The sun had already gone down and the heat was becoming more pleasant when he heard the knocks on the door. He stood up as fast as his heartbeats. He pulled the doorknob and could smell the mild perfume of roses that Airu was wearing. 

She was wearing a light white shirt with delicate straps that went down to her waist and contrasted with her reddish skin. Now the skirt, also white, was of a thicker tissue, maybe linen, and reached a little above her knee. Túlio didn't fail to notice the leather sandals that adorned her delicate feet. She had a big purse made of orange leather ornated with symbols in bas-relief. 

Airu took his hand and dragged him out of the building. He felt like a balloon being pulled by a child in a theme park. 

They walked side by side, hand in hand. Túlio wasn't trying to hide the blush on his cheeks anymore. When they approached a taxi stand, she turned to him and said, “You need to promise me that you won't tell any of what happens today. To anybody, not even the Professor.” 

Túlio's heart was beating erratically and he couldn't articulate the answer. He only nodded affirmatively. 

“I trust you, cari. Besides, leaving that building alone could raise suspicions. Faking a date was the only option.” 

Faking was the word that echoed in Túlio's head. Had he missed anything? 

They got in a taxi and Airu handed the driver a piece of paper. Suspicious, the cuiabano asked if she was sure of the address and the reply was: “Quickly.” 

As the car took off and increased its speed through the city streets, Túlio decided to clarify the “faking a date” story: “So… you mean… where are we going?”. 

Airu looked at him with a mix of pity and thankfulness. She approached him on the back seat of the car and got close to his ear. Túlio closed his eyes, ready to receive a kiss, but she said quietly, “We're going to my engagement party.” 

“What? WHAT? What do you mean?” 

“Lower, cari! Speak lower!” She glanced at the driver, who didn't seem very interested in their conversation. 

“Speak lower? You ask me out and out of nowhere come tell me that we're going to an engagement party? YOUR engagement?” 

“Pay attention! Look, I know this may not be what you had imagined… but you know the indians were massacred by the Empire in the Civilizing War. Very few remained, generally in the interior of the Amazon Forest Area. The ones in the south provinces have disappeared.” 

Túlio listened, incredulous. He wanted to stop the taxi and get out of there, get away from Airu and hide under the bed in the military quarters. 

“Those that remained had to follow the Jesuits’ doctrine. Anyone who disagreed or refused to convert to Catholicism was tortured or killed. Then, our only way out was to accept indoctrination, or, at least, to seem to… We created a type of ‘secret society’ to keep our traditions and our culture alive… 

“We meet in certain places, have a few passwords… as Emperor Tiradentes I himself did in the time of the Inconfidence. We don't want any more than he did — freedom!” 

“But what are you talking about, Airu? You are free! You can walk loose around… You study at a university…” 

“But I'm a second-class citizen. You've already witnessed that, Túlio! Your school colleagues… the military… To you all, I'm just an animal… A red skin animal who happens to know how to speak.” 

Túlio was surprised with the indian's tone of voice. She exhaled a nearly palpable hatred. 

“Of course I don't see you like that! I see… see you… I see you like a normal girl. To me, you're white like everybody.” 

“White like everybody… what a great definition, Túlio.” And he felt a twinge of hurt in her voice. “Look, I need you, I'm very sorry this hasn't been the date of your dreams. I'll do everything I can to finish quickly, we'll go back and pretend that none of this has ever happened.” She turned to the window, ending the conversation. 

Túlio was stupefied. That wasn't being the night he had awaited so much. It really wasn't! As Airu didn't seem to want to continue talking, or rather, to dump information over him, he found it best to wait and see what would happen. 

The taxi kept going for over half an hour until it stopped in front of an enormous barrack in the outskirts of the city. The area was completely deserted and seemed abandoned. There were no signs or other indicatives that the barrack was used for anything and Túlio was finding all of that very creepy. The front wooden gates were closed with a huge, rusted padlock. On its side was a door that looked normal, except that it was made of cast iron. 

Airu paid the taxi driver, who didn't ask whether he should wait. He also didn't seem to like the place very much. Without waiting for Túlio, she went to the barrack's door and knocked twice. 

Silence. 

Túlio was thinking about how all that was absurd and, mainly, how they would return to the War Arsenal. 

Suddenly the door was opened and from it came a giant. Túlio had never seen anyone so large — the guy was probably taller than two meters and had to bend down to pass through the doorpost. Despite the weak lighting, his strong physique and indigenous features could be seen. The giant looked at Túlio with a scowl, but before he could say anything, Airu spoke dryly, “He's with me. He's not dangerous.” 

The giant indian took some time to accept her word and seemed to analyze Túlio from head to toe. At last, he took a step to the right and let them both in. Túlio hurried inside, afraid to lose Airu in the darkness of the barrack. 

They crossed a dark, narrow corridor where they could barely see each other. Airu went ahead, feeling around the wall until she found another door. She turned the doorknob, and they entered an enormous salon. There was little light, only a few lightbulbs on the high ceiling. Túlio noted that there were several people in the salon, several… indians! 

There was a small fuss when they noticed Túlio had entered. Airu shouted something unintelligible, and they all went silent, looking in amazement at that young white lad. 

