The fire flickered, casting dancing shadows across my face as I sat in deep thought, feeling the weight of the world on my young shoulders. The night sky twinkled above, holding a serene beauty that felt miles away from the turmoil within me.

The idea of marriage didn't bother me that much, but Kiera's words were true. We had to look after ourselves first before we took in a large amount of people. With winter approaching there was a limited amount we had, more than enough for us but not enough to feed the entire world.

I was startled from my contemplation by the sound of soft footsteps. I turned to see my mother, Aisling, approaching me. Her emerald eyes held the wisdom of years and a comforting warmth that always made me feel safe.

"I heard from Mako about the talks with Silma," she said, taking a seat next to me. Her voice was calm, grounding me.

"What do you think I should do?" I asked, my gaze meeting hers. Her answer was not what I expected.

"What I think doesn't matter," she said gently, "The question is, what do you want to do, Tak?"

I sighed heavily. "I don't know, mother. I truly don't."

"Then don't do anything," she said, her hand resting on mine. The simple warmth from her touch felt incredibly reassuring.

"Is that even an option?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why not?" She asked, a soft smile on her face. "You are young, Tak. This isn't your burden to bear alone."

"But I chose to go down there," I said, my voice barely a whisper, "It was my idea."

"I know," she nodded, "But you were just trying to do what you thought was best for all of us."

"I just... I wanted to find a solution that everyone would be happy with," I confessed.

"Everyone won't be happy, Tak. It doesn't always work that way," she said, her words hitting me with a heavy reality.

I sighed again, my gaze falling onto the dancing flames, their intensity reflecting the turmoil inside me. "So, what happens now?"

"We don't have much time," she said, her voice laced with an undeniable truth. "Our provisions will last another day, maybe two at most. After that, we must head home."

Her words stirred a thought within me. Was Silma trying to starve us out, keeping us here while our resources dwindled? The idea seemed too strategic, too advanced for this era. Yet, as I considered it further, I couldn't help but laugh inwardly at the irony.

Perhaps I wasn't the only one who carried knowledge far beyond this age.

My heart throbbed within my chest as I mustered up the courage to ask the next question. The look in Aisling's eyes softened, knowing too well what was coming.

"What would you do if I went with them, mother?" I asked, my voice betraying the dread within me.

A moment of silence fell between us, a silence that somehow echoed louder than any words. "Nothing," she said, her gaze steady. "I would continue my work as a healer, with the tribe."

Her words hung heavy in the air. The notion of being away from my family, away from the life I knew, felt like a cold, harsh wind piercing through me.

"Maeve and Zulu would miss you, as would I," she continued, her voice shaking ever so slightly. "But I know you'd be out there, doing what you're doing now."

I raised an eyebrow, "What's that?"

"Surviving," she said, a gentle smile spreading across her face. "Just like the rest of us."

Her words warmed me from within. I couldn't help but return the smile, even if it was bittersweet. "I would miss you all, and everything we've accomplished," I admitted.

I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts before voicing my next concern. "But if I get married... I don't know how the others will treat me."

Aisling's gaze never wavered. "Others' opinions do not matter, Tak. What matters is your happiness. If you can provide for yourself and your partner, the ancestors care little for the number of women you have or who she is."

"I don't want many women," I said, a sheepish grin on my face.

She chuckled, her laughter a soothing melody in the cool night air. "You say that now, but remember, you are allowed to change your mind. We are all just trying to survive in this world, and sometimes that means making choices that others might not understand. And that's okay."

The lingering twilight painted a soft glow on Aisling's face as she turned to me. "What do you think of Silma, Tak?" she asked, her gaze expectant.

"I think she's beautiful," I began, recalling the first time I'd laid eyes on Silma, "Intelligent and... there's this strange charm about her."

My mother let out a soft chuckle, "You got all that from one encounter?"

"Maybe, I guess so." I shrugged, a faint smile forming on my lips at the thought of Silma.

Aisling's green eyes held a twinkle as she asked, "Why do you think she wants to marry you?"

"That, I don't know," I admitted, shaking my head. "That's the biggest question on my mind."

"Did you do anything special while you were there?" she asked.

"No, I only talked," I responded, still puzzled.

Aisling nodded thoughtfully. "Ahh."

I glanced at her curiously. "What does that mean?"

She let out a soft laugh. "Maybe your words revealed who you are, Tak. You're an intelligent boy, blessed with wisdom by our ancestors. You've been given gifts unique to you, gifts that some might envy, but also find appealing."

I nodded in understanding, but one question remained. "But how does that explain Silma's feelings for me?"

A warm smile spread across Aisling's face. "It's the same as it is for any strong man, Tak. Silma wishes to see your intellect passed on to your children. It's an attractive quality. That's what I think, at least."

