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⠀ू *𖥔 ͙ࣳ

Ocean Genesis

Avatar: The way of water

Ronal's heart was racing more and more as she could not find Li' Aeyana. With a deep sigh she looked out to the beach hoping to find her eldest daughter. It had been hours since she left with Ki' Luyke and no news had been returned to her.

She walked through house as she could not bear another minute of it. Li' Aeyana had made it clear to her mother and father, so many times , that they needed to give her space and that her personal life not be something that would be discussed as a family, but Li' Aeyana was at the age of being betrothed, and no matter how hard she or Tonowari tried to find her a suitable match, nothing came with good result.

The sound of waves crashing against the sand help soothe Ronal. She walked to the back of their house to find Aonung, the eldest of her twins with his friends. Laughing , as they spent most of their days but his group of friends grew silent as she approached them.

"And?" Ronal questioned as Aonung and his friends greeted his mother "Where is your sister at this hour? She should have been back by now."

There was always a stark difference between twins and Aonung and Li' Aeyana were no exception. But where Aonung was being trained to one day be chief, Li' Aeyana had become more rebellious.

She didn't care for her lessons anymore, she would spend hours of her day by the reef. She used to be very calm and studious but since Tonowari had taken Aonung under his wing, it would not be an understatement to say that it has made his sister more temperamental. Not necessarily out of jealousy but because it forced her to face the harsh reality that she would have to be betrothed and one day married , with children. The thought alone disgusted Aonung.

"Mother, you should be resting." Aonung replied "Besides, you know you won't like the answer."

Ronal sighed in defeat as she asked "What has she said this time?" Knowing well that between her three children her eldest daughter had the sharpest tongue.

"Not necessarily what she said, but what she's done." Rotxo replied to which Aonung nudged him , hoping his mother wouldn't hear his quick remark.

"And?" Ronal quickly asked "How did it go between the two of them?"

The boys looked amongst each other nervously as Ronal glared with so much intent that Aonung could not even attempt to lie to his mother "Surely it could not have been as bad as the last one?"

"It went well, until it didn't." Aonung answered

"Enough of the riddles, you're covering for your sister again, and this time I won't have it. Can I at least know what she's done before I have to apologize to another suitors parents, again." she reprimanded

"She took a walk with Ki' Luyke along the beach this morning. That was before Tsireya left even but before they could go for a swim, Li' Aeyana suggested an idea. He left soon thereafter."

"What did your sister suggest this time?" Ronal sharply questioned as she narrowed her eyes

"All I can say is that Ki' Luyke was not happy that she bested him in training. I'm told she unarmed him with his own weapon." Aonung quietly answered his mother "Won by hitting, well kicking , where it hurts the most."

To this Ronal could hear the footsteps behind her. She nodded her head allowing the boys to leave but not without hearing their sly laughter. Sharply turning around hoping that it would be her daughter her gaze softened at the sight of Tonowari "Oh, it's just you." She replied to which he placed a kiss on his wife's forehead

"I take it by your tone she's done something. What is it this time?"

"She beat him at training. With his own weapon." Ronal emphasized and just as her son her husband proudly boasted in laughter only to fuel a fire on Ronal's irritation "This is not funny Tonowari!" She defended "At this rate no one will want her as a betrothed."

"I'm sorry." Tonowari continued to laugh "No, you're right. It's quite serious." He stifled his laugh as Ronal's cold glare intensified to which he coughed as he took a deep breath of fresh air "Can I ask how she beat him."

"This is not funny. She's the only one of her age who is not betrothed yet."

"And she has said that she will marry on her own time, when she is ready, with someone of her choosing. She's still very cross with us about Aonung, she feels excluded in our lessons. I think the least we can do is not fester on her love life, wouldn't you agree?" He reasoned to which Ronal bit down on the corner of her lip

"Even as a child she had no care for such arrangements. It will only cause more harm than good if we force her into this. You realize this, don't you?"

"I just-" Ronal felt Tonowari place his hand over hers as she held his "I want her to be happy. She's angry and alone and I don't wish to see her become begrudge and bitter. She deserves a happy life."

"And that is all fine, but you're trying to convince her that it is her duty and that in itself is not right. Speaking of, where is she?"

"Probably with her sister. She's the only one who seems to be able to talk sense into her these days."

⠀ू *𖥔 ͙ࣳ

Li' Aeyana never felt more at home than she was at sea. Even at birth she felt so connected, tethered to the ocean, in ways she could not explain. She could feel every heart beat , she could hear the laughter of her ancestors. The ocean felt more like home, than her own as of late.

