Eternally Yours

Iva was the name given to Anne as a symbol of being accepted into the community and now she was officially a Soga Mroa woman. Deiro had added that it was a befitting name. She was even presented a floral tiara which consisted a shrunken ensemble of red rose, eagle's claw, and King Fisher's quill woven upon Plaited Olive leaves. It symbolism that she was a daughter from this tribe, with power to read minds and a harbinger of new life. What made the tiara special was the entire ensemble was encased in a thin but toughened glass. Deiro informed him that it could never break unless the owner died, or broke it with actual intent. Every woman in the tribe wore a tiara, and every man a brooch made of similar ensembles signifying their status in the tribe and their powers.

Derek was amazed at the honour bestowed on her, but was also a bit vexed that he was being summarily ignored. When he had asked as much to Deiro, he had been told that he had to first accept them to be accepted as one among them. For now he was a guest of honour, a son of the Meigo family, and father of Iva. Treilma Ara too had time and again glanced at him with a knowing smile as if he was a little child who did not understand even the simplicities of life.

Anne had knelt before the Treilma Ara reverently and thanked him for all the guidance and help he had extended to them. Her gratitude had been gracefully accepted but dismissed as being instructed by the mystical power. Her family's loss had been discussed and she had been assured it was not anybody's fault, though all could be held responsible. Fate cannot be battled and she need not concern herself of leaving them behind. They were an intangible part of nature now, and she can always find them in her heart.

She was then asked what troubled her.

"I fear being shunned," she had admitted.

"You have been born to restore the glory of those long shunned. You can never be shunned, Iva."

"My father rejects my affection. He sees me as nothing more than a child."

"His judgement is clouded. Give him time. He will see what he loses one day."

This part of the conversation had hit Derek like a blow, and on turning to Deiro he had been asked in return, "Has Iva shown her desire to make love to you?"

Derek had awkwardly admitted so. But was surprised when the latter had not bristled at that. Instead, he had been asked again, "And you have rejected her advances so far?"

"Of course I have rejected her. I am not a pervert, man!"

Deiro had made a sound like "tsk" at that and explained, "Then, it all makes sense. Your mind is clouded by the ideas of the world you come from. It is not a sin to love your tinkle here."

"Tinkle?"

"Tinkle in the tribal language means daughter. I like the sound of it. But don't stray from the topic."

Derek had almost fainted as Deiro had continued to inform him that incest between fathers and their daughters were a norm in that tribe, even upheld as a birthright. She was a woman born to you. And you both have a right to love each other in every way.

The conference had then been dismissed with the new arrivals being allocated a room in the underground of the shrine till they could build their own house, and other matters postponed to be discussed later on.

The second blow Derek had received was to learn that Anne had known about the incest culture all along. She had learnt of it in her initial research itself, and it had in fact given her love hope. She had chosen to keep that information secret from him, initially because she didn't know how to reveal such a delicate matter. Then later because she knew he would not appreciate the tradition, or think her love was influenced by such ideas. It also seemed wise not to spill the beans before the hour arrived.

Derek had felt cheated on learning this and was too furious with her to speak another word for several days, except demand to return to Panaji immediately. Anne had refused to discuss till he had calmed down. He was even informed later that, as Iva was now accepted as part of the community, he couldn't force her to leave the island anymore. If he chose to leave without her, he would lose all ties with her too and never be allowed to see her again.

His friendship with Deiro was instantaneous, and the only good thing Derek could acknowledge in the days that followed. A strong sense a camaraderie had built between them before the day Derek and Anne arrived on the island had ended. It was Deiro who had explained the various traditions and rites of the island to him over the course of weeks, given him a brief update of his own family, and answered his various questions with patience. He had also helped him in innumerable ways, from leasing out his properties in Panaji, to shifting his accounts to Meem. Even going so far as to offer him a partnership in his farming lands (which he had to earn by cultivating a patch of new crops all by himself).

