The Priestess Trials Trilogy Box Set: An Asian Myth and Legend Series by AA Lee

Author:AA Lee [Lee, AA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Nora

Nora held a purse containing fifteen hundred kwartas and a nugget of gold that was as big as her thumb. The day had come for her to settle half of the debt owed to Datu Hula, and she estimated the gold to be worth at least two thousand kwartas.

Nora stood at the edge of the village facing the river, watching as Jinja and his men made the climb up to Daa. Several of the villagers also stood beside her, eager to see the visitors after what had been a quiet few weeks for the village. Nora was able to clearly discern Jinja from his men, his red attire sharply contrasting with the black worn by his men, as if he was trying to show himself from afar.

Nora walked back to her house, which was about a five-minute walk from the end of the village. She decided that she would meet them inside her house. She put her hand inside the purse and rolled the gold between her fingers. Goni had suggested that they should pay the full balance outright so that they could look for Kenda and bring her back, but Nora had refused. She didn’t want the village of Nayon to think that they were rich.

She sat down on the floor in the middle of the house, where the lunch was set. It was a simple lunch in comparison to that which had been prepared for when she had first welcomed Datu Hula and his family to the village, but she didn’t want to make a fuss. There was no need to try to impress Jinja. If not for her role as high priestess, she would just hand over the payment and send Jinja home, but there was certain etiquette that a priestess must abide.

Cesar came out from the kitchen. “Aren’t they here yet?” Cesar was a man of few words during gatherings, but he was talkative when they were alone. He swallowed his pride during meetings and gatherings and stayed quiet to allow his wife to do the talking, in deference to her being the high priestess. He hadn’t even been by her side when Datu Hula and his family first came to their village. As a man, he was often the topic of debate in the village. A man was normally the head of his household, with the woman following his wishes. In Cesar’s case, things were different, but he had known before marrying Nora that his life would not follow the same course as the other men in their village.

Jinja bowed his head in greeting as he entered the small house. Nora motioned for him to sit, and he did, opposite Nora. The men guarding him sat close by.

“You have to eat first,” Nora said. “Tell your men to eat as well. You have had a long journey, and the return will be equally tiring.”

“You don’t have to worry, High Priestess. We have prepared well for this trip.” Jinja was once again assuming the role of charming representative for his village, rather than the snake that Nora knew him to be.

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