It also helped relieve her stress and she knew once she returned home it would be the same argument with her mother that would end in her father having to be the mediator between the two. She wished her mother could see into her heart in what she wanted and desired, but since Aonung's training under his fathers wing progressed, she had no clue what she wanted anymore. As a child she had allowed herself to believe that she could be chief, even as a woman, but as time went on, her father invited her less on hunts and her studies became different.

Where she used to study the clans and its people, it had become lessons with Tsireya and her mother about being wives and mothers. Li' Aeyana did not look down to any mother or wife, she simply did not see herself as one. She could not see any future for herself anymore.

From the water she rose as she could see the shaping of large shadows from above the water. Taking a deep breathe as she and Tsireya approached the coast. As the pair came closer to the sand she pushed them through the crowd that had formed around their guests. Her eyes piercing to her mother and father and then back to their guest.

They looked different to them. Their skin a darker blue. Their arms and tail thinner than their own. They were built leaner and as her eyes glanced them up and down she spotted five fingers on one of the sons. They were Omaticaya. Forest people. Outsiders very far from home.

They were a family of six but her eyes connected with the boys who had their eyes focussed on her and Tsireya. Where her sister gave them a heartfelt smile, particularly to the five fingered boy, Li' Aeyana rolled her eyes.

"Stop giggling." She corrected Tsireya "We have no idea why they're here. For all we know they could be dangerous to us." She scowled to which her sister laughed Tsireya laughed

"I don't think their dangerous. I don't look at anyone dangerous like he's looking at you." She nudged her sister as Li' Aeyana's eyes made contact with the taller boy, unable to hide her displease as her father continued talking she could not find herself to break away from his stares. Her glares faltering as he only seemed amused by her displease in him. She rolled her eyes looking back to her mother who's eyes raked over the family.

"We seek refuge." The head of their family spoke

"We are reef people, you are forest people. Your skills will mean nothing here." Her mother coldly remarked

"We'll learn your ways, right?" He looked to his wife who shared displease same as Ronal.

Her mother circled around them, inspecting them from hair to toe "Their arms are too thin and their tails are weak." She grabbed a girl, around Li' Aeyana's age. gripping her tail as her mother in return slapped away Ronal's hand "They will be slow in the water." Her eyes finally landed on the boys , gripping his arm as she held his hand up "These children are not even true Na'vi. They have demon blood!"

An uproar of gasps and sneers could be heard as Aonung and Li' Aeyana looked sharply to one another. She shook her head as she could see mocking smirk on her brothers face. Her father finally spoke commanding discipline and order amongst his people

"Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us. Treat them as your brothers and sisters." He glanced to his children "They do not know the sea, so they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless." to this Li' Aeyana smirked at her fathers bold statement

"My children, Aonung, Li' Aeyana and Tsireya will show your children what to do."

"Why should I?" Li' Aeyana spoke up to this Ronal could be seen with a slight smirk on her face "These people are not just from another clan." she pointed to the head of their family "He is Jakesully. He is a great warrior, we all know his story. The defeat they handed the sky people but he's also dangerous. This man will bring nothing but war to us. They seek refuge, but from what? What are they hiding from?"

"Li' Aeyana, I will not hear of this." Her father reprimanded her "They are our guests. See to it that they feel welcomed by all of us."

"But father-"

"I will not hear any disagreements." Tonowari commanded to which his daughter looked down to the sand. "Tsireya, show our guest to their new home."

As the crowd dispersed Li' Aeyana stood in her post glaring to her mother and father as they walked back. She hated it when her father didn't speak to her, when he commanded her, ordered her as though she was some peasant. All that remained from the crowd was her and the tallest son of Jakesully. He slowly approached Li' Aeyana as she crossed her arms, her nails digging into the skin of her arm.

"Hello, I am Neteyam." he kindly greeted with a smile which Li' Aeyana did not recuperate "I-"

"Your training begins tomorrow." She held her gaze as she looked back behind him to see his father and mother watching them "Bring your brother and sisters with." Stepping forward as her finger pointed to him "Do not be worse than the children and babies. No one is to be late." She ordered marching back to waves as she looked back to see his soft gaze still on her. Taking a deep breath as she sunk back into the ocean

Authors note:

Li' Aeyana at the Sullys

But also
L

i' Aeyana being reprimanded by Tonowari

But don't worry she'll warm up to them , eventually,  when she has no choice to🤭

Also if you are reading this book welcome. The author of this book is in extreme denial so bear with me

💌