The thrum and energy of the village was a palpable thing. People Syl and Dena passed wore wide smiles despite their hurry and had a bounce in their steps. It was like everybody was out and about, running this way and that to prepare for the night’s feast.

  Fire pits and roasting meats filled the air with mouth-watering smells, men sang as they decorated the buildings, and small children laughed and dashed between them all.

  “I love this time of year,” Dena told Syl. “Having so many people here from the other villages makes it so exciting!” She had to raise her voice to be heard over the hum of the village, but Syl couldn’t miss the exhilaration in her friend’s words. And Syl agreed wholeheartedly.

  Despite the month of veritable captivity coming with the rainy season less than a week away, or perhaps because of it, Syl was full of energy. She wasn’t looking forward to her parents making her stay inside like they did every year.

  Like every parent in the valley did.

  But this week, the week before the rain started, the annual Ka-Sho-Dan and the gathering of the valley’s best dancers was what Syl anticipated all year long. Even now, after hours of grueling Ka-Sho practice, her fingers twitched to hold her Sho-Val again. Her legs longed to jump into the Ka-Sho ring and dance to the pounding drums.

  She wanted it so badly she could almost hear the drums beating the blood behind her ears.

  A group of first-year Ka-Sho trainees maintained the Ka-Sho-Dan ring Syl yearned for as she passed. Her eyes lingered on the space. For the past five years, that ring had been hers. She had clearly dominated the competition.

  Will this year be the same?

  “Don’t worry,” Dena said, reading Syl’s thoughts as she put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Somehow, you’ve gotten even better than you were last year. You’ve got this.”

  “You and the others have gotten better too…” Syl started, but Dena shook her head.

  “Oh, we joke we’re going to make you work for it, Syl, but we all know the truth. We’re just amateurs dabbling in the art of the Ka-Sho. You, though, you’re a master. When I watch you dance, it takes my breath away. Every time.

  “The Sho-Sen says we shouldn’t follow you, but we don’t have a choice. You’re as much the Ka-Sho as the drums are. And it’s not just us that knows it. Everybody in the village does. Everybody came to the Ka-Sho-Dan last night and is going tonight, but not to watch the competition. They’re going to watch you.”

  “No pressure or anything,” Syl sighed, but her cheeks warmed at the compliments.

  “Pressure only makes you do better. Has since we were kids stealing pies right from your mother’s oven.”

  “Thanks, Dena,” Syl said. She hugged her friend. “Speaking of my mother’s pies, I should get back and help her out with those.”

  Dena’s eyes practically lit up. “She’s going to have more at the feast tonight?”

  Syl rolled her eyes. “You know she is. I saw her kneading the dough when I was heading out this morning.”

  Dena’s hands came together to clasp in front of her face and she started to hop in place with excitement. “Is she making more cherry? I looooooove the cherry.”

  “Dena, she’s been making pies for you for fifteen years. I’m sure she’ll have a couple cherry pies set aside just for you. Especially after last night.”

  “Your mother is the best,” Dena exclaimed. “And Nikk is going to regret yesterday when I get my hands on him,” she schemed, memories of missed pie opportunities flitting across her face.

  They parted ways after Syl promised, twice more, to make sure there were extra cherry pies for Dena. And to bring one for dessert after lunch.

  She nodded absent greetings to people she saw on the way home, her mind running through Ka-Sho forms in preparation for the night ahead. Nobody had ever won more than three years in a row before her, and Syl was determined to capture her sixth consecutive victory. As she rounded the last corner, she barely registered the two men standing in front of her door but ducked back before either noticed her.

  One of them was her father, looking serious, as she peeked around the corner. The other man was Nuto, Rogar’s father. She didn’t think they had spotted her and she was just close enough to overhear their conversation.

  “… they would make a good match,” Nuto said. “If you suggest it to Syl, I’m sure she’ll hear you out.”

  “Oh, she’ll hear me out,” her father, Firon, chuckled, “but that doesn’t mean she’ll listen to me.”

  “Then you should make her,” Nuto went on. “You’re her father.”

  “Perhaps you haven’t met my daughter,” Firon said with a conspirator’s smile. “I doubt there’s anybody in the village that can make her do anything.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Besides,” he continued, “she’s almost an adult now. She’ll make her own decisions. I won’t make them for her. If she’s interested in marrying your son, she can bring that to me herself.”

  Syl almost choked at the word ‘marry.’ Her—marry—Rogar? Whose idea was that? Syl didn’t think Rogar would be any happier with the arrangement than she would.

  “Firon, listen to me,” Nuto went on. “It would be a good joining, for both of our families.”

  “That’s all well and good, Nuto, but it’s my daughter, specifically, that I’m concerned with.”

  “Firon…” Nuto started again, but a stout shake of Firon’s head stopped him. “Fine, fine. I’ll let it go for now. But think on it. It’s not a bad match.”

  “My answer will be the same after I think on it, my friend. It’s Syl’s decision. Not yours or mine.”

  Syl let out a relieved breath at her father’s answer.

  “I’ll see you and your family at the feast tonight?” Nuto finally asked in defeat.

  “Ah, I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend but my wife is busy making pies for it as we speak.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Teb fell and broke his arm. I’ve got to head out to his stead to set it right. I’ll be back in a few days.”

  “That’s a shame. Your daughter’s last Ka-Sho-Dan and you won’t be here to see it.”

  “Nuto, my friend, we both know Syl will be in the finals. I’ll be back before then. Speaking of…” Firon raised an eyebrow as Syl rounded the corner, innocently pretending she’d just gotten home.

