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

13

Warning: This chapter contains mature scenes!

Zeoay's pov:

I watched her from afar as she was being celebrated by our clan. People were partying all night, I could spot Araoukai dancing with Khalilah, they were both drunk and were actually catching people's gaze by the way they were dancing, nothing dirty but they looked cute. Kaoru had once again abandoned me to raid the buffet as Zaria sat besides me, she was talking about something but I just couldn't tear my eyes away from Asherah as she was being paraded around on her father's shoulder with a bright smile upon her face.. My Eywa was her smile gorgeous.
"I could not be more proud of my daughter!" Aonung exclaimed as Asherah's smile grew wider, "my daughter has proven herself to be an even better warrior than me, even better than all the warriors here in Awa'atlu! Let's hear it for Asherah!"
Miyara sat behind them, applauding and smiling proudly at her oldest daughter as Na'aila and Zaniyah had fallen asleep on her lap.
Naeyi had ran off with her boyfriend Khonsu and I could already guess what they were doing by the sounds they made from the forest behind me.
Emra'o had clearly been speaking with either Mo'iki or Miyara since he was smoking pod, clearly frustrated about something but I didn't care about what.
Taraji, my cousin, was near Asherah, they were best friends after all. She was proudly celebrating Asherah's victory. I could see De'iya sitting with Ri'han as she was telling a story about how she got her ikran, I could spot the look on Ri'han's face as she was telling the story.. if he was a traitor like Asha thought he surely did a good fake look of love, because the way he looked at De'iya would seem to me like love. It was the way I was looking at Asherah.
"Are you listening to me?" Zaria asked me and I tore my gaze away from Asherah.
"What?" I asked my friend and she rolled her eyes before mischievously smirking at me.
"Will you ever confess your feelings to her?" Zaria asked me.
"I sort of already have, a little while ago," I said, "she kind of shot me down, something like that."
"Just ask her again," Zaria said, "she's into you."
"Sure," I said sarcastically, "the greatest warrior of Awa'atlu would settle for the boy that was used for bait."
"Skxawng!" Zaria laughed at me, making me blush shamefully, "why would you ever be used as bait if you weren't special to her? Kanzia could've easily picked Miyara, Zaniyah or Na'aila from the beaches.. but she picked you as bait. That means something, bro."
"So, you're saying that she likes me back?" I asked Zaria as I hopefully looked back at Asherah. She looked so beautiful with her hair down and with wildflowers in her hair, her smile was breathtaking and I could drown in her eyes. My Eywa, I.. I think I'm in love with her. No, I was sure that I was in love with her.
"Of course she does! Skxawng," Zaria rolled her eyes, "but you should hurry because you're not the only guy with an eye on her anymore."
I frowned as I looked back at Zaria who was pointing at a boy. I followed her gaze and saw Maël looking at Asherah in a much different way than before. Maël was the ex boyfriend of De'iya, no way I'd allow that prick to steal Asherah from me. I'd fight him if I had to. I was about to step towards Maël and threaten him when suddenly a hand brushed my arm. A girl, my age, stood there.. I believe she was called Yzia, she was pretty and all.. but that was about it.
"Hi, Zeoay," she said with her sweet voice, that already annoyed me..
"Hi?" I asked her more than I greeted her as I could hear Zaria snicker from behind me, what are best friends for right?
"You fought very bravely today," Yzia said and I frowned.
"I was tied up to a tree by my feet, I don't call that fighting or being brave," I said as her eyes widened, "what do you want?"
"I was hoping we could maybe, hang out sometime?" She asked me.
"Sorry, but I'm spoken for," I said and quirked a brow and pointed at Maël, "but that guy, is a great warrior, much better than me and he would very much like to hang out with you."
I didn't even wait for her answer as I gently guided her to Maël, he shot me a confused look and looked at Yzia.
"Maël, this is Yzia," I said, "Yzia, meet Maël."
"But my name's Keeya?" She said and I quirked my brows up. Who was Yzia then? Not that it mattered.
"Are you drunk?" Maël asked me and I frowned.
"I'm sober, haven't had a single drop of alcohol, I was drinking my dad's berry juice," I said, "why don't you two talk for a bit? Great plan! Bye bye."
And with that I left the two alone as Zaria was shaking her head at me, disapproving of what I did but I saw this as getting two threats out of my way. This way Maël couldn't talk to Asherah and Asherah would never have to get jealous about Yzia.. I mean Keeya, gawking at me. A win-win if you asked me.
"Go talk to her!" Zaria spoke again.
"What if Kaoru spots me?" I asked her, Kaoru was my best friend.. Asherah was his sister, that's kind of wrong of me. If she liked me back I would talk to him but I was also kind of worried.. Kaoru is younger than me but nearly my height and he's much more broad than me.
"He's getting high with Emra'o, hurry!" Zaria said annoyed and I turned towards Asherah, who was the center of attention. Suddenly I felt nervous, but it was time I told her just how much she meant to me and not because she became Akula Makto, she had always been so much more to me than that.