Aella (manxman) - ON HOLD - Chapter 22: Chapter 22

We were finally walking back to Alev's den. After Alev walked right beneath us, we decided it was time to return. But when we said we would climb down the tree, we gave each other a beautiful kiss. And our lips refused to separate, making the kiss last much longer than anticipated.
Unfortunately, Ceri remembered his father and pulled back, reminding me that he needed to go back. I agreed. We kissed quickly, and once again, our hands were traveling on our bodies. His small hands enticing the pecks on my chest, and my avid hands pushing his clothes and reaching for his backside.
It went on like that, between resisting and drowning in lust. The only real awakener was when Ceri slid and almost fell from the branch. After securing him in my arms again, we both laughed and started climbing down the tree. My Ceri was scared at first, but with some help, we made it.
"It's too dark"
"It's alright. You'll get used to the forest at night. Don't wander alone, though"
"I wouldn't be able to! I don't know how you can actually find the way"
"We have a nice moon tonight. If not, I would've brought a torch with us"
Once we were in front of the den, Ceri rushed to remove a chunk of meat that was roasting on the fire and started to turn black.
I looked around and smirked: "We made it before Alev"
"I shouldn't have stayed long. What if he's angry now?"
"He's worried, not angry. There's a big difference"
"Actually," Alev's voice brought our attention as he walked out of the trees and closer to us, "I'm worried about Ceri. I'm angry at you"
I gulped. I glanced at Ceri to see him smiling happily and bowing his head to greet his father, who nodded at him.
"Sorry for taking too long."
"Are you ok?"
"Yes! I'm fine. I mean, I'm really ok. And I'm hungry! I'll bring out the fruits we have"
Ceri hopped into the den and left me there, standing beside a glaring Alev.
"A quick walk?"
"We... just talked. It's a beautiful night. And I brought him back safely, just like I promised"
"Where did you go?"
I could almost hear the unspoken "I couldn't find you" and I almost smirked. But instead, I just shrugged.
Alev sighed and then lowered his voice. "What did you two talk about?"
I was surprised by his nosy question. I've never witnessed this side of him before.
"Everything. Nothing in particular"
Alev's eyes traveled towards the entrance of his den before he added. "He looks..."
"Happier?"
Alev looked away in irritation, falling into his usual silent self.
I turned to leave, but then thought better of it. I should make things the easiest possible for Ceri, even if it meant interfering in his relationship with Alev. So I looked at Alev again and explained.
"He needed to talk. Nothing more."
"He trusts you"
I grinned. "He does? I trust him as well. He's very smart and cheerful."
"Not today. I came home and he was... weird"
"He was getting confused with many things happening at once and it depressed him that he didn't know what to do. You should really open up more to him, Aello Alev. All he wants is your acceptance and pride towards him."
"I AM proud of him!"
"I know. But he's not certain. He thinks he's not doing well enough, and he felt guilty about your illness"
"That was a mistake of mine. It had nothing to do with him"
"He thinks he's the main reason behind you being expelled to Saeva for months"
"It was the best solution Cailyn and Sosanbra could agree upon. It was actually I who suggested that. And I told him before that it was my fault. I thought he's old enough to understand my sincerity. I don't know what else to do to prove how much he means to me"
"He's... a grown up man, but" I lowered my voice making Alev frown at me suspiciously, "he's also a child in some aspects. He hasn't experienced free life before, so as experience goes, he's like a child. At the same time, he has his own personality and his own opinions on things."
His jaw ticked so quickly I almost missed it before he concealed it. "You know a bit too much about my son."
I grinned inwardly. If he realized all the things I knew about his dear sexy son, he might roast me for dinner.
My celebrating thoughts came to halt when he continued, this time, he couldn't hide the sadness in his tone. "You know him better than I do, and I'm supposed to be his father"
"It seems you're doing great. He actually loves and respects you a lot. You just need you to tell him that more often. Just get him to talk to you more so he wouldn't make any decisions on his own"
"Decisions? Did he tell you something?"
I ran my hand through my hair. "Actually, he... He wanted to leave for his Prueba and-"
"What!?"
Ceri came out of the den just when his father turned to him and said none too kindly. "You're not leaving this island!"
Ceri halted immediately, looking confused but also scared of his father's stern order. An apple fell from the ones he had gathered in his arms, and his right foot retreated slightly as if he wanted to just go back inside and hide.
"Alev-"
The Aello ignored me and motioned for Ceri. "Sit down", he said. It sounded like an order, but the way he said it sounded more gentle and pleading.
Ceri obeyed quickly. Moving to where Alev had pointed beside the fire, setting the fruits beside him and sitting on the ground with his eyes cast down and his hands clenching on his clothes.
I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck, standing not far from my Aella.
