Page 77 - NS 2024

would become a woman in less than a week in the eyes of the Almighty and men. ***
Lyssa was still thinking of Orlena when she was herded onto a small boat with seven other girls around age later that evening. Her parents stood at the dock, their faces neutral, but hopeful, just like the other parents of all the other girls that were gathered. Her mother had
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braided her hair into a crown upon her head and dressed her into a plain, modest dress, which was of course white. The other girls were dressed similarly and each of them wore matching expressions of anticipation, terror, and reverence. The two boats carrying the girls pushed off
from the dock and Lyssa caught one more glimpse of her parents before turning to face the open water.
They were rowing towards a small island, referred to as the Ashen Island due to the white flowers that cover the ground, making the entire island appear as if it is covered in a layer of ash. The island wasn’t very far from the mainland. On clear days, it could be seen from the docks, but at other times it was obscured from the view of the townspeople by a thick layer of fog.
Typically the week of the Journey, the island was constantly veiled by this fog. Many believed this was the Almighty’s way of hiding the girls from outside interference. They were there for him and him alone.
Lyssa, in her boredom and nervousness, counted all of the girls in the boats; there were 13 girls in total, including herself. The girls ranged in ages from nine to thirteen. They all had one thing in common; they had all recently started their monthly cycles. If a girl reached the age of thirteen without getting her cycle, she was sent on her Journey anyway, so that when she did get it, she would already have the Almighty’s blessing to fulfill her duty as a woman. The Journey