Flood of Ashes [sequel to 'Not So Perfect']

1

***

Aonung's pov:

The next day

"Are you ready son?" I asked Araoukai as he handed his basket to Kaoru, who had decided to join his mother, brother, uncle and cousin to Ta'unui.
"To be shipped off to a total stranger? Sure, I'm ready," Araoukai said sarcastically and I snorted.
"You sound like your mother when you talk like that," I said as I placed my hand on top of his head and ruffled his hair.
"My mother who actually does listen to what I want in my life," Araoukai said stubbornly.
"What got your loincloth twisted in a knot?" Asherah scoffed from besides me, "you get to explore the world while I get stuck here running Tsahik duties."
"Had you not been such a bitch to Naeyi the other day you might've got to join us," Kaoru added to that as Asherah rolled her eyes at her little brother, who was surprisingly tall for his age. Kaoru clearly got my father's genes, he was broad for a thirteen year old and also almost as tall as his oldest brother.
"That is true," Araoukai said and Asherah grunted annoyed.
"Sure, team up against me," she said, "have fun with your blind date, brother."
"Have fun healing babies that poop all over you," Araoukai said followed by a snort from Kaoru and I rolled my eyes at the three oldest siblings. Asherah waved them off as she walked over to her mother and wrapped her arms around her before Na'aila and Zaniyah did the same.
"You're gonna behave, got it?" I told Araoukai as I pointed my index finger at him, "you will act like you like it and you will make an effort to like that girl, if I hear from your mother that you have been grumpy and bratty all those days you'll be answering to me."
"Yes, dad," Araoukai sighed and lowered his ears, "I'll try my best to like her, for the clan's sake."
"We're getting a feast right?" Kaoru asked me, drawing my attention away from Araoukai who walked over to his skimwing to prepare for the journey.
"Probably, why?" I asked my youngest son confused.
"I'm just hungry," he said casually and I quirked a brow, "hey! I'm a growing boy okay, I need food."
"You're only joining this trip for the food?" I asked him and he simply nodded.
"I'm thirteen, I don't need a wife, I need food," Kaoru said and I snorted at how blunt my youngest son was, "see you in a few days dad."
"Enjoy the food, son," I chuckled as he smirked and walked over to Re'ylä who also wanted to join.
"Will you be allright leading this place by yourself?" Miyara asked me and she smiled, "I could drop by your mother and ask her-"
"I'll be allright, darling," I said as I placed my hands on her waist and pulled her closer to me, "besides I have Tsireya, Kiri and Asherah to help me out with your Tsahik duties, I doubt anything will happen in which I'll need your help.. it's just a few days."
"Woah, you used to not be able to spend five minutes without me and now you're cool with missing me for a couple of days," Miyara joked, "can't lie but that hurts a bit."
"Of course I'll miss you," I said and smirked, "I'll show you a very good time when you return home."
"Horny man," Miyara said and rolled her eyes, I smiled as she still looked as beautiful as she did when we were sixteen. I leaned in and placed a tender kiss upon her lips, hearing Kauro pretend to throw up as Araoukai smacked him on the back of his head for overreacting.
"I love you," I whispered as I rested my head against my wife's and she smiled, reaching her hands up to cup my face.
"I love you too," she whispered placing another quick kiss upon my lips before she took a step back, "I'll see you in a couple of days, don't burn our village down please, Ma'Nung."
"You have an awful lot of faith in me," I chuckled as she raised a brow, "I won't burn it down."
"Good," Miyara chuckled as her eyes landed on Araoukai who was talking to Khalilah at his Skimwing, "see what you're breaking up, oh great leader?"
"Nothing's happened before, I'm not breaking anything up," I said as I placed my hands upon my waist, "it's just for formalities, had he been betrothed at the age of six like I was he never would've had to do this."
"Not everyone knows who they want to spend the rest of their lives with at the age of six, Aonung," Miyara said and sighed, "it took you ten years to win me over."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," I said and I rolled my eyes, "safe travels, darling."
"We will be just fine," Miyara said as she patted Kaoru on her shoulder, "won't we, Kaoru?"
"Did you make snacks for the road?" Kaoru asked his mother, "did you make those fried fish leafs with those flower petals on top?"
"I did," Miyara chuckled as Kaoru seemed awfully happy over fried fish, "you're the best, mom."
I smiled as Kaoru, who was a true mama's boy, hugged her tightly and already started rummaging through her bags to find the fried fish he was looking for. Miyara quickly ran up to me again, kissed me before leaning down and kissing our youngest daughters and ending it with a long lasting hug with Asherah before returning on her Skimwing. Kaoru climbed onto his mother's Skimwing behind her as he waved us all goodbye with a satisfied smile upon his face and a leaf of fried fish in his hands. Araoukai jumped onto his own Skimwing which he had mastered a few weeks earlier, even breaking my record and getting it on his first try, as I noticed Khalilah blush at the way his muscles tensed up as he positioned himself on his Skimwing. It ended with Re'ylä wishing Zuaia farewell and getting onto her own Skimwing, followed by Mo'iki also getting on his Skimwing and moving over to where his sister was. They all waved us goodbye as the entire village had gathered to wish them a safe journey and before I knew it they all vanished from my sight.