Alev stared at us for a moment, before he sat across from us and started working on a raw piece of meat and roasting it on the fire. In the meantime, Ceri sneaked glances at me. I nodded slightly and smiled at him, hoping to reassure him. It worked enough to keep him from fleeing into the den, but not enough to make him raise his head.
After a long moment of silence, Alev handed the stick of wood with the roasted piece of meat to Ceri.
"Here. You should eat well. Never skip dinner again"
Ceri grabbed the food quickly and shrunk back. He seemed to relax more now. I smiled at him again, encouraging him to eat.
Alev wanted to talk to his son and it seemed like a private matter. Talking privately would make Ceri trust his father and understand him more. That was what I sincerely hoped for.
Feeling like I was out of place, I announced that I was leaving. Ceri looked shocked like he wasn't expecting me to go. Alev nodded at me. I walked away and disappeared into the forest, but not before looking back at my beautiful Aella, with his hopeful pleading eyes. I waved and smiled at him, promising I'd come back soon. He waved my way and bit his lower lip, looking like seeing me walk away was the most painful thing.
I respected their privacy and left them alone. But then my feet refused to lead me towards my own den. So I rested my back against a tree, away from their sight, but close enough to hear them.
"I spoke to Cailyn" Alev said suddenly after a long silence. "He explained to me that the other clan members are asking and insisting on your Prueba. You must know that those who are doing so, are only guided by their animalistic desire to punish you and me."
Alev inhaled and exhaled repeatedly. The subject was seemingly too hard for him to engage in. But he was trying to talk frankly with Ceri. He was trying to explain things to him properly.
"As far as the history of our tribe goes, no child born at an unusual time has survived. As well as the mother. Usually, the mother speaks the name of the Aello and the father is also killed. Our tribe is prideful, but it is also merciless when it comes to laws."
I peered around the tree and saw my Ceri He was gazing at his father intensely. He looked enchanted that his father was speaking, I have never heard Alev talk this much before as well. But my Ceri was also pained at the words that Alev spoke.
When Alev looked too aggrieved to continue, Ceri did.
"You were punished by leaving to Saeva. And now they want me to leave as well"
I felt my heart quicken and my rage spike. To think that someone would blame my sweet Ceri and actually want to punish him! Not caring if that would hurt him!!
Alev looked disgusted at the idea. "Dilara paid for my mistake. I was the one who couldn't bear the idea of her being taken by someone else, so I seduced her away from the gathering and mated with her for the fourth year in a row. I was too... taken by her. I was smitten by her kindness and her smile, and I didn't think twice about breaking our laws"
"You weren't the one who killed her", Ceri said weakly, breaking my heart with all the guilt that his words carried.
"Ceri, you are the only blessing I've been bestowed besides Dilara. You are the gift that the spirits gave us. The day I heard Dilara was alive, was the happiest day in my life. And the day I was told I lost you both, was the most torturous day I ever had."
"But... if it wasn't for me, she would've been alive"
"No. The only sin any of us has ever committed was mine and mine alone. Your mother trusted me to take care of her and keep her safe. I didn't. The burden of guilt is all mine to carry. You, my son, are the proof of our love. You were a newborn baby, too small and innocent to be blamed for anything. Women sometimes die while giving birth. But your mother was brave and too kind. She knew too well that your fate and mine would be sealed if she told them who I was, so she kept me a secret, hoping that one day she would present you to me. She was smart. She knew there was a chance for us to be happy if you were alive, but none if you were taken from her. I thought about nothing else while I was in Saeva. Your mother saved both of us. If not for her, I would've never had the blessing of knowing you. I hope you know deep in your heart, that her passing wasn't your fault. It was fate"
Ceri wiped his eyes with his forearm, looked down while pouting.
I couldn't watch him anymore so I looked away. I let my head rest back on the tree. My eyes stung and blurred and my heart clenched at the pain that I saw in Ceri's eyes.
I remember him telling me once on our Agape, "I wish I knew my mother. Even if just for a day. I wish she held me once, told me she loved me. That memory would make everything feel better"
Needless to say, that night I spoiled him, showered him with praise, and cradled him in my arms until he slept peacefully.
"I believe you," Ceri said. "Not that it was your fault, but that it was fate. Ithel said the same thing."
"He did? What else did he say?"
"He said that I was lucky to have you for my father. He said you're one of the most respected Aellos, and that you'd never... abandon me or throw me out, even if I did wrong"
"I would do anything to keep you safe, Ceri. How could you imagine that I would let go of you?"
Ceri shrugged.
"So you believe everything Ithel said?"
"I guess. He's... smart"
"What else did your smart friend tell you?"
