The Stars and The Sea

Chapter 34

Several uneventful years went by, and the sisters grew fast — Laeli now eight and Aihe four, the latter of the two now able to keep up with her sister, despite being a little more than half her size. Laeli was a ball of energy; often found roughhousing with her cousins when she wasn't with her parents, and frequently getting into trouble, a fair reflection of her mother's childhood.

Aihe was the opposite, often reflecting her father's shyer personality and quieter than her sister, but was full of surprises herself. She would catch her parents off guard with her sarcasm and wit, something her parents didn't expect from a child her age.

Despite the age gap, the sisters were incredibly close and often seemed to share a secret language, a trait that their older twin cousins had.

And as the girls grew, they proved to be surprising reflections of their parents in all sorts of ways. Laeli inherited her mother's tenacity and bravery, while simultaneously developing similar nervous habits of her father, like wringing out her hands, twiddling her fingers, or chewing her bottom lip.

Aihe took after her mother with her strength, wit, and slightly quirky disposition when put on the spot, but was also shy like her father, on the quieter side, and was often lost in thought. She too, developed similar nervous habits from her father much like her sister.

Yet one thing both sisters shared, was their knack for leadership. Both demonstrated the qualities of a great leader and even with Laeli being the more impulsive one, they were both excellent decision-makers and always looked at a problem from multiple angles. Both girls worked to bring people together, and bounced their ideas off each other, making them a suitable team.

Moana and Keoni knew that when their girls reached the age of chiefdom, they would have to choose who would be the next chief of Motunui, and they both hated the idea of having to put them in that position. The council had eyed Laeli as the obvious choice as she was the eldest and mirrored Moana's best qualities and would make an excellent chief. And while Moana and Keoni agreed, they did not wish to push Aihe to the side in favor of Laeli.

"I will not be forced to choose between my daughters. If anyone is to decide their future, it is going to be them." Keoni agreed.

"History has shown that pitting royal siblings against each other never ends well. With one put on a pedestal, and the other pushed aside... I don't even want to consider the alternative. When the girls are older, let them choose." Tui and Sina had to be consulted with Moana and Keoni's decision, and the council was surprised to hear the former chiefs take Moana and Keoni's side.

"We have to support them both in whatever paths they choose. We know that both of them understand their birthright, we must let them make that decision themselves. We also know that they'll support each other; that's what good sisters do." Sina remarked.

"We're content with our choice. It's just a matter of time and preparation."

Another eight years flew by, seemingly too fast for Moana and Keoni. This was a big day for the family; for the whole of Motunui.

It was Laeli and Aihe's ceremony day. The day they were to be presented to the council to begin their dual chief training. The sisters were the first to celebrate the chief ceremony together, as past chiefs with siblings never did the ceremony together. Not even Moana's 4th great-grandfather, who was a twin, did the ceremony with his twin. He was five minutes older, and therefore, he immediately inherited the title. Not to mention, Moana having two daughters also broke tradition as well. There had only been one woman chief in Motunui's history, well before her time, but she had sons and daughters, and her eldest son had inherited the title just like every other chief before.