Deiro had also relayed to Derek everything that he knew about the infamous Meigo curse. The curse had been inflicted on his family nearly 200 years ago by the father of his ancestral grandmother, when she had decided to marry his forefather. Her mother had died a week before the wedding, and her father had claimed his right to keep any one of his daughter for himself on his wife's demise. As she was his favourite he had asked her to call off her wedding and bind herself to him. But the bride had refused to comply, as she was already in love with her groom and even the latter insisted on her forfeiting her father. She had gone ahead and married her love and even given up her place in her father's home. Furious and insulted, her father had invoked a rare ritual and cursed the Meigo family to never beget another daughter for seven generations to come. Thus, leaving the couple with only each other to love, as incest with sons and siblings was a taboo. (A fair social balance, Deiro had added. Every person this way had right to mate only two relations.) It was also considered a failure if a couple could not beget a girl child, as females were considered a miracle of nature with all that they endured and offered. The couple had somehow lived through the curse, but their sons had encountered difficulty in finding brides as no woman would bring such a shame upon herself. They had taken up the self-enforced exile one by one and left the island in search of new life. Apparently, Anne belonged to the eight generation or was born as the curse-breaker.

In the months that followed Derek had reluctantly bowed his head to Anne's decision to live there, and accepted all the norms of that society, except incest. He had taken care of all his matters, and documents in mainland with Deiro's assistance, and linked all his account to his email. During these trips Deiro let Derek understand that though theirs was a secluded community, the folks also made trips to the outside world on rare occasions or when need arose. But it was always discreet, and always kept straight, simple and singular transaction. It also explained the talent their possessed for languages. Almost everyone on the island spoke commendable English, Hindi and Arabic.

If not for the incest, Derek had to admit that it was not a bad place to live after all. He did miss the comforts of modern society at times, but there was a strange allure and peace in the island life. It was a community life where all owned nothing except for their clothes, accessories and the hut their built for themselves. Everyone worked, everyone shared, and all ate together every day. They were a self sufficient group at large, and showed impressive resistance to temptations, and a constant desire for knowledge.

He had also soon realised that everyone got a fair chance to have their way in the island, and so he had taken up to research for himself what options were available to him to remain as family with Anne and avoid incest too. Anne had stood true to her word and not sought to seduce him since they had come to this island, but she had made it clear that she still desired nothing more, and every night she slept leaving ample space for him with clear signs that he was invited to share her bed if he desired to.

Treilma Ara had soon come to become the bane of Derek's life by encouraging his daughter in her incestuous ambitions, and looking at him with pity and a smirk. As if he really considered him as an ignorant child.

Derek had only two options therefore. He either bed Anne only once and then give up his right to keep her for himself (as she was his only surviving daughter now), after which both would be free from any obligations to each other and she could marry anybody she chose. He had even tried it one night.

When Anne had retired to bed as usual and given him a silent invitation to join her, he had gone ahead and slept by her side before he could lose nerve. She had been initially surprised at his sudden submission, but soon recovered and joyously flung herself over him. He had braved to caress her cheeks and asked with the hope that she would see sense, "I'm so old for you, Anne. You might regret this come morning?"

She had laughed melodiously, cupped his face in her hands and replied, "You are the one I have always desired. I will never regret this."

"Most daughters who fancy their fathers do."

"Not here where we belong. It is esteemed here."

"You see now from their eyes. It's not what you truly desire."

"I do not just desire you. Make no mistake. I love you. As a woman... with all my heart and a sound mind. You think I got ideas from the research I first did about this tribe. It gave me hope, but I have told you this earlier too, I was already hopelessly in love with you long before the first message arrived. I love you for your own true worth."

He had mentally shaken his head and refused to give her any merit. She had read his doubts in his mind then and openly challenged, "Test me then," and sealed it with a kiss.

For a moment he was lost to the feel of her soft lips on his. Then he had felt her wrapping her arms about him in a pleasuring way and the spell had broken. With the realisation that this was his own daughter he was kissing, he had the urge to either fight or flight. As could do neither, he had forced himself to surrender to his carnal side. Abandoning all thoughts, he had flipped her over, pinned her arms off him to the cot with his own and dived in to lock his lips with hers again. She had remained calm for a while basking in the feel of him over her, then slowly ventured to return his kiss. But when her lips had left his own, and moved downward to his nape and chest, he couldn't take it anymore and had fled her presence once again.

