Aella (manxman) - ON HOLD - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

"So now they're like, asking about you every day! They really want to meet you again! They say you're a gift from the spirits, and that they brought you back to Alev because he's a very proud and honorable Aello! They said, and I heard like, just a couple hours ago, that they've never seen a man eager to go to Saeva before!"
I smiled and tried to hide my discomfort at his words: "They're... very kind"
"Right? Even Essylt wants to meet you again!"
The bear??? What would he want from me!!!
"Wh-why??"
"He says he wants to test your hunting skills"
"HUNTING WHAT!!!"
"Heheh, don't be modest, we've all seen the necklace you're wearing"
He winked at me and I touched the tiger's teeth attached to my necklace. Me? A tiger?? I've never even seen one!! Well, I've seen a skin, and this once, the Aellos gifted us with a tiger, but it was already skinned and chopped so the Aellas could carry it up to the mountain, but never a tiger with its skin on! And even more, a tiger that's breathing!!!
Damn it... how could I live to such expectations... I told them I've never been to the forest before! And there are no wild animals in the Aella's territory! That's why we live there in the first place! It seems almost unfair of them to even assume that I can actually hunt
Then a thought struck me so hard, I almost tripped
Does... Alev think I can hunt?? What would he think of me if he knew the truth!!!
"Hahaha! You look like you're being thrown to Saeva! Don't worry, Essylt won't do anything to you, he's very rude, but he's not dangerous, I assure you. Besides, Alev would skin him alive"
I smiled back at Aleksy, he was being so kind to me, that I'm actually starting to feel uncomfortable and indebted to him.
He's very helpful too. Even now, he volunteered to show me the way through the thick forest without complaining. Aellos are so brave and impressive
We resumed walking and I looked at him. He was really a good Aello. I think he was maybe my age or a year younger, but the signs of the training and the strength from the continuous hunting were showing on the muscles of his body. It made me wonder if Ithel thinks I'm weak...
"So?"
I was pulled out of my thoughts: "Sorry?"
"When will you come meet everyone again? You can live in the village as long as you want, I'm sure Alev would like to be the one who helps you find your own den, but in the village there are plenty of tents, you can use mine or Ithel's. I bet even Cailyn would let you live with him if you stayed with us!"
"I can't do that... I mean, not without permission"
"You don't need one, my brother. You're one of us now! Hey, even if you're not used to hunting every day, you can eat with us! Actually, Milen keeps saying that he'd love to keep you until Alev comes back"
"Milen?"
"He's this old Aello who loves teaching children."
"Oh, I think I remember him!" If I'm guessing right, he's the Aello who kept asking me what the Aellas taught me when I visited their village. He didn't look that old, though
I stepped over a branch and smiled at Aleksy who was waiting for me: "The clan is being really kind to me, but I think I'll wait for my father to come back"
He nodded: "It's ok, but once you get here, we HAVE to go hunt together sometimes, ok? And don't worry, your father will be back faster than you know it"
I sighed: "I hope he comes back safe"
"Don't you worry about that, my friend." He lowered his voice and he leaned in closer as we walked: "There's actually something Leader Cailyn forgot to tell Leader Sosanbra"
"Forgot?"
"Well... Kind of, actually Alev has been to Saeva before"
"He has!!!"
"Yeah, crazy, right? Well, it's sad really. They say, on one Agape, he was asking all the Aellas about his preferred Aella and her child."
Dilara... he's talking about my mother and me
"It seems no one wanted to talk to him and Cailyn was busy looking for his own Aella, trying to seduce her before anyone else does. So Alev didn't wait much and walked right up to the Aella Leader and demanded an answer. The Aella Leader at the time, Rayan, was new. She has just taken over Aella Halina's place, and I heard she wasn't really... delicate in the way she told him. She just said that the Aella and her child were both dead months ago.
