𝙀𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀. 𝙉𝙀𝙏𝙀𝙔𝘼𝙈 ¹

𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚

Fei kneeled before the sand of the grove. She traced out stripes with swirls, the patterns she had seen on her daughter in her dreams. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and continued to draw the lines with her finger.

For a moment, she leaned back and stared at the lines.

"Fei!" Neteyam called out, walking into the grove with a basket of whatever he caught to eat that day. When he saw what she was doing, he sighed and put down the basket. "My love, didn't I tell you to wait until you give birth to do this?"

She glanced down at her bulging stomach, brows furrowed. "And I told you it's fine,"

"Not when you bend down like that!" He rubbed his hand over her belly. "It could hurt Sylwanin."

She scoffed. "You care more about her than me."

"Do I?" He pretended to think about it. She slapped his arm and moved past him to walk away. He picked up his basket and moved beside her. "I was kidding, my love, you should know I love you the most."

She hid a smile and rolled her eyes. "Have you moved everything into my Marui?"

"Well, it's not yours, it's ours now." 

"Skxawng."

He nudged her shoulder. "You love me for it."

"I do." 

Their lives had begun to warp around each other. Courtesy of being a mated couple and with a daughter to pop out any minute, Neteyam moved in with her. He was irritating at some times, but it was one of the things she loved about him. 

When they neared her Marui, Fei caught a glimpse of Ronal. The woman was staring at her daughter. The girl froze, a hand flying up to her stomach automatically.

The two hadn't sorted out their differences. Ronal never wanted to talk about it. But Fei was okay with that. She still got to see her new baby sibling, but there was an unspoken tension between the two women.

Neytiri and Jake told her not to worry about it too much. It was bad for the baby.

Fei could tell something was different in the way Ronal looked at her. She shook it off and took Neteyam's free hand, the other holding the basket. They barely got to settle in when the woman moved to stand by the entrance.

"Fei'uey." She called out.

The girl froze and turned around, sharing a look with Neteyam. His eyes told her he was worried. She only shook her head. "Hello, Ronal." She placed a hand on her lover's shoulder and whispered in his ear. "It would be best if you leave,"

"But-"

"-It's okay," she nodded.

He couldn't do much about it and complied.

Once he was gone, the older woman sighed. "I don't want to do this anymore. All this avoiding and things," She took a step closer, but Fei backed away. She put her head down. "I understand."

When she turned around to leave, Fei finally spoke. "I was right." Ronal turned her head. "I am fit to lead. And my dreams were true." To some extent. "And I am not a child."

She only nodded and backed away.

---

"Birthing you was the hardest," Fei rolled her eyes, pinching Sylwanin's nose and holding her close. They sat on the floor of their Marui, giggling away. "You were so difficult!"

Sylwanin only grinned and laughed. "And what about Daddy?"

"Oh!" Fei exclaimed, exaggerating her words. "He was such a skxawng! And he always got himself in trouble, putting the blame on him and saving Lo'ak's butt over and over!"

"I heard you were talking about me?" Neteyam rounded the corner, jumping out with his eyes wide and arms flailed. Sylwanin jumped and screamed, running behind her mother and putting her arms around her neck.

"Mommy!" She giggled. "Help me!"

Fei stood up and hooked her hands under the girl's knees. She hung from her neck. "Hello, Neteyam."

"My love," he kissed her softly, earning a gag from Sylwanin. She got her sarcastic, spunky attitude from Kiri, who she spent too much time with. 

Fei ran her fingers over the scar on his heart. It had felt so long ago that he had been shot, lying dead in front of her. Even then, the memory gave her chills.

She couldn't believe how far along she came from when she had first met Neteyam. She grew as a person, a leader, and a lover. She supposed, in some way, the hardships she faced ended with her happiness.

One happy and dysfunctional family.

She found love in a foreign boy from the trees, whose stripes she drew in the sand every day.

"My love," Neteyam whispered, brushing his knuckles over the side of her arm. "What's on your mind?" 

Fei stared at Sylwanin, who had been running around on the beach with her uncle. When her eyes met his, she felt the same spark as she did all those years ago. "I just can't believe we've made it this far. It kind of feels like just yesterday, I had you under my knife."

"I was also under your body."

She slapped his hand away, scowling playfully. "Skxawng."

He looked back up at Sylwanin, an idea popping into his head. "Do you want another one?"

"Hm," she hummed. "Later."

"So when?" He looked a little too excited as he thought about the process to make another.

She shrugged. "I don't know, any time. Our love is eternal."

He nodded and pulled her lips in for a kiss. It sealed everything they had fought for and everything they deserved. They would stare at the sea as a couple, their hearts beating as one.

She placed her hand over his heart and felt its beat. She couldn't believe that at some point, it didn't. Fei only bit her lip and stared into his eyes. 

Neteyam and Fei, Fei and Neteyam.

It was eternal love.

Forever.

AHH SO THAT'S THE END THANK YOU ALL FOR TAGGING ALONG FOR THE JOURNEY

i know this is so basic and generic, but i have to say that i love all of you guys and all of your support. without it, i would never have been able to finish this book. plus, it's the first one i actually finished WHICH IS INSANE WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT

eventually in the future, i'll probably edit the chapters or rewrite it, but not for a while. i think i'll just celebrate finishing this.

and i don't even know if this is the end for this book. there could be a potential sequel later if i think of an idea or if i get requested enough for it but it'll probably be boring ngl. i have a plan for an extra chapter about neteyam getting told about certain stuff by the older teens in the mountains

like i've said before over and over, I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU READERS YOU ARE MY WORLD <3 <3

btw my spider fic is probably gonna be up today or tomorrow (nvm i changed this bc i unpublished it, i'll probably post it soon tho)

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH KISSES FOR ALL OF YOU <3 <3 <3  XOXO