Burn for Me

Chapter 44: Beginning of the End

AN: I AM SOOOOO SORRY OMG I JUST RELAISED IT'S BEEN ALMOST A MONTH SINCE THE LAST UPDATE BUT I HAD BEEN REALLY STRESSED ABOUT MY WORK AND EXAMS AND I DIDN'T HAVE TIME OR MOTIVATION I AM SOOOO SORRY BUT HERE YOU GO I GUESS PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

3rd pov:

Neteyam stared down at the ocean, lapping gently onto the shore, the quiet sounds of the small waves colliding with his ankles only sharing itself with him.

The sound of children laughing and giggling erupted ahead of him, all 4 of Lo'ak's children were playing around Tsamera, Tsireya and Lo'ak stood with her laughing as his wife cradled her own pregnant belly.

It was a familiar sight.

A vision he had longed for since the day he first lay his eyes upon it.

Now it had finally come true, the children splashed about in the water, pulling on one another's tails, the three adults immersed in their own conversation before Tsamera turned to her husband, beckoning her over.

This was it, his happy ending, the one he craved for so long, this is what it looked like.

"Neteyam? You ok? You look sad." Tsamera frowned, placing a hand on his cheek in concern.

"Not sad, maybe wistful, or nostalgic."

Tsamera raised her eyebrow in question.

"This is it, my vision." He smiled taking her hand from his face and intertwining their fingers.

His wife's lips parted slightly in shock, "This exact moment?"

"Yup, the one I've been waiting for since I was 17, it's crazy to think about how much time has passed since we first met and how much has happened in between. So many chapters of our lives we've shared together, and we've had a more eventful relationship in comparison to most."

"You can say that again...That's good news isn't it? That you are seeing your vision now?"

"I don't know...I was hoping to see it after the final battle, my vision is when I am most content in my life, if that point is now, what if it means I lose all of this soon. What if I lose this family we built?" Neteyam muttered, his head and heart riddled with anxieties and doubts over the safety of his loved ones in a time of war. Ever since he 'failed' to protect his parents Neteyam has never been able to trust himself the same, especially not with the lives of those he loved. Sure he was older now, much more experienced in being a war leader and a leader in general, but still, it was that nagging voice in the back of his mind telling him he was going to slip up again, make the wrong choice, give the wrong order. He had this constantly increasing feeling of impending doom and the more he enjoyed the life he has created for himself and his family the more he worried he'd destroy it.

"Orrrrrrr, maybe now is the most content you'll ever be because in the future I'm gonna give birth to two menaces and Lo'ak's gonna ruin your good influence. We'll never sleep again." Tsamera laughed trying to give a positive and humorous possibility for the timing of Neteyam's vision.

"All the seeds we planted have finally come to fruition Mera, our alliances are strong, the other clans are ready to go to war within the next few days, they are prepared, so are we, I don't want to ruin this picture perfect moment yet but I know I have to. We have to. For our children's future we have to hurt our present."

Tsamera closed her eyes, dread filling her stomach, she hated war, she hated death, she hated waiting to see what other loved one she would have to return to her Great Mother. She turned her head, facing the vast glittering ocean before her.

"Are you waiting for my agreement?"

"I'll only start this when you're ready."

Tsamera took a deep inhale, smelling the fresh salty breeze, letting the unique scent flood through her nose and fill her lungs, her eyes drifted to the happy children running rampage in the water.