Things had moved quickly after Analu's meeting with his uncle and Sadira. Not long after he'd left the fields, his phone rang with a call from Malo,
letting Analu know that The Elders had decided on his penance and that he was to report to the Dark Forest immediately for orders. Do not pack
food or clothing. The Gods will provide. And that was it. He knew he'd be walking into the unknown and he had no choice but to comply. It was a
heavy feat, but Analu felt lighter than he had in weeks. The truth was out. Malo knew and that meant the rest of the elders knew...and then, the rest
of their people would know. Maleah was pregnant...and they'd both survived the truth.
But now, it was time for penance. What he'd have to do in order to right himself, mind and body, and realign himself with the Gods and his tribe.
That, he would learn as soon as his guide (or the person that would make sure he didn't cheat the ritual or die in the process) showed up. While he
waited, he'd texted Leah. Another violation...but his last before he left his chosen for a week. He couldn't just leave. Not without speaking
to her first. She wasn't answering her phone, which was understandable as she'd probably just wrapped up the breakfast crowd at the Lukilau. So he'd
texted her with four words.
They know. Come home.
Looking up the road, he spotted the her. She'd been wearing another one of his button downs under her apron. She wore them over a pair of jean shorts
that she'd had to fasten with one of her hair ties as her growing stomach wouldn't allow her to button them. She walked quickly, her hand going to her
stomach. Her long, black hair whipping around her face.
That was all he told her in the text message. Maleah had only been at the diner for a few hours, his decision to finally let her tell her parents the
only thing she could focus on as she and her dad worked through the morning rush. Now that she could, she wanted to tell them together and she wanted
it to be perfect so she had waited. And she was glad she had because she hadn't even considered the Elders knowing first. That made the most sense,
she guessed. Now that they did...what did that mean? Lu was about to tell her.
Leah sped out of the diner as soon as she saw his message, her feet moving as fast as they could home after shouting an apology over her shoulder at
her father for deserting him. Lu was on the porch when she got there, her hand going to her stomach absentmindedly, the way it always did when she
looked at her child's father. Lu greeted her casually, but the look on his face was anything but.
"Hi, baby-" Leah sighed, her hands cupping his face as she pulled his lips to hers quickly. "What happened? Are you okay?"
You must do what you are ordered; for yourself and for your ohana.
Feeling Leah's hands around his face, her voice soft in his ears...her kiss, warm against his lips. It made what would come next even harder for
Analu. Because even though penance was the least of the punishments he and Leah could have faced for their disobedience to the Gods and the Elders, it
would still be extremely hard for him to do it. To spend time away from Leah...and their child after revealing a secret that he'd made them hold on to
for way too long? It was going to be torture. Talking about what had happened in the sugarcane fields wouldn't be nearly as hard.
"I'm fine..." Analu placed his hands on her shoulders, rubbing the length of her arms slowly. She looked into his face, searching for
something...anything that would tell her what their fate was.
"...we're fine, Leah." He admitted, her hands in his. He kissed the back of her hands before he went on, telling her everything that Malo had said.
How they would be free to raise their child together. How even though they'd been disobedient, they would still be safe.
"But, because of our disobedience...I've got to...pay penance for us." He told her, searching her eyes. Because the word "penance" wasn't taken
lightly. It meant a true sacrifice.
The morning had been very busy for Sadira. After she got back home from the sugarcane fields with Malo and Analu, she took Malo's advice and tried to
rest. Only problem was when she slept she dreamed so she actually hadn't gotten any rest at all. The Elders had decided on Analu's penance and sought
to make Sadira suffer as well. They were sending him into the Dark Forest for a week to complete ehiku hana ho'oponopono*. Malo fought to be
the one that went with Analu as his guide, but they talked him into sending Sadira. They were assholes about it too. Send the seer. She lied to us
as Analu did. Maybe so. But they didn't have to say it like she had a choice!
She hadn't gotten the call yet saying she was involved in his penance, but she woke from one vision and was immediately pulled into another. Analu was
contacted and he was to leave immediately. Meaning they would call Sadira ten minutes before she needed to be somewhere (because assholes). Not today.
