"𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘮,
𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘦."
Life in Awa'atlu was as predictable as the way water flowed across the sea, with everything set in motion with routine and order - that is, until the Sully's arrived...
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I don't like to think about the day my father died. It was a memory that I kept locked away and hidden deep in the depths of my memory. Why? Because the day he died, we had a fight—no, a disagreement of some sort. It was one that was stupid and that I was clearly in the wrong about, but being a prepubescent child, I didn't know to give up. He was so patient with me. That's something I remember clearly, but I refused to make his life any easier.
The way the day started, you would've had no idea of the tragic event that was going to fall on our family. Rotxo and I were squabbling as usual; I had a nightmare the day before, so I slept in my father's arms; Rotxo, for no other reason than not wanting to feel left out, also slept in our parents' bed, and as a result, he ended up putting his foot in my face. How that was possible, only Eywa knows, but even so, it started our morning squabble. As always, our mother tried to break us up, along with complaining that it was way too early for these arguments, whilst our father just chuckled, a large, hearty chuckle that would've woken us up if we weren't already awake. It may have been chaotic, but it was our chaos, our comfort, that we cherished dearly. The rest of the day went on as normal, with more bickering, laughter, but most of all, with us being together. The day was a special one because Father had planned to take me and Rotxo out and give our mother a day to herself; needless to say, we were all excited. As mother finished packing the bag of snacks for us to feast on along the way, Tonowari came in, his expression serious.
That was when it all started going downhill.
There was no outing; there was no laughter; just high tension in the air. He was sharpening the blade of his wooden spear, in the middle of the room, which was only dimly lit by the small flame of the lantern. My mother did not say a word; she only wore a tight smile. You could tell that she was upset, but how could she tell him not to go? She often seemed so numb when she had to watch him leave, but that's what she signed up for when she chose to mate with a warrior; she couldn't hold him back. The best she could do was be strong for us, her kids, as she quietly prayed that Eywa would bring her husband back safe. Which she always did.
That day, something in the air felt different, and something in my heart urged me to stop him. So I did something out of character, something that confused not only him but Rotxo and Mother included.
I threw a fit.
"Ma'inni, please understand." I remember him saying, his voice calm and collected, as he followed me out of the mauri when I stubbornly stormed off.
"No! You promised!!" I yelled back at him, stomping my foot down in the sand.
I had no reason to be upset, and truly I wasn't, not at him really. My tantrum was motivated by none other than the fact that I thought if I made a scene, he wouldn't go. that he would feel bad enough that he would stay behind with us. That was the naiveté of a child. One that was stupid and ignorant and didn't understand that that was just not how life worked. Life was never that simple.
