Mating ceremony

Mating ceremony
Nighttime at Lunaria was simply a beautiful beholding.

Resplendent luminous dark-blue spotted mushrooms planted all around the place illuminated the whole place dimly as though they were lanterns. These mushrooms were everywhere in homes, by the sides of footpaths, on the hills, and at the stem of the tall trees.

They attracted fluttering fireflies, which the children ran around to catch as they made their ways to the hilltop where there was a huge gathering.

The hilltop where the chief's house stood seemed isolated from the serenity all around. Every member of the residence were there at the chief's house. The news about the son of the chief's return and his mating ceremony holding tonight has spread all around.

Everyone looked forward to this and had hurried to gather at the chief's house to attend the ceremony.

The double door was wide open, and the huge hall was filled with men and women dressed in their finest fur clothing. Everyone held a horn filled with a purplish-red drink. They sipped casually and discussed amongst themselves in the joyous atmosphere.

Drums were being stroked in a loud boom, making the place lively with dances in celebration of the occasion. It was only the start however, as the ceremony hasn't commenced yet.

The vacant hall was now filled with tables, where there were several meats in big plates for everyone to indulge in. These were the people's contributions to the ceremony after all.

Amidst the joyous atmosphere, a slightly aged man regally dressed in fine fur stepped out from a door on the upper floor and calmly walked down the stairs with a younger man right behind him.

It was the chief and his son- Darren!

Setting sight on their appearance, everyone else hushed and quickly focused their attention on them.

" Greetings, clan chief!" They all bowed their heads to hail their clan chief in unison when the latter reached the bottom of the stairs.

However, Volke didn't pay mind to them as he just continued calmly towards the vacant chair in the middle of the hall, which mo one dared to near.

Darren just walked behind his father with a stern frown. His head was lowered in disgust and scorn at himself and everyone around. He was being forced to put through with all of this as he couldn't risk endangering Kyley.

He feared that his father would have Kyley killed if he didn't do as he wishes. And despite Darren being cocky and daring towards his father, he knew deep down how cruel his old man was.

He knew that his father was extremely selfish and irrational, and thus, Darren didn't want to put Kyley's life to chance with him.

' It's just for two days. I'll put up with this farce just for two days and leave thereafter ' He thought to himself. Thankfully, Darren has prior promised that he would return to Kyley in four days or he wouldn't even know how to face Kyley.

Regarding him having to bed with the supposed mate that his father had chosen for him... Well, Darren just wouldn't do it, finding several excuses.

How could he betray Kyley? Darren could never do so even for the gift of the world!

He'd rather die!

It was full moon the following night, and he might not have much excuse. But tonight, he could use his curse as an excuse.

However, he knew that his father was smart enough to realize that he would try something like this. He wouldn't be surprised if he locked him up with the said lady for the next two days.

Nonetheless, Darren walked to stand beside his father. He wasn't going to fall for any of his tricks no matter what.

" My people... Tonight is a night of celebration." Chief Volke began on his speech. His voice boomed through the hall that instantly grew silent in a hush as he swept a gaze across the gathering.

" A night of union. And a night to be never forgotten." As he continued, several gazes fell on him as they all listened attentively.

" My son, Darren Rannulf has returned. And he would now mate with one of ours..." He paused, causing a tense suspense in the air.

" Hence, without wasting much of our time, let the mating ceremony begin!"

Just as he announced, the drums rolled and banged in an intense beat, causing everyone's excitement to rise tremendously.

" Ladies!" Chief Volke raised an arm to beckon, and several women dressed in tight fitting fur clothing of a variety of inciting styles rushed out of the crowd amidst the short murmur. They placed a hand to their hearts as they fell one knee as they lined up front of the chief with their heads lowered in a bow.

Dunk!

The drum was struck once in an end to the roll, as if pausing for an interlude.

Seeing the row of women in front of him, Darren quickly scanned through to look for the tall dark-haired and tanned beauty that his father had prior informed him to pick.

He creased his gaze when he found her standing at the left end of the row. It was quite easy to spot her since there were only two who had obviously tanned skin amidst the women upfront and only one of them was tall. Besides, she seemed the type of woman that his father would have picked considering she had a strong demeanor.

' Good genes huh?' That was all his father cared about.