She threw some snacks in a backpack (the Gods would provide, her ass) and made her way to 13 Plantation Village. And it seemed she wasn't the only one
who had made it over. Princess was home. Sadira could hear their hushed whispers, her presence going unnoticed until, "She's not supposed to be here."
Her words carried and they both turned to her, confusion on Maleah's face and Analu's ever present scowl greeting her. She smirked.
"You ready 'Oh great one'? You and me got a date in the woods." She stopped at the foot of their porch. Analu opened his mouth, probably to tell her
to fuck off, but her phone rang. "Hold that thought-," she put up a finger, checking the face of her phone. She answered, "Yes, Malo I'm grabbing Lu
and coming to you." Her eyes connected with Analu's, his annoyance clear. Malo was asking if she saw. Duh. "I did and I am where I'm supposed to be-,"
Sadira smiled and pointed at the Princess. She mouthed to Analu 'she's not' before, "Maybe save me ten minutes and text your nephew so we don't have
to argue before and during our walk to you?"
__________________
*roughly, "the seven tasks of forgiveness". Ho'oponopono comes from ho'o ("to make") and pono ("right"). The repetition of the word pono means
"doubly right" or being right with both the self and the Gods.
She sees you when she's sleeping.
Ha. See what I did there?
Analu could see the question in her eyes turn into understanding...and then worry at his words. He didn't want her to worry. This worry wasn't hers.
Because he could handle this. For her and for their child. He would take the weight of the situation because he could. This was his to carry and he
wouldn't deny it. Because Leah had her own purpose now. The weight of Leah's responsibility wasn't lost on him. He knew that he thought about his
responsibility a lot. It was a curse of leadership to constantly be reminded of it. How the tribe and the expectations sat on his shoulders so heavily
that he wondered why his back didn't curve from the weight of it all. But only now as he watched her face, felt the bump between them as she stood
close to him, he understood. This was her burden. Her weight. The constant worry for him...her constant concern for the family they were building. Her
fear for their safety...his safety. Her charge as his mate, his Chosen didn't begin the day when they would be officially joined. Hers started at
birth...just as his had.
"I don't want you to worry, Anela." He said quickly, his hand gently on the side of her face. He spoke before her worried eyes could turn
into worried words. Because worrying wouldn't make this any easier for the both of them.
"Let's just get through this and-" She's not supposed to be here.
Analu whipped around, his face setting into a scowl the way it did when he heard her voice. Especially when it was uninvited.
Sadira. What in the hell was she doing at their home in the middle of the day? She should've been sleeping...or minding her own damn business
somewhere that WASN'T near him as their business with each other stopped when the sun rose.
"What the hell are you talking about, Sadira? And what are you-" Again, Sadira...or more like her phone interrupted Analu again, taking a call from
what seemed to be his uncle on the other line. While she was on the phone and being a complete asshole while doing it, he thought about her words. A
date with her in the woods? Was she trying to start shit with him in front of Maleah? Because the only thing he had on his schedule for the
next week was...
No matter how many times Analu said the word "fine", Leah couldn't shake the nagging feeling that things weren't "fine" at all. She watched warily,
waiting for more detail as Lu kissed her hands before he finally started talking. He met with Malo and told him everything and...penance.
Analu would have to complete penance for their disobedience and as he told her that ten questions popped into her mind at once. One of them he
answered before she could ask. Tonight?!
Maleah could feel her brow furrow in frustrated confusion as she tried to work out what she wanted to say. She didn't want to add stress to his
situation, but tonight? No. No, they were finally free to tell their families she was pregnant and...Penance for blessing, really? It just...And what
about...ugh! She couldn't align any of her thoughts and she knew she was getting teary eyed because Analu tried to soothe her. He didn't want her to
worry.
