The Voyager and the Rogue

Chapter 37

I got home shortly after dinner. When I came up the steps, Mom quickly came to give me a tight hug.

"Oh, I was so worried about you! Are you alright?" I nodded assuringly.

"I promise I'm okay. I just really needed alone time, but I cleared my head." I saw Mom visibly relax, and she cupped my cheek.

"Thank Te Fiti. Have some food and get some rest for me, okay?"

"Sounds good to me. Where's dad, by the way?"

"With your aunt helping her out with something. He'll be back later."

As I sat down with Mom, Grandma, and Aihe and ate my food, I thought about what Grandpa said, and how I knew he was right. But now, I guess it was a matter of waiting for the right time. How would the gods know? How would I know?

After dinner, I settled into bed, thinking of what Grandpa, and Eyarr said before I left. Everyone had essentially told me not to overthink it too much, especially Mom. I knew she wanted me to cherish the time I'd have while I was here, for however long that would be.

But I couldn't help but wonder how Eyarr was feeling. He should be fine, right? He's a tall, tough guy who's handled a lot on his own. Surely he'd be able to handle whatever was going on by himself.

As the days passed into weeks, any overthinking soon dissipated as I distracted myself with my old way of life. I usually hung out with Mom, Dad, and Grandma while Aihe did her chief stuff. Periodically she would ask me to assist her with some things. It was weird seeing her all grown up, but I was also incredibly proud and happy for her. Being an older sibling, especially having a larger age gap, I could remember more of Aihe growing up, and it was oddly satisfying to see her be an adult.

And the same could be said for my cousins. One of the twins, Amiri, was already married with a son of his own. His twin, Rua, however, hadn't been particularly focused on getting married; he preferred the sea. And Siale, their baby sister, was looking into finding someone to court. So the three of them had something going, and I was happy for them.

One day, Aihe asked if I wanted to tag along for a short voyage to a neighboring island. I happily accepted her offer, knowing it'd been so long since I'd sailed. But it also reminded me how much I missed Riptide and the feeling of being in the sky.

Rua joined us for this particular voyage, wanting to tag along for the fun of it. It would also be fun for me to see how well my skills were compared to his. Together, the three of us worked to check the rigging and sails to make sure everything was secure. I knew they knew it'd been a while since I sailed, so it was more of me testing my skills. I secured the halyard, making sure it was tight.

"Alright, we're set," I assured. I put the oar in place, rotating it to catch the current after we left shore. I could feel Aihe and Rua watching as I took the lead in directing the canoe. After Aihe told me which direction we were going, I readjusted the canoe, following the current and feeling where the wind was taking us.

I missed flying with Riptide, but I also just missed the feeling of the canoe swaying on the water. This was what I was raised on. It was invigorating, and I felt so alive.

"This is the happiest I've seen you since you came home!" Aihe shouted over the crashing of a wave against the canoe.

"I'm in my element! That's why! I will admit, though, I do miss flying!"

"Flying? Who needs flying when you've got the ocean?" Rua called out with a laugh.

"Oh, if you guys knew the feeling of flying, you wouldn't be saying that!" Gripping a rope, I leaned over the side of the canoe, balancing my feet on the side and stretching out my arm so my hand could skim the surface of the waves. I thought back to when Mom showed me how to do this particular move and how to hold onto the rope so I wouldn't fall into the water below.