With a newfound determination burning in her eyes and suppressed fury barely contained, she peered down at me and spoke with a chilling tone, "Orion, you have two options: either accompany me to the market square or wait until your gift awakens and join Reena to work on the farm. I won't allow you to make me bury your corpse prematurely, so those are the only two choices you get to pick."

The sheer absurdity of her response left me dumbfounded. I couldn't help but blurt out, "Are you serious?" The words echoed in the air as I searched her face for any sign of humour.

Her scowl vanished as she answered, "Yes," but her eyes still smouldered with fury. As I looked down, I couldn't help but notice her bare, wide waist. Her tulga had risen all the way up, and her pink hole was pressed forcefully against the fabric of my tulga. With her body pinning mine to the ground, she continued to glare at me with a mix of attentiveness and fury, as if anxiously waiting for my reply.

Despite being able to easily break free from her grip, I decided not to do so. Instead, I chose to remain in her grasp and simply responded with a single word, "None."

As soon as I opened my mouth to reply, I saw her face light up with a smile, only to quickly contort into a deep frown. It was as if she had been desperately trying to suppress her anger before, but now she let it all out. To my surprise, she didn't say anything. Instead, she let go of me and stood up, striding towards the front door with purpose in every step.

Without a word, Gina stepped out of her way and we watched as she smoothly unlocked the door with a loud bang. She turned to face me and spoke with a mix of rage and desperation. "Make a choice. You can walk out of my hut and become a warrior, if that's what pleases you. Thereby, forcing me to bear the unbearable burden of knowing my son is out there on the other side of the river, fighting and protecting our village, with the knowledge that he will die sooner or later and there is nothing I can do about it."

As she spoke, her voice suddenly calmed down, taking on a tone that was surprisingly gentle. "Or you can listen to your mother and understand that I don't want you to risk your life just because we are poor." There were no tears in her eyes, but as she wiped them with her hand, a fountain of tears began to dribble down her cheeks. "And just so you know, I am incredibly proud of you for having the potential to become a warrior and earn the respect of everyone in our village. But.." She paused, then added, "the truth is, that kind of job is far too dangerous for someone like you."

A deep, tired, and exhausting sigh escaped my lips as I shook my head and marched forward. My expression hardened with each step I took towards her, and I noticed her grip on the door tightening. After taking several more steps forward, I finally arrived in front of her, and she still had her hand firmly holding the door wide open.

Without even waiting for her to blink or come up with another ridiculous option for me to choose, I quickly grabbed the door and swung it shut, thereby removing it from her grip. And before she could say another word, I said, "I am your son, but don't forget that I am also your partner." I said, as I walked up to her and stopped just a few inches away so that our breaths washed against each other's faces and we could hear each other's heavy breathing.

'Since having a heart-to-heart talk doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere, perhaps it's time to hash it out and quarrel until there's nothing left to say,' I thought, frustration lacing my thoughts.

"As my mother, it's okay for you to caution me. But as my partner, I need to know why you're already foreseeing my death and not even giving me a shred of hope," I added, my voice firm and unwavering.

I watched as she deeply inhaled and exhaled, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Then, she opened her mouth once more and her words filled both corners of my ears like a sudden gust of wind.

.................

Meanwhile, in the same compound, eighty-six steps away from Orion's hut, Grandma Celia slammed her door shut with a resounding bang, her breaths coming out in ragged gasps. Without a backward glance, she bolted out from her hut and ran as fast as her legs could. carry her.

After a few seconds of sprinting, Grandma Celia stumbled to a halt, her hand flying to her mouth as she leaned over and vomited onto the clay soil road. The leftovers from her breakfast mixed with bile and spewed out of her in a torrent, leaving her feeling weak and dizzy. For a moment, she closed her eyes and tried to steady herself, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves.

For the past three days, every morning and evening, she had been plagued by a sudden urge to vomit. If she didn't throw up the contents of her stomach, she would be wracked with an agonizing pain that felt like a thousand needles stabbing her gut.

As she grew more accustomed to this unpleasant routine, she quickly dug her feet into the ground to cover up the vomit she had just expelled.

Nevertheless, now that she was done, the only thing left for her was to wash away the sour taste from her mouth. But, as she stood up and raised her head to look around, she heard a familiar voice calling out to her from behind.

Her heart skipped a beat as she turned around to see who it was.