My heart twisted at the idea of marrying Silma. On one hand, I wanted to in order to prevent anything from happening to our tribe, and adding to our numbers. Yet, the notion of marrying someone I did not know did not sit well with me. "I can't imagine marrying her, mom. I know very little about her, her people..."

Aisling's voice was soft when she responded. "You can always learn, Tak."

"But, are they as savage as everyone portrays them to be?" She asked me.

"They don't seem to be," I responded. The word 'seem' stuck out, a reminder that appearances could be deceiving.

"Well, that's one less thing to worry about, isn't it?" she pointed out, her voice carrying a note of reassurance.

"Mom, how did you get along with dad?" I asked, curious.

Aisling took a moment before she responded, a softness touching her eyes, "We had a relationship much like you and Liora have now, always seen together within the tribe. Eventually, we realized our bond was more than friendship and had you."

I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. "Do you miss him?"

Aisling's gaze became distant. She was silent for a while before finally speaking. "Yes, I do, but it's all in the past, Tak."

"Yeah," I said, my voice barely a whisper, "It was many winters ago."

Aisling reached over, tenderly ruffling my hair, "Yes, it was. And we're long gone from where he died."

His death happened long ago but it was still on my mind sometimes. Dad had been out hunting with his party when they encountered a large feline. Not sure what kind or what it looked like, all I really saw was the mangled body they ended up bringing back to the tribe.

Changing the topic slightly, she added, "You know, I did tell you to build a home for yourself." I had to laugh at that - I remembered her mentioning that our home would get too crowded soon and I should consider building my own.

"Okay, mom, I'll make sure to start on that soon," I said, chuckling lightly.

She smiled at me, her eyes sparkling in the dim light. "Who knows, maybe this is the will of our ancestors."

"I don't know about that. If it were, wouldn't they have given us an answer by now?"

She shrugged slightly, her smile not faltering. "Maybe they have, and we just haven't noticed it yet. They teach us and show us the way of life, it is up to us how we use it."

I rose abruptly from my sitting position, causing Aisling to look at me in surprise. "Why are you standing?"

"I...I might have an answer," I admitted, my mind racing with thoughts and possibilities. "I need to see Silma again."

"But it's late, Tak," Aisling protested, her worry clear.

"I know, mom. But I have to do this before Mako changes his mind about sending Garan and the others to rescue the Wulani women," I explained, my heart pounding with a sense of urgency.

"Alright," Aisling sighed, relenting. "Just... be careful, okay?"

With a reassuring smile, I nodded at my mother before I turned to head back towards the Mayitan tribe.

☽☽☽

I reached the Mayitan tribe under the cover of darkness, noting the outline of four figures huddled together. As I neared, they spotted me and called out in a language I couldn't understand. Approaching them, I saw their weapons raised. I raised my hands, trying to seem as nonthreatening as possible.

"Silma," I managed to get out, "Need see."

They looked at each other, exchanging words in a language foreign to me. After a few moments, one of them grunted in what I interpreted as agreement. They led me deeper into the tribe, to where Silma was standing next to a roaring fire.

"You came back," she said, an unreadable expression on her face. "Do you have an answer?"

Before I could give my answer, I had to ask, "Why do you want to marry me, Silma?"

"I told you before, didn't I?" she responded, her voice steady.

"Yes, but you don't really know me," I pointed out.

Silma shrugged slightly. "I know enough."

Her answer made me remember what my mom said about why Silma might want to marry me. "Is it because you hope our children will inherit my intellect?" I asked.

Silma's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Is that all you want for your children, Tak?"

I shook my head, not needing a moment to think. My children should have more than just intellect.

"Good," Silma responded, her smile turning into a full-blown grin. I found it captivating, her joy lighting up the space around us.

I decided to change the direction of our conversation. "Silma, I want to tell you a story."

She looked surprised, but intrigued. "Are you a good storyteller, Tak?"

With a confident smile, I responded, "The best."

As we settled near the fire, I started telling the tale of Romeo and Juliet, two young lovers from feuding families. I explained how their love was forbidden, yet they chose to love each other despite the consequences. I spoke of their secret meetings, the intensity of their love, and the tragic end that fate had in store for them.

"And so, despite their strong love for each other, their lives ended in tragedy, due to the hatred and rivalry between their families," I finished, my gaze meeting Silma's wide eyes.

"Romeo and Juliet," she repeated, rolling the foreign names around in her mouth. "Those are interesting names."

I nodded, acknowledging the strangeness of the names in our world. "Yes, they are."

"That's a sad story," she reflected, her gaze thoughtful. "Why did you want to share it?"

