Skydrathik: yes, you are close there... but not quite. And yes, I do read fanfics, but I only read it in FF net (although I post mine in Ao3 as well, but I find the site a little annoying to use on mobile device. It was just heavy and have a lot of stuff on the screen. I like FF net, sleek and easy to use). So yes, if you posted here in FF net, I would love to read it. Your observation is really spot on that Moana only concerned about Maui's safety and not exactly contemplating about Maui himself. She loved him as a brother and as a friend, and she thought that Maui felt the same about her. But Maikai? Who knows... he was a stranger to her.
To everyone else, thank you for your lovely review, as I promise, there'll be a more secret spilled in this chapter. And to all my reader who is Polynesian, I have to apologize in advance if anything I mention here and thereafter offended you. There are things that I deliberately tweak and divert from the historical fact for the sake of making the story more relateable and enjoyable.
Thank you to jadeoccelot for the edit and input on this chapter.
Enjoy! And I hope to see what you all think of the story so far.
"Oh…she is very lucky then," Moana concluded shortly.
"Uh, you… you really think so?" Maui replied, trying to deduct all the edginess from his voice and suppressing the blood that was rising to his cheeks. Maui could feel his heart throbbing violently against his ribcage.
"Yes," she chuckled, noting how cute he was when embarrassed. Perhaps that girl in his story was his first love? Moana deduced with amusement.
"I mean… you are a nice guy, Maikai. You are kind. Any girl would be lucky to have you," she added with a generous smile on her face that could cause Maui's breath caught unwillingly in his throat.
"Ehem...Thank you," Maui retorted tersely after managing to regulate his breathing and control the unmitigated panic from surfacing on his face. He swore that Moana could cause him brain damage just by saying those words.
"Oh, I'm so tired…!" she yawned and stretched herself. Maui sometimes forgot, that as a mortal, Moana's body would need more maintenance and downtime than his. In contrast, his immortal body, despite its ability to feel fatigue, hunger, and pain, wouldn't wither without food and rest. It just wouldn't be that comfortable for him.
"Why don't you sleep now, I'll keep watch," he suggested without much thinking.
"Maikai, you haven't been sleeping well for like…. like…..weeks!"
"Trust me, Princess… It's better me doing the watch than you."
Moana was about to antagonize Maikai's gracious proposition when another surge of yawns invaded her, and she felt oddly light-headed and drowsy. Realizing the unwanted outcome should she accidentally fell asleep during the watch (and potentially delayed their journey again if they got lost) Moana finally caved in.
"How about I tell some bedtime stories? It helps me to stay awake, and perhaps it'll help you to sleep? Yes?" Maui offered.
"Yes, I'd like that," Moana immediately agreed.
Both of them sat comfortably, perching against the mast of the canoe. Having trusted this stranger more, Moana took the liberty and scooted closer next to him, settling under the pile of blanket cozily. Maui began by narrating the story of one of his epic journey sailing across the Pacific ocean alone for the first time.
"So… that's how I made... No-no, I mean found the first coconut," he closed his story. "Want me to tell you another one?" The girl who he devoted his words to, remained peacefully silent.
Maui looked over his shoulder, there she was, snoring lightly as she leaned on his shoulder. The rocking movements of the canoe and his comforting, warm body against the cold wind just encouraged Moana to drift further. He watched her tranquil countenance, letting himself beguiled with her savage beauty once more. All the unrelenting, resolute, and assertive demeanor that emanated when she was awake had left her face. She appeared delicate and fragile... just like many other pretty girls who needed protection from her hero.
He sighed pensively, completely entranced at her sleeping form. "I love you more than you ever know, Curly," he whispered affectionately on the Moana's ignorant ear.
That evening their boat finally moored at the white sandy beach of Kabara. With one sure, well-calculated move, Maui pulled the boat, anchored it nicely on the convenient spot underneath the grove of coconut trees.
Prior to their arrival, Moana had debriefed Maui on who her relatives were on the island. Apparently, Sina's forefather used to lived there before moving to Motunui. Later on, Emere―one of Sina's sister, was taken as consort by Huatare, the King of Kabara's oldest nephew and moved back with Sina's youngest sister, Hine and their brother Tipene. Unexpectedly, the King died without leaving any heir to inherit the throne, automatically making Huatare his successor.
As they stepped off from the boat, a horde of menacing men with weapon greeted them, pointing their spears and poised on their battle stance. They were guards on patrol, but thankfully this time, as soon as Moana announced who she was, the men withdrew their armament and escorted her into the village.
A few minutes later a large wooden structure came into view. The architecture resembled of a marae but ten times bigger than what Maui saw in Motunui. Neatly dressed porters pushed the large wooden door and let them inside the large entrance with guards following closely behind them. They strode through a long vestibule that opened up into an expansive, exquisitely decorated room lined with animal skin and intricate carving.
In the middle of the room sat a man dressed in a prestigious cloak with an entourage of sycophantic servants stood faithfully behind him―patiently waiting for his orders.
"Moana Waialiki is here, Sire," declared one of the men ceremoniously. The man in royal robes barely twitched a muscle, just uncaringly dismissed his servant.
"Good evening, Your Highness," Moana bowed in the way of greeting to the stern-looking man, who just gave her a curt nod as an acknowledgment. Next to him a portly lady with very close resemblance to Sina smiling amiably.
