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Britta grins. “I knew ye’d understand, even though ye are a god now. Eternity’s no good for us. We want a wedding an’ all that. Not right now, mind ye, but in a few years….”
“It’ll be a beautiful ceremony,” Li agrees. “In the traditional Eastern style.”
“No, Northern,” Britta corrects.
“Both,” Li swiftly compromises. “We’ll do both.”
“And then we’ll have a family, children…. ,” Britta adds. “The gods don’t do very well with children, you understand.”
I nod, thinking of the alaki and the jatu, both children my predecessors miserably failed. “No, they do not,” I agree. “And yes, I do understand.”
I turn to the rest. “What of you? What do you wish to do?”
Acalan swiftly shakes his head. “I’m thinking of visiting Maiwuri. I might even look up Lamin, if that’s all right with you.”
“Of course,” I say. I have already forgiven my former companion, who only did what he felt was just.
“No,” Adwapa says curtly, shaking her head when I turn to her. “I have had enough of the gods.”
Even me. This last part lies unspoken, but I can hear it deep inside her. I can feel it—the anger that still lingers. The pain. It is difficult to become an individual when you’ve spent your entire life being a pair.
I open a door beside her and point. “Mehrut is waiting there,” I say. “She’ll be happy to see you.”
Adwapa nods brusquely, and then she’s gone. I do not mind the abruptness of her departure; she’ll come around in time.
The only ones yet to reply are Belcalis, Keita, and White Hands. Sayuri has wandered off, unimpressed, as she so often is, by the proceedings.
Belcalis smiles wryly. “I notice you’re not even bothering to look at me.”
I incline my head. “We both know you have another fate in mind. Even though you have always kept it in your heart.”
“The best surprises are just that.” Belcalis acknowledges. “Surprises.”
“Indeed, they are,” I say, then I turn to Keita and White Hands, each deep in thought. “Well, then, what about the two of you?”
White Hands nods. “I don’t know about you, young jatu, but I’ve always wanted to see the universe. This is as good a chance as any.” She takes the hand I extend her.
“And you?” I ask Keita, already knowing his answer.
“You and I, always and forever,” he says, smiling.
“For eternity,” I say.
“For eternity,” he whispers.
Just like that, he takes my other hand, and the three of us walk into the darkness of the stars together.
Epilogue
I used to believe fate inevitable, a plan the heavens set for every individual.
But that was when I was mortal.
Now that I am a god, I realize that fate isn’t just due to some remote deity pushing a poor mortal toward an outcome that they wish. Fate also happens because an individual pushes themselves, pulls the threads of the universe a little their way.
Just look at Britta and Li.
Rainbows emerge as I regard them there, approaching each other from the opposite sides of the lakeside pavilion where their family and friends have gathered to see them finally wed. Nearly a decade ago, they were just an alaki and her uruni, forced into partnership to survive a brutal and deadly training ground. Now they’re here, on this pavilion, commencing their matrimonial rites.