Alev got so angry and blamed her for not keeping the Aella safe and for not telling him sooner. Then he just disappeared for a couple of months and no one knew where he went. When he got back, he could barely walk for weeks. I heard they pulled his raft out of the water and thought he was dead when actually he was just unconscious. Can you imagine! He was in Saeva the whole time!!!
He's so strong and brave, he's among the very few who know Saeva and the only one to choose to go there!! My, Alev unconscious!! I mean, it's Alev! If he couldn't handle it, imagine if it was someone like me! I'd be probably dead before setting one foot on the island-...... Hey, are you ok?"
Blood drained from my face as I realized: "He-...... He can't die... It's too dangerous there!!! He promised..." I whined and Aleksy looked apologetic
"Oh, no no no! That's not what I meant!!!" He came closer and held my shoulders to make me look at his twinkly eyes that were full of excitement: "I mean that he's stronger than any animals out there! And he knows Saeva, so it's easier for him this time. Besides, he has you to come back to, right?"
I tried to pretend that his words made me happy, but I couldn't. He sighed and patted my shoulder: "Look, you still don't have children, so let me tell you something extremely important. A child changes your world. An Aello lives carelessly for years, until the spirits bless him with a child, and all the training, the work, the hunting, learning how to stock extra food and skin animals the correct way, it all falls into place. Alev has you now, he won't easily let that go"
I stared at him in awe. Aleksy was not only young and strong, he was so wise...
Indeed, Aellos are impressive
He threw his arm over my shoulders, guiding me further in the forest: "And you know what? One day I will show my boy that I'm a strong, honorable father. So he can be proud of me. Just like Alev"
"You're a father??"
"Yes, I am!! I'll get to keep my boy in a few years"
He's so amazing... and so lucky
I just realized that children were as important to their fathers as they were to their mothers. Now that I'm thinking it, it sounded so obvious. But I always watched mothers doting on their children. Somehow I never imagined the fathers doing the same thing.
I miss my father so much...
"We're here!"
My mood immediately brightened when I found myself on the top of the large rocks that surrounded Ithel's den. Aleksy jumped down, skillfully running towards down towards the den without slipping once or even worrying about it. I climbed down more carefully, when I got closer he was already coming out of the den: "Seems Ithel's not here yet. Mmmmmm... we can go to my den, I'll make you a nice meal! Or we could go to the village and see if the Leader is back..."
I thought about it a little: "I think I'll wait for Ithel. Thank you so much for leading me here! I still can't find my way outside the Aellas' territory"
"No problem, my friend. It takes some used to, to know this forest. Just keep visiting and you'll get the hang of it soon"
I wonder if that's even possible...
"A visitor who's not the Leader!" I heard Ithel's beautiful manly voice approaching, but still hidden by the rocks of his den.
"Hey, Ithel! Good to see you" Aleksy said as I hurried to walk past him to get to see the one I missed so much
"It's been a while Aleksy. I wonder what-...... CERI!!!"
He ran towards me, dropping what he was carrying and jumping down the rocks. I didn't even get to say a thing before I was hoisted in a strong hug and spun around
I laughed and hugged him back with my arms around his neck
"I missed you so much"
"I can't believe you're really here! This is the best day since I last saw you!!!"
I smiled at his sweet words and buried my face in the crook of his neck. The spinning slowed down and my feet were on the ground again, but no one let go of the other. We both remained still, just feeling and diving in each other's presence.
"Soooo... I'm gonna head back to the village"
I flinched in embarrassment as I remembered that we weren't alone. But Ithel didn't sound phased by it in the least. He pulled his head up to grin at Aleksy without releasing me
"Oh, ok! Thanks for getting him here"
"My pleasure!" Aleksy answered ad started climbing the rocks back to the forest, "See you later, Ceri!"
I nodded: "Thank you, Aello Aleksy!"
He winked at me and disappeared. When I looked back at Ithel, he was grinning so happily it made me laugh instantly
"Please tell me you're spending the night with me?"
