She shook her head, her eyes darting around in a frantic search for the right words. It was as if she was struggling to convey her thoughts. Suddenly, her eyelids snapped shut, and she took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Then, in an instant, her eyes opened wide, focusing intently on me.

"I know how absurd my words may sound," she began, her voice filled with a mix of desperation and determination. "But you have to understand, I have used my gift for a long time. I have always been able to accurately read a person's future or at least catch a glimpse of it. That's how my gift is supposed to work, until I met you. A boy without a future, as dark and lifeless as an inanimate object."

The village chieftess's expression turned solemn. "So, when I asked you that question, it was not to compare you to an object. It was because believing in you would be tantamount to doubting my gift, and by extension, doubting Naka, the one who bestowed it upon me. However, if the fault lies with you, then my gift remains intact. The problem lies with you."

Though a tinge of annoyance prickled within me at the comparison of my future to that of an object, I couldn't deny the glaring fact that I stood as the only anomaly in the room. The fault did not lie with the village chieftess or her gift; it resided within me. However, I had no intention of revealing this realization to her. With a sigh that mimicked defeat, I shook my head and responded, "I understand. But honestly, how do you expect me to react after discovering something like this?"

The village chieftess nodded, her expression shifting from confusion and seriousness to deep thoughtfulness. "I understand your concerns," she acknowledged, "That's why, for the time being, you must keep this incident a secret. I need to find a logical explanation for what we have experienced today. It might take some time, as I have never encountered something like this in all my years. So please be patient and wait for my call when I have gathered more information."

Once she finished speaking, she swiftly turned her head to the side, as if addressing someone behind me. "What's the time now?" she inquired. I turned my head to glance behind me and was taken aback to see Ayla standing there, offering a prompt response. "It's almost noon, Chieftess."

"Noon?" I exclaimed, taken aback. Thoughts raced through my mind as I turned my head towards the mess we had created earlier with Ayla's spilt juices. To my astonishment, the spot was spotless, as if it had been meticulously cleaned with a rag, erasing any trace of our previous mishap.

In an instant, a realization dawned upon me that the mere seconds I had experienced held the weight of several hours. "My gift also distorts the perception of time, so what may feel like minutes to us could be mere seconds outside our bodies, or even hours," the village chieftess explained, observing my surprised expression. "But I have no control over how it functions, so sometimes it lasts only a few seconds, minutes, or hours," she lamented, clarifying and shaking her head in response. Then, her gaze shifted towards Ayla as she instructed, "Accompany him to the gates," before redirecting her focus back to me. "Since you'll be occupied tomorrow, you can return home and remember to keep our discussion a secret until I find a reasonable explanation, alright?"

"Alright," I nodded affirmatively "I never had any intention of revealing this to anyone anyway." Even if I were foolish enough to share such a baffling revelation, how could I possibly explain to others that I was devoid of a future?

The village chieftess appeared contented with my response, a smile gracing her features as she nodded approvingly. "That's good to hear. Now, you can leave. Ayla will guide you out." Without hesitation, I rose to my feet, turning to find Ayla beckoning me to follow her. As we ventured out of the room and traversed the intricately adorned corridors, my mind oscillated between reflections on my encounter with the village chieftess and the mesmerizing sway of Ayla's expected partially exposed buttocks, a hypnotic rhythm leading me forward.

And soon, as I found myself lost within the labyrinth of my thoughts, contemplating the implications of my non-existent future and how it could either benefit or trouble me, Ayla's voice suddenly jolted me back to reality. "See you la--" she began to say, but before she could finish her sentence, our paths collided. In a stroke of luck, Ayla managed to maintain her balance and steady herself after the unexpected collision. "Sorry about that," I apologized, gingerly pulling back my exposed foreskin from brushing against her exposed and prominent buttcheeks.

"Don't worry," Ayla reassured me, shaking her head and turning to face me. "I overheard everything the village chieftess said, so I understand why you're struggling to believe or make sense of her words," she empathized, her warm smile offering reassurance. "Besides, as the village chieftess mentioned, you should rest for your warrior's training tomorrow, and I couldn't agree more."

Although it was clear that Ayla had taken a liking to me, I simply returned her smile and said, "Alright then, I'll see you later." I knew that our relationship had the potential to grow stronger in the future, and I didn't want to jeopardize it just because I was feeling confused and in a bad mood.

Ayla nodded and watched as I walked out of the gate, exchanging nods with the two guards stationed beside it. However, as I made my way home at this late hour for the first time, I couldn't help but notice how subdued the nightlife in the village seemed. The streets were eerily quiet, with only a few dimly lit lanterns casting feeble light on the deserted red clay-moulded pathways.

...

The village chieftess observed intently as Ayla retreated into her private chamber, a space reserved for handling the tasks and responsibilities assigned to her by the village chief. Zara, still savouring the succulent kalna fruits hastily presented to her by her servants, inhaled deeply before speaking. "Has he left?" she inquired, her voice laced with curiosity and a hint of exhaustion from channelling her gift.