The Heart of Oleta

Restoration and Redemption

                                                                                  The Sea Keepers 

             He steadies my arm and helps me into the water. I had always been sturdy but right now I was fragile, as much as I hated to admit it.

"Oh they are so much lighter in the water!" I exclaim in relief and throw a smile to Neronaka. Great figures move in the water as the sea keepers approach. Neronaka, although understanding of the demands of the seakeepers, wished fervently that our child would not meet them. When the seakeepers had demanded Neronaka, his father denied them and in the process lost his wife and himself. Akanata had come to appease the bloodshed but when he saw the sacrifice of Neronaka's parents, he took Neronaka as his own.

I take my mate's hand reassuringly. For his tentacles are bristling. He attempts a short smile at me as he lets himself in the water. He is afraid that what happened with his father may happen again if the seakeepers demanded our child. He had been taught to be selfless and to understand, but it felt unfair for them to take both his parents and his child from him.

"Nero, all shall be well." I told him.

"In what way do you know this?" He asks, perplexed at my wide grin and assured words.

"In many ways, I am both frightened and excited." The seakeepers begin taking their reduced form so they can approach the shallow waters. Akanata and Odelian appear on the far side of the land approaching the water. Nero stares, almost afraid, so I try to pull his attention from the seakeepers. "I want to know what they shall look like or what they shall even be, if they shall be mixed or only one race." Nero sighs with content and takes my face into his hands.

"Lotas, as long as I can know they are yours I will be happy."

"His eyes are green behind the orange. When he's thinking. He does look like me sometimes." The camera pinged as it picked up the sound of her voice. "He acts like me and Akanata and Odelian. He is smart as he is brave but he is no warrior, though he wishes fervently to be. He wishes to be like you, Nero." The camera is more active now than usual. Analyzing her words and translating them. It had not heard her voice since the crash landing. She found herself wondering for the first time if her son was behind that camera-or if it was anyone who knew her at all. She almost waved to it, or her intrusive thoughts wanted her to do so. But the likelihood that anyone was watching, that anyone watching would be Elea, or that the person watching would care enough to tell him what she had said, was incredibly slim. Still, her hand began to raise with hope and she almost managed a smile but as she realized once more that she would never see Elea again her tears sprung forth and her weakness crumpled her knees. She hit the floor hard, putting her face to the ground in an attempt to show her penitence. She hid her face from the watchful camera as it tried desperately to translate her cries through the mess of tears that pooled on the floor.

                                                                                                --

                   In rhythmic succession, the lights click on in pairs until the entire street is lit. Almost like magic, the illumination lifted the heads and shoulders of the Oletans gathered to watch. As the liquid gems flow down the streams under the streets and fill the night orbs it was as though an air of consolation filled the spirits around. Tentacles wave and several elbows lock with Elea's as he is passed from one Oletan to the other in an expression of gratitude. Archeleas laughs at their enthusiasm. He manages a few times to say that there is no need to thank him but each Oletan locks his elbow for only a moment before sharing him with the others who are waiting. The passing continues until at last he reaches the arms of his grandfather. Akanata catches Archeleas and raises him up to float before him.