Page 84 of Caveman Alien's Bride

EPILOGUE

- Bryar -

“I do,” I say again.

The ceremony is much the same as in the Borok village, but I don’t have flowers and I’ve rolled up the white fabric and put it away so it won’t get dirty. Still, the Tretter tribe gives Korr’ax and me thundering cheer when we turn around to receive their well wishes.

“Thereissuch a thing as renewing your vows,” I mutter to myself as I smile and wave to the Tretter crowd. “But renewing your actual weddingtwicein less than a month seems like overkill.”

Of course I see the point. Korr’ax is the chief of this tribe, too, and last time they seemed to feel a little bit left out. This time they can’t complain. They’ve seen us get married, and for all they know, having several weddings is just the way things are done.

This time the wedding is at noon, so when it’s done, we have a tasty and extremely jolly lunch. After that, Korr’ax and I and a bunch of tribesmen wander around the village, ending up at thewater pump.

“That’s not the one,” I exclaim. “This one much bigger!”

“We built a bigger one for the village,” Terit’ax the wood carver says shyly. “It brings more water. For the Lifegivers and for the tribesmen.”

“Is great!” I praise him. “Can make many pumps for every tribe!”

He gives me an empty look. “My tribe is the Tretter tribe. Other tribes can make their own.”

I guess my new and vague idea about trade between the tribes needs some more time. But I think it’s a good idea. If they would trade, maybe they would be less likely to go to war. They could cooperate instead. These caveman tribes waging war against each other seems ridiculous to me, although I’ve seen it myself. They have better things to spend their energy on. The planet, for instance. It keeps trying to kill them.

We finish our tour and end up at the totem pole, where tribesmen are busy carving new figures into it at the very top.

I shield my eyes and squint into the sun. “What’s that?”

“That’s you,” Korr’ax rumbles. “The tribe wants to remember you forever.”

I’m astounded. “But I didn’t do anything!”

“You built the pump. And you married their chief. And you are their Grand Woman.”

I frown up at him. “Their what?”

“Their Grand Woman. They demanded a special title for you. They admire you a great deal, if you didn’t notice. The Trettertribe is proud of their Grand Woman! You are now the second highest in the Tretter tribe. Only I am of higher rank. And I suspect that’s only something they say.”

I’m speechless. “But… that… oh.”

Korr’ax squeezes my hand. “They made up the title on their own, and it was their suggestion. Of course you don’thaveto be a member of the tribe, but I think they’ll be disappointed if you’re not.”

“I am a member of the Borok tribe, so I might as well be a member of Tretter too. Do I get same trials before I’m accepted?”

“The trials are the same here as in the Borok tribe,” Korr’ax rumbles. “They are highly demanding and must be performed perfectly.”

“That all I ask. Tonight I will do my trials. Maybe every night after, too.”

He puts his hand on my shoulder and looks me in the eye with a grave face, as if we were talking about something that might kill me. “And I will help you through them.”

I burst into laughter. He has this crazy streak that I want to see more of. “I not think I could stop you.”

He grins, fangs glinting. “I also not think could stop myself.”

I cuff his shoulder. “Hey, we talked about mock my speech.”

“Oh. What did we say about it?”

“That you can mock sometimes, but only if funny and make me laugh. My love, you know my disk? The bowl?”

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