Shay's Pov
I had to keep my distance from Kai.
Soon, after his father's burial rites, Kai was made the king of the Siuan tribe. Sikeka ushered in the blessings and showers of rain fell while he knelt before Sikeka.
I also gave out my blessings beside Sikeka.
"Are you going to keep avoiding me?"
I startled, turning to look up at Kai. I had gone to pick herbs for Sikeka, which was a little distant from our hut. I didn't know that I was being followed.
"Kai," I called, "what are you doing here?"
"Are you going to keep avoiding me?" He repeated, pushing past the trunk of tree in his path, when it wouldn't budge, he had to jumped over it.
He was wearing tripled reded beads, intersected with quails around it. He must have taken off his fur jacket which indicated royalty, so as not to be identified.
After our first shared kiss, Sikeka had warned me to keep my distance from Kai, and I must heed to such warnings. My ties to the gods were much sacred than the feelings which I must have for Kai.
But each passing day reminded me of my burning desire for Kai.
Why would the gods ordained me a stranger to be a vessel or messenger to the Siuan tribe? Why will I who had no prior knowledge of the Siuan be reverend as one so powerful?
Kai was handsome than ever, looking at him reminded me that I could share so much with him if the gods would ever permit.
And if they don't they should let me return home. Afterall Sikeka wasn't Emilia and I can't have Kai.
I picked up my bowl of basket, turning around to avoid him catching sight of me gaping at him.
"You should leave, Kai. Sikeka must have warned you too," I said.
"Hell yes, she did. But, can I stop thinking about you? The kiss replay a million times and I yearn to have a concrete conversation about it with you but you keep avoiding me," he said.
I still had my back towards him, "you know why I have to. Stop feigning ignorance to the cause," I said.
"To what cause? to the fact that I can't keep seeing you?" He swirled me around, looking deep into my eyes.
My heart began to pound, my mouth agape, I thought I couldn't breathe. I turned away at once, avoiding his eyes.
"I have work to do," I told him.
He took the basket from me, "everything is just too fast. I don't want to be a king but tradition wills it so. I have no other sibling than Tasi who isn't born of my mother. I'm pressured into the affairs of our tribe that I can't seem to get a hour for myself. And when I do have time to catch a glimpse of you, you flee from me, avoiding me in every possible way," he explained.
"You are a king, Kai. And you must respect my position," I started to turn away.
He pulled me in, tearing at the band that held my hair in place. I gasped as I circled round into his arms, my breasts solidly colliding with his masculine chest. We stared endlessly, affected by the impact of our bodies melting as one.
"I want you, Muna," he rasped without thinking.
"I don't think you want me, my king," I recovered my voice, pushing at his chest.
"Stop Muna, please," he begged.
Without another word, he kissed me, pulling my hips close to his groin. Thousand of goosebumps puked through my skin. My nipples hardened as rock as his hands ran across my skin.
Against my wish, I kissed him back. My heart thudding wildly against my ribcage. I'd never felt this wild emotions for a man before, not even for a man who was from my world.
Why then was my emotions betraying me?
I moaned softly, that only surged him on. He pulled my skirts up, lowering his drab of clothes around his waist.
"Kai, we are not doing this, are we?" I asked softly, admist kisses.
"I want you so much, Muna," he whispered in my ears, kissing me as his hands found my breasts beneath my clothes.
I struggled with the wave of ecstasy. There was no way he was having me this way? Somebody could be out there watching us? This can wait, this can possibly wait, my thoughts yelled at me.
"Kai," I pushed at his chest.
But he was obviously carried away by the pleasures of the moment, pulling out his hardened rod as he found my soft and wet folds.
"Kai!" I yelled, pushing him backwards.
He staggered, his shaft bobbed, shunned by my acts.
After he recovered from the shock, he pulled up his drab of clothes, tying it round his waist.
"I thought you wanted this," he said to me.
"Not like this, Kai." I told him, then I  looked over the hills as I thought I heard some rustle of leaves.
"There is someone watching us," I sensed.
"There is no one watching us," Kai said.
"You need to leave Kai," I said, looking down at myself.
"I don't have to repeat myself or I'll leave," I looked away, picking my basket. I was obviously embarrassed, how was I to explain to him that I was an absolute virgin?
I had detested men all my life, and the first man I actually wanted to do it with was a King, far from home.
"Muna, we can still talk about this," he pleaded with me.
"We are done talking, Kai," I said and started the way up the slope.
"Muna, Muna...," he continued to call.
I walked on, not looking back, ignoring the tingling sensation that throbbed between my legs. Ignoring the look of rejection on Kai's face.
Yes, I'd wanted him but at what expense.
I might lose my poise as who I was to the Siuans. I have to keep myself intact till the day I leave Siuan.
Kai was only in love with the idea of him inside of me.
But I wanted him still.
