Oracle in the Mist by Linda Maree Malcolm Page B

wear. You came recently, did you know that?” the old Crone was still smiling at them as if she was the keeper of some incredible secret of which they had no idea. But, by now the children were used to feeling this way, as if they were living through some kind of constant mysterious miracle that always had them in a state of continual obliviousness, with all questions remaining unanswered.
    They had felt this way for so many years now that they had almost forgotten how to feel any other way.
    â€œAnd now, we join you together,” said the Crone and she stepped forward and took the hands of Henry and Ina and placed them together. She started to laugh.
    â€œWhat?” spluttered Ina, “Join us together? Oh no, you can’t do that! What do you mean? You don’t understand — where we come from you need a priest to perform a task such as that and besides we can’t do something like that because where we come from, we’re actually quite young, aren’t we Henry?” she said looking over to Henry. But for some strange reason he was smiling as well as if he had already known of the Crone’s plan and he took her hand firmly in his and stared deeply into her eyes in the most loving way.
    Before Ina knew what was happening or could protest at all, a bunch of beautiful, young native women came and took her hand and led her to a hut. She looked back and was about to ask Henry to rescue her but found that he was being led into another hut by a group of young men.
    Ina talked incessantly to the young women who were dressing her as she really was quite nervous about what was about to take place. Were they talking about a marriage?
    Surely she’d misunderstood. The women tore at the scant clothes that she wore. They seemed to have no idea of modesty and she cried out several times and attempted to cover herself back up again. They ignored her and replaced her clothes with a costume more like their own: a long grass skirt and a long piece of fabric wrapped around her bosom in the fashion of a bikini. They put up her long, frizzy hair with shell combs and painted her face with ochre to make it look more like theirs. They layered jewels and draped exquisitelooking fabric around her shoulders and arms.
    It soon became evident that they were preparing her for something quite special as by the end of it all, her outfit was far more elaborate than any of theirs. They left her feet bare.
    When she was taken out of the hut, she came face to face with Henry, who had also been done up in the native attire. All of her nervousness melted away when they locked eyes and they giggled and pointed at one another like little children. The other children took one look at them and laughed uproariously. The Crone took Henry and Ina by their hands and led them to a place under an arbour made of tropical flowers. She put their hands together and stood before them.
    â€œIna, I know you love this man, yes?” she asked.
    Ina looked at Henry and started to blush. They had never spoken of their feelings for one another prior to this but before Ina could stop herself she heard herself say, “Yes, I do.”
    â€œAnd Henry, I know you love this woman, yes?”
    â€œYes, I do,” he answered.
    Both Ina and Henry could hear the children giggling and saying all kinds of things behind them such as “Lovebirds” and “Ooh Henry loves Ina” and so on pretending to taunt them. But Henry and Ina took no offence. They were too busy grinning madly at each other.
    â€œYes, that’s good, because now Henry you are going to be the husband of this young Ina. You are not children anymore and it is now time to become as one. So, as the elder of this tribe I ask you, will you always love one another and stand by one another no matter what problems you have and will you always be there for one another?”
    â€œI will,” they both said in unison, their smiles going from ear to