WTFBT Anthology: Asterin | 505 SM

Honey Moon, 505 SM

Black Ice Tribe, the Deadlands

She took long and steady breaths, her eyes settling on the wooden planks that made up the walls of her bedroom. Take deep breaths, she told herself, her breathing intensifying. Calm down, and take deep breaths. Her fingers threaded through her long blonde hair as she tried to stay calm, but it was useless. She pressed her palm against her chest, and her vision blurred. I can’t do this. I can’t be a part of the Selection. 

She sprang to her feet, eyes darting around the room, desperately searching for a way out. 'Do I run?' she pondered, her heart heavy with the answer she already knew. 'can I survive in the Deadlands alone?' The truth brought tears to her eyes. 'It’s the Deadlands for a reason,' she whispered, her acceptance a bitter pill to swallow. 'I must embrace my fate.'

She collapsed​​ to the floor, overwhelmed by the impending reality. Today is the day I will be chosen and torn from my home. She cried harder, the pressure building in her head. There's nothing I can do, she realized, the bitter truth settling in. And it's unbearable. 

The door swung open, and her mother's stern figure filled the doorway. ”Asterin, what’s all this whimpering?” she demanded, hands on her hips. “There’s no reason for tears. Your life is privileged.”

“Today is Selection Day.” 

“Is that supposed to affect me?” her mother inquired, causing Asterin’s tears to stop. “You were supposed to participate in a selection three years ago, but every year, there is a reason you cannot attend. Your moonblood started, you were sick, you were nowhere to be found,” her mother continued, counting the different excuses Asterin had previously used. “I don’t care if you’re vomiting blood; you will be a part of the Selection today.” She insisted, shifting the weight on her feet. “You will not continue to bring shame onto this family. The madness ends today. Do you hear me?” There was silence. “Do you hear me?” 

The weight of her mother's expectations felt like a noose tightening around her neck, choking her with the pressure to conform. “I’m not deaf,” Asterin snapped, frowning. “Can’t I just cry a little bit?”

“You cried last year and the year before that,” her mother countered. “You’re an adult now. You must participate in the Selection and receive a job. Everyone in the tribe does it, so get over it.”

She pouted at her mother’s words, knowing the woman was right. Only those chosen to be tribe mothers, fathers, and aides stay here. Everyone else goes on to live their lives far away from the Deadlands. She shivered. I’m not the family's eldest daughter, so I cannot be a tribe mother. She inhaled sharply at the thought. Suzette! Maybe she can help me. 

Asterin snapped her attention to her mother. “Where is Suzette?”

“Breastfeeding Lucas, why?”

“Does she need help with Ontari?”

“No, Lili is attending to Ontari.”

“Oh,” Asterin exhaled, turning her eyes to the floor. Lili did become an aide. And, of course, she got to be an aide to Suzette. Regret filled Asterin. I should have attended the Selection last year. Maybe I could have been an aide. “Have you heard from Tycom and Steph?” 

Her mother rolled her eyes. “You know I haven’t heard from Tycom since he unhappily boarded a ship to leave. Steph sent a letter five moons ago, which you have already read,” she answered with an attitude. “Any other questions?” Asterin shook her head, ultimately defeated. “Good. Now, wash up with Rumie and prepare for the Selection.”

Asterin sighed, nodded, and lifted herself off the floor before silently exiting her bedroom. She trekked to the bathhouse, where she could hear children playing wildly from half a mile away. I wish I could be that carefree, she frowned, approaching the bathhouse. 

When she opened the door, water splashed, thoroughly soaking her. “Rumie! Dontet!” she shouted, causing the pair to quiet. “What are you doing?”

“We are getting ready for the Selection,” Dontet replied, jumping on Rumie’s back and dunking her underwater. “Get in so I can push you under, too,” he added with a devious grin. 

“You’re not participating in the Selection today,” Asterin scoffed at her little brother. “Why are you bathing?”

“Mother said I stunk so bad that the Underworld might open up and take me to the dark gods. I don’t want to go with the dark gods, so I’m washing up,” Dontet explained before going under the water. 

Asterin rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she said to no one and began undressing.

“You are going to the Selection?” Rumie questioned, swimming to the edge of the bath. Asterin nodded, and her little sister’s eyes lit up. “We get to go together!” she cheered. “I was nervous to go today, but maybe things will be better with you there.” 

Asterin’s heart softened at her sister's innocence, wishing she could shield her from the harsh realities of their world. “What job do you want to be selected for?”

Rumie’s smile grew larger. “I want to be a Zaiku and become a Quiver’s Pit member.”

Asterin frowned. “You want to become the Lord Protector of the Grasslands’ guard?”

