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

6

Miyara's pov:

"And you granted him uturu?" Ronal asked her son in disbelief as Zaniyah hung onto her grandmother, "after his leaders threatened your mate and unborn child?"
"I'm sure our son knows what he's doing," Tonowari said as Na'aila tugged on his hair, "don't you trust his leadership, dear?"
"Of course I trust his leadership," Ronal scoffed, "I just never expected him to have such a soft heart for outsiders, from Miya I would, but not Aonung."
"I'm right here," I said as I continued braiding Asherah's hair, "I can hear every word you're saying."
"I know, dear," Ronal said as she smiled at me, "have you had a word with the boy yet?"
"Not yet, De'iya happens to be very busy teaching the boy our ways," I answered, "Araoukai will assist her today after my pretty daughter over here decided that he wasn't worth her time and refused to teach him."
"I don't trust him," Asherah said stubbornly, "and I couldn't care less if he drowns."
"We know, Mischief," Aonung said and smirked at his daughter before turning to his parents, "so, you'll be staying in our pod then?"
"Yeah, you two can go on your date night," Ronal said, "I'm sure your father will be dressed like a pretty little girl again by his granddaughters."
"I'm a pretty little girl," Tonowari said making Na'aila and Zaniyah chuckle.
"You are not, pop-pop," Na'aila laughed as Tonowari pretended to be offended by that.
"Grampy!" Kaoru said excited as he walked into our pod with his arms spreaded, "Grammy!"
"You're nearly fourteen, dipshit, can you quit with the nicknames?" Asherah said and she rolled her eyes.
"Never!" Kaoru said as he hugged his grandparents tightly before turning to me, "by the way, Zaria told me that I had to tell you that De'iya thinks both you and dad should talk with the Ash dude."
"Why's that?" Aonung asked his son as Kaoru simply shrugged, "where's your brother?"
"With his girlfriend," Kaoru answered, "have you guys by the way decided wether or not Khalilah becomes the next Tsahik?"
"Khalilah?" Ronal asked in disbelief as Aonung shot me a stern look, clearly not wanting his mother to know about Araoukai's affection for Khalilah, "that demon's daughter? I don't think so, what is Araoukai thinking?"
"I'm guessing he isn't thinking much since all the blood in his head is moving to another place," Asherah said and smirked.
"Asha!" I hissed at her as Aonung simply laughed along with his daughter for the dirty joke she made.
"Where's it going?" Kaoru asked clueless as he looked at his father, Aonung raised a brow signaling that he already knew the answer and after thinking for a long time Kaoru realised what Asherah meant, "oh! OH!"
"It's a good thing you're pretty," Asherah told her brother after I had finished braiding her hair and she got up, "because you're not very bright."
"At least I'm pretty," Kaoru said and I saw Asherah's smile fall, all of her insecurities written over her face and Kaoru noticed it too, "I was joking, Asha, you're pretty too.. almost as pretty as me."
"Are you finished, darling?" Aonung asked me as he smiled at me, "I'll accompany you to Ri'han."
"Who?" Asherah asked and Kaoru rolled his eyes.
"I'm finished," I said as I got up to my feet and kissed Asherah on top of her head before moving onto Kaoru who immediatly pulled me into a hug.
"Momma's boy," Asherah whispered under her breath as Kaoru let go of me, I briefly brushed my hand along his cheek before moving onto my youngest daughters who were in their grandparents's arms and kissing them on top of their head.