*****
Before I stepped into the quarters of where I shared with Sikeka. Tasi stepped in front of me. His face had the expression of "I hate you".
"What's with the look on your face, Tasi?" I asked him, placing the basket at my side.
He scoffed, "you should be aware of what power you possess and what your role actually means," he started.
I rolled my eyes, "I thought the elders who used to spit at my role have finally accepted my role here in Siuan. Why then do you care, Tasi?"
"I saw you, kissing him with no iota of shame. You should know your place, Muna,"
My heart fell to pieces when I heard that. I knew someone was watching us, so he was the one.
"Why were you spying on us? that was rude?" I said.
"And do you think it's honorable to have sex while picking herbs?" He smirked, watching me with disdain.
"I knew you have a plan all along. Why will a mere stranger be as powerful as Sikeka and be rewarded a position in our tribe?"
My stomach churned at his words, as I gripped my basket tightly, "that's none of your business, now stay clear from my path," I warned.
"Let me tell you this, Muna, since you're new here. Kai can't have you no matter how he claims to love you. He knows why, that's why you're in the dark. A royalty is meant to marry royalty even if they are cousins. And it's forbidden for a prince to marry a seer, it has never been heard of before. You are only a Sikeka whose position is never meant for marriage either."
The words drove deep like a edged, sharpened sword, was this really true?
That Kai could marry only a royalty? And a seer can never marry a royal as well?
Who else was royalty in Siuan asides Kai?
As Tasi left me, my legs had turned to jelly to carry me. Tasi's words never left my head. They rang out like best in my ears.
So, what was I to Kai?
I scoffed a million times to myself.
Maybe, this was all a joke.
As I took another step, my world twirled round in circles. I shut my eyes briefly trying to gather myself. And like an arrow shot through my chest, I began to gasp for air.
The children who had noticed my discomfort yelled out to Sikeka, I began to fall backwards.
And as my eyes shut slowly, I heard the voices of Sikeka, followed by Kai.
Kai, who I was beginning to love..
Beginning to glimpse of a future with us...
Beginning to trust...
Yet, I loved him still.
Tasi was lying, there was something about the way he spoke to me. I knew he detested me but coming off to lay such crude words at my feet.. was unacceptable.
I must meet Kai, confront him. He must know of this.
Why will he take delight in playing with my feelings?
He should know that I wanted more and not just some flirting season with him.
There were a lot of questions I had to ask him but what was happening to me?
Was I dying? Certainly not.
I was a Sikeka, that role tormented me.
Can I have Kai and can as well fulfill my duties as a Sikeka?
When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find a doctor attending to me. I asked him some couple of questions which he answered with the sweetest smile.
Maybe this was a dream, I told myself.
I shouldn't be here, I wasn't done with Kai.
I needed to hear him out before I administer whatever conclusion that I'd in mind.
My parents came in some minutes later and I began to tell them about Siuan.
My mum must obviously think me mad, because she had a look of shock on her face.
My dad just couldn't comprehend whatever thing I was saying.
At the mention of Emilia, they both had concluded that something was wrong with me.
"Doctor, please you need to do a cross examination on my daughter," my mother said when the doctor she had called came in.
"Your daughter is fine," the elderly man answered her.
"Fine? Look at her saying things that sound absurd. My mother had died four months back but my daughter here keeps saying she's alive," Sheila explained.
I walked over to my dad, "dad, you need to believe me."
My dad stared on at me, unable to say a word.
"I think it's that mirror, it's been bewitched. I will have it removed from your house at once," Sheila pointed out.
"No, mum. How do I get back and talk with out with Kai?" I reasoned.
"Talk what out with..," she slapped her forehead, "and who the hell is Kai?"
"Calm down, now, madam. I think your daughter must have had some series of dream," the doctor said.
"That must be it, please kindly check on her," Sheila said.
The doctor led me to the bed, had me tucked in, dipped back the drip string into my skin. "She will be fine. I think you need to leave her to her rest."
"Ok, that's fine," Ryan spoke up for the first time.
"When can I go home so I can see Kai?" I asked the doctor.
"Kai? Who the hell is Kai?" My mum kept asking.
*****
When I finally woke up, I was home with friends and family. Everyone was busy doing something. I glanced around looking for the mirror which obviously wasn't in the centre of the room.
I walked back to the parlour, everyone paused when they saw me in my dress.
"Mum, dad, where is my mirror?" I asked.
Sheila stepped away, Jennifer took over sharing the drinks for the visitors who had came to see me.
I was puzzled, "what's going on here? nobody died, right?"
Sheila covered my mouth, pushing me into my bedroom. "I'm glad you are awake. You don't just say out your thoughts like that. We were all worried about you."
"Worried about me? nothing is wrong with me. Mum, where is my mirror?" I asked.
"I had it taken out. It will be thrown into the trash soon."
"Trash? Mum, you must get it back," I told her.
"There is no way I'm getting that back," my mum said to me with a stern face.