More Than I Love You

Chapter 5- The Mother

Everyone was under water, swimming. Taneya, Aonung, Rotxo, Kiri, Lo'ak, Tsireya and Neteyam.

Neteyam also had the child with him.

Tsekey joins them too.

Aonung and Taneya are swimming together, and they come across Payakan.
Hello friend Taneya signs to Payakan.
She sees Lo'ak swimming forward to Payakan and smiles.

I'm going to be an uncle soon Lo'ak signs to Payakan.

Payakan looks to Taneya and back to Lo'ak and says something.

He said he is happy for you Aonung signs to Taneya.
Thankyou Payakan Taneya signs back.

Tsekey watches as he sees Aonung and Taneya together.
Holding onto each other, never letting go.
-
As they get back to the surface, they all sit around and talk to one another.
Tsekey then looks to his daughter, "your mother will be very proud of you."
Taneya looks to him confused.
"Seeing you all grown up. Having your own child. And an amazing husband to look after you. She will be proud" Tsekey explains.

The others then head off, as they go into their pods to sleep.
Aonung holds Taneya from one side. And her father Tsekey holds her from the other side as they help her up.

"Let's go inside" Aonung says.
"I need to talk with my father actually. I will join you in a while" Taneya says.
Aonung nods and walks away, leaving Tsekey and Taneya to speak.

"What is it daughter?" Tsekey asks.
"Why did you leave me when I was a child? I know you couldn't bare the pain or stay in the Forrest because it reminded you of mother. But why didn't you take me with you?" Taneya asks.

Tsekey is hesitant to speak for a moment.
But he takes a deep breath and looks to Taneya, "daughter, I was broken. I was hurt. I could not look after myself so I knew that I would not be able to look after you. I went through all that guilt, thinking everyday how it was my fault she died. I still think it is today. But I could not take you down with me. You deserved to find a life of happiness. To be happy, find a good husband, have a good family. And you got that."

Taneya holds onto her fathers hand, "mother doesn't blame you for what happens. She loves you."
Tsekey nods, "I know. But I still do."

They share this moment together with a hug, from daughter to father.
-
As Taneya walks back in to the pod, she sees Aonung waiting for her, with a flower in his hand.

"What is this?" Taneya asks.
"For my beautiful wife" he stands up and walks towards her, putting the flower in her hair, behind her ear.

Taneya looks at it for a while before she realises.
"Aonung. This is the exact same flower you gave to me when you took Lo'ak to the reef" Taneya says.

"Well not the same as that exact flower. That flower you threw at me" Aonung says.
"Which you deserved" She pokes his chest.
"Yes. I did deserve that. But it is the same colour" Aonung says.

She wraps her arms around his shoulder, her hands crossing from the back of his neck.
He holds her from her waist, and they move slowly. Almost like they are slow dancing.

"My Taneya, you have been going through so much. You deserve to just sit back, relax. You are pregnant, you shouldn't over work yourself" Aonung says.
"I don't" Taneya says.

Aonung gives Taneya a 'really?' look.
She sighs, "okay. Maybe a little. But I'm the Chief's wife. It's my job."

He shakes his head no and makes her sit down.
"Your job is to help me. But when you are pregnant, the only thing I need from you is to relax. And not work yourself out. And once the baby comes, it's my job to look after both of you" Aonung says.

Taneya nods, "very well."
Aonung makes Taneya lie down, and whilst he's still sat up, he puts her legs over his lap.
"Aonung what are you doing?" Taneya asks.
"I want to give my lovely wife a massage. She deserves it" Aonung says as he presses his thumbs against her ankle.

He sees the scar from the gunshot wound that Quaritch gave her.
Taneya knows he's seen it as she sees the reaction on his face. She sits up.

"Aonung. You know that was not your fault" Taneya says.
"No. I should have helped you" Aonung replies.
"I told you not to. I wanted to end Quaritch myself. It's not your fault Aonung" she holds on to his face and makes him look at her, "I love you."

He smiles and hugs her.
"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me" Taneya says.
"As are you" Aonung replied.
-
It's the next day. Taneya and Aonung wake up after hearing people outside talking and shouting.

Aonung grabs onto his knife, Taneya grabs onto her bow and arrow.

They walks out, past the crowd to see another child. But she looks more older. Around 15 years old. Again, she was exactly as described from the fire people.

Two men of the Metkayina clan were holding onto each arm.
"We found her lurking around" One of them says.
Taneya walks forward to the girl, inspecting her as she holds onto the girls chin.

"What are you looking for here?" Taneya asks her.
She lets go of the girls chin.
"The child. I'm the mother, please do not kill me. I just wanted to see if my child was okay" the girl says.

Taneya turns around to look at the child who is in Neteyam's arms, and looks back to the girl.
"But you are a child yourself. How could it possibly be your child?" Taneya asks.

"I know I look like a child. But I'm not. My name is Aromì. I am 21. The only reason I look like a child is because I am not fed properly" she tells them.

Taneya looks back at Neteyam, "bring the child here."
Neteyam walks forward, as he's still holding onto the boy.

Taneya looks back at the two men who are holding onto Aromì's arms, "let her go."
They let go but still stand next to her.

Neteyam brings the boy and gives it to his mother.
"My child" she says as she hugs the child tightly.
Taneya, about to be a mother herself, could feel for the woman.

The child laughs as his mother hugs him.
So she knew that Aromì was the mother.
-
"So what is his name?" Taneya asks m.
"His name is Tsekey" Aromì replies.
They all look at one another.

Tsekey, Taneya's father walks in.
"Daughter" he calls out.
Taneya introduces her father to Aromì, "this is my father. Tsekey."

"Daughter are you alright? Has she hurt you?" Tsekey asks.
Taneya shakes her head no, "I am okay father. She just wanted to see is her child was doing okay."

Taneya then looks to Aromì, "you said you wanted to leave your child here for us to protect her. So why have you come back?"
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