"What! I just want to see you settled! It is well past time for you to find someone you like and you obviously like Kami!" Standing she gestured to her husbands who brought out three chests.
"I haven't had the chance…" Ocello began before getting interrupted by his mother again.
"These are yours for you to start your life here. I do hope once you figure out what you want, you'll be happier than you were with your horrible ex." I smiled at her tentatively. I took a closer look at the chests. They were filled with fabric and animal hides, along with clay dishes and cooking items. I hoped that they were enough for me to get started.
I could imagine laying out the hides to sleep on and dressing in the tunic in the chest. It looked like it was made so that women who were pregnant would be comfortable. I thought about the home I was about to get and then something occurred to me.
I realized that I would be by myself in the hut. On the long journey here, I had gotten used to Ocello being by my side. Meals shared with him and the conversations we had had made the trip fly by. The idea that he wouldn't be upset me more than I wanted to admit. It was a selfish wish, but I really didn't want to be by myself. I glanced over at Ocello. Would he be willing to stay. Was that even allowed?
"Would Ocello be able to stay with me?" I felt safer with him there. I didn't really know what I was doing here and the idea of letting go of the one lifeline I had in this world sounded horrible. Part of me hated myself for being so vulnerable and dependent in this moment. But for now, I decided that being safe was more important to me. I could be strong later.
"Of course he can, if he wants to." The woman chortled and doubled over. "Now I will have to tell you most people will assume he is courting you. Nothing is set in stone until you have the marriage tattoo, though so don't worry about what anyone else thinks and just do what you want." She turned to her son and smacked him on the back. "Of course, we should get someone else's opinion on this one. What do you want to do, son?"
I could see a faint smile on Ocello's face as he walked over to me rubbing the back of his head where his mother had smacked it. Close to me, I had to bend my had back to look up at him. Drawing my hand to him and holding it close to his heart he grinned as if he was being given the most precious opportunity.
"I would be honored to help you however you need." With that, he ducked his head, but not before I saw the fire burning in his cheeks and at the tips of his ears.
"In that case, how about I have Ocello take you around instead of having my husbands jaunt off with you. Oh, and once you pick a place, you should come back for your welcome party!" With that, she ushered us out of the hut where I was greeted by the stares of the villagers. "Everyone, there is going to be a party tonight to welcome our newest villager, Kami! Be sure to show her a warm welcome!"
With that, she spun around, letting the door shut behind her. Inside, I could hear her yelling out directions to her husbands. I looked up at Ocello.
"Come with me. Do you have any preferences to the kind of home you want?"
"I am not sure what you have here. I like to wake up to the sun, so bedroom on the east side of the home would be nice. Close to water or I don't suppose you have running water in the huts?"
"Actually, all of the huts are hooked up to the village water supply." Ocello pointed to the walls of the mountain. "The story goes that when our ancestors came here, they were weary and needed a place to sleep. They were the founders of this village and became the four village elders. The original shifters. In a cave, they met a beautiful woman who told them if they settled here, she would help them build a city worthy of generations to come." As I listened to his story, he took me around the village and began to show me some of the amenities that had been installed. Each hut had either water that ran into the home where people could take a bath or water that ran to two small pools that were centered in a cluster of huts. Huts by those areas were smaller and seemed to have a lot of smaller families.
"Were the village elders and the woman married?"
"Eventually. I heard at first, she didn't like any of them. They had to earn her trust and improve her opinion of them. That is why even today, beastmen work hard to show their future wife that they are worthy of her."
"What about their value? Do any beastmen believe that they shouldn't have to work that hard?"
"Of course there are, but they are often lonely and never marry. Women won't even entertain a beastman who doesn't value them because they don't have to."
"What do you mean?"
"There are less women in this world than men. For every one girl that is born, about four beast children are born. Besides, women are often more powerful than men after they learn magic. Men might be stronger physically, but they can't stand up against walls of fire or torrential downpours. Women are quite capable of protecting themselves. Women don't need men unless they want children. So, it's up to us to show them that we will make good fathers and husbands. A woman chooses a mate who will share her burdens and take them up if she needs him to."
"That is really insightful." I told him, looking around to the other men and women.
"I can't take credit for it. This is what we are all taught by our fathers. I've heard of some tribes who don't treat their women well and they are always trying to steal other people's wives because of it. But women always have the final choice."
"What do you mean?"
"The mate tattoo is both a divine symbol of a marriage and a promise between two people to love each other. If that oath is broken, the beastman will usually die."
"What if it is her fault?" I asked, startled at the finality of it.
"Those are the times when he doesn't. But it is painful for him. And he will never find another woman. That is just how the goddess made us."
"Like, never ever?" I couldn't imagine someone being beholden to me in such a way. Men had little choice once they were with a woman.
"The most he can find is companionship. But he will always feel there is something missing."
"It seems so sad."
"You shouldn't worry too much, we are all raised to respect each other and our bonds. I wouldn't say we never have any problems, but there are harsh punishments for people who force others or are irresponsible in their choices."
"But what if you regret it? Regret me?" I asked in a whisper. I couldn't look at him. "We just met. Do you really want to court me like your mom said?"
"I've lived for many years and had yet to meet a woman I wanted that with." Ocello tipped my head up to look at him. "You showed up out of nowhere and now I feel my heart is stirring. Whatever you choose, I won't regret feeling this with you."
My breath caught at his words. Still, I stared at Ocello and wondered again if I was being too selfish. If I should have just lived on my own until we knew for sure. Marriage in my old world was only a legal contract, one that could be easily broken. But here, breaking a marriage was tantamount to seeking divine retribution. Though, the idea that my ex would have receive a punishment for his actions did appeal to me.
Of course, he would cross my mind as someone else spoke words that made me want to hope. I frowned as I recalled little moments where Danny had insisted on helping me but would actually cause so many other problems that I would send him off and do it myself. My attention was drawn to a beastman who was working over a hot fire most likely cooking for his family close by. As a chef, I recognized the fluid movements of many hours spent tossing and sautéing ingredients as a meal came together. That reminded me of the one time Danny had insisted on cooking for me.
The corners of my lips twisted into a wry smile. He had burned everything and left the kitchen a mess. Rough cut vegetables were scattered all over the floor and I think he may have even burned a pan so badly I had to get a new one. I never let him in the kitchen again, but looking back, I wondered if he was really that bad or if he had been manipulating me. What was true in our relationship and what was a lie? Fear made me want to run, and I could feel the pain of Danny's betrayal creeping up when Ocello took my hand and pulled me over to a medium sized hut part way down the mountain.