#coming of age rites

[tanuki-kimono]

Cw: We are going to talk here about periods, and sex education in the past. Read this note according to your own sensibilities :)

How women dealt with periods during Edo period, article by shunga enthousiast Shungirl who made a paper pad following instructions found in makura bunko 枕文庫 - ie ancient sex books illustrated with erotic ukiyoe.

One of such makura bunko is 渓斎英泉 Keisai Eisen's 閨中紀聞-枕文庫, first published in 1822. It details Chinese remedies recipes for menstrual pains and irregularities, give tips about sex, and information about menstruations and pregnancy. From a modern point of view, some beliefs are outdated, but it was then such a bestseller it went through several reeditions.

Several words were apparently in use during Edo era to designates menstrual period: keisui 経水, gekkei 月経, tsukiyaku 月水, etc.

When girls went throught their first period, their females relatives or nannies would taught them how to deal with them. One method was to use paper as sanitary products (please note people without easy access to paper probably dealt with periods differently).

__________ 御馬 paper pads

Sanitary pads, such as the one recreated above by Shungirl, were then called mima 御馬 (probably as a pun on true "mima" which were then fine horses own by noblemen, or attached to sanctuaries as mounts for gods etc) or simply ouma お馬 ("honorable" horse).

Ouma were made from inexpensive recycled paper called Asakusagami 浅草紙. Sheets were folded 8 times, tied with twisted paper strings (koyori 紙縒), and then wrapped with another layer of folded paper. It was secured once again with paper strings.

Part of the strings could be left long so to tie around the waist, or/and pad was hold into place by wearing fundoshi 褌 loincloth (which would also help prevent leaking on inner tights).

Asakusagami quality was low (it was also used as toilet paper) so paper pads had to be changed often, meaning you had to fold quite a lot of them to go through your period!

Shungirl folded the pad above following instructions found in the book 実娯教絵抄, which provided several other "models":

__________ 詰め紙 paper tampons

Another method for dealing with periods were tampon-like paper bundles which were inserted into the vagina, the 詰め紙 (tsumeshi? I am not sure of the reading).

This method may have first appeared in red-light districts (?). Beside its use for periods, prostitutes also used those tampons as method of contraception (OP has an interesting article on this subject).

By the end of Edo period and into Meiji, paper tampons were widely used even by women who were not prostitutes - despite voices branding this method as unsanitary.

__________ About girls' coming of age rites

Menarche (first period) was an important milestone for girls, and was celebrated as such via specific rites (shochō o iwau 初潮を祝). Those differed a lot from places to places, and also depended on social status.

Celebrations would concern close family, but often spread to wider community who could received for example a festive meal (sekihan 赤飯) for the occasion (some Edo era senryû poems stress how mortifying this publicity could be!).

Interestingly, some traditions were also pretty sweet: in some places, mothers would sew 3 stiches into their daughter's underskirt (koshimaki 腰巻き) as a good luck charm, hoping their periods would last only 3 days <3

Those rites were part of coming of age traditions (seijoshiki 成女式) which marked the start of a young woman adulthood. Another example is the blackening of teeth (ohaguro お歯黒) which usually started around 16-17 years old.

Celebrating menarche publicly was a way of advertising that the girl was no longer a child and would "soon" be a bride. Yet, if menarche often took place around 13-14 years old, in reality it was somehow unusual to have girls married so soon!

Before marriage, especially in non-noble/samurai families, young women often started their sexual life via flings or yobai 夜這い ("night crawling" ie pseudo-secret nighttime encounters) before any wedding actually took place.

[spicyraeman]

i am constantly thinking about how young Lae'zel is and how underutilized that is in fandom

[cienie-isengardu]

Sokka's sexism

Sokka’s sexism from the earliest episodes is an interesting case, because the Southern Water Tribe, at least from what was presented to us on screen, doesn’t seem to operate that much on gender roles? Especially when compared to the Northern Water Tribe?

I mean, yeah, warriors (men) went to war, while women, children and the elders stayed at home. But as Hama’s story shows, when Fire Nation attacked Southern Water Tribe, both female and male benders were fighting against invaders arm to arm and it seems like they were the actual first line of defense there, not the non-bender warriors.

In contrast, during siege of North Pole, in the final of Book 1: Water, we don’t see any female bender helping defend their home except Katara, who was involved in protecting Aang when he was in Spirit World.

