More Than I Love You

Chapter 6- Bond

"I honestly did not mean to get caught like this. I just wanted to make sure he was okay, and I would have left" Aromì says.

"I can't lie, I was worried at first that your people might kill him. Because he is from the fire clan. Which is why I wanted to make sure. But then I seen him playing with someone" Aromì talks to Taneya and then looks to Neteyam.

"Neteyam. My brother. I have asked him to look after your son" Taneya replies.
"Thankyou so much. Thankyou" Aromì thanks Taneya.

"Aromì. I am about to be a mother myself soon. I would never try to hurt your child. Knowing if it was my child, I would not want that to happen to me. You have my word, I will make sure Tsekey is looked after. But you should also be looked after. Stay, let me give you something to eat" Taneya offers Aromì her sympathy.

Aromì nods and accepts.
-
Taneya is walking at the beach in the evening, and she sees her father, Tsekey, sitting down in a spot that was once hers. Looking into the ocean.

She goes to join him.
"Father, what a suprise to see you here" Taneya says.
"Oh Taneya, I hope you don't mind. Im just out here to clear my thoughts" Tsekey says.
"I don't mind. What's going on?" Taneya asks.

She sits next to him.

"Daughter I am getting old each day. And I'm just thinking of the day I'm no longer here, and I have to go back to Ninat. I don't know what to say when I see her. Im scared" Tsekey says.

"Why are you scared? Father, she loves you" Taneya says.
He nods his head, "I am scared to face her. She was hurt because of me. She did it to protect me. How could I face her and be normal" Tsekey says to his daughter.

"Maybe you don't have to say anything at all" Taneya says.
"What do you mean?" Tsekey asks.
"When you see her, hug her. Give her the biggest and tightest hug you have ever given. So she knows that it is really you and that you are there with her" Taneya says.

They spend a couple more hours on the beach together, as they talk about all the things Ninat did when she first came to Pandora. Of course, Taneya was not born. But she heard the stories, told from others.

It's been a couple of hours. Tsekey looks to Taneya, "you should go daughter. It is getting dark. Aonung will be worried about you" Tsekey says.
She nods, "can you help me up?"

"Of course" Tsekey gets up and rushes to the other side, helping her to get up.

Aonung is watching from afar and sees Taneya laughing with Tsekey.
"Thankyou Ninat, for bringing him here" Aonung says as he looks up into the sky.

He was happy to see Taneya be genuinely happy with her father.
-
As Taneya is walking in with her father, Aonung is sat down.
"Where did you go?" Aonung asks her, pretending not to know.
"Oh sorry son. I was just keeping Taneya with me and lost track of time" Tsekey apologises.

"Goodnight father" Taneya says goodnight to him.
Tsekey says goodnight to both Taneya and Aonung before walking out.

Taneya comes to sit next to Aonung.
"You look happy" Aonung says.
Taneya nods, "he was telling stories about my mother. One time he was teaching her how to shoot and arrow and she missed, ended up injuring him."

She starts laughing.
Aonung smiles as he looks at her, "it's nice. To see you this happy."
She looks to Aonung, "I've always been happy. With you too."

"I know. But to see you genuinely happy with your father. I'm happy for you Taneya" Aonung says.
There's a moment of silence.
Taneya then takes Aonung's arm, "you miss your parents don't you?"

"Everyday. I'm just trying to think of what they would do if they were here. How they were able to handle everything, looking after the clan" Aonung says.

"Aonung. You will be a good leader. You are doing great so far. I am very proud of you. They are very proud of you too" Taneya says as she turns her body to him.

"If I didn't go to the reef that time" Aonung says as he remembers the day of his parents death.
"Aonung don't you dare. It was not your fault. You went to look for Leìna" Taneya says.

"And she was already dead" Aonung looks to Taneya as he has tears in his eyes.
She cups onto her cheek, "you did what any brother would do. You went to look for her. You are a good brother. A good son."

Aonung begins to break down.
Taneya hugs him, holding onto him tightly.
"They are proud of you Aonung. I promise. They do not blame you. You are their son" she then pulls away from the hug, and wipes his tears, "they will never be angry at their son for trying to find his sister."

He nods, "just seeing you happy with your father. It just made me think how I could have been with my father too."
"Oh Aonung. He is not your father biologically. But I love you. If I love you, he will also love you. You are my family. My home. You have done nothing but love and care for me. Tsekey definitely loves you as his own."

He nods, "Thankyou, Taneya."
"I am always here for you. As we always say to each other, I will be beside you, yesterday, today, tomorrow, everyday" Taneya replies.

They hug each other again. This time Taneya doesn't let go on him. She places one hand behind his head, leaning it onto her shoulder, the other around his waist.
-
Taneya wakes up the next day and sees Aonung next to her fast asleep.
She goes in to kiss him on the cheek, before pulling away and putting her fingers through his hair as she watches him wake up slowly.

"Someone is up early" he says with a tired voice.
"Someone is up late" Taneya jokes to him.

"You look so cute when you sleep" Taneya says.
He opens his eyes slowly, as they are tired.
They finally open properly after a couple of blinks, and he looks at Taneya, "my beautiful wife."

They both look at each other but someone in the room clears their throat.

Taneya quickly sits up and sees Tsekey.
"Father! What are you doing here?" She says suprised.

"I just wanted to ask if you wanted to come out. Catch some fish with us" Tsekey asks.
"Us?" Aonung finally sits up.
"Me, Neteyam, Lo'ak, Tsireya and Kiri. They all wanted to do something today" Tsekey says.

Taneya and Aonung look at each other and then nod, "let's go."
-
Taneya is next to Neteyam and Kiri.
"I left Tsekey with Aromì. Hopefully they're okay" Neteyam says.
"Rotxo is there too. So it should be okay" Taneya says.

"Ooh. Rotxo alone with your girl" Kiri nudge Neteyam's shoulder.
"I thought you liked Rotxo?" Neteyam replies.
She slaps Neteyam's arm.

Taneya laughs and then looks the other way to Aonung and Tsekey.
"Anyways she's not my girl" Neteyam says annoyed.
"She's the mother of the child which you adore" Kiri teases him again.

Taneya is ignoring them as she's watching Tsekey and Aonung bond together, as Tsekey is teaching him how to catch a fish properly.

She smiles. It is everything she's ever wanted.
Her husband to bond with her parents.

She finally got it.
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