Water's Embrace || Ao'nung x Neteyam

Chapter 29: God's Chosen Lamb.

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When I think of God, I think of hiding in a way a child does. Always hoping to be found.

And I know for his love I need to suffer because in his sacrifices he demands blood that I cannot give. My prayers have been refused.

A rotten child who does not deserve heaven for I am rotten in sin. Maybe there is nothing else. I belong in the quiest quiet. That is what's right for me.

S̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ I̶ b̶e̶g̶ h̶e̶ t̶a̶k̶e̶s̶ m̶e̶ s̶o̶ I̶ w̶o̶n̶'t̶ h̶a̶v̶e̶ t̶o̶ d̶o̶ i̶t̶ m̶y̶s̶e̶l̶f̶.

Death is the only water that could wash away this dirt.

I was brought against my will, imposed existence is all I am. I was born wrongly for I shouldn't have been the first, and I continued living wrongly for I should have never glanced at a man.

His hold is my sole comfort, and his pleasure my own. I would do anything to stop being at his mercy.

What lived and is prone to die between us will haunt me forever.

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In the eight years she had been alive, Tuktirey had grown to be a cheerful girl.

She lived her days leisurely, chasing after her brothers, running away from her sister's attempt to put pretty bows on her, hiding from her mother's scolding, and enjoying the comfort of her father's arms.

She was raised in such a way that she grew up wanting nothing, and her favorite toy, unlike common belief, was not her dolls, but her mother's jewels.

Being the youngest had meant great fortune, for the spoils were endless and the praises a daily thing. 

The downside of it all was that, as an eight-year-old girl who only had siblings nearing their early twenties, loneliness was a very big bother, and she found herself playing alone more often than not.

Neteyam had promised that Florence would be lots of fun, but so far she had only faced boredom and disappointment, for she had not met a single girl her age willing to have tea or discuss the matters of society, as she had seen her mother often do.

She would never miss the opportunity to look after her siblings, hoping they would be in good humor and willing to play with her, but as of late, Florence had proven to be the very cause of her misfortune.

The Geljos were nice people. Although Rotxo never knew what to say when around her, and Tsireya often insisted on changing the course of the storyline when playing dolls, she could recognize and be grateful for their efforts.

Ao'nung, however, had been on her blacklist for a very long time.

Not only had he taken all of Neteyam's attention to himself, but they always seemed to be fighting when they thought no one was around.

If her brother didn't like him, that must mean the man was a "very bad deal" as her father often said about those he disliked. 

But if there was truly no one else to play with...what was she supposed to do about it? 

—Yes...?—Ao'nung mumbled in soft bewilderment, barely opening his eyes to see the shadow of the girl looming over him—Can I help you?

—Indeed, you can.— Tuktirey nodded with confidence that wasn't proper of a child her age and size— I'm having tea.

—...Enjoy?—Ao'nung scoffed, looking around for someone nearby, or a reason why the child was talking to him.

—You will have tea with me.