Jeza II

1

14th night of the Month of Ice, 2:00, After Walpurgis

It was a spur of the moment decision, one that will enrage her mother. But Jeza had never been that strong. The girl looks too small and too scared for her heart to bear it. Maybe for that she had never attended a Trial before, even without realizing it.

Jeza speaks the words out loud before her brain catches up with her. The room quiets and every eye is on her. They must be surprised, not of someone speaking the words and taking the nomad into the bloodline, but more because Jeza is the heir of the Zany family, not married yet, and with this act, she has declared a new heir to her family.

Enuma is the name she chooses, a proper water asha name, proper for a Zasya, that have always been followers of Nunet, one that, if it wasn't for the suffix attached to it, she would use for her own child if that were to happen.

She feels the prince's stare as Jeza grabs Enuma's shoulder and pushes her gently up the stairs, where the prince and Vyshe wait for the following steps of the Trial.

The Aygoz Ritual, a welcoming ritual for a newcomer, that makes them as Netherian as the rest of the room, even if their eyes and origins will always be abnormal.

The girl looks confused, but allows the pull to happen, eyes blurry, like she's not present. Together, they walk towards the prince and the Vyshe, the four of them holding wooden bowls filled with each of their patrons' favor—Meat, fruit, water and feathers—and presented towards Enuma.

The girl looks at them with curiosity and confusion. Vyshe Diyu is the first, offering her bowl filled with water—The easiest for a nomad to accept first, Jeza had been told during her childhood—and Enuma peers at it, holding the bowl when its put in her hands by the Scyphomancer. With soft hand motions, Vyshe Diyu instructs the nomad to drink and, surprisingly, she does.

After Enuma takes a sip, Vyshe Diyu takes the bowl and takes a step back, allowing Vyshe Ulrik to go next, the fruit in the bowl being nutha berries, perfectly ripened and looking extremely appetizing. With a trembling hand, Enuma takes a berry, its blue skin almost purple, and takes it to her lips. She stops there, eyes afraid meet Jeza's and in return, the Nocturnal nods encouragingly and slowly, the nomad bites down, the pink insides tinting her lips as she takes half the fruit into her mouth and chews. Her face brightens, and Jeza smiles, knowing a ripe nutha berry is delicious and wishing she herself could have some.

The next two parts of the ritual are the hardest to complete, the meat in Vyshe Ardashir's bowl is raw andavi, and not many nomads wish to eat it—She had heard the stories, of nomads being force-fed Bari's favor, and how this created nomads that didn't trust their new families, more so if they were children. To create an example and to show the safety of it, Jeza takes a small piece of meat, showing it to Enuma before eating it. Vyshe Ardashir moves the bowl close to Enuma, shaking it slightly, moving the meat pieces inside and guiding the nomads eyes towards it.

Its with a timid hand that Enuma takes the smallest meat piece available, and with a wince, eats it, chewing it in a hurry and swallowing loudly.

Finally, before the nomad girl can process it, Vyshe Kyome takes a step forward, one hand already holding a black feather, and scratches the girl's arm with the quill of it, making her gasp in pain and take a step back.

With the ritual officially over, prince Artemy grabs Enuma's hands, a respectful greeting, or at least, as respectful as the prince of Neth can get.

"I welcome you, Enuma Zasya, to Neth" says the prince, with smirk and eyes dancing with amusement.

"Okay?" Mumbles the nomad girl, staring at the prince with deep bemusement. She stares at Jeza and the prince gives the nomad's hands to her new mother.

Jeza bows her head over Enuma's hands. A welcome but also gratitude. With Enuma as her heir, Jeza won't need to marry, her obligations to her bloodline completed, she could do whatever she wanted, be with, almost, whoever she wanted, without repercussions.

"I vow to teach you our ways, Enuma" says Jeza gently "So that you may flourish in Neth"

"I think" says Enuma slowly, almost tasting every word "I'm going to pass out"

And then, like a prediction by one of Vyshe, Enuma faints.