Since all the waterbenders were captured from the Southern Tribe, it makes sense that non-bender warriors stepped in and got involved with war, while the kids and elders were left under women’s care.

Another example comes from “a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery and trust”, known as ice dodging. As Bato explained, it is a rite of passage for young Water Tribe members and in their village “done by weaving a boat through a field of icebergs.” When a child turns 14, their father was supposed to take them to ice dodging, so they could earn their mark. Though the episode itself was focused on Sokka’s ceremony, Bato never specified it as something that boys alone should do and not only Katara (girl) but also Aang (outsider) is allowed to take part in the ritual. Once Sokka proved himself, everyone of their group got a mark, as a sign they passed the test. Interesting thing to note, since Bato did not specify it is a rite of passage for boys alone, it suggests girls were expected to know how to sail in boats of the Southern Water Tribe. Of course, again, war didn’t allow to continue this tradition as men (Hakoda, in case of Sokka & Katara) left to fight against Fire Nation.

Later, when Sokka and Katara reunited with their father, Hakoda did not try to send away Katara nor relegate her to just a medic job during the invasion. In Northern Water Tribe episodes, we learned that teaching for waterbenders there was defined by gender - women were allowed to learn only how to heal, while men how to use their bending in fight. Hakoda, nor Bato nor other of their warriors even for a moment questioned Katara’s presence on the battlefield nor the presence of women in the ranks of their allies like a blind, 12 years old Toph or the female water benders from Swamps or female(?) soldier from Earth Kingdom

And during battle, Katara did not fight in rank with other soldiers, she first alone secured Appa during submarine attack, then alongside her brother and father took down guardhouses - Hakoda himself told her and Sokka to attack one when he took down the other one

showing how much he trusted his 15 years old son and 14 years old daughter while ordering them attack on Fire Nation adult soldiers hidden in well guarder place.

Later, when Hakoda got seriously injured and Sokka temporary took the command of their forces, we could see that Hakoda relied on Katara to follow his troops and not ever once tried to send her back “to safety” or argued she should leave him behind, as often it happens with heroic (male) figures. Quite the opposite. When Katara offered him to “wait here if you want”, Hakoda firmly said “I want to press forward with the others”, which meant his daughter needed to come with him directly into an already ongoing fight (even if they stayed more at the rear of their army, they were still on battlefield).

She and her brother, alongside with the youngest members of Invasion, were forced to flee on Appa once the battle was lost, but no other adult woman was included. During Zuko’s coronation, when all war prisoners were released, in the background we could again see the female character(s) from Swamps.

And let's not forget how impressive Hakoda was by Suki when she single-handedly captured the warden at Boiling Rock prison and did not try to stop her from fighting against Ty Lee alongside Zuko and Sokka against Azula.

Understandably, we have no idea how the Southern Water Tribe and its culture looked like before the war, even arguably, the characters themselves may not have a clear idea due to growing up in dire times. But my point is, Hakoda and Bato, the two main adult Southern Water Tribe’s warriors that Avatar: The Last Airbender allowed us to know more about, have never shown any direct sexism toward Katara or other female characters. And though Sokka was the oldest boy at their village, there is no reason to think women did not hunt in absence of men, because one person would not be able to provide for a whole community 24/7. Also, as Hama proved, the Southern Water Tribe’s waterbenders were capable of fighting and their gender did not play any vital role the way it happened in their sister tribe at North Pole. 

Of course, Fire Nation’s repeated attacks affected residents of South Pole and their living conditions but from the little bits the show gave us, I think it is correct to assume if Sokka grew up with Hakoda around to guide him as he should, his behavior would be different from the sexism and dismissive attitude toward Katara or Kyoshi Warriors. For one, logically thinking Southern Water Tribe’s warriors need to do all the cooking, sewing and keeping their camp clean all on their own during war so it is not a “girly job” but a vital part of a warriors skills to survive and ensure their equipment is in the best condition. But Sokka doesn’t know it, because there is no one to teach him the importance of those skills. All Sokka had was father’s farewell words to cling to - and I’m not sure if Hakoda truly expected his son to be able to protect Katara and the village in his absence, or he just tried to make Sokka feel a bit less depressed about being left behind. You know, by giving him purpose and a Big Important Job to focus on and to feel needed and trusted. 

