Seeing me holding Gel down, Mom comes towards me and just slaps me numb (first time in this life), she didn't hold her arm back at all, sending a shock wave through my skull.

“Telerios, what do you think you are doing, hurting a girl ? Let Gelcaria go right now !” she orders me.

I'm stunned by her misunderstanding and the powerful hit she landed on my face and let Gel go free. My mom didn't even try to assert what's going on before assuming I'm the culprit, even if the tableau was indeed pointing at me, her lack of trust in her son is making me really vexed.

The arrival of the grown up cooled Gel down and although she looks angry, her eyes still two purple swirling storms, she stays by my side and doesn't go after Anfers anymore.

Good for him, I was expecting her to kick his balls back inside. As satisfying as it might have been, It would also have been a painful sight for any man. (I'm a compassionate man.)

Ms Tarina stands angrily in front of me hands resting on her large hips, cheeks quivering in anger :

“That is not what I was expecting from you Telerios, you are grounded !” she points at the furthest corner of the courtyard.

“but !” I interfere

“No discussion !!” she beams with authority, shutting me up.

My mom's glare clearly tells me that if I dare open my mouth again, another handprint will appear on my other cheek. In front of the unspoken threat I decide to cave in, the truth will emerge soon enough.

Melodi is my best winggirl and comes to the rescue:

“It was Anfers: he wanted to fight and insulted Gelcaria, telling something about acolyte !” she accuses, a clawed finger pointed at the real culprit. Objection !

The jury of women turns towards Anfers, still sitting in his muddy puddle. I can see that they are all flustered, whatever an Akolaïte is, it is not a good insult to throw around casually. They eagerly await for an explanation.

“Is this true An ?” a blonde middle aged seamstress asks the boy, probably his mother.

Anfers just turns his eyes down, not daring to answer. This is as good as a confession, it raises my opinion of him a bit: at least the boy isn't a lying coward.

“Is this what you are learning with your father? Bad mouthing the other kids and blaspheming the gods ?” she walks in front of him, shadowing over him:

“Answer ! Now !” The woman must be used to disciplining rowdy ones at home.

Having lost all of his earlier boastfulness, a timid Anfers mumbles:

“yes... the girl was making fun of me.” he pauses, but sees that his mother is asking for more details.

“Everyone knows how she got her eyes, so I just told the truth: she's an akolaïte.” he mutters with a sulky look.

He knows he said something he shouldn't have, because he starts sobbing. Or maybe his mother is even heavier handed than mine and he just knows what's coming next for him...

And indeed his mother comes forward for a resounding slap, making him fall in the mud once more. This time he stays down, crying his fill on the ground.

Neither Gel, Melodi nor I are laughing this time. Even if part of me feels satisfied, I'm not fond of such violence, even less on children. This slap was a bit unnecessary in my opinion.

The predatory satisfaction I can briefly glimpse in Mel's eye doesn't please me either.

Ms Tarina comes forward. “I can't tolerate blasphemy in this house, Haihana, you must discipline him better, same goes for your husband, he shouldn't teach kids to speak like that.”she states, infuriated. The sorry mom apologizes in her son's stead “Yes Ms Tarina, I will.”

“Until he learns his lesson, don't bring him back here.” she slowly states.

Before the blonde seamstress can comply, she continues in a softer voice towards the main victim (not me, as much as I feel wronged here, I know I'm not the target of his slander) :

“Gelcaria come with me, love” She grabs Gel's hand and takes her inside without a glance for the rest of us.

A muddy and still crying Anfers is dragged by the ear out by his mom, probably to get thrown in the nearest fountain for a good wash, or drowned in the worst case.

Mom towers in front of me arms crossed in front of her, she still looks angrily at me:

“tell me what happened here.” her voice is threatening enough to make it clear I shouldn't lie (not that I intended to, I know mothers have a lie detector implanted as a standard option.)

I relate what happened and how I tried stopping the fight. Melodi confirms my story. Mom eases her brows, before covering my still red hot cheek with her cool hand “You did well, Tel,”

She doesn't apologize for the hit. As much as it was unjust I can only approve of her: an adult should never doubt his actions in front of a child less he'll loose authority.

I expect her to make it up to me later in some other way.

Melodi is the one to ask about the elephant in the room:

“what is an Akolaïte? Is it that bad ?”

Mom looks ill at ease, not knowing what she should tell us or not. Grand ma comes to her rescue “Did your memorize what sister Sunyeo taught you ? Can you tell us who Akolaï is ?” she questions back with her soothing voice.

I let Melodi answer, I don't feel like talking much with my cheek still hurting badly.