***

Aonung and I approached Ri'han and De'iya as she was teaching him to ride an Ilu, as soon as De'iya's eyes landed on me and my husband she smiled and waved at us before turning to Ri'han and explaining that I was the Tsahik.
Ri'han nodded as he got out of the water and walked over to us and suddenly he bowed before us, I frowned confused as Aonung had to hold back a laughter, the child in him suddenly popping up to say hello as he found it hilarious that Ri'han bowed before us.
"Please, Ri'han, there's no need for such formalities," I said as Aonung scratched the back of his head, "you don't need to bow to us."
"Oh, where I'm from you have to bow before the leader or you get beaten," Ri'han explained, "I was already worried that would happen to me when I didn't do it at my arrival."
"No beatings happen here," I said quickly as I felt terrible for the kid, "I'm so sorry that happened to you."
"Don't worry, I'm safe now," Ri'han said and smiled, "I'm Ri'han."
"I'm Miyara, I'm Awa'atlu's Tsahik," I said as I offered him a kind smile, "and you've already met my husband Aonung."
"We've met," Ri'han said and frowned, "if you don't mind me asking, what is a Tsahik?"
"Y-you don't know what a Tsahik is?" Aonung asked the boy confused, "you don't have a spiritual leader where you're from? A spiritual guide for Eywa's will?"
"No, we Ash people don't believe in Eywa," Ri'han explained calmly but his eyes widened in shock when he saw the flabbergasted looks on Aonung and mine's faces, "Y-you're not going to send me away now?"
"No, Ri, they're just a bit.. shocked, right?" De'iya asked us as I slowly nodded and Aonung just stared at the boy in disbelief, "we all are, we thought everyone on Pandora believed in Eywa."
"I'm sorry but it's forbidden to believe in Eywa where I'm from, they call Eywa a false God that exists to control our lives and drive us away from our true leader, you call it an Olo'eyktan," Ri'han explained as he looked at me, "I'll keep it a secret that I'm a non-believer if you want me to."
"That's okay, Ri'han," I said as I wasn't sure on what to say next, "but we do have a lot of rituals with Eywa and if you want to become a part of the clan you'll need to participate in them."
"That's no issue, I understood that I would have to change my ways the moment I arrived here," Ri'han said, "but.. I've spend my entire life as a non-believer, don't expect me to believe right away, okay?"
"I understand, I don't expect that from you," I said as Aonung was in a deep thought, "is De'iya teaching you well?"
"Oh, yeah, she's amazing," Ri'han said and chuckled as he looked at De'iya who simply blushed.
"We'll leave you alone then, although I must say that our son will join you soon," I said as Ri'han's ears lowered.
"He doesn't have to, we're fine just the two of us," Ri'han said, making De'iya turn away from us as we could both tell what was going on with her. She was crushing hard on the Ash boy.
"It's his duty as future Olo'eyktan," I explained and smiled, "he'll be here shortly, have a nice day you two."
"Thank you, Miyara," De'iya said as she played with her hair, the way she looked when she was nervous was an exact picture of what Neteyam looked like when he was nervous, she resembled him so much.
Aonung paced quickly infront of me, clearly he was distraught from when Ri'han told us that he did not believe in Eywa.
"Ma'Nung, please talk to me," I said as he turned around and towered over me, a worried expression in his light colored eyes.
"He needs to leave," Aonung said stern, "our son is about to be betrothed to the granddaughter who hunted our Tulkun and killed good men and women and now there's a non-believer in our care.. do you understand what that will mean for us? They'll force us to step down as leaders before we want to, what a mess."
"We're leaders, but we're also parents, Ma'Nung," I said as he squinted his eyes shut, "Ri'han knows that he will need to adapt to our ways and what's concerned about Araoukai and Khalilah, once the people see them together they'll realise that she's not her grandfather."
"I'd feel better if he just got along with the Ta'unui girl," Aonung said and groaned irritated, "I have a feeling Asherah might end up being right about everything."
"Stop worrying," I said as I cupped his face with my hands, "we've got this, besides Araoukai's relationship with Khalilah doesn't exist yet, he might still change his mind."
"Yeah, right, because once he sets his mind to something he just let's it go," Aonung sighed, "he takes after you, Miya, meaning that he's stubborn."
"I thought persuing a girl for an eternity until she falls for him was your territory?" I asked as I quirked a brow and Aonung rolled his eyes once he realised that I was right, "let's get some work done before our date night."
Aonung nodded and leaned down to peck a kiss on my lips, pulling me closer by my waist, still feeling the same as the first time he kissed me. I could never grow tired of him kissing me.