PART EIGHTEEN:
The princess and the poisonous prattlers:
As Manipa spun her seductive and deceptive wiles on the stunned and distracted young man, Reinah saw it as a good time to be on her way and continue with her intended journey. While their leader and representative prodded, poisoned and cajoled, the other girls giggled in understanding and clapped in unified comradeship. The princess was all too glad that they had found a current niche for their characteristic ploys. Although it was unfortunate she surmised regretfully, that the victim was the market woman's relative. Hopefully, Reinah continued to dream. That he would wisely extract himself, before it was too late. That was of course if he wanted to. Either way, the princess knew she had to quickly escape to her own mounting personal business.
She had barely walked a few feet, when once again Slaia was at her heels demanding an audience.
"Hey, not so fast now. Where do you think you are going? Aren't we all supposed to be leaving together?" Came her assumption riddled questions.
"We?" Reinah tried to conjure up an easy way to remind her that their group and colony had absolutely nothing to do with her.
"Yes. You and the three of us would be refered to as 'we'." Answered the girl gleefully.
"Umm.... I really need to go now." The young princess felt like she was being tugged forcefully against her will and regardless of her intention.
"Listen, let me tell you something." Slaia came closer. Having lowered her voice into a barely audible whisper.
"You know, I really think that was rude of Manipa to have interrupted your conversation, and make it all about her. I mean he came to talk to you. He was practically sent to find you. And there she was in a flash...." She paused to shake her head, then continued speaking.
"She always does that, you know? Oh yes she does. Thinking she is so cute and lovable if you know what I mean." She stopped briefly, as if waiting for a contribution into the dialogue intended monologue. Then she searched the princess' face intently, almost yearning for some sort of encouragement and/or agreement. When none came, she plowed on anyhow.
"I mean, no one really wants to talk to her. But she bullies everyone into doing so. And then goes on to call herself friendly." The speaker shrugged her shoulders, as a look of disgust swiped across her face. "I think she is just manipulative and I am tired of her trying to control my life." She appeared to be working herself into a livid state.
"I am thinking of leaving this group soon. There are two other members, that you have not met yet. I think they feel the same way too." She stopped again and waited for an audible reaction from Reinah. But that one just looked at her, with her body half facing the exit route.
"Do you know how many times she has snatched my stuff from me? Or made me do things I did not want to do. Do you?" It looked like pools of tears, were forming in both eyes now as she continued to speak. Eyes that were also pleading, for a response or any input whatsoever. The princess merely lowered her head for a moment and when she lifted it, said instead; "I really have to be off now." Having said that, she turned to leave.
Slaia quickly grabbed her by the shoulders. Looking panicked and her voice raised as she spoke this time. "Oh wait. Wait please."
"Can I talk to you later? Is there somewhere we can meet? I think there is so much you have to learn about these girls in the group."
"Oh no, no. That would not be necessary. You really do not have to worry about that. If you do not mind, I really do have to get going." The princess turned to repeat her exit again.
"Would you rather I came to the market stall? The other girls would not know to find us there. I think it would be a good place to talk." Now it was Reinah's turn to panic.
"Oh no! Not at all! Please leave her alone." The girl was adamant. "The market woman is very busy. And there is just no place or time to chit-chat in her stall. She works very hard and still has so much left to do." Slaia looked at her, like she had grown a third eye. But Reinah did not care. She still felt like pleading more for the market woman not to be involved in their rehearsed shenanigans. Even though it appeared that her relative the young man might not be faring so well.
Unbeknownst to them, she did have that third eye. As they rattled on about what they would want her and everyone else to believe, she saw the real deal. And her decisions were often based on what she saw. The space between the sentences, the camouflaged actions, coated lies and deadly intent. She saw through it all. She could only watch, sometimes flabbergasted at the brazenness of the web spurn or the presumption that she had fallen 'hook, line and sinker.' She could only watch. And in the end, make a decision. A decision that except one had as much as perceived an inkling of what she saw, would judge her unfeeling. She now roamed with neither mother, father nor protection. She owed it to herself to utilize the gift she was given to protect the life she would be living.
"We will have to work something out then." Announced Slaia breaking into her thoughts, with a convinced declaration. Reinah only stared at her horrified. Knowing that in just a little while, the eager informant would be introduced to her real self. And just then, as if on cue. Envila walked over to where they stood. And in her usual manner, looked the princess over as if her very presence threatened her existence. After the scant and disturbed perusal, she turned to her counterpart. "Why are you here talking to her?" She scolded. "The guy really likes Manipa. He wants to show her something and he says you and I can come too."
