୨ৎ | Learn to accept, i accept you. || Neteyam

8

- VIII

Neteyam and Maelie's liking for each other deepened as the time they spent with each other go by. As more memories were formed, the trust was also building. Maelie was still debating herself but she knew that the side of her that knew she wanted to be with him, was winning.

Maelie had found herself whenever she was with him, it felt freeing when she was talking to him. Maelie hadn't felt like this in a long time. She told him a lot of things. Considering she wasn't that open to what was really happening behind her blunt façade. But to neteyam, it felt like there was a difference. That's what she was scared of.

See, there's something that happened to maelie before all of this stuff occurred. A few years before the sully's arrived to Awa'atlu, her father experienced a great sickness even the tsahik ronal couldn't heal. The clan had prayed to eywa many times as her father had been known throughout the clan as a great warrior, a hunter of many creatures and also, the brother of the current Olo'eyktan.

He had contributed many things to Awa'atlu, and..his daughter was having her 7th birthday soon. He was trying, hard not to fail his body, his family. Perhaps Eywa had other plans for him. Just a few days before Maelie's 7th birthday her father had already left his physical body.

The death of Tairki had affected almost most of the people in Awa'atlu. He wasn't just a warrior or a hunter in some glances, he was a friend, a husband, a brother and a Dad. Maelie's relationship with her father was all a daughter could ask for.

Even as for the duties of Tairki as the left hand and brother of the Olo'eyktan, he always made time for his family, especially Maelie. They shared bickering, heartwarming conversations, understanding and care for each other.

Tairki had always loved his daughter, he swore on his life he'd do anything to make her happy; he just couldn't fight this.

Growing up she was used to taking care of herself, her mother made all the effort to be her father and mother figure but Maelie always assured her it was fine. Tsireya, Aonung as her cousins and Rotxo as one of her close friends, had always been there for her knowing what happened but even they knew it wasn't enough.

Maelie was reserved to other people, just not certain ones. 

# Afternoon, an hour before eclipse

Maelie was fixing her seashell necklace, it had gotten caught on a coral when she was taking a swim with kiri and tsireya. Her mother, entering the marui. She had just come back from dining with Ronal and the other's. Noticing her daughter, she decided to talk.

"How was your day? Ile." She asked warmly. "It was okay, Tsireya, kiri and I went for a swim and look what happened." She chuckled as she presented her necklace to her mother. "Oh where did you get that? It seems new" Her mother asked. "..Oh, neteyam made it for me. He said he found some shells under the sand when he was out hunting with Aonung and the others."

"You spend a lot of time with that sully boy these days ile" Maelie's mother teased with the nickname. "Yeah, he's someone to me, mother."

"You don't have to hide what you have with him." She assured. "It's nice to see my daughter fall In love once in a very long while." Moalre recalled. "Mother, I am not falling in love." Maelie stammered defensively.

Her mother sighed and smiled softly before sitting down with her. "You have your father's eyes, maelie," She warmly whispered, not too quiet. Her mother cupped her jaw as she tucked a braid behind Maelie's ear.

"The same eye's that have pupil's that widen when they lie." Moalre joked. "I am not lying ma." "Why do you think I always knew when your father would eat the food before everyone got to the table when you were younger?" That made Maelie laugh. "I know my daughter, and I also know that she is falling in love." Maelie paused for a moment and just leaned in to her mother's touch.

"I like him a lot mother." She accepted finally looking deep in her mother's eyes. "Took you long enough, ile."