He just couldn't forget that she was his own daughter. His sweet innocent daughter, at present highly deluded by the twisted ideas of this tribe. She had a strange lure about her, beyond doubt. Hell! she had even made masturbation difficult for him now. But he just couldn't use her for his pleasure this way! It was perverted and wrong! No matter what this tribe believed.

So, he was left with only one option now. The Relmo Mero rite during the monsoon festival. The tribe held a fanfare festival at the onset of every season where youths came together to enjoy a day with friends and choose spouses amongst the crowd. They then approached each of their parents with their choice and on receiving their alacrity, married each other as and when they chose fit.

As a father who did not wish to have sexual relations with his daughter, he could approach the Treilma Ara at the end of the festival and renounce all his rights over his daughter and choose any young man from the crowd to marry her off. If the suitor accepts the offer, they would be married at the end of the day. The girl only had the option to either accept her father's choice, or choose another youth willing to marry her. However, after the completion of the rite, the father and daughter had to dissolve all family ties and live as strangers to each other on this island.

Derek had thought over it long and hard in the week that ensued. He didn't want to lose Anne. She was his only family. But he had no alternative now. He had even thought of a youth for Anne. Meinso. A charming young lad who had recently shown his capability to become a family man by handling a poultry farm singlehandedly for three straight years. He had taken a liking to Anne soon after they had moved to this island. Anne too enjoyed his company. So, Derek was positive one day Anne would understand and forgive him. Above everything though was the assuredness that Meinso would love her and keep her happy.

"I don't understand why you reject her this way." Deiro had remarked on the day of the festival. "Your tinkle is as pretty as the Iva. And amazing too." "Iva?" Derek was surprised. These names too had meanings

"Yes. The round beautiful thing that lights the world at nights!"

"You mean moon!"

"Yes. That! That! She is just like Iva... In looks as well as nature."

But Derek had noticed the secretive smile and caught on it. "What's the smile about?"

"Nothing. You wouldn't want to know."

"Say it!"

"Do not insist, brother."

"I do. Just say and be done with it."

"Alright. In our tribal language Moon refers to the womb of a tinkle when she first conceives her father's child."

Derek had rolled his eyes and turned away to stare into the horizon. He shouldn't have insisted. He knew it would have an incestuous ring to it.

"I told you, you won't like it. You won't understand. But the feeling is really special, brother. Really beautiful... Almost ethereal. But don't stray from the topic now. Tell me, Have you thought this through? It is a very rare ritual."

"Yes," Derek had replied feeling a sudden pang of loss in his heart.

"Have you told Iva about it yet? You have to, you know!"

"I will tell her at the shrine square just before the ritual. She won't agree otherwise." He had croaked. "But I believe she must have already divined my thoughts. She is such a powerful mind reader after all."

This was when Deiro had first panicked. The consequences of such a case suddenly dawning on him. "Of course, she is a mind reader! And she must have surely read your mind. Especially after the manner you fled her bed that night."

"I know," Derek had sadly agreed wondering what's got his friend so frenzied up all of a sudden.

"No! You don't know! You don't understand. Everyone gets a fair chance here. And if you could resort to this extreme, even she has an option she can resort to.'

"What?!"

"Yes! Palma Treivo... Treima something. It's terrible. It's even more unheard of, more ancient and more extreme. Trust me, if she has chosen to invoke it, you will hate yourself for it."

Derek had been at a loss for words, and too shocked to react, when Deiro had turned to track the sun and exclaimed, "And it's near dusk!"

"So?!"

"So! If she has chosen that course of action, she must have already begun the ritual by now."

"No!" Derek had breathed.

"If that is the case, the three drums may ring thrice anytime now to herald it. Just hope it doesn't."

As if right on cue, the drums had rung just then. Deiro had paled at the sound, and shut his eyes.

