Beneath You. 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗬𝗔𝗠

O1O. OUR SACRED PLACE

CHAPTER TEN. ✧˖*°࿐
❝ OUR SACRED PLACE. ❞

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"Does it feel better?"

Emea nodded, having been sitting in front of her mother who was fixing her hair, getting rid of the braids she matched with Tsireya. Tsireya's braids were beautiful but Emea didn't like it when she or her sister got compared to one another by being told that one suits them better than the other and just a bunch of things they both despised hearing.

"Thank you, Mother," Emea stretched her legs, eyeing the way her curly hair rested on her back, a braid and another framing her face.   "I'm going now."

"Before you leave," Emea turned to look at her mother who was still sitting down, her eyes closed, "I know."

Emea frowned at her in confusion. She didn't question it any further as her mom waved her off, cutting her thought process.

"Hey, Emea!" Emea turned to look at the person who yelled at her name, hoping it was Neteyam but knowing it wasn't since he wouldn't entirely yell her name. He always appeared right next to her side. She came upon her brother's friends, rolling her eyes as one of them said, "You look pretty hot if I may say."

"No, you cannot say," Emea shook her head, walking away. She continued to hear their taunts and compliments thrown at her but she simply ignored them, looking for Neteyam since he promised to walk with her.

"Sister, sister!" Emea's confused gaze now met her sister's, who was huddled in a group with a couple of others. She immediately saw Neteyam who had been staring at her. He smiled. "Come here. You need to hear this."

"What's wrong?" Emea frowned, getting closer.

Neteyam immediately made space for her, letting her sit between him and Lo'ak.

"Lo'ak was just telling us what he saw yesterday," Ao'nung spoke, "said he saw a tulkun by the reefs. But, this one was alone and he was missing a fin."

"You saw Payakan?" Emea questioned Lo'ak. Everyone got closer to hear more and Emea sighed. "He's an outcast, alone, separated from the other tulkun. They say he is a killer."

"No, no," Lo'ak immediately disagreed.

"He killed Na'vi," Ao'nung further explained, "and other tulkun. Not here but far to the South."

"No, he's not a killer," Lo'ak continued to defend his friend and Emea watched his reaction.

"Look, you are lucky to be alive," Tsireya gave him a frown, worried about what could've gone wrong.