"He said... he said you wouldn't agree to let me leave for my test of courage"
"I know the Prueba is an important step for you to prove yourself to the rest of the tribe. I also know you want to do it so you'd be able to claim an Aella and have your own den."
Ceri cocked his head at that, the idea never even crossing his mind before. I guess he never associated the Prueba with the Agape. And that might have something to do with his lack of interest towards the young Aellas.
Lucky for me.
Alev didn't notice his son's confusion as he was trying hard to keep talking. It was very noticeable how he was unaccustomed to the concept of long conversations.
"I just got you. You are yet to adapt to your new life. It was wrong of me to take you hunting with me. And I thought about it today, and I decided to teach you many other things before."
"Other things? Like what?"
"Like skinning preys and preparing their skin for other uses, or identifying the bad berries from the good ones, also showing you the mushrooms that should never touch and those that you could cook and how"
"I'd love to learn all that!"
"And you will. I will teach you and you'll take your own pace to understand the forest. Then I'll show you how to track animals. We will go out there and learn how to follow animals, without killing them, just tracking them silently."
"Woah! Will I be able to see where they live? Will there be families? I always wanted to see a family of rabbits or turtles!"
Alev laughed lightly, looking very happy. "And then, we'll sail together to another island"
"Really?"
"Yes. This one is the safest, so you'll need to be more careful. But I'll be with you and show you other kinds of animals and fruits"
"Will there be tigers? I want to see a tiger! Ithel refused to take me see one"
"Well, he's right. He would need to protect himself if he faces a tiger. I, on the other hand, can protect both of us"
I almost groaned in protest. He was clearly saying that he was stronger than I was. Well, it was maybe true, but I didn't need Ceri to know that.
So I waited for my lover to defend me.
"And, and I will hunt one! And I'll bring it to Ithel and show him that I could do it!"
"We'll hunt it together. And you can do anything you want with it."
Ceri hugged his legs and looked at the fire. "That would be amazing. I really want to do all that"
"And you will. Everything in its time. And only after we sail a few times and you can hunt and protect yourself against the wild animals out there, only then I will step back and let you leave for your Prueba"
"What about the other Aellos?"
"You are none of their business, and I clearly said that to Cailyn. I don't care that they voice their opinion to him, or that he has to explain their stupidity to them. I told him as a Leader, he was to deal with it and leave us out of it."
Ceri looked at him sheepishly. "You really said that? Or just... like, hinted towards it"
"Cailyn has been going easy on the Aellos for the past few years, allowing them to meddle with important decisions and affairs. He has his own plan for our clan. I told him to keep his plan and his Aellos away from my son and me, and that we suffered enough as it is."
Ceri stared at his father in awe, before he smiled. "You are very strong and brave. One day I will be strong and brave as well. Just like you and Ithel"
"Speaking of which," Alev said, before raising his voice and letting his tone go back to an emotionless one, "Either come out and sit or leave. I don't like you looming around like a wolf"
I stiffened in my place. How did he know?
He was so damn good.
"You can't hide from me twice in the same day."
I straightened my back, and stepped away from the tree and then closer to them
"Ithel!! You're back!"
Alev scoffed, and I tried my best not to look embarrassed as I smiled back at my Aella.
"Sit," Alev said to me. "I believe you didn't have dinner yet"
"It's ok"
He didn't seem to care what I said. He took another stick of a roasted deer-shoulder and thrust it into the ground. I didn't want to refuse an invitation from Alev, so I sat down beside the meal and grabbed it.
Ceri started eating as well while grinning my way. He was so cute with his full cheeks and green eyes dancing with happiness.
We all ate, letting the silence settle for a moment. Looking around, I felt uncharacteristically giddy.
I was sitting around the fire, having a nice meal with Ceri and his father. I couldn't remember the last time I had dinner with someone other than Ceri. Since my father passed away, the Aellos never invited me to join their meals. And even if someone did, I declined. I knew better than to disturb their time with their children. So the only time I was with others, was when I hunted and took the prey back to our village. I craved the company, but that was never intimate or warm enough like a real family.
"Alev is going to take me to hunt tigers one day!" Ceri said enthusiastically. It seemed like he didn't realize I was eavesdropping and actually thought I went and came back.
Like I said, my sweet Aella was too innocent for this world.
"Sounds like fun. Maybe I will join you"
Ceri turned to his father hopefully and Alev skillfully ignored his gaze. It was like he knew what his son wanted to ask and he didn't want to agree but couldn't say no.
It was amusing to watch.
Looking at them, I couldn't help but smile. Now with the Prueba matter sorted out, we can plan our future.
Tomorrow, I thought. Tomorrow I'll have a busy day. I'll get Ceri a nice gift, I'll hunt a deer for Ely and take it to him, and I'll start watching my Aella live his new life.
Tomorrow, no more loneliness. Only happiness and love.