“Aye, that is what Steph wanted to become! He said that being a member of Quiver’s Pit is the highest honor you can bring to the family. There is a member now; her name is Cethera, and,”

“I know, I know, the Black Mamba’s family is paid so nicely by the Lord Protector that none of them have to work and, therefore, are not forced to participate in the Selection,” Asterin interrupted. “Mother constantly informs me of this.”

Rumie blinked at her sister. “Is that not something to strive for?” she questioned, her lips quivering. 

Asterin sighed, not wanting to break her sister’s heart. “No, striving for something like that is amazing,” she assured, and Rumie’s bright smile returned. “What do you not want to become?”

Rumie turned away. “I don’t want to be a tribe mother.”

She laughed at her little sister’s answer. “You cannot be a tribe mother. Suzette was already chosen to be one,” she explained. “And anyway, why don’t you want to be a tribe mother?”

“Suzette is only two years older than you and has two children. Her husband is rarely at home to help, forcing Lili to be the father while Suzette mothers the children. And apparently, her husband is forcing Suzette to try for another child,” tears filled the young girl’s eyes. “Suzette had Lucas only three moons ago. She cannot have another child!”

“Rihan wants to have another child?” Asterin questioned breathlessly, and Rumie nodded. Suzette can’t have another child. If she has another one that quickly, she could die. Gooseprickles covered her skin. What is Rihan thinking? “Does Mother know?”

“Aye, she claims that the tribe elders are demanding more children to be born.”

“Don’t worry,” Dontet replied, reentering the conversation. “If Rihan gets Suzette pregnant again, I will make him regret it,” he chuckled, scratching his thumb against his neck as if to cut someone’s throat. “No one is going to make my sister have children if she doesn’t want any,” he continued. “And anyway, Rumie, you said Rihan is rarely home. Where does he go? He’s a tribe father. They don’t have jobs.”

“Lili told me he has been seen with the other woman aides,” Rumie whispered, causing Asterin and Dontet to gasp. “Please don’t tell Suzette! She has been despondent since giving birth to Lucas. Lili says that Suzette cries practically every day, and she once tried to drown herself. I don’t want this rumor to bring her any more pain.”       

“I want to kick Rihan’s ass,” Dontet grumbled. 

“You and me both,” Rumie replied, forcing a smile. “But, please, don’t tell Suzette.” 

“We won’t,” Dontet assured. “Right?” 

Asterin stared at the ripples of the water, taking in the conversation. The elders want more children, she repeated, making sense of it all. But why? Why do they need more of us? Her eyes settled on her siblings, and her breathing intensified. More children. With more children, there will be more people to give jobs to. Could it be? Could the elders want more children to provide the Grasslands with more workers? Are we cattle for others to purchase? Is my home nothing but a farm? The questions swirled in her head, causing her lips to tremble. I don’t want to be a part of this anymore. 

“Ast,” Dontet called again, his voice uneasy. 

She blinked at her little brother before nodding rapidly. “Aye, I won’t tell Suzette,” she assured, practically out of breath. 

“Thank you,” Rumie replied, but her face still showed worry. “The Selection should be starting soon. Let’s go back to the house and get ready.”

Back inside the house, Asterin sat quietly in front of the mirror, waiting patiently as her mother brushed Rumie’s white-blonde hair until it shone. Her eyes followed her mother’s hand movements, trying her best to stay calm. Was I born only to receive a job? Is that all we are created for? Can I be nothing else? 

“Why are you crying again?” her mother questioned with an attitude. 

Asterin wiped her wet cheeks and sniffled. “Sorry,” she exhaled, turning her eyes to the floor. “I didn’t realize I was crying.”

“Do you see Rumie crying?” her mother continued to antagonize. “You are getting selected today to start your life. The Selection is the moment every person in the tribe waits for. Stop crying about it and start feeling grateful. In other parts of the world, you would probably be sold off as a slave. At least you don’t have to be that.”

Rumie buzzed her lips. “Just because I’m not crying doesn’t mean I don’t feel the same way Asterin does,” she started, sitting straighter. “Mother, you said we were born for the moment to participate in the Selection… Is that all we were born for? Do I have no choice other than the one chosen for me? That doesn’t sound like much of a life.”

Her mother’s gaping mouth closed before she relaxed into a smile. “So every one of my children is the same,” she chuckled. “You think I haven’t heard this before?” she questioned with a dark laugh. “Suzette sobbed. Tycom was violent. Depression filled Steph and Lili. Asterin had made excuse after excuse not to attend. And now you, my sweet Rumie, you question the Selection?”   

The young girl’s eyes grew wide with nervousness. “Am I not allowed to question It?”

Emotions twisted the woman’s face before she relaxed. “No, Rumie. You are not allowed to question the Selection. Now, go get dressed.”

Rumie scampered into the other room, leaving just Asterin and her mother. The two stared at each other silently, but Asterin wanted to do nothing but resume her mental spiral. 

“You’ve been filling her head with that nonsense, haven’t you?” her mother sneered. 

