Page 124 of Caressed By Sin
For women, the neck was large and rounded.
For men, the opening formed a long V-shape and had pocket.
Regardless, the colorful robes draped over their bodies, giving them all the appearance of being stately, elegant carriages of majestic power.
They dressed for my welcome. . .
Up ahead of the thousands of yumboe, my mother and father stood. Large gold crowns topped their head and were shaped like pointy cones and covered in diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
We continued forward.
Zoe whispered, “How do I greet the king and queen? Do I bow or say something special?”
I grinned. “My parents are humble and down-to-earth. In fact, we yumboe, especially my father, would rather live beneath a hill than in a castle.”
“Why?”
“The earth's soil is the most comforting thing to our soul. It lives. It heals. It protects us.”
“I. . .I never knew you were a princess, Fatou. What do I call you now?”
“Friend.” I grinned. “Don't start acting differently, Zoe.”
“How can I not? You're royalty.”
I chuckled.
We approached my parents and stopped.
I slowly set Jade down. So nervous, she held close to me. I kept my hand on her shoulder.
Like the centaurs, it was always best to stay quiet and let my parents assess us first and then wait for them to speak.
My father stood as regal as ever. However, his silver dreadlocks now appeared more powder white. My mother's dreadlocks were just as white too.
Wrinkles crept along the edges of their eyes. It took a long time for yumboe to show aging. Therefore, these past years of my missing and their battling vampires must have worn them down.
I'm sorry. I didn't know. . .
My father turned his view to Jade. My mother followed the action too. While her gaze warmed at her granddaughter, my father's eyes ran cold.
Quickly, my father returned his view back to me. “We thought you were dead.”
“You told me to stay away.”
“Yet, you are here with a child that smells like a vampire.”
My mother frowned and stepped forward. “There is so much to say, but tonight we must celebrate your return.”
My father pursed his lips.
My mother spread her hands out and yelled to our people. “The princess has finally come home!”
All cheered and clapped. Those that didn't roared with joy.
“Tonight!” My mother yelled. “We will do as traditions require. We will feast and dance in the moonlight!”
Chapter 22
