Idris put the sword into the cold water, and nodded with a bid smile. He knew that the lessons his father had given him when he was younger, had stuck around. But he didn't know how much, until mister Teensoll, the local smith had told him as much. Still making a sword that was both strong and light was not an easy task, it had taking him weeks to complete it. Mister Teensoll stood next to the bucket with water, giggling.

"Normally this would have taken me, two to three days tops." The man said, with a low voice. "But you are not a smith, and this is your first sword. So I let it slide for now." Idris didn't believe him, the man reminded too much of his old man. But that was not the point, he finally was able to give Zeudi a real sword. Now she was able to protect her own stubborn ass. But he would still have her back, just like when they were kids. He smiled, when he thought about her word.

"I was could be a normal kid."

And she was just like them.

"Why on earth are you smiling. You are lucky I do not charge your sorry ass, for all the metal you have wasted." Mister Teensoll said, he was right about that. He had wasted a lot of metal, and there was nothing left to make a scabbard. But although he had done all the work himself, how said anything about not paying. He might be a thief, but an honest one. He grabbed his money pack and threw it to the man. "I said that I was not going to charge you for it."

"And still I pay, old man." Idris said with a smirk on his face. "It is the festival of the Sun and the Moon, so use that money to get your wife something nice." The man clearly wanted to go against it. But Idris shook his head. "I already have one stubborn person in my life, besides myself that is. And that is more than enough." Mister Teensoll narrowed his eyes.

"Are you calling, me stubborn?" He said. And Idris simply nodded, and the man followed soon after that. "My wife would agree with you there." Both of them started to laugh. "But off you go, like you said it is the festival of the Sun and the Moon. So be off, and surprise her with this masterpiece of a sword." Idris looked at the sword, it was a fine one, but he would not call it a masterpiece.

"Alright, I am off." Idris said, and walked out of the smithy. The streets were for once filled with people, above it hung paper lanterns with a sun and moon painted on them. Children were running between the adults, all of them had a moon apple in their hands. The men that were left inside the village, were showering their wives and unmarried daughters with attention and flowers. This was the only day in the year that the sun and the moon would be in the sky. The legend behind the festival is in his opinion tragic and beautiful.

Nyota the God of the stars, had fallen in love with Mwezi the Goddess of the moon. But she didn't love him, he was more a brother to her then anything else. She had however a man in her life, Jua the God of the sun. He was kind to her and showered her with all his love and attention. This made Nyota so jealous that he placed a curse on Mwezi, trapping her in the night sky, together with him. While Jua did his best to chase after her. He succeeds in finding her, but only for one day when they both share the sky.

He looked up to the moon and the sun, it is not strange that the festival is so loved by lovers. Him included, it was during the festival that he had given her the bracelet. And now he was going to give her this sword that he had made. This is in his mind a much greater gift then any bought sword. But there was only one problem where was the princess.

"Mister, mister." It was Uyoga. The boy of twelve came to a halt in front of him. His hand was covered in juices of the fruit.

"Hey, little man. How are you?" Idris greeted him. The boy gave him a large smile.

"You are looking for the princess." Uyoga said, it was not a question. Idris wanted to deny it, but the boy was smart enough to see through his lie. "She is helping the other woman at the village square." Of course, she was, it would be complete out of character for her is she stood back and did nothing. Something he admired.

"Thank you, Uyoga." He said, touching the boy's head before leaving. Rushing through the crowed, his men already informed him that the all the farmers had taken a day off work to be with their families. Which was not uncommon, and absolutely not strange after what had happened inside the village. He had seen with his own eyes the scars that the illness had left behind, and not only the physical ones. There was no family inside this village that was untouched. Mister Teensoll had lost a daughter and a son, leaving his youngest a son. His wife on the other hand was lucky enough to live and tell the tale. He arrived at the square, it was a bit calmer here. No wonder, his men were charged, there was no other way of putting it, to hold back the masses until the dinner bell. Apparently it was tradition inside this village that everyone eats together, as one bid family. In Salama it was tradition to make small gifts, for the once you care about. Over the years he had given his men all kinds of clothing, weapons and even some hairbands. Only this year he had no time to make something for them and he hoped that they would understand.

"Halt." Simret said with a big smirk on his face. "Where do you think you are going?" Idris rolled with his eyes.

"I am going to see Zeudi." Idris replied.

"Ha, and snatch some piece of freshly baked moon apple pie." Simret said, but Idris shook his head. Although it sounded tempting.

"No, I ..." He stopped mid-sentence, Simret was from the same village as him. And if he told Simret that he had made something for Zeudi, well the man child was smart enough to piece things together. If he had not done so already, o why did he care so much. "I made something for her, and I want to give it to her." Simret looked at the sword.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"And our gifts?" Simret asked.

