After checking on Seraph, I made my way to the the Sullys tent. Tuk and Kiri were inside with their mother getting ready for the day. The moment Tuk saw me she clung to my legs.
"Please don't leave, Äeya." She cried, her grip tightening on my legs.
"Your brother doesn't want me here, Tuk. I can not stay somewhere I'm not wanted." I ran my fingers through her hair, smiling sadly at her.
"We want you here!" Tuk pouted and looked at her sister and mother. "We want her here don't we?"
"Of course we want her here Tuk, but she must make her own choice." Neytiri said, peeling her daughter off my legs.
"I wish I could stay Tuk, but I have no reason to stay if Neteyam does not want me." The ache in my chest came back full force at the thought of him. "My place is with my mother, back home in the forest."
"He does, I know he does!" Tuk tried to reason. "He's just too stupid to know it."
"How about I stay until tonight? It'll give Seraph more time to rest and I can come with you to your lessons, and you can show me all the things that you've been learning."
Tuk nodded enthusiastically and dragged me out of the bungalow, Neytiri laughing softly at her enthusiasm.
We walked through the village, the bridges bouncing as we walked between platforms. The water was crystal clear, a shade of blue so bright that it was almost blinding. It matched the skin color of the people who dwelled here.
With Tuk's hand in mine she ran across the sand until we were at the water's edge, where a beautiful girl and Aonung were waiting.
"Good morning Tuk!" The girl smiled as Tuk dragged me into the water. "This must be your friend from home."
"This is Äeya, she's going to be my brothers mate one day." Her announcement made Aonung look at me, the question he wanted to ask clear in his eyes.
I shook my head and sighed, looking at Kiri for help.
"Tuk... remember she's leaving tonight." Little fish circled around her legs as she waded in the water. "You heard what Neteyam said last night."
"I don't believe him, he's a liar Äeya."
"Your brother isn't a liar Tuk, he just doesn't want me." I tried my best to smile but couldn't bring myself to. "Now enough about your brother, show me all the beautiful things you've found huh?"
Tuk nodded sadly and moved deeper into the water. Kiri followed after her and I watched as a large creature poked its head out of the water. Tuk smiled and pet the creature on the head.
"It's called an Ilu." Aonung moved to stand next to me. "You create a Tsaheylu with it, and ride it through the water."
"Do you bond with it for life?" I watched as Kiri made the bond with the Ilu and rode around the shallows on its back, Tuk sitting behind her.
"No, we bond for life with the Tulkun." He made a clicking sound and another Ilu swam up to us. "So, you decided to leave after all?"
"It's for the best. I'm not wanted here." I gently reached out to the Ilu, and it immediately put its snout in my hand. "I'm only staying to spend these last hours with Tuk and Kiri."
"That's too bad, I was gunna show you what the island had to offer." He shrugged and moved around to the side of the Ilu, climbing onto its back and connecting his braid to it.
"I never said I didn't want to see anything ." He smirked at my words and held out his hand, and despite the pit in my stomach I took it. He pulled me onto the back of the Ilu and it took off after Kiri and Tuk, his sister following close behind.
YOU ARE READING
𝐈 𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 | 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐦
Fanfiction** 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒅** When Äeya was promised to Neteyam when they were born, she thought that their life together would be peaceful. Things were peaceful and easy when they were children, but now the humans have returned and Neteyam has grown dis...
