Love at War | Aonung 🤍

🤍 Chapter 3

The herbal smell of medicine filled the Marui pod as Lia tend to the injury of a young Metkayina boy from one of the visiting families.

He looked to be about Tuk's age. The boy had fallen off his family's skimwing and sustained a tear on his calf.

"This is going to hurt a little, okay?"

He nodded, looking at Lia with curious eyes as she placed the crushed medicine leaves on his cut.

Panting heavily, he winced, his eyes watering a little.

"You're alright," she said softly, her voice soothing him. "There, all done now. You did a good job, Tewan."

Her lips curved into a gentle smile as the boy gazed at her with big eyes, a teardrop subtly falling down his cheek.

"I-Is it going to scar?"

"I should hope not. But if it does, I think you'd look really cool with a scar," she replied, showing him her ankle scar that she had sustained a year ago.

"Whoa." His eyes sparkled with amazement as he gazed at her scar. "I hope it turns into a scar! I want to have one too."

"Ma Tewan! Here's your—oh."

The girl, who had just entered the pod, paused momentarily when she spotted Lia.

Then her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, my Eywa! Are you Lia, our future Tsahik?"

Before Lia could reply, the girl placed Tewan's bowl on the floor and grasped Lia's hand as her lips curved into a big grin.

"I'm Siwei! I'm one of the families visiting this year and Tewan is my little brother. You are literally so gorgeous! Aonung definitely snatched a golden treasure."

"Oh, um," Lia blinked at her in confusion, taken aback by her chattiness. "Nice to meet you, Siwei. You're very pretty too."

She gasped as she backed away a little. "You really think so? Do you think your brother would think so too? He is literally so gorgeous too. Like, your whole family is just... umph."

Lia chuckled. "I have two brothers. Which one are you referring to?"

"The tall one with the dramatic hair! It was love at first sight with him, you know. I wanted to talk to him but he always looks so busy." She pouted, prompting Lia to gently pat her forearm.

"Is that so? His name is Neteyam. If you want, I can introduce you to him."

"Really?" She gasped, her eyes wide with excitement. "You would really do that? Oh, thank you, thank you!"

Lia stumbled back as Siwei surprised her with a sudden hug. In front of them, Tewan ate his food nonchalantly.

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"Alright, who is new to this?"

Aonung scanned the group of young boys and girls as a few hands were raised in the air.

They had gathered to participate in an activity led by him and Neteyam. He gestured to the latter to take the lead and explain the rules of the game.