Glancing around, I noticed a crowd had gathered around us. I hadn't noticed them as I'd been engrossed in the story. Feeling suddenly claustrophobic, I asked, "Can we go somewhere else?"

Silma laughed, the sound ringing out in the night air. "Tak," she began, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "In my tribe, if an unrelated man and woman enter a room alone, it means they will be wed, as you put it."

I felt my heart pound in my chest, my palms growing damp. "Well, that complicates things. Could you bring Vilthur or someone else?"

She agreed and called out in her language. A moment later, Vilthur appeared from the crowd. Silma exchanged a few words with him and the three of us made our way to an empty tent. The noise of the tribe faded as we walked away, replaced by the gentle rustle of the night wind against the tents.

Within the hut, I noticed the simplicity of its design, highlighted by two fur blankets lying in one corner. Silma took a seat on one of the blankets, patting the space next to her for me to sit. I took a fleeting glance at Vilthur, who had positioned himself near the entrance of the hut, before sitting down.

"You and Vilthur," I asked, "Are you related?"

A smile spread across her face. "Yes, he's family."

Silma's gaze held curiosity. "What made you want to come here?"

I took a deep breath, my mind filled with thoughts of the tale I had just told. "What did you think of the story?"

"It was a good story," she said, her tone earnest. "I'll have to share it with my tribe."

"The way they surrounded us while I was telling it," I pointed out, "made it seem like they understood."

She chuckled softly. "Not in the same way I do."

The tale of Romeo and Juliet served as the perfect metaphor for the predicament we were facing. "I told you that story because, like Romeo and Juliet, I am faced with a huge obstacle. One that could lead to a disastrous and fatal end, just like them."

Silma remained silent, her eyes reflecting her attention. "I don't know whether I should marry you because I barely know you. So I propose this instead. Will you accept my knowledge?"

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I'll share my knowledge with you. In return, you let the captives go."

A slow smile spread across her face. "This is an intriguing proposal."

"Thank you," I replied, feeling a bit more relaxed. "I wouldn't have thought of it if I hadn't been contemplating the wisdom of our ancestors and how they pass on and share their knowledge."

"But that doesn't help us," Silma protested, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

I shook my head, convinced in my approach. "You want me because of my knowledge, right? With this, you get that for your tribe, and you can use it wherever you see fit."

"And your tribe?" She queried, her green eyes scrutinizing me. "Are they okay with this?"

I nodded. "Yes, they are."

A moment of silence passed before she asked the next question. "Is the idea of marrying me that disturbing?"

I was taken aback by her question. "No, not at all. You're very beautiful and if circumstances were different, if we had more time, I'd seriously consider it."

"More time, huh?" She echoed, her tone nonchalant but her eyes revealing curiosity.

I nodded again, my heart pounding in my chest. It was now or never. "Will you accept my offer?"

I waited, the silence hanging heavily in the air.

Her agreement to my proposal left me in a momentary relief, but her question snapped me back. "Why does one need time for marriage? Understanding one another shouldn't be an obstacle," she argued.

"I can get to know you over time if we were wed," I responded, "but there's no guarantee that we'd like each other."

Silma laughed, her eyes twinkling in the dim light of the hut. "I don't care much if you like who I am, considering we won't be spending much time together anyway. We both have our duties to attend to."

I took a moment, mulling over her words. "What do you want, Silma?" I finally asked.

"I want survival. I want my people to not have to worry about hunger," she said, her voice laden with determination.

"Do you think you can get that from me?" I asked, curiosity lacing my words.

Silma nodded. "Among many other things."

Intrigued, I asked, "How did you become the leader of the Mayitan tribe?"

Silma sighed, a soft, long sigh that echoed in the silent hut. "The best suited for our tribe leads us, as I've told you before."

"Yes," I agreed, "But how were you chosen as the best suited?"

Her eyes, as intense as the first time I met her, held a story. A story I was eager to discover, but she was not yet ready to reveal. "Perhaps another time, Tak," she responded, offering a tired smile.

"I understand. It is indeed late," I said, rising to my feet. "We can pick this up tomorrow."

Silma nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, you should talk to your people," she added, reminding me of the task that awaited me.

I agreed, moving towards the entrance of the animal hide hut. But as I touched the rough hide, a question stopped me in my tracks. Turning back to Silma, I asked, "Why did you send people after us?"

Her reply was swift, "Why wouldn't I? I needed to ensure you had left our territory."

I nodded, understanding her intentions. "Yeah, I figured it was something like that."

As I walked back to my tribe, I couldn't help but reflect on the people of this time period. They were far more intelligent and crafty than they were often given credit for. The night grew colder, but the thoughts of my conversation with Silma warmed my mind.