed her in the stomach for a moment and then a ball hit her back. He turned around and she kicked him in the sensitive parts and he was knocked down. She kicked him in the face, knocking him to the ground and threatened him with the weapon before he had time to recover.
Lutsey: Physical strength isn't everything. Do you give up?
Ilyun: Do I have a choice? Anyway, I'm at gunpoint. I am obliged to grant you victory. She smiled and removed the gun before reaching out to him. At first hesitant, he took it and it helped her to get up.
Lutsey: You were a valiant fighter. You don't have to be ashamed of your performance. Once that was done, she turned to the crowd.
Lutsey: Brothers and sisters, I'm going to ask you a question. What difference does it make whether an olo'eyktan is a man or a woman?
Vilyan: Because the presence of a Tsahik and an olo'eyktan is necessary for the balance of the clan. The Tsahik must interpret while the olo'eyktan directs.
Lutsey: That doesn't answer my question. My sister can play that role. Silence then dominated the play.
Lutsey : Donc ça ne gênera personne que je prenne la place de mon père ?
Ilyun : Pourquoi cette question ? Vous l'avez gagné!
Lutsey: Sure. But winning it doesn't necessarily bring the approval of the people. So I'll leave it to you to decide whether I'm worthy of the role.
The debate lasted three days. Despite the rejection of the three contending families, the majority of the clan sided with the two sisters. Lutsey was proclaimed olo'eyktan at nightfall.
During the ceremony, Joltsyn felt her sister's desire to undo her ceremonial clothes, which she found futile. But she let herself be painted and let the people accept her as such. Joltsyn agreed to become the Tsahik, although they knew that any one of them could assume the function, because of the bond that united them.
At the end of the ceremony, Joltsyn had been able to see what was wrong with her and wanted to tell her sister first.
Joltsyn: Lutsey.
She was watching the clan's activity meticulously before her twin sister's voice interrupted her. She turned to her, raising an intrigued eyebrow.
Lutsey: What is it, little sister?
Joltsyn: I wanted to talk about my migraines. I think I know what they are.
Lutsey interested: Say...Her migraines worried me and your vomiting didn't help reassure me.
Joltsyn remained silent for a moment before signaling to Lutsey to listen.
Joltsyn: I'm expecting a child.
Lutsey: Nang! You... you're sure?
Joltsyn: I'm not sure yet, but the symptoms match.
Lutsey laughed
Lutsey: By Eywa! Barely chief, I am already an aunt! Thank you Twilo!
Joltsyn couldn't help but share her laughter, caressing her belly with tenderness. Inside, the last gift from her beloved.
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