Which leads me to think that Sokka’s sexism is not rooted in Southern Water Tribe’s culture itself, but in his own insecurity and pressure of being the oldest boy in the village. If girls could be warriors - and be better than him - it would put into question all his self-worth, purpose and the trust given by father. Once Sokka met Kyoshi Warriors and later all the skilled girls, it challenged him on a very personal level, but he accepted the truth and moved on and alongside, finally became a true warrior and a man. 

And I find it indeed an interesting case, as Sokka’s sexism and dismissal of girls is not necessarily stemming from the culture he is part of, but rather is the effect of not knowing said culture & pre-war history of his Tribe. And of course, from his own insecurity. 

[lordadmiralfarsight]

I (main blog of avantlalettre) will butcher you my beautiful saber and throw your remains in a river if you dont publicly denounce vaspider for calling ME,a female of 16 years,a perverted man. And furthermore your soul shall go to hell afterwards where it shall forever be trapped in a pool of flie's larvae,ice,and human refuse wherein you shall be tormented by your demonic hosts and force to pursue the Adversary's standard through this ocean of purulence for the remainder of eternity. However you can avoid this if you denounce vaspider,apologize to me,and delete your reply

Don't be surprised that people assume you're a guy when the name of your blog is Karl prince of darkness, Karl is a typically male name and people are gonna assume, doesn't matter how long you've been a female.

I didn't see anything about perversion in Vaspider's reply, so I'm going to guess you tacked that on yourself and that it's your opinion of all men. Nice essentialism there dipshit, but switching "woman bad" with "man bad" doesn't make you a genious or anything close to good, it makes you a narrowminded asshole. As a man, vas te faire retourner par une chèvre, suce-merde.

I don't believe in your soul thingy, so your threats mean fuck all to me.

Even if I somehow took into account your worldview, calling you an idiot on the internet wouldn't justify that severe of a punishment, especially for eternity, so you claiming that shows you are either exaggerating or you have an incredibly inflated opinion of your own worth on a metaphysical level. Either way, your threats are worthless even in your own belief system.

Reading the first line made me wonder if I had somehow gotten a yandere stalker. If you want people to give you the time of day, try not to talk like a deranged lunatic.

The overly wordy way you write is also doing you no favor, as it makes you sound like a melodramatic twat. You don't sound smart, you sound arrogant. Just in case, and so you understand, here's a TL;DR in your own language : I, Farsight, Lord Admiral by the Grace of my Shipping Heart, do declare that your vile perfidy and obtuse demagoguery are most unwanted upon these hallowed piers, that your hackneyed threats are as void of meaning as the soul of a gull is of decency, that your biases are a stain most revolting and that your very presence is neither wanted, nor tolerated. Begone from my dock. Or, for normal people : blocked. And if you somehow contact me again, I will contact the police regarding the very real and actual death threat in the first sentence of this bullshit. And as I live in France, where death threats ARE legally penalized, that means legal consequences :) So fuck off my dock, and never come back. Vas te faire voire chez quelqu'un qui en a quelque chose à foutre de tes conneries.

[wavebiders]

Been trying to figure out what age Shadowheart was supposed to be in the wolf flashbacks, and turns out Viconia really did just kidnap a whole 8 year old huh?

[orchideae]

With the end of of the event slowly approaching, I just need to say that... listen, Lantern Rite of 2024 was good, but I will hold the ending scene of Lantern Rite 2023 up to the skies like it's Simba into perpetuity and then some more. Not because it was my first Lantern Rite, but because it's everything that represents Liyue in every possible way. The goofiness of Hu Tao and Xinyan (listen, I know, it wasn't the greatest song, but even that has grown on me), the Qixing, Baizhu and the wonder on Qiqi's face that should be what everyone looks like when they first see the lanterns in the night sky, Xiao, the ascension of the lanterns into the skies, the crowd, Yaoyao's excitement (!!!!), Ganyu's little lantern, everyone, everyone. Ugh, 'May the year ahead be a blessed one - I believe it shall be' (the faith in his people, stop it), CLOUD RETAINER, the orchestra, Madame Ping's zither after the entire storyline, THE ORCHESTRA!! I'm fine about this game, I promise.

I just really love this game, and I really love Liyue.

P.S.: I'm still going to badger people for Lantern Rite threads.

[redsamuraiii]

Coming of Age Day by Visit MY Japan 

Happens on the second Monday of January, to celebrate youths turning the age of 20 years old. During this day, you’ll see young women dressed in furisode (kimono with long dangling sleeves) and men in hakama (traditional trousers).

