Chapter 3

One year later.....

Kehau smiled brightly into Akoni's eyes as the Mistress of the Ships began the ceremony. Her only regret was that Konane was not there. Everyone was on deck wearing their blues. Blue was the color of the sea and sky...the color of their life as a people and when two lives were joined, the Atha'an Miere wore Blue.

Akoni untied his sash, then Kehau's, and handed them over to the Mistress of Ships. She braided the sashes together and lifted them over her head for all to see. A strong cut of Koa wood was placed between the couple. Kehau laid her hands onto the koa and Akoni quickly placed his over hers, squeezing them as she winced slightly as the sashes were tied tightly over their hands and knotted to the board. The ceremony continued as their hands were tattooed with the marriage circles. The tattoo was actually a half circle on each hand between the index finger and the thumb that became complete when the couple knitted their fingers together. Kehau's nervousness was not apparent to anyone but Akoni who winked his assurance to her.

After a time, the blood began to drip down off their hands and seep into the Koa making Akoni smile. It was a good omen for your Marriage Koa to drink the blood of the couple. Kehau was beginning to breathe a little easier. The Light was blessing them through the Koa. Praise the Light!Their hands were untied from the Koa but were swiftly tied back up as the Mistress of the Ships took the Koa from the attendants and passed it off to the three witnesses for examination. They each ran a hand over the board. The silence was deafening. Even the sea was being quiet. If a droplet of blood spilled onto the deck, it was a strong indication that their seed would be spoiled or they would not be prosperous. When the three witnesses were done, they stepped back to show all that not one droplet of blood had spilled on the deck. At this, a great commotion of whooping and crying of congratulations rang out between the six ships present for the ceremony. The crews clapped with their windchimes looped around their fingers. The Windfinders of each ship came up to the rails and channeled the wind to pick up as they moved the ships back.

The attendants lifted Kehau and Akoni up over the railing and tossed them into the sea. Everyone ran to the railing to toss offerings to them as they both kicked with their feet to stay above the water. They all shouted remarks of encouragement and even jokingly shouted statements referring to the possibility of drowning and sharks nipping their toes down to them as Kehau and Akoni laughed and continued to kick their legs.

The Windfinders had their fun at playing pranks on them with the wind and the sea as part of the festivities. Torches began to be lit above the decks as the sun dipped into the sea. Now was the last test. As the crews continued to celebrate on their behalf throughout the night, Kehau and Akoni were left in the ocean to stay afloat with their hands tied together. They needed to use their strength to keep each other from drowning during the night.

A Test Of Strength

10 hours later……..

Kehau could barely move her legs anymore. Akoni continued to kick his legs strongly for the both of them. Kehau looked tiredly at Akoni and apologized. Akoni laughed as the dawnlight justbegan to spread across the water. It glistened as it stretched out over the sea. He explained that boys were taught at a very young age all the way to manhood how to stay afloat in the water over night. Weights were tied to their hands and then gradually increased over time to the average woman's weight until they could hold the weight up the entire time. He could have held her up for at least 6 more hours without a problem and without her help. Kehau instinctively reached up as if to slap him and Akoni laughed again and dunked her under the water bringing her up sputtering. Kehau tried to pull away from him as if to get away which only made him laugh harder. Finally, Kehau gave up and pulled herself close to him. She stopped kicking her legs and allowed Akoni to kick for the both of them as the attendants came out onto the deck to hoist them out of the water and send them off to a private room for some much needed rest....