Sanemi barely slept a wink that night, his eyes droopy from tears, but too scared to close. He feared the night terrors would come back, feared that once he fell asleep, he'd wake up in another nightmare. He had been remaking his nest over and over, trying to find comfort in his safe space. But it didn't work, he was so off-balance that even remaking his nest didn't offer comfort. He just laid there staring at the ceiling, waiting for dawn to come.
When the first streaks of daylight filtered through the folds of his curtains, he got up and made his way to the washroom. He stepped into the tub, the chilling water jolting him unpleasantly back to reality. He felt the phantom fingers of his past run down his body as he shivered. He thought he had thrown them off, the aftermath of his past. Yet those hands trailed down and up his body, not ridding himself the horrible sensation. He scrubbed at his body, scrubbed until the skin was red and skin peeling off in certain places, yet the phantom hands kept roaming. Fed up he leaned against the tub, and submitted to them. Submitted to the horrible feeling, knowing he'd never get rid of it.
They say the past does not define you, but for Sanemi it created him.
* * *
The meeting room was quiet, quieter than normal. It was eerie and unpleasant, the tribe leaders feeling uneasy under the heavy stare Giyuu was giving the room. They knew it wasn't directed at them, but they still felt the rage radiating off Giyuu.
"What did Kyogo actually do?" Obani asked and Giyuu's eyes snapped up.
"Sanemi did not tell me much, other than he was a horrible father and bad leader. Why he was classified as that, I have no idea." Giyuu said, his tone flat. The entire room tensed, the pure anger that was put in that flat tone was clear as crystal. The tension was cut by the swinging of doors. The tribe leaders looked up and saw Sanemi walking into the room.
"Nemi? What are you doing here? You should be resting." Shindo said, concern etched into his tone.
"Pitying me again uncle?" Sanemi asked, and the room froze. His voice was stone cold and with barely concealed anger. Sanemi's head shot up, and everyone could see the pain and anger in those bloodshot eyes.
"I never blamed you for never standing up for us, afterall, all of us were scared. All of us ran, cried, and were hurt. We didn't stand up then, but I have no intention of being put down now. Enough of living in constant fear, this time we'll make them pay." Sanemi seethed. He looked at Giyuu, eyes daring him to object, but his alpha did none of the sort.
"Then sit beside me Sanemi, let's plot their demise." Giyuu said, his icy smile glinting with a cold promise.
"Ventus is under my tribe, it has been established. When someone messes with a part of Aqua, they get the whole tribe on their back." Giyuu said. The tribunal clapped in approval.
"What do we know about the attack?" Sanemi asked.
"It was uncoordinated and unforeseen. Ruthless and absolutely bloody." Shindo said and Sanemi nodded.
"Send people to question the people of Ventus, any form of information is needed. Ask everyone and don't leave anyone out." Sanemi said and the tribunal was dispersed. The chieftains filtered out of the room, leaving only Giyuu and Sanemi in the confines of the cold walls.
"You are the bravest person I have ever met." Giyuu said, his eyes shining in sincerity.
"I sure don't feel like it." Sanemi replied, folding his arms across his torso in an attempt to shut down the cold shiver running up and down his spine.
"You are trying to face your past, that's something that not even I have been able to do. You are brave Nemi. You always were." Giyuu said, he leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss against Sanemi's lips. Sanemi leaned into it.
No, he was not brave as Giyuu gave him credit for, he was terrified. He had spoken in a moment of pure rage. His past was not something he could face and overcome. But it was nice to pretend, to give himself the fake confidence that he desperately needed.
And it was better to pretend when his mate was helping him to.
* * *
"I got a really good lead! It's been confirmed by seven citizens!" Mitsuri exclaimed as she entered the room, her breasts heaving from running.
"Mitsu please, don't scare us like that." Obani said as he helped his alpha up.
"But it's really important!" She whined and Obani rolled his eyes. He looked at Sanemi for confirmation that he was listening before asking. "What is it?"
"The night of the attack. Which moon it will be on!" She exclaimed and the chair creaked as both Shindo and Sanemi got up.
"When?" They asked in unison.
"On the fourth night of the waning moon. The citizens heard two 'demons' talking about it to each other. They said something like 'on the waning moon, the wind shall be on our side. And our sails will be ready to attack." It seems that their going to do a navy attack from the port." She said and Shindo and Sanemi looked at eachother, the port was Ventus's weak point, as it was still being built.
"Ready the army, the fourth waning moon is just days from today, we must be prepared." Giyuu said. The Cheiftans nodded as they dispersed.
"Something's off." Sanemi said, and Giyuu looked at him.
"What do you mean?" The alpha asked.
"The people said that the 'demons' had heightened senses, wouldn't they have heard the citizens?" Sanemi asked.
"Demons don't exist Nemi, they were humans, cannibals. Nothing more." Giyuu said and Sanemi nodded. He looked up at the sky, at the moon that sat in the navy satin space. Was this all a trap? Maybe maybe not, but none of it mattered. He would get out of there alive, victorious. He would destroy what hurt him and would relish in his newfound freedom.
Three days from now he would face his past, and he would let it burn.
YOU ARE READING
Light in the water
Fanfiction"I know that Ventus will gain a lot from this alliance. But what will we get?" Giyuu was facing Sanemi now. He pushed the shorter's chin up with his hands. "What would I get by mating with you?" He asked. Sanemi's smirk increased tenfold. "You'd ge...