“Huh?”

“Do I get no choice other than the one chosen for me?” her mother repeated Rumie’s words. “Those are your words, Ast. She learned that from you.”

“No, she didn’t.”

“Why lie?”

“I’m not,” Asterin replied, standing. “As you said, all of your children are the same. How do you know she didn’t hear it from Tycom or Lili? No, it is always me. You always pick me as the villain. Well, you’ll get rid of the family outcast today. So be happy about that!” 

Asterin stomped down the hall and back to her bedroom. She quickly slipped on the white dress she was supposed to wear for the Selection. She took a deep breath and turned on her heels, refusing to look in the mirror. Today, my life will change. I will no longer be the girl I once was. Once I leave this room, the Asterin I had known all my life will be dead. Tears burned her eyes at the realization. And there is nothing I can do about it.  

***

Soft music played as the tribe filled inside the enormous tent. Conversations stacked on top of each other, bringing a roar that brought Asterin anxiety. She grabbed Rumie’s hand, and her little sister looked back up with teary eyes. Asterin pressed on a smile, trying to ease her sister’s worries, but she knew it was no use. This is wrong. This Selection is wrong. 

An old man walked to the front of the tent and lifted his hand to stop the music. “The Selection will begin,” he announced, causing some in the audience to gasp. “Those who are of age, step forward.” 

Asterin and her sister stepped forward, their bodies shaking. Everything will be okay, Asterin tried to tell herself. Everything will be okay. 

The man opened an old, tattered book and cleared his throat. “During the eight-hundredth and fiftieth year of the Empyrean Ascendancy Era, Iceni the Glacier traveled with the great King Brayd Quiver to the Deadlands to meet with the Black Ice Tribe. King Brayd promised peace and wealth if we served the King of the Grasslands. The Black Ice Tribe accepted this promise and created the Selection.” The old man licked his fingers before turning the page. “The Selection is a process where representatives choose our young to serve the Grasslands. And that process will begin now. Nubi, leader of the Zaiku, please begin your selections.”

Rumie squeezed Asterin’s hand excitedly as the woman began to walk through the crowd. She studied each person and tapped some on the shoulder, indicating that she had selected them. Nubi approached Asterin and looked her up and down, clearly unimpressed. The woman smirked before turning to Rumie. Rumie stood straight when their eyes met, and she puffed out her chest nervously, attempting to seem bulky enough to become a Zaiku. Nubi sighed and continued, not tapping Rumie’s shoulder. 

The excitement melted off of Rumie’s face as she understood what had happened. “Is that it? Will I not get another chance?”

Asterin looked away. “No, I’m sorry.” 

“Savant Rosemary of the Citadel, please make your selections,” the man called.

“Maybe the Citadel will choose you,” Asterin added, trying to calm her little sister. “It might not be the same as becoming a Zaiku, but I’m sure it will be fun too.”

Another young woman scoured the crowd, examining each person behind her veil and lightly touching the shoulders of those she selected. When the woman approached Asterin, she paused. “Ooo,” she exhaled excitedly. "I feel something special coming from you.”

Asterin’s heart dropped. “Something special,” she exhaled, trying to understand what the woman was saying. 

Savant Rosemary lifted her veil, and Asterin was met with rainbow-colored eyes. “Ah, yes, very special. The archaic ways of this tribe will not stop you, nor will I.” Her toothy grin widened as she lightly touched Asterin’s shoulder. “I choose you.” Asterin froze at the declaration as Rosemary turned her attention to Rumie. “The archaic ways will not stop you either, child,” the woman said, lightly touching Rumie’s face. “Choose your path.” She turned away from Rumie and continued examining the rest of the crowd. 

Rumie slowly turned to Asterin, mortified. “What did that woman mean? She said I was the same as you, but she didn’t choose me. Is there something wrong with me? Will I ever get picked? I don’t want to go unpicked. You know what happens to those who go unpicked.”

Asterin pinched her little sister, quieting the girl. “No one goes unpicked. Don’t even bring that energy into the tent. No one has gone unpicked in over a hundred years. The disposal doesn’t happen anymore.”

“But what if it happens? They never said it couldn’t happen again if no one gets picked. They have gone through the Zaiku and the Citadel. Only the Glazers are next.”

“Tobi of the Glazers, please make your selection.”

A man walked through the crowd just as the others did, and just as the others did, he skipped right past Rumie, causing the girl to hyperventilate. “I didn’t get chosen,” she tried to say in between breaths. “I didn’t get chosen.”

“Stay calm.”

“I didn’t get chosen.” 

“It’s okay, stay calm,” Asterin continued to say. 

“For those unchosen,” the old man started, returning the attention to him. “The Black Ice Tribe has made it their mission to ensure that no one goes unchosen to avoid the wretched disposal process, so we have created a new tradition for the unchosen. As I’m sure you have noticed, I did not tell the eldest daughters and sons to go to the side of the tent as they would become the tribe's mothers and fathers. That is because starting this year, the unchosen will take that role instead.” 