I shook my head: "Sorry, I'm on a mission"
"A mission?" he repeated in an impressed way
I nodded: "Yeah, Leader Sosanbra had something to say to Leader Cailyn, and she chose me to deliver it"
"Ceri, that's really great!"
He hugged me again, and then we sat on one of the rocks, closer to the sea. I let my feet dip in the sea as we talked
"It's really cool of Sosanbra to send you to me. Remind me to thank her on the next Agape"
"Actually, I was the one who asked"
"You told her you wanted to see me!!"
"N-Not exactly... a week ago I spoke to her. I didn't really know that she cared about me at all until the last meeting. So I gathered my courage and went to speak to her. I asked her to allow me to come visit the Aellos"
"So why didn't you come last week!"
"She said she needed to think about it. And today, she called me and said that we needed to inform the Aellos of the expecting Aellas. And instead of sending an Aello hunter, she sent me"
"I see. Did you get to tell Cailyn yet?"
"No, he's still hunting. Aleksy said he'll be back in the afternoon, so... I asked if I could come here and spend the day before going back to the village. Aleksy was nice enough to lead me here"
He pushed my curls back and leaned down to look at my face: "Well, I'm so thankful he brought you to me... Ceri......... you have no idea how... Two months... two months without you felt so damn long... I waited for you to come every day. I even dreamed about you"
"Really?"
He nodded, making me smile shyly: "I... I dreamt of you too"
"Oh yeah! What were we doing in your dream?"
I opened my mouth, but the words refused to come out and my face blushed hard. Ithel laughed loudly: "Oh Heavens! I think we had the same dream! Hahahahah"
We both laughed even more, especially when he poked my blushing cheeks playfully. He put his arm around me as we sat, our feet playing with the salty water and teasing each other from time to time.
"I can't wait to have you here with me... For always..."
"Always?"
He smiled sadly: "I know I'm reaching far, but... I'm so happy when you're here, Ceri... In my den, with me. And I don't care if you're an Aella or an Aello. To me, you're neither, and at the same time you are both. This is your real home"
I looked back at the den and thought about it. I couldn't feel anything but love and peacefulness of this place. Here was where I could talk and play and eat without anyone scolding me.
I don't remember Ithel sneering at me or even reminding me of being fatherless and weak.
Mother... I hope my father doesn't see......... well, the true me
"Hey" he kissed my temple, "You look sad." Then he smiled gently and teased: "Don't you want to be with me?"
I pouted and leaned in to hide my face in his chest
"Ithel, do you think Alev will think I'm weak?"
"Why would he? Who told you that???"
He sounded mad as he asked me that. He tried to push me back, but I hugged him close. It was so much easier to talk about my deepest fears with him so close to me
"No one. And no one needs to. I already know I'm the weakest Aello. If the Leader knew that I didn't know how to hunt or do anything amazing like you all, he won't call me Aello ever again. But... what if Alev came back from Saeva expecting a son that he can be proud of!"
"You don't need to prove anything, Ceri! Alev's already so happy and proud of you!!"
My lips tightened into a straight line, attempting to keep my feelings from showing my ugly weakness any more than I already had. This was so unfair... I was never taught how to be amazing... How could I even hope that Alev would accept me for real once he knows that I can't do anything like the Aellos!
I also feel so stupid... instead of just waiting and staring at the forest for hours, I should've learned how to kill animals and build huts and store food. But no one told me I had to impress my father!!
Ithel's hand caressed my hair and he hugged me closer
"My sweet Aella... You have no idea how precious you are"
"No. Alev is fighting for his life in Saeva! That island is so dangerous! When I was a child, the Aellas would scare the troublesome children with stories about it!"
"He's strong enough, believe me. It's not his first time in Saeva, and he has a strong reason to come back now"
"He's there because of ME!!"
"For you! he's there for you, not because of you. I was there and saw Alev choose Saeva so bravely and happily. Did you know that I've never seen him crack a smile like that before? He was just..."
