17. Don’t Drink From That Jug!

Dindi (Lost Swan Clanhold)

“Because you don’t know her well yet, you might think Dindi is just a little strange,” Papa said to Zavaedi Abiono. “But once you get to know her better, you’ll see that’s not true. She’s very strange!”

Uncle Lubo burst into loud laughter again, which echoed through the smoky kitchen.

“Enough,” said Great Aunt Sullana. Her voice was final. The laughter from the uncles stopped, though the younger cousins still snickered.

“Where have you been, Dindi?” Great Aunt asked. “Hadi says you ran off without him, even after I clearly told you not to.”

Dindi gave Hadi a betrayed look. He stuffed a pisha in his mouth and shrugged.

“Seven times seven times seven,” said Great Aunt Sullana, her voice dry with age, “I have warned you again and again not to go off alone. Didn’t I just say strangers were seen in the woods? What if some outtribesman saw you and carried you off?”

“Well,” said Papa, “You’ve been wondering how to marry Dindi off.”

“I said I wanted her married off, not carried off. Elli, can’t you keep your husband’s mouth shut?”

“If I had married a goat, I could leash him,” Mama said.

“Instead, you married a boar.”

Papa just laughed.

Great Aunt Sullana turned to Zavaedi Abiono. “You see what I deal with, Zavaedi?”

Zavaedi Abiono looked at Dindi’s sticky blue face. He gave a polite little cough. Dindi wished she could disappear.

“I gave up trying to fix that wild child long ago,” Great Aunt Sullana continued. “If her mother won’t do it, I can’t. And her mother won’t. Will you, Elli?”

“She’s still a child, Aunt Sullana,” Mama said.

“Not for much longer,” the older woman replied.

Finally, the adults changed the topic. But beside Dindi, her cousins Jensi and Tibi began whispering.

“Dindi,” said Tibi, “before you got here, Abiono asked what year you were born. He asked about Hadi and Jensi too. Do you think there’s going to be an Initiation?”

“Of course there is, squirrel-brain,” Jensi said. “It’s finally here. You’re lucky, Dindi. It came early for you. It came late for me. Just think, Dindi—by next year, we’ll be able to pick husbands! And then comes babies!”

“Ugh,” said Dindi. “No thanks. I don’t want either. What would I do with a husband or a baby? All they do is give you more cooking and cleaning. I’d rather dance.”

“You can’t dance without magic,” Jensi warned.

“I hope you’re not as dumb as Mad Maba,” Tibi said. “Someone told me she wanted to be a Tavaedi so badly, and when they told her she wasn’t worthy, she—”

“Kemla told you that,” Jensi interrupted.

“So what if she did?”

Across the room, Hadi and the boys were talking too. Suddenly, Hadi yelled out, loud and clumsy, mouth still full, “Is that why Zavaedi Abiono is here? Is it time for the Initiation?”

The whole room went silent.

Hadi turned bright red.

All the adults looked away, pretending not to hear. Except for Great Aunt Sullana. She stared straight at Hadi with eyes like stone.

“Not my place to ask,” he mumbled. “Sorry, Zavaedi.”

Zavaedi Abiono nodded. He glanced at Dindi again, coughed again, and looked down at his untouched pisha. Across the table, Puddlepaws spotted the food and crouched to attack.

That kitten loved cheese.

“So, Zavaedi Abiono,” said Great Aunt Sullana, with a sweet tone that fooled no one, “If someone wasn’t chosen to join the Tavaedis, wouldn’t the best thing be to marry a good young man, give him her fields to plow, have his children, and live a quiet, proper life?”

“Er… yes, I suppose.”

“You have two nephews, don’t you? Tamio is too handsome for the likes of Dindi, but Yodigo will make a fine farmer one day.”

“Well…”

“For mercy’s sake, let the man eat, Sullana,” said Uncle Lubo. “Here, Zavaedi, would you like some blueberry juice? Dindi made it this morning.”

“Why, thank you…”

Dindi’s eyes went wide in horror. She opened her mouth to warn him—but too late. 

Don’t drink from that jug!

Abiono raised the jug and took a sip.

She covered her face with both hands but peeked through her fingers. She saw the disaster happen clearly.

Zavaedi Abiono’s face twisted in shock and pain. His mouth opened in a tight, awful shape as he spat out the soapy drink.

Great Aunt Sullana cleared her throat, warning him: even a Zavaedi must show manners at the table.

“Urghrem,” Abiono said, bravely wiping his chin like a true warrior. “Quite delicious, thank you. Er… Dindi made that, did you say?” He glanced at her again, then carefully put down the jug.

He reached for his pisha—but now it was wrapped in kitten. He gently pulled Puddlepaws off. The kitten attacked his finger in protest.

“I thank you for the wonderful meal, Dame Sullana,” said Abiono. “But I must leave now. I promised to visit Full Basket Clanhold before sunset.”

Is there anything else I can do to make sure Abiono never invites me to be a Tavaedi? Dindi thought miserably as the family fussed around their guest.

My life is one giant joke. And I’m the only one not laughing.

Uncle Lubo was still chuckling.