Gasps filled the air at the declaration, and Rumie dropped to the floor, unconscious.

“Rumie,” Asterin shrieked, falling to her knees. “Rumie, wake up,” she cried, shaking her little sister. “Someone please help her!”

Savant Rosemary lightly pushed Asterin aside and picked Rumie’s head up. She opened the girl’s mouth and filled it with a strange liquid. “Your little sister seems to have experienced extreme shock and fainted. She should be fine soon.”

Asterin pressed her lips together. “What do you know about this change?”

“I know nothing.”

“Why did you choose me? What do you want me to do?”

“Oh, something simple. You will become a handmaiden to a highborn woman in the Mountain Realm. Her family is quite important, and we need eyes on them.”

Asterin reared her head back. “A handmaiden. I don’t want to be that. Give that job to Rumie, and I will become a tribe mother.”

“Apologies, but it doesn’t work that way,” Savant Rosemary replied. I chose you, and Rumie chose a different path.”    

“A different path?”

“You will soon learn.”

Asterin’s mother pushed her out of the way. “What happened to Rumie; is she okay?”

“She is fine,” Rosemary assured. “She fainted, so I gave her some medicine to ease her pain for when she wakes back up.” 

“Dontet, carry Rumie home. Asterin, go with them,” her mother commanded, bringing herself to her feet. “I must speak with the tribe elders,” she added in a low growl before stomping away. 

At home, Asterin sat in her room, focusing only on her breathing. Rumie will become a tribe mother, and I will be a handmaiden. Why can’t that job go to Rumie? I don’t want to be a tribe mother, but I’ll take that if it means Rumie will be happy and I can stay here. It makes no sense. Why, out of all years, did they change the rules? There hasn’t been an unchosen in so long, and now they have changed the Selection to demand it. That means more tribe mothers and fathers every year. She paused, remembering Rumie’s words. The tribe elders are demanding more children to be born. And to do that, they need more parents. Gooseprickles covered her skin. This is wrong. 

When her bedroom door opened, her eldest sister, Suzette, entered. “Are you okay?” she asked, handing Asterin a cup of tea.

Asterin grabbed the cup and took a sip, quickly warming her up. “Not really, but there is no choice. I can’t worry about myself when Rumie receives the worst outcome.”

“Don’t worry about Rumie,” her sister replied.

Everything slowed. “What do you mean?” Asterin asked, rocking back and forth. 

“Rumie will be fine,” Suzette responded, but her voice and face morphed into strange shapes and sounds. 

Asterin moved her head and forcefully slapped her face, but everything around her continued to swirl. Her head grew heavy, and she fell onto her bed. “What is happening?” Her little sister entered the room, dressed in her hunting gear. Asterin lifted her head. “Rumie?”

“This was the only way I could do it without you coming with me,” Rumie started, walking closer to Asterin. “I had Suzette give you a short paralyzing tea that Savant Rosemary gave me. It will give me enough time to run away before you, Dontet, or Mother can chase after me.”

Asterin slowly turned her eyes to Suzette. “Not her?”

“I cannot follow Rumie,” Suzette explained with grief. “I have Ontari and Lucas to look after. But I support Rumie in her decision and am helping her escape.”

“Es-escape.”

“Aye,” Rumie replied, sitting on the bed. “Tycom left a map that leads to the new port town at Dead Man’s Bay. I will journey there, get on a boat, and travel the world.”

Tears streamed down Asterin’s face. “I… go… too.”

Rumie shook her head. “You heard Savant Rosemary. You must follow your path, and I must follow mine. This is the path that I am taking, and I must take it alone.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to be happy.”

The tears continued. Rumie is leaving. She is leaving and made sure I cannot go with her. She is doing this for herself, and I am happy for her, but it still hurts so much. Asterin sniffled, her heart heavy. “Be…happy…for…me…too.”

Rumie smiled. “Of course.” She brought herself to her feet. “But I must leave now. They want to start coupling the unchosen tomorrow, and I won’t be there for that.” 

Asterin slowly blinked, feeling sleep take her. “Understand,” she exhaled, trying to stay awake. “Love… you,” she struggled, knowing this was the last time she would see her little sister.

Rumie lightly kissed Asterin on the forehead. “I love you too, sweet sister.” 

“Bye.”

“Goodbye,” Rumie waved before turning on her heels and walking away with her head held high. 

Suzette turned to Asterin and smiled briefly before sitting on the bed. “You did good,” she praised motheringly, moving the blonde hair from Asterin’s face. “And Savant Rosemary said the paralyzation should only last a few hours. But you mustn’t follow Rumie. You do understand that, right?”

And all Asterin could do was cry.