Arabella was awakened by Talia’s tossing and turning in her sleep. She often has nightmares because she was traumatized as a baby. Talia dreams about what her life would be like if she had been raised like regular Kelvic’s. Talia is greatful for Elder A’maki taking her in, but she wonders how her life would be different if she had known her mother and father. She had been left on the shore of the Konti island when she was a baby. Many don’t understand how she survived that long, but elder A’maki just says she made it by the grace of the Gods and Goddesses. Arabella walks outside of the cabana, and she takes a deep breath as the light mist hits her face. She has been practicing breathing exercises to bring peace of mind and soul to her body. Arabella stretches, but is startled by the sound of someone walking up behind her.
She turns to see her grandmother coming out of the cabana. Talia, Arabella, and Elder A’maki all share a cabana, they enjoy each others company, but that’s mostly because it’s always been that way. Arabella was the one who found Talia on the shore when she was first learning how to swim. Talia was in her wolf form, and at first Arabella couldn’t tell exactly what she was. Elder A’maki nursed Talia back to health, and chose to keep her as a part of the family because she was so young. Talia was just a baby, and Arabella was only three. Ever since then Arabella and Talia have been inseparable.
“No sleep young one?” Arabella’s grandmother ask. “No grandmother, no sleep again. I wish the herbs would help Talia sleep better.” Arabella says with a sigh. She closes her eyes as she feels her grandmother running her hand through her hair. Arabella looks up at her grandmother, but for once she takes in all of her features. Elder A’maki has long thick hair that is silver with her age. She has big bright glossy blue eyes just as Arabella does, that’s where she gets them from. She can see herself in the reflection of her grandmother’s eyes. She looks at the wrinkles in her skin, and she thinks about how old her grandmother is now, and how she doesn’t know what she’ll do if she ever loses her.
Her grandmother is taller than her, but she has a stocky body type. Her grandmother used to be very strong and built because Elder A’maki’s husband always tought her different combat techniques. Arabella makes a mental note to get her grandmother to teach her some actual combat moves. The only fighting technique Arabella has is from brawling with Talia. They used to try to teach other fighting skills, but Talia is better built for it. Arabella doesn’t know much about her grandfather except that he died a long time ago. She doesn’t know how though because her grandmother refuses to talk about it.
She only talks about how in love they were. Arabella knows from listening to her grandmothers stories that she and her husband bonded at a young age. Arabella has always hoped to find a mate that would be bonded so deeply to her, but her grandmother discourages love early in life. She has always instilled in Arabella and Talia that you shouldn’t depend on someone else, but Arabella often wonders what it would be like to have a mate.
Arabella stops thinking and looks back up at her grandmother who is smiling at her. “Always take advice from an older woman when she gives it to you. Remember young one, only Talia can decide to work towards filling that empty spot she feels. Talia is a lucky girl, but she has many things that only she can work through. No amount of herbs in this world will help with that.” Elder A’maki says as she winks, pats Arabella on the hand, and walks back inside. Arabella walks to the shore and removes all of her clothing.
She dives deep into the water and swims furiously to work on her techniques and hopefully tire herself out some. She swims through the water for hours before she decides to just float on the surface. She starts praying to Goddess Avalis to give her peace and direction in her life. Arabella floats for another hour in silence while just listening to the night sounds. She loves the feeling of the water gliding across her skin and scales. Arabella soon heads to the shore and gets dressed before heading back inside of the cabana. She looks and sees her grandmother sleeping, and it makes her smile to see her so peaceful. Arabella walks over to her bed and pulls the blanket back to crawl in it, but stops when she sees a small book laying there. She opens it to see a note written on the first page.
Always write down the things and old woman tells you- Love A’maki
Arabella looks up at Talia lying in her bed, and she writes down the two things her grandmother told her just hours before. Arabella places the journal under her pillow, and falls fast asleep.