Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
♯┆blue world .ᐟ ━━━━━━━━━━
The atmosphere was daunting. Ronal paced around the marui once again. Curled hair and small braids flapping around. Reminding Maleia of the time she had been in trouble for Ao'nung fighting. Consequences, she knew her actions had consequences— this was one of them. In attempt to calm Ronal down, Tonowari held onto Ronal's hand but all she did was hiss and pull back from him.
And that was when Maleia knew how much trouble all of this had caused. But, she didn't even know what was happening. Her expression was bright when she walked into the pod, spending the day with Lo'ak.
"What is wrong, mom?" The question was simple and innocent but from how Ronal snapped her head towards Maleia, she knew she had touched a nerve.
"Where have you been, child?" The harsh tone was enough to send Maleia's ears falling to the ground. Something had happened.
Something terrible had happened. "I was with Lo'ak..." Maleia announced. Tonowari shut his eyes and breathed out a disappointed sigh. He knew that that explanation wasn't going to help. Ronal let out a frustrated hiss towards Maleia.
"You have been spending too much time with that... demon blooded boy. Not taking responsibility for your duties as the next Tsahìk!" Ronal exclaimed. Ao'nung and Tsireya watched from the sideline. "The Sully girl— Kiri. You should have been there!" Ronal explained to Maleia but she still hadn't understood what her mother meant.
There had been no context on what happened. She had spent her entire day, from morning to evening with Lo'ak.
"I did not know, mom..." Maleia mentioned. How can she know this what she hadn't heard about it? Hadn't known that something had happened to Kiri until now.
Tonowari heard the softness within Maleia's tone compared to the sharp one from Ronal. "You cannot expect all of my free hours spending towards being Tsahìk!" Maleia officially snapped towards her mom.
Ronal's nostrils flared as she stopped pacing the marui. Being Tsahìk in training is a beautiful thing— dedication towards her people and their goddess. "You are careless! Lazy child," Ronal snapped at Maleia.
Maleia's chin wobbled at Ronal's harsh words. Eyes filling with unfamiliar tears. "Ronal!" Tonowari warned his mate. "No! I will not continue to protect her when she has done wrong!" Ronal shouted out.
Tonowari fell into silence. Maleia looked over at her siblings standing outside. Wanting some help, or some context. But, the two of them had nothing to offer.
"You have not spent time training to be Tsahìk. You have spent it with that demon!" Ronal exclaimed and that was when Maleia snapped at her mother. "He is not a demon, mom!" Lo'ak was anything but a demon.
Ronal hissed at her daughter's defence towards the Sully's son, "He is a distraction. No good for you. You have disappointed me."
Maleia couldn't hear it anymore— disappointed. Distracted. Lazy. Careless. It all added up in her head. Maleia's eyes watered, stinging to the point she couldn't hold them in for much longer.
In dramatics, Maleia turned around and ran from the marui. Her figure lunged into the water ahead of her, needing something to calm her down. To soothe her. Swimming to that rock she knew nobody would notice.
Her sobs escaped her mouth as she repeated what Ronal had said to her. The first time being scolded from her mother. The first time disappointing her mother. Maleia had worked hard to achieve what Ronal wanted to her to be— despite not wanting that for herself to begin with.
Spending nights on end awake to perfect what her mother had been teaching her that day, giving up her social life.
How could she even think that way? Not knowing what Maleia had dedicated towards being Tsahìk— towards making her mom proud when nobody else would be.
She fell back on the rock, curling into herself as she shook from the harsh cries. Not even the sea could calm her cries. Her emotions didn't melt away within the salt water.
Grunts fell into earshot as the water splashed around the rock. No words were spoke. Silence consumed the two of them.
But when Lo'ak saw her there on that rock, his palms fell onto her arms before cradling Maleia against his thighs. She didn't even need to look up to know who had been comforting her— she knew.
His touch was soft and soothing, raking his fingers through her short hair. The other hand creating small circles against her waist as he tried to calm her down.
Her multiple tears fell onto his lap, but Lo'ak didn't care. All he did was shush her, cuddling her against him. "You don't have to talk. I understand..." He knew all about disappointing his parents, and after the fifth time he had done so, Lo'ak didn't take much care into his feelings afterwards.
Maleia turned her head up to look at him before wrapping her arms around his shoulders, needing his comforting touch.
Lo'ak frowned before digging his head into her neck, "It is okay."
