SETTLING IN

I was shocked at what I saw, the beauty before me.

This was a whole world on its own with all the buildings made of materials I had never sensed before, in white and all the colours of the rainbow.

There were turquoise blue rivers, ponds and waterfalls at every turn, with colourful plants and fruit trees everywhere.

Gold and Rhodium were like dust with diamonds scattered like the stones beneath our feet.

The few people who lived there all came to welcome us.

The welcoming committee consisted of a young woman, an elderly man and ten children with their relative animal and monster companions.

I found it weird how in all this time, these were the only people who had been gathered.

The people who had come forward bowed low to us but my mom made them stand up as the people spoke our local language to her, she said,"My name is Felicia Oppong and this is my family, we were called here to help rebuild."

The people were confused as they had never heard names like Felicia or Oppong before till I interrupted and said,"You may also call her N'dalak neruhein."

The people began to chant and yell praises as my mom frowned at me then the old man said,"Finally, one of the god generation has come."

I was guessing the so called ' god generation ' was all those who were genetically engineered?

I chuckled nervously at my mom then the people started chanting and led us into the place and there I sensed dozens more people, from closer however, I didn't need Alek's help to see the geyser bordered land with typical African savannahs to the East and thick jungles to the West, or any of the underwater kingdoms with people actually living below and above the land. They led us to the chief who was dressed in gold, silver and leopard skins who came forward then embraced my mother and said in English,"You're just as beautiful as I remembered."

My mom shyly brushed away some hair from her face and Indigo stepped in then asked,"Stay away from my wife or I will end you, you royal pain."

The chief smirked then yelled,"Let the feast begin! N'dala has returned!"

Indigo was still angry as Alexa asked my mom,"N'dala?"

She said,"That's what he used to call me when we were kids."

"So you did know him?"Indigo asked, jealous and suspicious.

She looked at him first with a frown, then with a gentle smile then said,"Yes Indigo, but don't worry honey, you're the only one for me."

Then she kissed him in the lips.

The chief watched them, then grinned and ordered the festivities to begin.

The reason only some of us could see the place before was that they had the best abilities to see past illusions.

I could also do it, it's just, I was used to doing it on command, which on its own was a wonderful skill, because how much of a bummer would it be for you to never see a mirage, or a Nindong, or a day dream?

That illusion was a defence mechanism instituted by the chief himself to protect the people after they were attacked, then he gave the job to his son when he came of age, so as the task to rebuild their tribe.

During the festival, I realized many women were staring at me and giggling, and I had no other choice but to turn away shyly, they actually were beautiful.

Of course Anneliese brought me back into the now with a hard smack to the back of the head, but it was worth it.

After the first night of the one week long festivities was over, we were going to look for somewhere to lodge for the night when the chief came to ask,"Where are you going?"

"I'm stuffed and tired, we're going back to the cars for the night."My mom said.

"Rubbish, you are staying with me in the palace."He said.

I looked around at the absolutely collosal other worldly place around us, with even the floors clean enough to drink milk from, then asked,"Really?"

He smirked then said,"Of course, for old time's sake."

My mom smiled then said,"Thank you."

Indigo had been fuming the entire journey to our rooms and got angrier that my mom's room was the closest to the chief's, even though he was sharing his with her.

He just didn't trust that devilishly handsome, perfectly aged man.

I got to my room with Anneliese and Jessica and was shocked.

The room alone was as big as half our entire mansion, which made me rethink the size of our property.

The walls were made of pure white rock which were lined with Platinum and Silver with snake plants and aloes at every corner.

The balcony alone was larger than my bedroom, I just wondered what they did with all this space and how no one had ever stumbled upon it.

Chief Nadula as he was called, bid my mom good night, in a way Indigo wasn't comfortable with.

Indigo then frowned and asked,"So, King Radula, how long are we stuck living with you?"

My mom stepped on his foot then he winced in pain, but stood his ground as Chief Nadula said,"As long as you wish, everyone is free to move where they please, there are no restricted areas, as long as you are accompanied by someone to a place you are not familiar with, you are fully allowed."

Indigo grumbled as the chief smirked then said,"Good night...dude."

Then he left.

Indigo was shocked as he asked,"Did he just call me dude?"

He yelled as he was thrown through the air onto his bed.

He looked up the moment my mom climbed on top of him and asked,"What are you doing?"

"I don't trust that pretty boy."He said.

My mom smirked then asked,"But do you trust me?"

He smirked as she kissed him gently on the lips then pulled her over himself and kissed her neck...

"What are you doing?"Are asked Indigo, hanging upside down from a tree.

"Spying on Chief Hakuna, something's up with him."He answered.

"Are you jealous?"I asked.

"What? No! I totally trust your mother."He said.

I floated into a right side up position with my arms folded then asked,"Really?"

He sighed then said,"They've just been spending too much time together."

"They've been together for three minutes."

"Five, actually."

"How insecure are you?"I asked,"You do realize he can sense you from here, right?"

"Then he'll know to stay away from my wife."

"I have no intention of taking your wife from you, Indigo."

Both Indigo and I turned back abruptly to see the chief, smiling at us with my mom beside him.

Indigo's jaw dropped as he asked,"H...how?"

"My light isn't one you know of, but that isn't the issue, I just want to put your heart to rest knowing that I only wish to reconnect with an old friend."

"You mean old lover."Indigo said.

I was surprised my mom wasn't angry yet as Chief Nadula said,"It is true that N'dala and I used to be in love, but our chance was taken when we were separated, it's a long story but, look at how happy your family is, why don't you just relax like them?"

Indigo looked down to see all of us, Maame swimming with the H 2 Order tribe beneath a river in her human form, Apollo and Alek using their lights to lighten up children's lives and give each other the coolest high fives, Lilith and Jessica making a new forest of conifers, ice and rock, the triplets brushing Alexa's long hair and Catherine punishing her father while thinking she was braiding his hair.

Indigo looked back to the chief who said,"You have nothing to worry about, wasn't that what you were telling Felicia earlier?"

Indigo smiled as the chief offered him his hand then asked,"Why don't we go hunting together?"

Indigo looked at my mom who had a ' if you don't, I will destroy you ' look on her face then he looked at the chief then shook his hand and said,"Sure, why not?"