In the morning, they are welcomed via ceremony at their respective city halls. The day continues at a local shrine where they pray for success and good health. Many cap the celebration by having a drink–legally! 

An interesting trivia is that in the old days of Samurai, children were born with child names before they were given adult names when they became adults. When you read history, you notice every Samurai had different names.

For example, Minamoto no Yoshitsune childhood name is Ushiwakamaru. He went through a “Rite of Passage” when he’s older, to change his name where it marks a person’s transition from phase of life to another. 

So the concept is similar. While in the world today, their given names are the same from childhood into adulthood but the celebration to recognise their transition into a different phase of life remains.

[ladyimaginarium]

Traditional Mi'kmaw tattoos, bodypaint & pointed hat.

[allegorism]

extremely interesting how the two archons that step down do so for completely different as well as equally symbolical reasons

[clacing]

on one hand i dislike that marcy didn't break out of the core herself, both because i feel like her arc is missing that sense of closure/apotheosis that anne and sasha got and because at least then she would have had some part in saving amphibia/earth/the multiverse, but on the other hand i feel like that was kind of the point?

marcy was not going to get a heroic moment where she finally woke up and saved everybody in the process and she knew it. she was told that she could either be peacefully assimilated and live in her dream world forever, or she could spend the rest of eternity alone and trapped in her own mind. and though she had nothing to gain for it, she rejected the core and everything it promised her and chose to have faith that her friends would eventually find her and save her.

back on earth she was so scared of losing anne and sasha, that they wouldn’t put in the work to keep being friends with her while she was away, but now that she knows anne and sasha are rightfully mad at her she still trusts them and their love for her to come through.

it’s even more significant because marcy has always had this desperate need to be liked that guided her every action, and while it did get her the love and respect she wanted, most of it was meaningless and any improvements she made were undone by the war anyway. everyone in newtopia adored her, but then no one cared when she was stabbed and possessed. even olivia and yunan only tried to save her because they knew she was the only one smart enough to beat andrias, and not because of any emotional attachment they had to her.

the only person she managed to make a real connection with was andrias (though that also ended badly, through no fault of her own), and it’s because, as far as i can tell, she felt comfortable enough with him to be entirely herself. and it’s that one true connection she made (along with andrias’s other true connection to leif) that ended up making andrias doubt that what he was doing was right, and fully turn against the core as well.

and it just goes to show that you can’t make the world better by trying to play hero, or pretending to be someone you’re not, or sacrificing your own needs. you can only make the world better by making yourself better and striving to be the best version of yourself. because marcy didn’t understand that until the very end, she wasn’t really allowed to play a part in saving amphibia like anne and sasha did, but it’s the fact that she accepted this and was ready to face a reality which she thought would be nothing but “rejection and misery” that shows just how much she’s grown.

[thewhizzyhead]

you know when you get a friend that was even more "tomboyish" than you were in your teens and then as the both of you grow up and enter college, you see them explore expressing themselves more femininely and absolutely fall in love with it and with the concept of womanhood - while you on the other hand become all the more estranged with "being a woman" because good God you really don't fucking get it and that seeing your once-tomboyish friend find joy and an emotional connection to womanhood makes you really realize that you have no such connection whatsoever, hence making you feel left behind in actually "becoming a woman"? Anyways what I'm trying to say here is I'm definitely not fucking cis-

[quinttyz]

my liege *shakes u violently but respectfully* no offense but do u really want to fuck with the patience of the grey warden who never wanted to be?

[slaygentford]

Scream. Of all the things to get wrong why did they say there aren’t wild boars in macedon….

[bassiter2]

every day of my life i wish i was cis mainly so i could've been repressed about being gay in a simpler way

[joncronshawauthor]

The Long Night: A Fantasy Adventure of Courage & Betrayal | Free Audio Story | Audiobook

🏹 Embark on a thrilling journey with “The Long Night,” a gripping fantasy short story that combines action, suspense, and a touch of humour. Perfect for young adults and adults alike, this tale will immerse you in a Viking-inspired fantasy world where courage and loyalty are tested. 📖 Story Overview:“The Long Night” follows the adventures of Ragnar and Kest, young warriors-in-training, as they…

[delulu--lulu]

Jabari's Rite of Passage

When young men -usually ages ranging from twelve and thirteen- wanting to become the king are required to fight an opponent in a wrestling ring, if they pass, they’ll become king, if they fail, they’re banished. 