I looked up, interested to hear about my father: "He was what?"
"He was just this brave hunter that we all admired, but we never really spoke to. Well, not me anyway. By the time I was old enough, Alev had already become gloomy and preferred loneliness. Cailyn actually greets him very cheerfully when he visits the village"
"He does?"
"Yes! Because he's a very kind Aello and a friend to the Leader, yet he doesn't visit much. But now he's smiling and he looked so lively after he found you" he touched my curls to play with them like he always loved to do, and he continued: "Don't underestimate your father. I'm sure he won't be happy to know that you're sad or worried about your relationship. He needs you to believe in him"
I sighed. I need to believe in him...
I need to believe that he will be back safely... that he will still want me and not change his mind... that he will accept me for who I am, and........ well, no matter who I'm not
I looked at Ithel, who was busy straightening a stubborn lock of my hair. Without warning, I pulled him in and stole his lips. The surprise froze him for a couple of seconds, but then his hands snuck around my waist and he pulled me to sit on his lap. I moaned when his mouth started moving, sending flows of tingles in my body.
By the time I was panting, I found myself on my back, with Ithel kissing and licking my neck and upper chest.
When his hands caressed my thighs and started wandering too close to my private area, I pushed him back slowly: "Wait, it's not the Agape. We can't mate outside the Agape"
He grinned at me: "Then you're saying that, during the next Agape, we can mate?"
I nodded and shrugged: "Yeah, like we did in the last one"
He looked unable to respond, before he put his forehead on my chest and breathed: "You are so innocent! It's painfully adorable"
I frowned a little in confusion. But before I asked he was staring down at me: "But we can still kiss, right?"
I bit my lower lip and nodded, and before I knew it, he was saving my lip, only to bite it himself.
We spent some magical time together. We fished for lunch, and by 'we' I mean mostly him. He even fished more than what we could eat so I could take some home with me.
After that, we went to the village, where we found Leader Cailyn already back from his hunt. I didn't forget to greet him properly this time. I informed him and the other Aellos of the expecting Aellas, and they were so happy. Some of them thanked me, like I had anything to do with it. Others hugged me even! It was so fun watching Ithel push them back and trying to seem subtle.
Even the Leader, he was really kind. He patted my shoulder and thanked me, and then he pulled me aside and asked me: "Do you know which way Saeva really is?"
I shook my head, and he smiled: "It's south. I'm not sure, but maybe you can see it from the top of your mountain"
"Really!!! I didn't know!!"
"Heheh, now calm down, I don't want to get your hopes up, young Aello, but even if you can't see it, maybe you can try signaling it."
"Signaling??"
"I believe you know how to start a fire and use the red powder"
I nodded and felt my face heat up with embarrassment. Cailyn and Ithel, who was beside me, both laughed
"You think he will know it was me?"
"I'm not certain, I can't be, but it's worth a try. You can start a fire in the afternoon. Usually, when a clan is signaling the other, we do it in the morning. So maybe he'll understand that and signal you back"
I nodded and thanked him eagerly. He smiled: "We're glad to have such an honorable Aello like yourself join us soon, Ceri. Oh, and inform Sosanbra that we'll be sending her gifts in a week. Also, you're welcome to visit anytime. You don't need permission"
I smiled back. Well, I still need permission from my Leader
"And soon, you won't need permission from the Aellas either"
I nodded in appreciation. It's like he could read my mind! He really is amazing
I bowed in respect and followed Ithel back to my territory.
"So, how are things going with the other Aellas. I bet they were surprised to know that your father showed up after all"
"Surprised is definitely an understatement. They were expecting that I've done something and angered the Leader of the Aellos. But when they heard, something definitely changed."
"How so? Did they ask for your forgiveness?"
I chuckled: "No, but they congratulated me. And even the young Aellas my age who weren't allowed to talk to me, they would now come and sit with me or ask what I was doing and when I was leaving"
"Are they seducing you!!!!"
