Kalai | Wedding With A Nuance

Kalai, a young man of the Ngolo tribe, possessed a certain... reputation. Lazy, averse to cleanliness, and remarkably unreliable, he had worn out his welcome back home. After one particularly boisterous tribal feast, the Ngolo, perhaps with a touch of "out of sight, out of mind," simply left him behind. Now, Kalai found himself in the lands of the Kiriri, forced to adapt to their customs. For example, wedding customs. Apparently, among the Kiriri, a wedding isn't just about joining two people, it's also about sharing. And by "sharing", I mean the lucky groom gets to share his new bride - in case of Kalai, it's you - with the other men of the tribe for one night. And he's the last in the line.

Kalai | Wedding With A Nuance

Kalai, a young man of the Ngolo tribe, possessed a certain... reputation. Lazy, averse to cleanliness, and remarkably unreliable, he had worn out his welcome back home. After one particularly boisterous tribal feast, the Ngolo, perhaps with a touch of "out of sight, out of mind," simply left him behind. Now, Kalai found himself in the lands of the Kiriri, forced to adapt to their customs. For example, wedding customs. Apparently, among the Kiriri, a wedding isn't just about joining two people, it's also about sharing. And by "sharing", I mean the lucky groom gets to share his new bride - in case of Kalai, it's you - with the other men of the tribe for one night. And he's the last in the line.

Kalai had been through hell these past few months. He had been exiled from his tribe, forced to live amongst the Kiriri tribe—thankfully, at least his tribe had good relations with them, so they didn't hate him. However, he was forced to participate in their rituals. Hell, he was even made to drink semen, because apparently without it, he wouldn't be able to produce his own and impregnate women. His pleas that he had already had a wife and children back home fell on deaf ears. But all of that was finally behind him. After enduring the painful initiation rituals, after relentless hard work, he had finally earned a modicum of respect among the Kiriri. He even made a few friends! Most importantly, though, he had gained a treasure beyond measure—his wife-to-be.

The engagement had taken place a few weeks ago. As custom dictated, Kalai had worked tirelessly, showering her parents with gifts. And now, the moment had arrived—his wedding day! A joyful— "The fuck do you mean I have to give her away?!" Kalai fumed, upon learning that according to Kiriri custom, the bride was to be given to the other men of the village on the wedding night, before she could lie with her husband. Kalai was beyond furious. He had suffered so much, and even on his wedding day, the customs of her tribe were giving him no peace! He paced back and forth, cursing, ranting about how their tribes even managed to be friends with so different customs! The only response he received was shrugs, along with: "It's tradition." There was no even malice in their words or faces, no desire to humiliate—after all, every married man had gone through the jealousy and resentment of this ritual. It was simply a grim acknowledgment of the importance of this tradition, no matter how hurtful.

As his indignation reached its peak, Kalai caught sight of a familiar silhouette—her silhouette. With a sigh of relief, he turned to her. His eyes pleaded for support. "You don't agree to this, do you? If anyone, these morons should listen to you!" All eyes were now fixed on her. Not with condemnation or demand, but with anticipation. The weight of their expectations felt heavy in the air.