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chapter nineteen. so slow.
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Waking up that moment felt wrong.
From the moment Maleia opened her eyes and dipped her toes in the crystal water, nothing felt like it used to be. How she would let the waves crash up her legs, or couldn't wait to submerge underneath.
All of those feelings she once had before had now disappeared. Which was wrong.
Tsireya came up from the water and moved her hair from her face, frowning once seeing Maleia hadn't taken another step.
It was like her body rejected the water. Whereas before, it was hard to even get her from the ocean- her home.
"It does not feel right..." Maleia announced before stepping back out the water and crashing onto the sand behind her, eyes staring up at the sky she once shared with the boy who shall not be named.
Tsireya nodded her head, "I know, sister. But, you must move past it."
Maleia shivered at the thought. How could she just forget about everything?
Ao'nung was heard coming up behind. He should've been with Tonowari, learning his training for cheif, but Tonowari told him to come and check up on Maleia.
He saw his sister laid on the sand.
Her head buried deep into the grainy substance as her feet were being washed by the salty water, "You cannot dwell on the past, sister. Lo'ak should be forgotten."
Maleia felt her body twitch at that.
She lifted her head to look up at him, "I wish it was the easy! You both do not understand. I wish to be left in peace."
With that, Maleia stood up and dived into the water, calling for her ilu.
Without a second thought, Maleia dipped into the pool and sunk beneath the water - attempting to get her whole thoughts together.
But she couldn't.
Her mind was full. Full of him. His scent, his smile that he usually reserved just for her, how his eyes lit up whenever she was around. How could her mother be so cruel? To keep the connection away from her.
"Maleia! You must come! Quickly..." The scared voice was heard.
Maleia nodded and followed Tsireya back to their shared pod.
And the scene in front of them didn't look the best.
Lo'ak was pushed into the pod, nothing about their faces screamed that this was going to be good.
"You allowed this! You allowed him to bond with the outcast!" Ronal shouted to all of her children, keeping a close gaze on Maleia. She stood in front of Lo'ak, protecting him from the disappointed glare of Tonowari and disapproval from Ronal.
"Maleia, you disappoint me, daughter..." Hearing those come from Tonowari hit her heart hard.
Her dad was someone close to her.
She would tell him so much - and he'd happily sit and listen to it all.
Maleia thought she would never disappoint him. Upset him, yes. But disappoint was a new level.
"And you, son of a great warrior, who has been taught better," He spoke more softly than Ronal had before.
Lo'ak stepped forwards, "Payakan saved my life, sir. You don't know him."
Maleia frowned at the words.
He stood in front of her, bringing her behind him whilst keeping his hand in hers - offering some sort of comfort because he understood how she felt.
Maleia felt his hand squeeze hers and she wanted to keep them together, but the glare she received from her mother teared their hands apart.
"Sit. Sit down!" They all followed.
Maleia crouched down to the floor and put her head towards the ground.
"Hear my words, boy. In the days of the First Songs, Tulkun fought amongst themselves for territory, and for revenge. But, they came to believe that killing, no matter how justified, only brings more killing. So, all killing was forbidden. This is the Tulkun way..." Tonowari explained.
Maleia turned behind her when she felt the presence of people.
Jake and Neytiri sat behind her, listening to the story - hearing what their son had done was wrong.
"Payakan is a killer, so, he is outcast," Tonowari finished.
But then Lo'ak lifted his head, "Sorry, sir. But you're wrong."
Maleia widened her eyes as she continued to look at the ground, Omatikaya was stuck on the rules that Payakan was outcast.
But, when Lo'ak was explaining the other day, she had to believe him.
"Lo'ak... You speak to Olo'eyktan."
Lo'ak nodded his head at his mother's words, "I know what I-"
"That's enough!" Jake interrupted.
Even the sound of his shout made Maleia jump slightly. "I know what I know..." Lo'ak finished.
His sentence earned a snarl from my mother before Jake jumped forwards and repeated his sentence to Lo'ak, roughly grabbing his arm and tearing him away from the circle created.
Maleia watched as Jake took him.
She turned with water-filled eyes and looked at her family behind her.
"You don't understand, do you?" She asked them all. Finally having enough of everything she had been through.
"You won't even listen to him!" Maleia asked before Ronal looked towards her with a confused expression.
"You dare to speak back, daughter?" Ronal asked the sweet girl.
Maleia nodded her head and sniffled back her tears. Ao'nung lunged towards Maleia and brought his sister into his arms, keeping her calm.
And safe.
"He has made trust with Payakan. Payakan trusted him enough to bond with Lo'ak. That has to mean something... right? Anything!" Maleia continued to speak to her parents.
Tonowari shook his head whilst Ronal couldn't bare to listen to her words.
"Go. Go..." Ao'nung told his sister.
She sighed before walking out of the pod, waiting for the sun to fall to sneak out and find Lo'ak sat on the rock that they shared together.