"Okay then. Is she coming too?" Asked Slaia looking suddenly angry and disgusted as she pointed at Reinah. As if they had previously been embroiled in a fight. "Of course not! Why would you think that? Manipa would certainly not want her around her new friend. Or would you rather hang with her than with us?" Envila spat the last sentence viciously.
"Of course not!" Slaia counterd with a shout. "Why would I want to do that? She is probably angry, because now he gets to show Manipa stuff instead of her."
"Yes I think so too." Stated Envila emphatically, relishing every second of the moment. And rolling her eyes at the princess, who had already turned to walk away. Thankful at last for the freedom to do so and for a breath of fresh air devoid of mischief and deceit.
And many were tripped by 'it':
While Slaia attempted to drain the princess physically and otherwise, Manipa was simultaneously sucking the life out of the now embattled young man.
"Why do you seek out more knowledge and learning for her. Why must you look out for her good?" Manipa chided the young man flirtatiously but with slight petulance. All the while fretfully looking over her shoulders and stealing glances at Reinah. Who at the time appeared to be listening to something Slaia was saying, howbeit reluctantly.
"She really is of no consequences you should know. And if you get that opportunity for her, she will ruin the whole process and then turn on you." That one batted her eyelids, licked her lips as if trying to remember a painful experience and then continued speaking. "As a matter of fact, she did tell me the other day that she hoped you would stop disturbing her. You know, your coming to the stall and all that. She said she did not like it one bit." The speaker's countenance fell in feigned empathy for her listener.
"She said that to you?" The now overwhelmed and confused young man looked incredulous. "I... I am really surprised she said that to you. We actually got along very well under the supervision of my aunt. And indeed my aunt spoke quite highly of her." He stopped and looked down as if searching for answers from wiltered weed, scratching his head as he did so. Manipa tried to catch and hold his gaze, as if to seal that train of thought in his mind as he continued to speak. "I am shocked, I really do not know what to say. It was also my aunt that encouraged me to get some information for her too." He shook his head in dissappointment.
"Well you and your aunt do not know what I know." Countered Manipa hoping to avert any digression from the topic at hand. "And for that reason, I wanted to warn and protect you."
"Really, how so?" The young man was now eager to hear anything that would help clear the perplexity in his mind. A situation that was now forming a dizzying spell. "Well we are very close friends and I have known her for a very long time. That is exactly how I know." The girl now folded her arms across her chest with a scowl on her face.
"Oh dear...... We never knew all that. She told my aunt she was new around here and did not really know anyone." Confessed the young man as he fought what felt like anger rising up inside of him. Manipa herself sensed the rising tension and took that as a cue to push further. "You should really try to warn your aunt. Reinah might mess up her trade for her." Manipa was relentless. "Really? But how?" The young man had never felt this much unexpected excitement his whole life and he feared he might faint.
"My aunt loves Reinah a whole lot, like she would have loved a daughter if she had one. Speaks so well of her every chance she gets. Says its like she brought sunshine into her life, the day she walked into it. Even said her trade has never been better. And now you reveal this?" He looked away and shook his head as if in pain. "She had so much good will towards Reinah. And that little wench goes to say all this?!" He was sweating now as his rage mounted. "I should ask her why she would treat us like that. We only meant well. What she said was very untrue!" He made to head towards Reinah, who was staring ahead as the girl in front of her seemed to be chanting incessantly to her chest.
"NO!" Do not do that." Manipa shouted, trying to physically restrain the young man by grabbing his arm. At that point, Envila who had been a few steps away waiting but not really able to make out their conversation. Stepped forward at her counterpart's desperate beckoning. "Tell him Envila. Tell him." Started a near breathless Manipa who was still pulling the young man's arm. "Tell him how dangerous it is to tell that girl what I just confided in him for his own good." She commanded a very ready Envila.
"It is very dangerous indeed," agreed the third party as a forced smile began to spread across her face.
A strange and unfamiliar emotion began to fill and cloud the young man's head. He clenched and unclenched his fist, maybe that would expel the tightness in his throat. Who knew that fury could shake up its host this way, before ever hitting its intended target. While the young man struggled with what he was feeling, Manipa turned to Envila with a smile of satisfaction and stated. "That should serve that old woman right for ever judging our actions. Now she will have no one to help her." Her friend smiled and nodded her agreement. After a few moments of glaring at Reinah, seething as he did so. The young man absent-mindedly pried Manipa's grasping fingers from his arm. Then he turned back and headed to the market woman's stall.