A young boy, about six, sat on the lap of a tanned skinned native girl. She was about four years older than himself. Holding him tightly, she tugged on his hair. Biting and nibbling her arm he tried to fight back against him.

“Still!” the girl yelled in her native tongue as she tried to place her feathers into his hair.

“Bastard!” the six-year-old boy yelled. Struggling and fighting, the girl held the boy still.

Moving through the thick jungle, a taller, long black-haired woman manoeuvred through the bushes. Soon she found her, princess Etasose.

“Your majesty!” the woman said as she moved into the bush line.

“Are you alright? you ran away after the feast, your mother is worried sick!” the woman said moving closer, but the girl jumped back, still holding the boy to her body.

“it’s getting dark, we need to get home!” the woman pleaded with the girl. Looking at the battling boy in her arms, she deduced why she had run away.

“He needs to go home tomorrow,” the woman said, looking to the girl with a sympathetic gaze.

“NO! He stays, he grows up with me, then he become husband!” Etasose said, burying her face into the bushy hair of the boy.

“Charlie must go home soon, and look at the boy, look how angry he is,” the woman said, immediately frowning as she saw the tears rolling down the cheeks of Etasose.

“He doesn’t like me, does he,” she murmured through tears. Feeling her chest cramp, she put her arms out to Etasose.

“Pass him here, I’ll show you a trick that will work on any cute little things like him,” She explained. Etasose looked to the boy, then to the woman. Shaking slightly, trying to hold back her tears as she saw the anger-filled eyes of Charlie.

“Ok aunty,” Etasose said hesitantly as she passed him over to the woman. Taking the boy into her arms, she began to cradle him.

“Hey there little one,” the woman began, switching to speaking in English. At first Charlie said nothing as he eyes her curiously. She couldn’t blame him, after being kidnapped by Etasose he probably thought she was going to carry on the torture.

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“My name is Nolkonoe, consider me a friend. may I ask you name?” Nolkonoe said, already knowing the answer, but wanting to build more of a relationship with him.

“Charlie miss. Charlie Black-Quill,” he said, his voice calm as he gave no resistance.

“Black-Quill, that is a merchant family, isn’t it?”

“Yes…” the boy said quietly, relaxing slightly as she hadn’t done anything to him, at least not yet.

“What is such an adorable little thing like you doing out here?” She inquired. He didn’t answer, and instead looked across to Etasose.

“This is Etasose, I understand she has been a little ruff with you?” Nolkonoe enquired as she held him like a new-born.

“No shit, she fucking kidnapped me!” the boy yelled. Etasose jumped slightly at him yelling. Narrowing her eyes at the boy, Nolkonoe smacked him on the head.

“Language boy. Listen, Etasose here isn’t that good a socialising. So, when she hears that someone, she cares for is leaving, she gets angry. So, she has kidnapped you to… show her liking towards you,” Nolkonoe said, trying her best to explain the situation to the foul-mouthed boy.

“She kept trying to put feathers into my hair!” Charlie yelled, his face screwing up as he began to pout.

“Well, that is a sign of love in our culture. Giving the feathers of a rare bird shows how she is willing to hunt and fight for you, and that no one else is allowed to have you,” Nolkonoe explained as she placed a hand onto his head. Turning back to her native language, she talked to Etasose.

“Watch this carefully,” Nolkonoe said as she began to start to gently stroke his hair. Needing her masterful fingers through his hair, she made sure Etasose could get a good view of his face as he slowly sank into her arms. About five minutes passed and his eyes started to relax as he allowed the woman to massage his scalp and head.

“There, adorable,” she said as he relaxed.

“Now that he is like this, you may ask him anything you want,” Nolkonoe said as she continued to pamper the boy.

“Anything?” an ecstatic Etasose said.

“Yes, but I will only ask him if you promise me one thing,” Nolkonoe said, knowing she had Etasose in the palm of her hands.

“Anything!” she said, a bright flicker in her eyes.

“Promise to come back to the village,” Nolkonoe said and Etasose quickly nodded her head in agreement.

“Alright, what do you want to know?” Etasose paused for a second as she thought of her question.

“Does he like me?” she said, shuffling slightly in her seat. Nodding Nolkonoe turned started to speak in English once again.

“Hey little outsider, would you like to be friends with Etasose?” he narrowed his eyes at her.

“What if I said we can get you some nice food and more massages like this,” Nolkonoe negotiated. For a second Charlie was quite.

“Ok, but only if she stops trying to put feathers in my hair,” Charlie said, crossing his arms and trying to hide his excitement at having the native foods. Translating what he had said back to Etasose, she leapt onto him. Wrapping her arms around him, she agreed.

“Lets go home then, get you something to eat, then you two can have fun,” Nolkonoe said before getting the two to stand.

Grabbing his hand, Etasose dragged Charlie back towards the village.

“Children,” Nolkonoe smiled.