“Yes, Akolaï is the half beast, god of love and ambition, he protects lovers, spreads love, fuels ambition and brings children in the houses of the faithful ones ” she recites.

Ooooh, now I connect the dots: Akolaï must be more than what we've been told.

Probably something along the lines of the god of sex or desire or the like. So an Akolaïte must be something like someone of little virtue, laying around with whomever.

I doubt Anfers really knew what he was talking about, probably just repeating the swearing he heard one boorish guard or another say.

I'm more surprised Gel knew what he meant and reacted so strongly to the taunt.

Grand ma nods in approval “Yes. He is in charge of spreading love” she stress the expression “and for that he is helped by some of his...” she stops to search for the best wording “mmmh... followers. They are not priests nor priestesses, but are still under his patronage. Although they spread love and are under the god's endorsement, some people tend to think badly of them, disapproving of their behaviour.” She pauses, still trying to figure what to tell us or not.

“Akolaïtes are usually associated with his colour: purple. Thus why some will look askance at little Gel's unusual eye's colour. Making wrong assumptions and blaming her for things she hasn't done.”

I can read between the line that akolaïtes must be some kind of god sanctioned prostitutes. And either this world disapprove of prostitution or some other gods do (and so does their followers). This world didn't strike me as prude till now, nudity is far more common than on Earth, be it in the bathhouse or even the streets: some people walk bare chested in the streets when the weather is nice, including some woman too.

So I bet it is more about a chasm between gods of opposing values. Probably with either Amidea (the drowned virgin, goddess of water, cold, suffocation and purity), or Jalea (the maiden of Justice, goddess of justice, revenge, spite and maidens).

Those two are known as the sister goddesses and each are tied to one of the moons. And I can definitively picture them opposing a lusty Akolaï.

I just nod at grandma. Melodi looks sad, her ears and tail limping down “it is unfair” she states simply sympathizing with her friend's trial. Mom and grand ma hug her. (hey, I'm the one who got slapped here, I could use a hug too !)

Things settle down, Mel and I are left alone. We see neither Gel or Anfers back. We mostly badmouth about Anfers to pass the rest of our time.

As evening bell rings once it's time to make our way back home.

We pick up a red eyed Gel, I don't know what she talked about with Ms Tarina. I'm holding her hand as we walk and try to catch her gaze, but she's avoiding my eyes. Still, her hand is clasping tighter around mine today.

Back home while Gel and I are waiting in front of my house, my mom talks for some time with Gel's one. I can see that Gel's mom is flustered, looking with bitterness and frustration at Gel, yet without surprise. Mom seems uneasy too, there must be something more to this, but I'm not sure I really want to know.

I turn towards Gel “If Anfers ever bad mouths you again, I'll be the one to kick him silly and I won't be as nice as Melodi, he'll eat his fill of dirt and go back home as toothless as a baby” I mimic a high kick, faking to lose my balance.

I reach my goal as Gel chuckles (for an instant I wonder if she is just making fun of me, since she's stronger than me, she is more than able to kick him herself).

Our eyes finally meet and I can see genuine gratitude in her now appeased lavender eyes. I might not have know it till now, but this must not have been her first time getting shunned upon for her eyes, explaining why she knew what Anfers was insinuating and why she is so shy around strangers, avoiding eye contact.

Our mothers end their conversation and a worried looking Ovidee carries Gelcaria back home in her arms.

I'd like to ask mom more, but know that it wouldn't befit a kid my age, so I just ask her:

“Will Gel be okay ? Did she do something bad ?”

Mom sighs “No Telerios, she didn't do anything bad, nor did her mother. But sometimes, even if you didn't do anything bad, bad things happens to you.” she says with fatalism.

I place a hand on my cheek and my mother catches my drift as she blushes slightly. Ah, that's guilt, something I'll be able to leverage later on.

She goes on “She will face more shunning in the future and will have to get strong enough to endure it. Kids can be rough and cruel, and it grows worse in some adults.” she sadly but wisely adds.

She pats my head (I'm not fond of the gesture, it really makes me feel like a powerless kid, reminding me of my current condition, but I don't evade her show of affection)

“You did well today Tel; keep being a good friend to her, she will need some around her. May she want it or not, she bears the mark of one of the gods. Helping her is helping the mandate of the pantheon.” There is some firm belief and determination shining in her gaze.

My mom never struck me as someone faithful, we've barely been at our Temple. So I don't know if it is her faith in the pantheon talking or pity for the girl; maybe a bit of both. (Wait, is my mom worshipping Akolaï ?)

I'll fulfil her wish either way.