"No time." Idris replied. Simret shook his head and started to lean on Fitsum's shoulder.

"Do you hear that, he has forgotten us already." Simret said and Fitsum nodded slowly. "Well fine, I am hurt but I will see past this, this once that is." Fitsum now looked at him.

"Are you not from the same village, so why have you not made something for use?" Fitsum said. In silence Idris thanked the man for it, because now all the attention was on Simret and not him. He slipped past them and went towards Zeudi.

"Your highness, your man is her. And he looked very pleased with himself." The witch doctor's voice came out of nowhere. Zeudi looked up from the great couldron.

*******

Zeudi gave him a soft smile, Arsema was right, he looked very pleased with himself. It reminded her of the boy she had met, he had the same look on his face before he had given her the bracelet. It was then not that surprising that the boy and the man were the same person. She knew for a fact that it was tradition in his home village to make something for someone special. And she kept that tradition close to her heart, after her visit to Salama, by making special moon apple cookies. For her family, but also for the once that worked in the palace. Last year, her brother had mocked her openly for doing this, saying that it made her look weak. Something her father agreed on, but doubled down when he realized that there would be no more cookies, he had a well known sweet tooth. This year there will be no cookies for him, because she was here with Idris and his men. And yes, she had baked them those cookies. She planned on giving them the cookies when they got back in the house.

"Stop daydreaming, girl." Arsema said. "Go to him, the rest of the women will finish what you have started." Zeudi looked at the woman and nodded.

"Hello, I am sorry if I interrupted you." Idris said with a crooked smile. He was not sorry at all, he was only saying that to make her feel better, which worked.

"I was almost done, so why do you look so pleased with yourself?" She asked and he looked down. Why was he acting so shy, she didn't know this side of him. She gave him a soft smile. "I made something for you and the rest of your group. It is in the house." She turned around and wanted to go, but he grabbed her by the arm.

"You made something for use?" He asked and she nodded.

"Salama, was the first time I experienced the festival. It is not something celebrated inside the palace. Do not ask me why, I never discovered the answer myself. But after I came back, I started to make moon apple cookies for everyone inside the palace. It is a tradition, I wanted to stick to it." She explained, he smiled and shook his head. He let go of her arm and the both of them went towards the house. He closed the door behind them, blocking most of the sounds. She went to the kitchen and grabbed one cookie off the plate. She turned around and was somewhat shocked that he was standing right behind her. He looked horrified when she bumped against the counter because of it.

"I am so sorry." He said, and she motioned that it was alright.

"Here you go." She said, holding the cookie in front of his nose. His shocked expression, made way for an amused on. He took the cookie with his mouth. "What are you..." He quickly ate the cookie.

"Sorry, I have my hands full with your gift." He said. The cookie crumble were hanging in the stubble. He had shaven himself since the arrived in Hifadh, but apparently he had not kept it up the last couple of days. She wanted to brush them away, but he placed something in front of her nose. It was a sword, he was giving her a real sword. Not a wooden one, that he himself had made. But one of metal. Her hand went slowly towards the handle.

"Did you make this?" She asked and he nodded. "For me?" He nodded again. "But I am not even that far in my training."

"Nobody is, until they enter a real fight. And something in me tells me that your brother will not wait that long. He will come, or he will send once again his men. But he will come." He said. She nodded, now grabbing on to the handle. Touching his hand in the process. He was right about that, they were living in a dream. Her brother will come and wake her up. She was not a normal village girl, who was waiting for her mister Right. Or rather was now looking at her Mister Right. She was the princess, and future queen of Cidor. A tear roll down her cheek. "Do not fear, I will always have your back." She smiled and stepped towards him. "Although I am just an ordinare thief." She shook her head, he was everything but ordinare. "I have nothing to offer you."

"I am not asking, for anything." She said.

"You asked me for the moon and the stars." He replied. She started to giggle through her tears of fear.

"You know what I meant by that. I want a man that love me, for me. Not for what I can give him." She said and he nodded placing his hand on her cheek. "I am not asking for anything else. Can you love me, for me?" He took another step closer and lowered his head. The were just inches apart from each other, was he going to kiss her? It was looking like he is. She closed her eyes, waiting for his lips to touch hers. The door slammed open and Simret stormed in.

"Ohhh, I am sorry about that. But Zeudi, your brother's men are here." Simret said. Zeudi looked at Idris and he nodded.

"Simret, you know what to do. All the young women and children inside this house." Idris said. "Just like we have practiced." Simret nodded, turned around and stormed off. Zeudi walked with Idris out of the house, her dream ended here and now.