What I Didn't See - Ao'nung X Fem Reader

Chapter 25 - The Ending (pt 1)

The whole clan had made their way to the Cove of the Ancestors.

Ronal, Tonowari and their 3 children with them.

One by one, everyone headed under water. Tonowari and Ronal out in front with their daughter.

Tonowari held her while Ronal created the bond.

I looked at my mother and saw the way her eyes lit up. Family was the most important thing to her.

So much so that just seeing the happiness of another family made her light up.

xxx

The night was filled with smiles, laughter and dancing.

I did plan on sitting with Kiri like we used to do back home, but Rotxo had other plans and took her away from me.

And as soon as Ao'nung had seen I was alone. He rushed over, pulling me from my seat to dance.

It was not what I had planned for the night but he made it fun.

Tuk had stolen me halfway through the night, forcing me to dance with her which I did happily.

What I didn't see was the smiles placed on my parents lips when they saw the smiles on mine.

I had spent a good half hour of my time dancing with tuk. I didn't even realise Ao'nung had disappeared. Or that he had returned.

But when I did see him walking towards me, he looked nervous.

I stopped dancing immediately, turning to the man.

He had made eye contact with my father who gave him a nod. A small smile on his lips.

Once he had reached me, he took my hand.

"Can I speak with you?" His voice was quiet.

I gave him a nod and let him lead me away.

"Is he doing it?" My father asked Tonowari who held his new born daughter.

"Yes. Finally. It was Ronald's idea to do it tonight" Then the 2 men were too far to hear.

Ao'nung stopped and turned to me and held onto my hands. He took a deep breath in before grabbing something that was attached to his clothing.

"What is that?" I asked.

"It's a promise." He replied quickly. He looked as though if he didn't say it soon, he would never say it at all. "That one day, when we choose...we will mate."

"Like an engagement?"

"Yes...that's exactly what it is" he held it out in front of me in his hand.

It was an arm band. Beautifully designed. Small shells laced together, and a blue and orange feather. The feather was connected to a certain bead that looked very similar to the one on Ao'nung's song cord.

He could see me trying to find it on his song cord that rested on his waist.

"I added it when you went missing...to represent the day I met you. There was a second one, identical to it." He picked up his song course to show me the bead.

My heart felt like it was flying. I wanted to say yes with all my heart. But there was one thing that had me stopping.

"I could never be tsahik" the words were like fire in my mouth. But the truth none the less. "The tsahik needs to be able to connect with eywa to do half the work they do."

Ao'nung shook his head. A smile on his lips.

"I'm not asking you to be tsahik, Seze. I'm asking you to be my mate and nothing else." He took a pause, and tried to read my thoughts. But it was clear he couldn't.