The giant indian appeared behind Túlio and pushed him as if by accident. The boy felt like a cat in a kennel. 

“Wait for me here,” said Airu. “Nothing will happen to you.” And she cast a threatening look to the giant indian, who didn't seem to care about the girl's attitude. She walked off quickly, going to talk to some elder indians in the center of the salon. 

Túlio, without many options, stood there watching that… tribe… if he could call the huddle of twenty, maybe thirty indians that. They seemed to be there for anything but a wedding celebration. There were no sumptuous clothes nor fancy decoration. There also wasn't a huge table with food and beverages. The environment wasn't overflowing with joy. All there was in that abandoned barrack was a bunch of indians wearing simple clothes and with tired faces. 

Airu came back to Túlio, bringing by the arm an indian who seemed to be the oldest there. He wore social pants and a short-sleeved shirt, open until his chest, displaying a necklace made with colored wood and bird feathers. 

“Túlio, this is the Great Pajé of the Community of Cuiabá. You can't know his name, since you're not one of us. But he has come to greet you and, as I am the bride, also came to say you're welcome to the ceremony. Isn't that right?” And she gave the indian a fulminant look. 

The old indian only nodded, without saying a single word. Airu rolled her eyes. She pointed at the giant indian and said: “Túlio, Ajaguanã-mirim will… uhhh… take care of you during the ceremony. Stay right where you are and don't go outside, alright?” 

“Of course… as if I had a choice.” 

The pajé turned around and Airu went after him. However, as he walked to the center of the group, she went around them, entering a door at the end of the salon. 

“She is going to get changed. She can't get engaged wearing those clothes,” said Ajaguanã-mirim, the giant indian. Túlio shivered when he heard the guy's voice — it sounded like a wild roar, the grunts of an enraged animal tied to the bottom of a well. 

“Uhh… right… and where's the groom?” asked Túlio, doing all he could to seem friendly. 

“It's that one, talking to the Pajé. Don't ask his name.” 

Túlio noticed that said indian, whom he thought to be somewhat short and gangly, had discreet paintings on his face. 

All the other indians sat down around the Pajé and the groom, who remained standing. The Pajé began to sing something Túlio couldn't understand. Some of those who were crouching looked insistently at Túlio. 

“Maybe I should go sit with them, no?” he said without facing the giant indian. 

“Maybe. Some of them are very interested in performing an old wedding ritual. A custom, so to speak.” 

“Ritual?” Túlio said, exaggerating his interest. 

“Our ancestors would tie a foreign warrior during a wedding. After the ceremony, he'd be killed and devoured in order to celebrate the couple's union and remember them of their blood ties to the tribe. Not that you are a warrior… but the times have changed.” 

Túlio went pale. That sick feeling in his stomach, which he had been having so much these past two days, came back. Trying to control a hysterical laugh, he asked, now looking at the giant's eyes, “You're kidding me, right?” 

“Do you think I'm here by your side because I like you?” 

Túlio felt his mouth go dry and instinctively looked at the door. 

“It's worse to run. Stay and enjoy the party. Airumã is already coming, look.” 

All of Túlio's discomfort, despair, and anguish disappeared the moment he landed his eyes on Airu. Or that “new” Airu who was now inside the circle of indians, next to the groom and the Pajé. 

She was barefoot, with a strip of flowers on her left ankle. She wasn't wearing anything but a short red loincloth, decorated on both sides with peacock feathers. On her chest, several feather necklaces, colored pieces of wood, and pebbles. On her head, a crown of flowers and branches of some unknown plant. Her face was covered in white and red paintings, which highlighted her features and made her even more beautiful. 

“Close your mouth, cari.” 

But Túlio didn't listen to the giant indian. And it also didn't matter that they wanted to slice him like smoked ham. That sight was worth the risk. God, it was worth all risks! 

But, despite her perfect face, he couldn't help but notice there was no joy. There was no smile from ear to ear as was common to brides. Airu's expression was of… conformism. Acceptance. Túlio still didn't know the concept of “pragmatism.” 

“Why isn't anyone happy? Why isn't even the groom smiling? If it were me…” 

“It would be a dream, cari. Airu would never marry a white man.” The giant indian's face, impassive, was looking upwards. “What happiness can there be when we aren't even a shadow of what we've already been? When our ancestors died in the dishonor of being hunted like animals? What you're seeing, cari, is our attempt to keep the little that we have left, now that you have ‘freed us from barbarity and ignorance.’ We have once ruled over all this land you now call ‘Empire,’ but which us, its true owners, named ‘Pindorama.’ And you have reduced us to this — a bunch of cowards who have to hide in stinky abandoned barracks, because if we're seen ‘practicing pagan rituals,’ our only destiny will be the Great Island. We don't have the luxury of choice.” 

Túlio didn't know what to say. He felt a mix of sadness and anger. Impotence and euphoria. 

The ceremony went on, now with everyone singing on their feet. The gangly groom holding Airu's delicate hands. Túlio closed his eyes. He wouldn't be able to stay there. He slowly headed to the door. 

“If I were you, I wouldn't go outside,” said Ajaguanã-mirim. 

“But you're not.” And he slammed the door behind him. 

He stood with his back against the wall in the dark corridor. Nobody went after him.