𝙀𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀. 𝙉𝙀𝙏𝙀𝙔𝘼𝙈 ¹

𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮. 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩

"Father?" Fei asked, approaching the Marui and peeking her head through. If she hadn't seen the rest of her friend group in there with Jake and Neytiri outside, she would have passed by. She still hadn't completely made up with the man; they had just seemed to get by. 

She surveyed every one of the teens in the tent. When her gaze landed on Neteyam, he gave the slight shake of his head. He didn't want her to be involved. "What's going on?" 

Fei didn't meet her mother in the eyes. No matter how hard she tried, every time she looked at the woman, it reminded her. She didn't want more pain.

Tonowari pointed to the girl. "You. Were you there when this happened?"

"No, sir," Neteyam answered quickly. Too quickly. "It was just us, she wasn't involved at all." He gave a quick glance over at her. 

Her gaze hardened, turning back to her father. "I am not in charge of children. Now, I'll say it one more time, and I won't again. What happened." She demanded. The man didn't deserve patience. Fei's parents wanted a leader? They would get a leader.

He clenched his jaw and pointed at Lo'ak. "This boy bonded with the outcast!"

Fei'uey grimaced, looking down at the ground and clenching her fists. There was no way her father would believe the boy. The worst part is, she couldn't do anything about it.

"Fei'uey," he used her full name. "Did you know?"

She held back her words. Everything she wanted to say. Every shout, every yell. She wanted to spit in his face and curse him for being so stupid. She wanted to break the walls and scream at the world. But it would be too much like her mother, and the only thing she had over the woman was control. 

She answered in a monotone voice. "Not about this, no."

"So you knew about the two of them already? And you didn't tell me?" He pushed further.

"With all due respect, father," She almost cut him off, biting her tongue. Her brows were narrowed and her eyes burned. "I don't think you would have believed me."

He snarled. "Do not talk to me with that disrespect!"

The barrier burst as water rushed in. "Since when is disrespect the truth?" Her head tilted, squinting her eyes in disbelief. It was like her control had been overrun by an unreleased anger. She couldn't keep her emotion in any longer.

Ronal scoffed and paced around more. She hadn't expected a foreign cold shoulder from the girl, even when she should have. After all, harsh words had been said the day before.

"Leave." He pointed away. Tonowari was not a friend to her sudden attitude. "Now. That is an order,"

Right before she complied and turned, she let one more thing slip out of her mouth. "Whatever Lo'ak tells you is the truth." She sneered. "But I know you'll have a hard time believing it 'cause there's no proof."

She walked away before he could get in another word.

---

Neteyam found Fei in the grove, drawing her patterns into the sand. He could still sense the anger she had, teetering over from surface tension. He kneeled down next to her and sat, a hand on her shoulder.

"I know you probably don't wanna talk to me-"

She threw her arms around him. He could only pat her back as she cried softly into his shoulder. "They still don't believe me," she whimpered. "I told them I knew what was going to happen and they didn't believe me."

He shushed her softly. "I know, my love. It's okay,"

"They have no right to!" She sobbed harder. "My mother, she told me I am not fit to be a leader! Even when she knew I was trying!"

They stayed like that for a long time. Eventually, Fei's crying calmed down and they lied on the sand looking up at the sky. Their hands were interlocked. They both knew the future would be safe with a daughter and a son. It waited for them to arrive.

She bit her lip, looking over at the boy. "I guess I've just always had that resentment for her," she was talking about her mother. "And I didn't realize it until now."

He stroked the hair back from her forehead, sighing heavily. "Many things we do not see until it is too late,"

She smiled softly. "You have such a way with words, tree boy." She teased him softly, her free hand tracing the stripes on his skin.

"Comes with being the perfect son."

A silence rested upon them. The realization had finally settled in. They had been the eldest children of their families, from two different clans, with their parents leading it. Well, for Neteyam, his father gave up the title so he could protect his family.

How were they meant to make it work?

There was no backing out now, though. Not after too many words had been exchanged and tsaheylu. They just had to adapt.

"I feel bad for Lo'ak." She whispered. "And I haven't been spending as much time with Tsireya as I did before. I guess I just... drifted away from her. And I haven't talked to Aonung in a while. I miss Kiri and Tuk."

Her face contorted as her tears flowed again. She leaned her head into his chest. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore. And the dream,"

He comforted her in his embrace, hand stroking her back softly. He felt at home with her in his arms.

Neteyam would do it a hundred times over. He would care for his wife, in sickness and health. He had finally found love and beauty in an unhappy girl named Fei. 

She would bear his children. She would fight for him, die for him, live for him. She was his past, present, and future.

Neteyam and Fei, Fei and Neteyam.

But war was coming. A battle needed to be fought.

Until the end.

i'm so excited and i don't even know where to put fei in the final battle i'm gonna be completely honest

i also love seeing u guys beg for shit like "pls don't kill him" nah just wait and see