My Beloved | Neteyam

SEVEN. The Bizarre Girls

The Marui was in deep silence. Rewonay felt incredibly awkward and the quietness of her mother was not helping. They were both sitting on the floor, and no sound was made. On the way back from the ikran stables, Ronal had not uttered a word which was a thing that worried Rewonay. She did not know if her mother was mad because she was late for her first Tsahik lesson in years, or because she was with Neteyam, or because she had ridden an ikran. Ronal was silent and Rewonay did not know if this was a good thing or not.

But all these questions were tossed aside when her mother finally spoke.

"The Tsahik," Ronal began. "Is the spiritual leader of a clan, the second most important person after the Olo'eyktan. We are all connected to Eywa, but the link between a Tsahik and Eywa is different. An Olo'eyktan must wait to hear Eywa. A Tsahik is always listening. As both, you must find a balance,"

Rewonay listened with great attention. She remembered the courses Ronal would give her before her gift appeared. She would tell her how a Tsahik was not just about performing ceremonies, but about leading the clan in spirit. She had to read the minds and hearts of her clan in order to guide them. It was quite abstract yet very concrete at the same time as well.

"Close your eyes,"

Rewonay obliged.

"You must feel the energy of Eywa in everything,"

Rewonay took a deep breath.

"In the air. In the earth. In the water. In the fauna. In the flora. In the Na'viya. Eywa is everywhere."

Rewonay focused on her senses. The fresh oceanic breeze caressed her skin, the sound of the children laughing outside blending with the back and forth of the waves, the smell of food, or the sea, of the vegetation. She felt it all. This energy fueling every being, the life running within all. This serene, peaceful shadow behind everything, guiding everyone, linking everyone. She could feel it. She couldn't see it but it was just there. She sensed it all. This feeling of joy across Awa'atlu and serenity mixed with occasional anger or annoyance; all the beauty of the living beings' complexity. She could the end of her Tsaheylu moving as if connected to the Tree of Voices.

Though, her peace was suddenly disturbed. A brief scene flashed in her head and she gasped, opening her eyes at once. Ronal was in no time beside her daughter, gently cupping her visage, looking for any sign of pain. Rewonay's eyes were full of confusion and her breath was short as if she had been running for a while.

"Ngaru lu fpom srak? (Are you well?)" Ronal asked, concern in her voice.

Rewonay failed to answer her, too lost in her thoughts. For a mere second, even less than that, she had seen Kiri distressed with Ao'nung and Rotxo around her. What does this mean? What did Ao'nung and Rotxo did? Her brother wouldn't go as far as physically bullying Kiri, would he? When would this take place? Where was it? It was not in the village... the place was familiar to her but she couldn't remember where exactly it was?

"Rewonay,"

She finally looked at her mother. Ronal was visibly worried. She knew a vision had come to her daughter. But what worried her was the fact a vision had occurred without a trigger before. It had never been the case before. Why now? How was this working exactly?

"I'm fine. I'm sorry, we can start again," Rewonay sat up straight, ready to go back to the lesson.

Ronal spoke no word for a short moment and only observed her firstborn. Nothing could go past her, as Tsahik, but primarily, as a mother.

"No," Rewonay looked at her mom confused. Though, Ronal bore her usual strict expression making it harder to decipher her true emotions and thoughts. "It's enough for today,"