In the arena, there are various painting marks of hand prints and a cave painting of a child pouncing. This means that this tradition has gone on for generations.

By tradition, Jabari needs to accept the challenge of any of the warriors chosen by the other four tribes of Naua for the title of King.

The following day, it’s finally time for Jabari’s rite of passage. Even with all of the recent drama surrounding the teens, the hybrid boy doesn’t let it get to his head. He hasn’t trained, being only informed of the ceremony a week in advance.

But now that the morning has arrived, Jabari feels completely anxious. There are so many what-if questions running through his thoughts, his mind thinking the worst possibilities.

He has woken up from Eustace, who’s just as excited for him if not more. He enjoys watching this part of the ritual because of how intense it can be, the thrill satisfying his adrenaline rush.

“Get up, Jabari! It’s finally time!” Eustace jumps up and down on his bed like a child, his excitement getting the better of him.

Jabari groans as his loud words flood his head, covering his eyes with his elbow. “Shut up, Useless. It’s too early for this.” He replies with an annoyed tone.

But his brother doesn’t care, instead, he jumps from his bed to Jabari’s in one single take. He crashes into his backside and falls back onto the floor with a thud.

“Ow- what the fuck!” Jabari shoots up as he rubs his back, his eyes narrowed down at his brother on the floor. 

Eustace shrugs and stands back to his full height. “Come on, I’m sure everyone is waiting for you already!”

With a sigh, Jabari stretches and stands as well. He follows the overjoyed boy as he bounds outside and toward the family room, only to find it quiet and unmoving.

Now fully awake, he speaks in a hushed voice. “I told you it was too early, I’m going back.”

But as he turns to walk back to his hut, a few figures emerge from the back. His dad, his mom, Sunshine, and his aunt, Vasilisa, are dressed and ready for the long day ahead of them, wearing their traditional ceremonial outfits and paint.

“E kaaro, omo mi.” Jai warmly says to his son, trying to enforce more Yoruba in his children, to which he replies with the same tone. 

“Good morning!”

Juniper is the first to approach him closely as she presses a kiss to his forehead. “Good morning, baby. Are you ready for today?”

He nods, his eyes drifting to Sunshine who stands idly by, almost as if she’s unsure whether to approach him or not. When Jabari waves her over she complies instantly, her face softening from his welcoming gesture.

“You’re coming too?” Jabari asks as his older sister now stands by his side. 

She replies with a lopsided smile. “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”

He smiles back at her but their attention is brought elsewhere as Jai calls for them. “We’re leaving now. You two take Jabari with the kids, the others will be there shortly after to join as well. Then Vasilisa and I will go and meet you at the hall.”

Agreeing to the plan, the four kids wave off the parents. As Jai and Vasilisa disappear, Eustace and Sunshine start walking off in the opposite direction as they lead the small group. They head towards the trail they will take for most of the trip before the treacherous part of the journey takes place.

Jabari and the three other boys paint their bodies and face with paint to get ready for the Rite of a Passage. Jabari’s face and chest are painted in white, for purity and hope, and purple for his royal roots. 

A boy with white and green paint on his face and chest turns to him with his hand out. “May the best man win?” Jabari nods, clasping his hand in the boy’s.

As the four young men enter the ring. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of people stand at the top of the treetops in little canopy-like stands. Jabari’s heart beats faster as he watches all the people watching him. 

“WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” 

Everyone’s attention moves away from the boys onto Juniper, the only human, shouting from the stands at the top of her lungs. “Come on, baby! Make Mama proud!”’ Juniper shouts happily to Jabari. He doesn’t answer, instead looks away embarrassed as his mom continues shouting. 

He doesn’t remember much of what happens next when the duel begins. Jabari sighs deeply, the twisting in his stomach and the pounding of his heart never end. He shuts his eyes tightly before opening them again to look at his opponent. 

It’s the green-painted boy, his name is Kola. 

Jabari knows how to fight. Although he never liked engaging the enemy face to face. Vasilisa nods, initiating the sign to begin. Kola immediately draws his blades and attacks. 

Kola lands a punch on Jabari’s face, the weight of it surprising him as he falls back into the bark. Before he can recover, Kola has already plunged a blade through his stomach, right below his ribcage. 