  Her father saw straight through that ruse, but he didn’t comment on it. “You’re back early,” he said instead.

  “The Sho-Sen has plans for us. Whatever that means. Gave us a few hours for lunch,” Syl answered and gave her father a hug. The extra squeeze let him know just how much she appreciated his input, or lack-there-of, on the marriage proposal.

  “If you’re back, then Rogar should be too. I’d best get home before he pesters his mother. Have a safe trip, friend,” Nuto said and clasped arms with Firon. “I’m looking forward to your dance tonight,” he told Syl.

  “Thank you,” she said quietly as her father returned the farewells.

  When Nuto was around the corner and out of sight, her father turned to her. “How much did you hear?”

  “Enough,” she said with a smile. “Thank you. But you’re going out to Teb’s farm?”

  “Yes. Let’s go inside to discuss it. I haven’t told your mother or brother yet,” Firon said, and opened the door, ushering Syl inside ahead of him.

  “Haven’t told me what?” Syl’s mother asked from just inside the door.

  “Uh, hello dear. Didn’t expect to find you… so close,” Firon said.

  “I heard voices outside the door,” Enna explained. Dry dough covered her hands, but that didn’t stop her from crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at her husband. He hadn’t answered her question yet.

  Enna, like Firon, was a doctor. She had infinite patience for her patients. Which left absolutely none for anybody else.

  “Teb broke his arm…” Firon started, but a huff from Enna cut him off.

  “And he expects you to go out there and set it? Is that it? Tonight?!” Enna exclaimed and began to pace. “The nerve of that man…”

  “I won’t be gone long…” Firon started, again.

  “Four days! Minimum!” Enna turned on him with an accusatory glare. “Did you plan this so you wouldn’t have to help me with any more baking?”

  Syl’s father looked genuinely surprised by the accusation, but instead of answering, he pointedly glanced at Syl.

  Enna’s eyes went from Firon to Syl, and back again. Understanding washed over her in an instant. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have said that. I know how excited you are for the Ka-Sho-dan.” Syl’s mother stepped forward and put an arm around each of them.

  “I’m sorry about the pies,” Firon said, wrapping ‘his girls’ in his arms.

  “It’s fine. Xelly will help me,” Enna replied.

  Syl’s little brother Xelly, short for Xelion, wouldn’t be terribly happy about the new arrangement.

  Not that Syl was going to mention it.

  When they separated a moment later, doughy handprints on both Firon and Syl, Enna gave her husband a loving smile. “I’ll get a few meals packed for you. The next batch of pies is already baking, so I’ve got some time.”

  “Thank you,” Firon said, and planted a soft kiss on his wife’s forehead. “As for you Syl,” he said, turning to face his daughter. “I’ll be back in time to see you win the Ka-Sho-Dan. Don’t you doubt it.”

  “You better be,” Syl said with a faux glare. “I hear the prize this year is a bow crafted by Hemil himself. If I don’t see you in the audience, you can bet you’ll be my first target after I win it.”

  Both Enna and Firon let out a soft whistle. “A bow by Hemil? That’s quite the prize.”

  “And after the spear you won last year… every hunter in the valley is going to be jealous,” Enna said.

  “They already are,” Firon said proudly.

  Syl’s cheeks heated again at her parents’ praise.

  She was lucky to have parents that cared for and supported her like they did. And while part of her was angry at Teb for taking her father away from the competition, the other part of her was all the more determined to make the finals because of it.

  Maybe her father saw the conflict going on inside her head because he tossed her a comforting wink before heading off to pack.

  “That will be your life, you know,” Enna said quietly to Syl as Firon disappeared around the corner. “After your eighteenth birthday, you’ll be on the road with him. Setting broken arms, sewing up cuts, and watching children vomit on your shoes.”

  “The glamorous life of a doctor,” Syl said with a chuckle. “Do you miss it?”

  “Sometimes. But I’m still busy enough taking care of the people here. Not to mention you and your little brother. I don’t need the hassle of being on call to walk the length of the valley and back,” Enna said, but there was a hint of wistful longing in her voice.

  “How do you know I won’t follow in your footsteps?” Syl asked her mother.

  Her mother gave her the ‘I-know-you-better-than-you-know-yourself’ look. “Syl, my darling of darlings, one of the reasons you are so good at the Ka-Sho is because of your complete inability to sit still. You always need to be on the go, doing something. Staying in one village and tending its people? That, my dear, is not in your future.”

  “What if I meet a nice boy and settle down? Nuto was just by…” her mother’s roaring laughter cut her off. The woman laughed so hard Firon even poked his head around the corner to make sure she was all right.

  “Oh, what I wouldn’t give to see Nuto’s face after he really understood what he was getting himself into,” Enna laughed.

  Syl wanted to be shocked by the bluntness of her mother’s words. She wanted her mother to see the expression of hurt on her face. But Syl was laughing too. Her mother was right. Nuto had no idea what he’d be getting his son into.

  The two laughed until the front door cracked open and Xelly’s dark-haired head popped in. The look of concern on his face turned into one of sheer terror when his mother’s hawk-like glare swung in his direction.

  He could tell in that instant his feast plans had just gone up in smoke. He even tried to turn and run but Enna was simply too fast.

  Between tears of laughter, Syl stood aside as her mother dragged her younger brother into the kitchen and threw an apron over his head.

  “Better you than me,” she mouthed so only Xelly could see.

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