" These are all the maidens in the clan, ready to be mates." Chief Volke pointed as he said.

" You have all shown interest in my son and are willing to be his mate, am I correct?" He turned to face the women indifferently as he asked.

" Yes!" They all attested in unison.

" Good." The chief nodded, and turned to face Darren after, " Now, son. Choose your mate!"

The drums started once again at the end of the chief's declaration.

Darren hearing this couldn't help but express an indiscernible frown. He hated his father and his schemes and he hated that he had to be involved in it.

It may seem as though things were going according to the tradition, and as though he was going to pick a mate of his own free will. However, Darren knew very well how planned this was.

However, he had no choice at the moment. He could.only hope that there weren't other hidden traps that he'd failed to realize.

Darren calmly moved to his father and stood in front of him. A lady walked forth in slow steps down from the bottom of the stairs with a tray in hand towards where the chief sat. She had followed behind Darren and chief Volke all along.

She stopped when she reached the side of the chair and knelt there with the tray raised high.

Everyone watched with all attention focused as the chief calmly reached to pick the cup on the tray and handed it to Darren.

Darren hesitantly bowed as he took the cup which has a blood red drink in it, and turned around to approach the maidens afterwards.

Bam!

At this point, the drums stopped once again. As an intense atmosphere loomed.

This was the most crucial point of the ceremony!

It has to be undisturbed!

Darren walked in front of them as they knelt and bowed their heads, stopping and passing by each one of them as if he were really trying to see if he was compatible with any of them or felt that any of them was his right mate.

He moved past all of them once, causing slight gaps all around. This meant that Darren actually had no one in mind before, and was only now trying to find a mate amongst these maidens.

Darren returned, however, and stood in front of the tall lady with tanned skin who was a stunning Amazonian beauty.

Her black hair had small braids in the sides which were entangled with shiny beads and she wore a fur top and thong which revealed her tanned body with slight plumpness. Her angular face made her looked dignified and mature.

Darren bent and reached out his hands to her.

The latter took them and slowly stood up, raising her gaze to meet Darren's as she did.

At first sight, Darren could tell from the maturity in her hazel eyes that she was cunning and a seductress.

" I choose you" nonetheless, he said out loud as he stared deep in her eyes.

Dum! Dum! Bam!

The tanned lady lowered her head reverently in an assenting nod. She watched calmly as Darren raised the cup in his hands to her lips and wrapped her arms around it to take a sip.

Dum! Dum! Bam!

Thereafter, she took the cup from Darren and raised it to his lips. Darren hesitated for a second but he persisted and began drinking it.

As the ceremony neared its climax, everyone drew their breaths and watched intently with excitement, gulping along with Darren.

The tanned lady raised the cul as Darren drank its content, helping Darren as he took gulps after gulps. Until he finished the whole drink.

" The heir has chosen his mate!" Just then, Chief Volke raised a hand to announce, and everyone erupted in a cheer.

" Wuuu!" " Wuuu!" They kicked their heads back and howled as the drums banged wildly.

Dum! Dum! Dum!

A rhythmic cacophony resounded all around in cheer and celebration afterwards as everyone began dancing in joy.

The other ladies quickly left back into the crowd, it was unknown what became of them afterwards.

" Now son, take your mate inside and claim her as yours!" Chief Volke rose from his seat and said seriously to Darren.

" Wuuu!!" " Wuuu!" Several of those who heard this jeered in amusement. It was the custom of their mating ceremony that they bonded the very same night, and they all knew what this bonding involved.

They shot weird gazes at Darren, and some even went to find their mates as they were remembered of the night of their own mating ceremony. They suddenly felt the need to relive that night in the similar moment.

Darren's face twitched at this but he maintained his calm. He creased his gaze at his father for second before moving guys gaze towards the lady who stood behind him. The latter had a sultry smile on her face as she stared him up and down, as if eyeing a candy. She didn't hesitate to move her succulent body near his, clinging to his side while grabbing on his arm.

Darren immediately snatched his hands away and just walked upstairs towards the upper floor. He headed inside the room that had prior been prepared for them with a deep frown on his face.

Despite having been pushed away, the tanned lady didn't back down. She glanced at the chief who gave her a knowing look and quickly nodded before calmly following behind. She curved her hips sensually at every step she took, and smirked as she entered the room and locked the door.

...