Her feet began to pace across their small porch as she opened her mouth to finally say something. "Of course I'm worried, Analu. I am always worried
about you and the shit they put on you-," she cursed. She was angry. He didn't need that now, she just...Maleah sighed, a hand raking through
her hair as she tried to calm herself. "I'm sorry. The hormones with the baby and...-" Lu shushed her as he pulled her back into him, her arms looping
around his waist with their embrace. Let's just get through this and - Who the heck was that?
Maleah pulled back from Analu to find...Sadira? What was she doing here? And why was she telling them that Maleah wasn't supposed to be at her own
damn house? And what did she mean she and Lu had a "date" in the woods? "Lu what is this?" Her question was quiet, but he was already on it, his voice
harsh as he asked Sadira what she was talking about and what she was doing here. Although he never got the second question out as she took a phone
call telling him to wait as if he wasn't future leader of their tribe. Wow...
Leah gave an incredulous chuckle, her thumb and middle finger pressing against her temples as she felt a headache begin to build. This was all too
much. Lu was leaving for the Gods knew how long, to do the Gods knew what with the tribe's insolent child seer? Ugh! This was all her fault! Analu was
right. She shouldn't have pressed him to tell. Now they were here...AND WHY THE HELL DID SADIRA KEEP SAYING SHE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE?!
Maleah heard her snide remark about "being where she was supposed to be" and watched as Sadira pointed to her and again mouthed that Maleah wasn't.
Why was Sadira so rude? Maleah was already amped up over Analu leaving. She was worried about what his penance would be and what it meant for him. She
didn't need Sadira adding to stress that Maleah knew wasn't good for the baby. She was starting to piss her off!
"Do we have a problem I don't know about, Sadira?" she was off the phone. And now that she could offer Analu her undivided attention, Leah thought she
would step in first...because this little girl had one more time to tell her she wasn't supposed to be at her home.
You must do what you are ordered; for yourself and for your ohana.
Sadira? SHE was his penance guide? Of course. It was becoming more and more obvious to Analu that there was a steep price for upsetting the
gods and Analu was still paying debts. Because it was nothing but god...and elder ordered that she would be standing in front of his home,
insulting not only him, her future leader, but also the woman of the home and his Chosen. And she did it with so much ease and snark that he shouldn't
have been surprised at all. Because that was Sadira. That would always be the way she treated the things of his people...their people.
Instead announcing her presence before she darkened his doorstep, she barged in on a very private moment between he and a still very visibly shaken
Leah. Instead of a gift for their home, she brought accusations that weren't hers to make.
She's not supposed to be here... Leah? Not supposed to be in her own home? What did Sadira even MEAN by saying that? There was never a day
when Maleah would not be welcomed in the home they'd built together. The home that they'd bring their first child and many others. Where they'd raise
the next generation of Ikaika leaders. The only person that was out of place was obviously Sadira. But Analu couldn't tell by the way she shushed him
in the process of answering her phone and ignored his question like she didn't owe him the pleasure of an answer.
"It's okay, Leah..." Analu said warily, watching her press her fingers to her face, which was a very obvious sign that a headache was building. She'd
started having them the second she entered the second trimester and Analu couldn't help but think that they were somehow his fault. That the baby was
rebelling inside of her womb, clearly upset with the fact that no one knew about his existence. That the pressure of hiding the truth was weighing to
heavily on her. That his shit...his calling was becoming unbearable. That she couldn't handle it now and she wouldn't be able to handle it
later. Analu couldn't help but look at her with concern as Sadira chatted away...as rudely as she possibly could've in front of their home. He was
about to question her as Leah waved him off, Sadira free from her rude conversation.
Do we have a problem... Analu's eyebrow arched as he heard the warning in Leah's voice. She stepped in front of Analu, peering down at Sadira
from the front porch where she stood with him. Her chin lifted...her hand protectively covering her bump. This was new...
