After class, I went looking for Kauan to find out what tasks I'd have to do. I still needed to understand what my routine would be like living among the elves. Everything had happened so fast that I had just been reacting to events, without much time to stop and think.
It hadn't even been two days since I was on a battlefield, witnessing the massacre of my comrades. Now, my biggest concern was avoiding being seen as a pervert because I couldn't get used to the size of the clothes the elf women wore.
I knew I needed to focus, but I allowed myself the luxury of keeping a slower pace—at least for a few days.
I found Kauan in the kitchen of the great hall. Our task for the day, and for a few more, would be peeling potatoes.
"Ah, Maculelê! Good thing you're here. My quota was getting dangerously low."
The bastard was seriously committed to pushing his work onto me. A slightly older and very beautiful woman smacked the boy on the head.
"Ouch, mom!"
Mom? That beauty was this guy's mother? Is there no one ugly in this village? Did I actually die and end up in some kind of paradise?
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, dear?"
"Everyone here already knows who he is. Why waste time with introductions?"
"Nice to meet you, my name is Maculelê."
I introduced myself, ignoring Kauan's lack of tact.
"Pleasure. My name is Juçara, and I'm this brat's mother, as you've already guessed. That one over there cutting meat is my husband, Raoní. And these two are my nieces, Uyara and Anahí."
She introduced me to the others in that part of the kitchen. Raoní was a big, burly man, looking more like a gladiator than a cook. He and Juçara were probably in their mid-to-late thirties, maybe nearing forty. Uyara and Anahí, unsurprisingly, were also beautiful and about my age.
Trying to stick to my resolution to behave better and not make Tayná uncomfortable around me again, I avoided looking in the women's direction. Juçara must've noticed, because she gave a wide smile and teased me.
"Feel free to look, silly. Looking doesn't hurt anyone."
The girls and I dropped our eyes to the floor in embarrassment. Kauan, on the other hand, wasn't too pleased.
"Mom, seriously? In front of me? Why do you always say these things when I'm around?"
"Don't worry, she says them when you're not around too."
Raoní chimed in from the back, making Kauan pull a hilarious disgusted face. I wanted to change the subject quickly, since I wasn't comfortable with the conversation either, but first I had to apologize.
"Sorry if I made anyone uncomfortable."
"You didn't make anyone uncomfortable, dear. At most, a little disappointed—after all, they can't look back at you the same way."
At that moment, the two girls, despite their dark brown skin tone, turned as red as chili peppers. And I was more confused than ever. To my complete surprise, it was Kauan who cleared things up.
"Dude, you haven't gone through the coming-of-age ritual yet. Looking at you with desire would be taboo, bad luck, you know? Why are you teasing the poor girls? Everyone already gets it—you're a hottie."
The two girls looked like they wanted to crawl into a hole. Clearly, I still had a lot to learn about the customs of the dark elves. The whole situation of being a grown man but treated like a child was very confusing to me—and apparently to them too.
"You don't look anything like your father, huh, Kauan?"
I commented, trying to change the subject.
"Where did you meet my father?"
"He thought Raoní was your father, dear."
"Sorry, I should've guessed you might be a widow remarried."
Judging by the shocked expressions on Kauan and the girls' faces, I'd probably said something else dumb. This time, Raoní stepped in to explain.
"I'm the only husband Juçara ever had, and I helped raise this rascal since he was born. But he's a boto's son."
"Boto's son." What was that supposed to mean? Juçara, realizing I hadn't understood much, began to explain.
"After the coming-of-age ritual, the young men in the village drink marapuama tea to channel the Boto and learn from him how to please their future wives. To protect the young girls, the older women bathe in rue and hide in the woods to lure the Boto away from the village. I don't think I need to explain what happens if the Boto finds someone."
"My Juçara is terrible at hiding. The Boto always ends up finding her."
Raoní said, bursting into laughter.
"Usually, the Boto's children become great warriors or powerful sorcerers. But not always."
Anahí said, clearly referring to Kauan with that final remark.
"The Boto's children are all special, each in their own way."
Uyara said, trying to defend her cousin. Was there something else going on there?
"Tayná is also a Boto's daughter. No wonder she's such a talented sorceress."
Kauan added, seemingly oblivious to the girls' comments. Maybe I wasn't the only one enchanted by Tayná's charms.
"This year, you have to lock my mom up and stop her from going out to calm the Boto at all costs."
Kauan said, giving Raoní an ultimatum. He was probably participating this year, so I understood perfectly why he didn't want his mom involved.
"Don't worry. If your friend here is participating, there won't be a shortage of volunteers to calm the Boto this year. And don't make that disappointed face, my dear. You can always calm the Boto in my hammock."
Raoní said, making Kauan pull another comical expression. I tried to pretend I hadn't understood the comment, which clearly had nothing to do with me. But the idea of this village, full of gorgeous women, lining up to help calm the Boto was tempting.
By the time I realized it, I'd already finished peeling all the potatoes. I ended up doing exactly what Kauan wanted: finishing the whole task pretty much alone.
The conversation had flowed so naturally I didn't even notice the time passing. The Lady in Blue knew what she was doing when she brought me here. This place was exactly what I needed to overcome my grief and start my life over.