Derek just stood there desperately looking at his friend, waiting for some reaction, some assurance, anything. Too afraid to even breathe. "RUN!!!" Deiro had yelled on opening his eyes. "To the shrine. Rush before you lose your Iva forever!"

Both the friends had then broken into a run as one. The sight that greeted them had frozen Derek on his spot and no words could express what he felt. He had cursed himself to hell and back again.

Right in the middle of the shrine's ground under the shade of the golden maple tree sat Anne on a rock without a single cloth or accessory on her self. Her legs were drawn together and bent to one side and her hair tumbled down her body trying to cover her in vain. She herself sat slumped in resignation and seemed lost to the whole world. Her eyes were red rimmed and moist, but she did not shed a single tear, and gazed fixedly at a spot on the ground. She was aware of the public gathered around her, but she had no concern about their reaction.

Derek shuddered involuntarily as the image suddenly assaulted his memory even on present day. They were at Jalandhar Beach, Anne cozily tugged in his embrace as they sat near the shore waiting for the sunset.

"What happened, Preizo?" Anne sat up worried and looked at him full of concern. "Are you alright?"

"Don't worry, love. I'm perfectly fine." He smiled at her beautiful, caring face, thanking his stars for not letting Anne be lost to him. To blessing him enough to see her so happy and with him.

She had searched his eyes trying to read his mind. But he had mentally requested her to let it go this time. She had nodded in understanding and nestled into his arms again. He needed his privacy too after all and he wouldn't hide with her anything important now. Not after all that they had gone through together. Not after how far they had come together. It must be some painful recollection. Both were not completely free from the ghosts of their past after all.

"My mind reader," he appreciated her understanding, gently hugging her closer and kissing her forehead. "My beautiful, wonderful, mind reader. Mine."

She smiled into his chest and replied softly gazing into the horizon, "I love you too."

Derek batted his eyelids furiously to avoid the tears welling up in his eyes and concentrating on a pair of sea gulls before him, desperately trying not to dwell on that thrice damned ritual. No matter what the outcome had been, Deiro had been right. It was a terrible option, and he loathed himself for pushing Anne to such extreme.

That day, Derek had no idea how long he had stood frozen there, or when he had slumped to the ground crying helplessly, begging Anne to stop this insanity, speak to him, or at least look at him once. Anne had resisted answering to any of his pleas and beseeches. She had only shifted her eyes at the sound of his voice, and her tears had welled up over his pain too. But she had steeled herself and sat undeterred like a statue. The Palma Treivo was no game. And it was time for her father to decide what he desired.

Treilma Ara had summoned him up the stairs of the shrine where he stood overlooking the ritual to answer his questions. Derek had braved to glance at the crowd, preparing himself for the shame he had brought upon Anne and himself. But all he saw was pity and disapproval in their eyes. Most of them did not even look at Anne, and were as shocked as him. Meinso was even glaring daggers at him.

Treilma Ara had explained to him with calm sympathy that Anne had invoked the Palma Treivo rite to renounce the whole world in her turn, as he had resolved to renounce her to the world. As he had decided to have nothing to do with the woman born to him, she had chosen to have nothing to do with the world. She had already broken her tiara, renouncing her right as a woman of this tribe. She had given up her right to good food and her right to gaiety by refusing to eat any food, and giving up all her clothes and adornments since dawn that day.

Derek had cursed himself again. He had noticed she had not touched a single morsel the whole day, and had been at home when she had handed over all her garments and accessories to the elderly woman who had come to collect it. She had instead worn a loose, unattractive garment of faded earth colours. But he had assumed it was her way of opposing his decision, and had not questioned anything.

Now, before the shrine she had renounced the whole world by giving up her footwear, as a symbolism that she did not desire for any other place now except for the shrine. By finally giving up the make-do clothing she wore since morning, she had rejected all protections provided to her thus far. But the protection of the shrine is one thing she has no right to refuse, and so she now sat under the shade of the great golden maple tree waiting for its shade to merge with the shadows of dusk.