Ooh. Was she striking a nerve? Tough titty. Sadira couldn't figure out why Analu and Maleah thought their status as "the future of the tribe" made
them immune to rules. The whole reason that any of them were talking to one another right now was because Analu put a baby in his princess and now
they were all suffering. And still, Analu defied boundaries set by his people. He knew exactly what she meant when she told them Maleah wasn't
supposed to be there. She shouldn't have known anything about his penance until after he was gone. Surely, Malo already had plans to stop by, fill her
in, offer her support in the form of other women from the tribe who had...baby experience? She didn't fucking know, but she did know that Maleah
should have and would have still been at the diner if Lu hadn't called her. Literally on his way to pay penance for one act of disobedience and in the
process of committing another.
But that was neither here nor there right now. Right now she was interested in getting Malo off the phone and getting Lu to the Dark Forest so they
could kick this shit off. The first part was easy, Malo agreeing to contact Lu to speed through the argument she knew she was about to have to get
through. And she was. Only not with the person she thought. Do we have a problem...Oooh! Interesting. Princess had a little bite this
morning.
Sadira threw her hands up in mock surrender, a light chuckle on her lips as Leah looked down on her like the rest of them did from her blessed little
perch beside her prince. If she had more time, Sadira might have stirred up a little shit to see how far princess would go, but A) she had places to
be, and B) Analu would snap her in half if he even thought she was threatening his precious Chosen.
"No problems here, princess. Just doing as I'm told-," Sadira watched Lu's expression somehow darken even more as Sadira let his least favorite
nickname for her slip. Oops. "Oh, hey, congratulations by the way. Lu made me keep his secret for so long I forgot I hadn't actually talked
to you about it yet. You must be so excited." That smug look Leah had been giving cracked to confusion as her eyes found Analu again. Did she not know
that Sadira has seen months ago and Lu made her keep it a secret so he could do things "at the right time"?
Oops.
She sees you when she's sleeping.
Ha. See what I did there?
Analu couldn't but feel a swell of pride as he watched Leah. She was stronger in that moment than he'd ever seen her. Not that his anela was
not strong. Her strength had always been quiet. Leah spoke strength in her actions and in the way she loved those closest to her. But to see her step
in the way she had, defending her home. Defending her mate. He was proud of her, his arm going around her shoulder as he stepped beside her,
his eyes glaring into Sadira as he waited on her reply. Did he really need to hear her reply? No, he knew the rules. Sadira was right...though she'd
never hear Analu say that. Leah wasn't supposed to be there because he should've never called her away from her Hukilau. The details of his penance
weren't her concern. So yes, another violation. Was it Sadira's place to call that violation out? No. It would never be. But that was the problem with
Sadira. She never knew her place. What Analu was really waiting for was...and there it was.
"Watch it..." He growled, hearing the snarky "princess" comment. Did she have to keep letting them know that she was on the inside and Leah wasn't?
Wasn't it enough that she had to find out about his penance and Sadira's role in it at almost the same time? But Sadira was enjoying it, wasn't she?
Analu could already tell that she was as she was barely able to hide the sneer on her face as she spoke, congratulating Leah on her pregnancy
and...
"Do you ever stop speaking, keiki?" Analu's voice cut the silence that had settled between them, his face beginning to burn as he knew...no,
felt Leah staring at him. He felt her body stiffen under his arm. He felt her shift, so slightly, away from him. All because she'd just found out that
Sadira had known about their baby...had known all along.
Princess. She knew it was how all of the girls saw her. Sadira wasn't the first to call her that, but Maleah could say that it had been a
while...It was a constant when she was in high school, but she guessed that made sense. Sadira was a child. And she was behaving as such
right now, stirring up trouble for no reason and trying to get a rise out of a pregnant woman. Absolutely ridiculous. Analu addressed it, but Maleah
wouldn't give her the satisfaction, her expression stoic as Sadira continued. She congratulated Maleah on the baby and - Lu made me keep his
secret so long...What?!
She felt her face fall into a surprised confusion as she processed Sadira's words. She knew. She had known for a while. And Analu...had lied to her.
