Water Touched - A Dragon Tribe Origin

Chapter Thirty - Tai

A couple of days passed. Tai tried to find a routine she could stick with. Routine would help ease the transition into her new lifestyle. She and Darien always woke up at around the same time. Usually, he was first, and she followed suit when the shower turned on. While he washed up, she got dressed, and the two went to breakfast together. By the time they were done eating, the rest of the family was entering. She got just enough social interaction to start getting comfortable without any overwhelming or awkward conversations.

During the afternoon, she continued her tour of Oceina City. They'd gotten to the marketplace today, a section of the city where the local merchants gathered to sell handmade goods of all kinds. From homegrown fruits and vegetables, to knit sweaters, and original paintings. She loved it. In a lot of ways, it reminded her of the island. A twinge of homesickness hit her, and it concerned her that she wasn't as incapacitated by it as she thought she should be. Most girls would have been a mess, right?

There were a few island traders in the marketplace, so she got the opportunity to share a few local treats with Darien. When they got home, they parted ways. Her to take a nap and have a good cry, and him to spend time with his father. With Orion back from the council, he was back to demanding Darien's attention for work related purposes. Why a national leader needed the help of a teenage boy was beyond her. Darien didn't have the guts to turn his father down. There was too much history between the two.

He was still gone when she woke up. "Where are you?" she asked.

"Miss me?" he replied.

"Curious."

"About to go for a walk with Dad. We should be back close to dinner, unless we go out after. Not quite sure. Tossing around a lot of ideas."

Tai sighed. If he was out, that meant she had to brave the rest of the family on her own. She'd have to do it eventually, anyway. What she wasn't sure of was if she was ready. "Have fun."

Stretching wide, she dragged herself out of bed so she could go to the kitchen for a small snack. The kids must have all been thinking the same thing, because when she entered she found four young boys and Katelyn sitting around the table.

"Tai! It's great to see you up and about!" Katelyn waved.

With a weak smile, Tai returned the wave. She got a glass of water before rummaging through the pantry. "I know, I've been a bit of a recluse. Nothing against you all, I just...um..." What was her excuse? She didn't have one.

"I get it. When I first got here, I didn't want to come out for a while either. Especially after my transition," Katelyn said. "I was so embarrassed."

"Why's that?" Tai glanced over at her.

She shrugged. "Mine was also fast. We bonded right away. Most don't. It takes a few months at least, you know? Sometimes a year or two. I was worried everyone would think I was some kind of a hussy. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah," Tai whispered.

"So, I didn't want to see anyone and deal with their potentially judgmental stares." Katelyn helped one of the boys drink from a sippy cup. "Good job, Luke. Your mama will be proud of you." Then she sighed. "Ended up not being as big of a deal as I thought. No one cared."

That was a relief to Tai. She did have concerns over Darien's family disliking her because of a lot of her decisions, mainly leaving. "How long did you wait to...bond...if you don't mind my asking?"

"We never made it off the island." Katelyn blushed ever so slightly. "I grew up on the same island as you. Other side of it. Keep in mind, I was eighteen when you were probably three years old. Long time ago. When Lance came for me, he transformed in front of me for the first time. Love at first sight sounds silly, I know, but when I looked into his eyes and saw the goodness inside of him... I knew. Does that make sense?'