"𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖..."
When banished from her clan and all she's known, Se'aeylwa finds her purpose when she meets the youngest son of Toruk Makto, a boy who finds himself lost beyond the reef, in which he fatefully crosses paths with the outcast. T...
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Se'aeylwa
After night had fallen the sun had risen. The light burned my eyes as I realised I had fallen asleep upon a floating Payakan. He could feel the movement on his back as he sounded his voice. I tried replicating some of the soundwaves and to my surprise he had understood my words.
His head drifted in a general direction as my heart filled with joy. The tulkun have returned. I dove off of Payakan and quickly called for an Ilu. I held my breath in anticipation as the water flew around me, flowing as I did atop my Ilu.
I brightly smiled, my nose scrunching in happiness, one of my hands reached out, running along the skin of a matured and tattooed female. Her calf spun in the water, slightly nudging me in curiosity, I merely chuckled at her and draped a hand over her face. Affectionately stroking her skin.
There was one time in the year that I could openly interact with the people of Awa'atlu, and it was now. The magnificent creatures allowed me to blend in with the array of people wanting to see their spirit brothers or sisters.
I heard the horn blow as the Tulkun came into the clans view. I laughed before switching. I had now held onto the fin of a large male, his skin bled with ink, being covered almost everywhere. He welcomed me politely, letting me hold onto him. The first of many arrived as a few splashes caught my attention. Adults met their spirit siblings with open arms as I let go of the male, venturing underneath another calf, staying hidden until a swarm of people had arrived.
My silent call for more na'vi had been answered as people of all ages appeared. Metkayina babies where swimming around. And I had to prevent myself from squishing their cheeks together and watching them giggle at the sensation. I had always had a soft spot for children, babies in particular, I had been around many growing up, it had become second nature.
I tore my eyes off of the children as I looked around, I swam to the surface, seeing a dark skinned body near the surface, I tilted my head in wonder until I realised it was in fact not the specific boy I was thinking of. I softly smiled, seeing the child like glee that rendered upon his face, it was almost like I had seen it somewhere else.
His eyes locked onto mine as I shyly waved before diving back under. I held my breath as I saw the girl from last night in the distance. She was communicating to her spirit sister, I hadn't paid much attention to the beginning of her greeting as I looked towards the surface, where Lo'ak stared adoringly at the girl.
I felt a small pang in my heart, but paid no mind as I peered back down to the girl.
'I met a boy'
Oh. Oh
My face scrunched as my mood soured. I shook off the feeling lightly. I got distracted in no time, watching as mated couples shared loving looks, their tulkun's doing the same with one another.
I travelled back to the female Tulkun and her calf that I had met beforehand as people crowded the sea. I played with the calf as I don't focus on the mother and her spirit sister conversing. The calf rubs her head long my body as a sign of affection as I replicate the animalistic gesture with my hands. Before I can get too comfortable with the calf a rough hand grips onto my bicep. I try to tug away as I look up at the na'vi with her hands on me. I suddenly loose all of my stored oxygen as I realise who the mother's spirit sister was.
The Tsahìk.
She forcibly swims us to the surface, bruising my arm in the process. She drags me to the shore, popping my shoulder out of it's socket as I try to resist. I cry out in pain, trying to clutch my shoulder as her hand slaps my other away. She calls out a few angered words as people gather. I'm lead to the centre of a newly formed circle as blades are pointed to my neck, I try to lower them, but I'm only met with a sharp sting that comes from one of my cheeks. A single droplet of blood reaches the sand as the granules stay forever stained.
I hold a finger to my cheek and am disgusted at the sight of the thick and dark blood that coats itself onto my hands. The hilt of a spear nudges the hand back down to my side as the Tsahìk circles me, inspecting my tail and hands. She looks at my four fingers, like she was expecting a fifth one.
"Mother, what is happening-"
"Shush my daughter!" She scolds. I see the girl from before looking to the ground in shame. A boy that could be her brother steps forward only to be tugged back by the girl, they communicate in an unspoken language, voicing their thoughts through looks and facial expressions.
"Where are you from girl?" The Tsahìk says, it was an order, not a question.
"I'm from a small village west" I lie through my teeth. The blunt end of a spear prods my head as the Tsahìk towers over me.
"There have been no villages west in years!" She declares to the crowd. They all bang their fists to their chests, sticking their tongues out and pumping their fists wildly. I try to cower in fear but I'm met with the sharp prickle of a blade. I feel overwhelmed as the woman begins circling me once more. She tugs at my hair, the curls being left untouched and slightly overgrown. The hair spilled over my shoulder as she flicked it out of her way to get a view of my back and side.
She rakes a hand over the small tattoo on my side. It was much less a tattoo and more so a branding.
"Se'aeylwa...?" She mutters under her breath, looking upwards at me with conflicted eyes. I softly nod, the gesture being so small only she could have noticed it. She reels away, composing herself as her son asked an abundance of questions.