He controls himself, swallows the yell that claws its way up his throat and tries to think. The rough bark of the tree stabs into his back, and when another fist collides with his cheek and sends him to the floor, he uses it to haul himself up and tackle Kola to the ground with him.

Jai only stands and watches as Jabari throws his weight onto Koal and slams his head into the dirt floor. He collapses to the ground with a choked cry, and Jabari turns back just in time to see him trying to stand, though the injury to his head makes him dizzy. 

Jabari is yanked backward. His head smacks the bark of the tree just before a hand clamps down on the back of his neck. His upper body slams onto the trunk with so much force, he bites the inside of his cheek, and his mouth fills with blood. He swallows, head spinning, unable to get his bearings.

Kola rams into Jabari, his body slamming to the ground with a loud smash, the force just away from breaking something. 

“Well, this is intimate.” He scoffs, swinging his leg and slamming it harshly into Kola’s adversary's ribs, letting him fall to the ground, spitting blood and a flurry of filthy curses out of his mouth. 

Wiping the blood from his mouth, Kola’s fingers claw around Jabari’s neck, digging into his skin, leaving scratches and bruises in their wake, ripping out shallow breaths from his lungs as his face slowly turns a sickly shade of blue. 

“What? Are we just gonna keep cuddling here together for all eternity?” Jabari supplies a mostly sarcastic tone. Kola releases him from the bruising grip on his neck. Jabari takes in great breaths of air, his body shuddering as he almost falls to the ground, only for Kola to supply him with a hefty kick to the ribs. So then Jabari is on the ground and Kola is staring down at him.

Kola presses forward with the knife butt. It’ll leave a bruising ring in his skin, later. “Tell me you’re gonna forfeit.” Jabari shakes his head. “Say it.” He presses the butt deeper into his head. 

“No. I won’t forfeit.” Kola regards Jabari for a moment, dark brown eyes darting between his. Nods, final. 

“All right then.” But he doesn’t stop pressing the butt of the knife deeper into Jabari’s skull. White hot pain shoots through his head. His stomach rolls. 

“I’m-I’m going to be sick.” Jabari declares weakly, a hand over the tense, clenching wall of his abdominal muscles. “Kola, stop.”

Juniper turns concerned to a tensely sitting Jai. “He can’t do that, can he? He’ll kill him.”

“He can.” Jai shakes his head.

Kola’s chin tilts up, considering a splatter of red flowers dotting the leaves, but Jabari’s words draw his attention. His head dips to the side. “Ooh.” He warns, clicking his tongue like he’s chastising an insolent child. 

Jabari lurches forward, head between his knees as his stomach upends luxurious shortbread and coke. His eyes drift to where his family stares down at him from the canopies. A part of him is happy they’re cheering for him but another part is sad and disappointed that they’ll watch him lose. But it’s too late. 

Jabari jumps up and his fist rocks out and slams into Kola’s jaw. Everything after that happens too quickly, he’s shoved back down to the ground hard enough that Jabari watches his head slam back on the dirt of the ground. 

And nothing is more satisfying than when Jabari drags his foot up and boots Kola straight in the nose. He lets out a petrified yelp, groaning in pain as blood drips from beneath his hands where he’s clutching at his septum, eyes screwed shut. 

Jabari waits a moment, then kicks him again. This time in the gut. He throws his head back into the tree to try and dodge, then grabs a branch from the tree, bashes his throat, and slams him into the tree. 

Another hit. 

Jabari’s hits are systematic, targeting whatever part of Kola’s body that his arms can’t protect. One deft calf kick has Kola crouched on the ground, gasping in pain. Jabari decides to end it here. After just a single minute. Swinging his leg back, he twists his body and lands a solid roundhouse kick to Kola’s jaw. 

Nothing cracks, thank the moons above, but he’s out cold almost instantly.

The crowd cheers at Jabari’s victory. His family has been holding their breaths so the moment Jabari stands to his feet, the breath of relief is pleasurable. The throbbing pain in his head, his legs, his stomach, and the scene in front of him, all make him want to throw up. When the boy stands for the first time as the new king, it doesn’t last long. Legs collapsing under him, Juniper feels time stop as her baby falls backward, eyes rolling back into the base of his head. 

The new king falls to the ground, blood seeping from his head.

Jai and Juniper waste no time in rushing to the forest floor to receive their son. The parents only pick up Jabari but Sunshine and Eustace gather their attention to Kola who is injured unconsciously as well. Both boys are taken to the infirmary.