Maleah cut her eyes at him, her body shifting away from his as her hand came to the arm draped over her shoulder and she removed it. "What is she
talking about?" She wanted to hear it from him. Analu had let her sit in this house for months itching to tell her parents about their baby and the
whole time he was confiding in a child about it? This child? One that had no respect or loyalty to anyone and would surely tell as soon as it
benefitted her...but hadn't? Maleah was confused and it was because Analu had left her in the dark. Her anger was shifting to hurt, but she would not
give Sadira the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Leah kept focused on Analu. "You told her?"
"Ugh, no-," Sadira cut in, a sharp inhale leaving Maleah as she closed her eyes to the sound of her annoyingly grating voice. "I don't know what Analu
shares and doesn't share at this point so, hey. I'm the tribe's seer. I -,"
"BY. The Gods can you please shut -," Maleah stopped herself feeling a rage rise in her that she had never felt before. Her eyes focused again on Lu
who looked a little wary of this version of her. Maleah wasn't quick to anger. But that was before he started lying to her. She opened her mouth to
ask him again, what Sadira was talking about, but quickly closed it again, shaking her head as she threw her hands up. She wasn't doing this with him.
Especially not in front of her. "You're unbelievable." Analu started to say something in his defense, but he was interrupted, this time by
his phone. He paused as it rang in his pocket. All of them listening to the ringer. Each of them already knowing who was on the other end.
"Duty calls. Go." Maleah turned away from him then, her hand twisting open their front door and slamming it behind her downing out the sound of Analu
calling her name.
You must do what you are ordered; for yourself and for your ohana.
Besides being a constant pain in his ass, Analu couldn't help but wonder what Sadira was good for. Keeping things complicated and dramatic for Analu
was a great guess, Maleah's eyes burning into him as she shrugged his arm from her shoulders, her face grim. The tightness in his throat had nothing
to do with Sadira's clumsy mouth, but with the hurt that he knew Maleah was feeling over finding out that he'd shared something that was only supposed
to be between them with Sadira. Despite the fact that Sadira could see and there was no way he could've hidden the truth from her, Analu had confided
in her. He'd talked to her about Leah more than Sadira cared to hear about her. He didn't want to admit it, but he'd had someone to talk to. Maleah
hadn't. He'd seen to that, hadn't he.
"Leah...she-" Analu's nose flared as he was spoken over, Sadira's voice cutting in as she answered Leah's question. Of course he hadn't told Sadira.
Why in the hell would've he have willingly told this...child something that was worth both he and Leah's lives? But he couldn't answer before
that Sadira took it upon herself to explain the situation. Analu bit back the words that were aching to force themselves out as she spoke, explaining
the obvious...which only angered Maleah more, her words sounding like the bridled fury that they were.
Analu's eyes met Sadira's quickly, a very silent, but very received warning there. Once again, he felt Maleah's gaze burning into him, his expression
wincing for a fleeting moment under it. He knew she was furious and...
You're unbelievable... Analu bit at the side of his cheek as Maleah's words pressed down on him...crushed him. He was. He knew it in that
moment that he'd done something much heavier than he truly thought when it came to he and Maleah. He'd lost her trust... There was honestly
nothing he could say, no answer that he could give that would make her words less true...that would douse the flame of his betrayal. His mouth didn't
understand the message his brain was sending as it tried to form words to explain something that he would never be able to. He couldn't explain the
law they both understood. He couldn't explain Sadira's involvement and how she'd once again found herself entangled in he and Maleah's affairs. He
couldn't explain his confiding in Sadira when Maleah's family was still in the dark about their future grandchild. The only thing he could explain was
his love for her...and how sorry he was. But he couldn't...because his cellphone rang.
"Fuck..." He whispered, a thicker quiet falling over the three as they knew what that call meant. They didn't have to have Sadira's ability to know
who that was.
Duty calls. Go. Analu's shoulders fell as he tried to speak again, but Maleah turned on her heel, stalked in the house and slammed the door
after her.
"FUCK!" Analu shouted, snatching the phone out of his pocket and accepting the call. He heaved a massive breath, closing his eyes before he
answered...the weight on his shoulders feeling heavier than it had before.
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