"No!! I-I don't think so..."
"You don't think so?"
"Well, I don't know. I've never been seduced by an Aella before... I don't know what it feels like" when I saw the worry rising in his eyes, I hurried to add: "Some of them wanted to talk about their fathers! They'd tell me their names and ask me to go talk to them once I'm here, and that they can help me settle in my new den and make it suitable for-"
I looked up to see him even more alarmed: "MATING! Suitable for MATING!!!"
I sighed, and my heart tugged in pain when he turned to look away from me. I walked closer to him, cautious not to annoy him anymore than I already did
I reached and tugged at his clothes: "I'm sorry"
I truly was. I know I was insensitive, but everything I said was the truth! Ok, I might've said it in a provocative way, just to make him...... maybe see that I was wanted now... that I wasn't alone or pathetic anymore. But I certainly didn't mean to make him angry with me
He turned even further than me, making me pout: "Ithel... I'm sorry"
He turned and pulled me in a tight hug: "I know you deserve better, Ceri. You can have any Aella if you wanted, and now they want you!! If they start seducing you......... I won't stand a chance"
"It's not about seduction, Ithel. I want to be with you"
"You mean that?"
I nodded: "I really do. So please don't be mad at me! I didn't mean to sound arrogant"
He hugged me closed: "You never are, Ceri. You're always kind and sweet. It's me who's... I'm just afraid of losing you to someone else. And I know it sounds silly because our tribe thrives by allowing us to mate with different Aellas, but I guess I'm selfish"
"It's ok. I like you being selfish"
He chuckled and looked at me: "You do now?", I nodded and he continued, "then I guess you won't attend the next Agape, right? It's alright! We can skip it together!"
"Mmmm... no I think I need to be there"
"What? Why??"
"Well, I want to get to meet Halina and Epona and little Vreis. I also want to pay my respects to Sosanbra and make my father proud of me. The Aellas always spoke so highly of their sons the first time they'd go to the Agape after joining the Aello clan. I...... I can't make my mother feel that way, but I want to make Halina proud of me"
He sighed and threw his head back: "Why did you have to be so cute!"
I laughed and dared to be a bit playful: "It's a secret weapon"
He laughed and hugged me closer: "Well, we'll talk more about it once you get here and stay with me. We'll have plenty of time before the Agape."
I was about to tell him that I was supposed to stay with Alev, but I decided not to make him sad again.
"Hey, I'm really glad that the Aellas are not giving you a hard time anymore"
He tugged my hand as we resumed walking. Then he continued, sounding a bit hesitant: "So... how's that friend of yours?"
"My friend?"
"That Drita"
"Oh...... she's... uuhmmmmm... she's good"
"Good? Is she bothering you??"
"No! she's normal, I guess"
He sighed heavily. Waw, I'm glad I didn't tell him that she was mad at me, for two months, for NO REASON!
"Look, I know you're strong enough to handle things, but... just be careful, alright?"
"Why would you say that?"
"I frankly don't like your friend. And don't take it the wrong way, but she's too close to you, and she treats you like she has a claim on you. I don't like it"
I didn't answer him. When he sensed my silence, he stopped to caress my cheek: "You're ok?"
I nodded: "Yeah, I was thinking how smart you are"
"Well, that is so true!"
I chuckled and added: "Drita can be... difficult. But she's not evil. She actually helped me many times and brought me things from down here when I couldn't even get close to the edge without being scolded by someone"
He watched me closely for a second: "I get it. Just be careful ok? Don't make me come up there and kick anyone's ass, because I will!"
I laughed: "You? In the Aellas' territory!! Oh my, the hunter will claim your head!"
"I don't care. As long as my Ceri is safe"
I blushed and lowered my head. He smirked and pulled me closer for a heart stealing kiss that made me forget all my worried.
With only one thought, making my heart beat with his