"Moana!" the lady exclaimed and without preamble, dashed to hug Moana and pressed her forehead into a hongi. Maui concluded that this must he Sina's older sister.
"Aunt Emere!" Moana replied, embracing her mother's sister with equal passion. "It's been a while."
"Oh! Look at you!" Emere stepped back, staring admiringly at the woman Moana had become."You looked so….so mature! So beautiful!" she exclaimed delightfully while curious fingers traced Moana's well-defined chin.
The King introduced himself as King Huatare of Kabara. He was a stocky looking man. The guy was of average height, perhaps slightly shorter than Chief Tui, with stubby limbs and his whole chunky frame covered in tattoos. Frankly speaking, his size itself was hardly intimidating―especially considering Maui was nearly twice as big. But something in his ominous posture and his unfriendly gaze that stirred the unpleasant feeling of unease within Maui.
The King spent a few moment seizing him up; his eyes prowled from Maui's feet then working they way up the rest of his body until it rested on his pink necklace. He cringed slightly at the sight but quickly returned to wear his stern mask.
"And who are you?" the King narrowed his eyes as he gazed pointedly towards Maui with the stare that could disrobe the Demigod with his eyes.
"He is my... ―" Moana just about to introduce her new traveling partner when her uncle cut her sentence contemptuously.
"I am talking to him," he rebuked, glaring at Maui as though he had committed a serious crime. "He has a mouth, let him answer."
Her uncle's imperious reply was enough to make Moana winced in apprehension. Huatare was never known as a friendly man, his tyrannical and dictatorial decisiveness had been a legend to be feared, not that he was a bad guy―the man just had to assert himself in front of his supplicant as expected from a king ruling the kingdom as vast as his. Moana just prayed that Maikai didn't begin to boast or doing something foolish that could potentially cause him to be castrated or cost him any other gruesome punishment. No...no… not that pec-pop-of-love that he showcased at their first meeting. Please don't!
Maui could feel the king's scrutinizing glare pierced through him, perhaps even able to permanently drilled a hole into his head.
"I am… Maikai," he said, coming to one of his knees courteously. Moana sighed in relief.
"I met him during my journey here, Your Highness, and he had been extremely helpful," Moana summarized after finding her courage to speak up. "And this is a letter for you, Auntie," she produced a tapa from inside her skirt's pocket and handed over to Emere (I am not even sure if the skirt styles would have pockets? but ok... just for simplicity sake XD).
The woman unceremoniously opened the letter and went on to read the content with eagerness, while King Huatare eyes' instantaneously transfixed into the jade pendant before bouncing his questioning sight to its newfound custodian.
"Moana, where you get that?"
"Uh… this is a….a betrothal gift from my fiance, Your Highness," Moana stumbled on her own words, wondering what the true significance of the pendant even the King seemed to be interested in it.
"You are betrothed? Who is the man? And when is the wedding?" he asked again.
"Tanemahuta of Kailua. It's in less than two months is the agreed date." This time Moana managed to articulate smoothly and tried to stay as phlegmatic as possible when mentioning Tane's name.
"Did you say Kailua?" The King instantaneously straightened himself; the word seemed to alert him. He exchanged a meaningful look with his wife briefly while rubbing his tattooed chin thoughtfully.
"Yes, Your Honor," Moana answered politely, slightly perplexed with reaction.
"I am surprised your Father will choose a man with such a…. complicated background," he phrased the words diplomatically. "People of Kailua didn't have the highest regard in this area, especially after that recent incident," the King added, sinking back in his seat.
Incident? Moana mused. She opened her mouth to inquire, but her aunt's audible gasp hampered her intention.
Emere discreetly leaned towards her husband, whispering something and showed him the letter from Chief Tui as though looking for her husband's approval. Huatare frowned deeply, appeared to be engrossed in his thought before gesturing his consensual agreement to his wife.
"Moana, I believe we have a little bit to talk about later on tonight. Now, why don't you and your friend have a little rest, it's been a long journey." Emere initiated. Meanwhile, the King stood up, sweeping his gaze towards the sea of anonymous servants and guards. "
"Tai!" barked the King. His imperious shout produced a lanky frame from behind the crowd.
Tai Rongokahira Parata of Kailua was the King's eldest son. At twenty-two he had two men's most desired possession: wealth and women. With his broad nose and usual lack of chin, he wasn't the epitome of masculine beauty. Nonetheless, he made up his lack of favorable physical attributes with his charming smile, great sense of humor and generosity. Just with a wink of an eye, a well-worded compliment, and a humorous remark, he could effortlessly beguile beautiful women into his arms. Not to mention, circulating rumors suggested that his kiss was totally a killer.
"Yes, Father?" the young prince dashed forward, bowed and showcased his most dashing smile that could make women to tear off their dresses and hurl themselves at him. But King Huatare seemed to be immune to his son's allure.
"You and Anahera, take this man to his bedchamber. He could use the guest fale." The King raised his finger at Maikai, before flicking his commanding glare at Tai and a younger girl that carrying similar facial feature. Maui suspected that girl must be his younger sister. The young man politely nodded and gave Maui a little gesture to follow him.
"And Moana...," the King commanded."Your fale would be across ours."
Maui had lost track the name of people that being mentioned in his first meeting, including the girl that currently walked beside him and smiling pointedly as though he was a voluptuous lady with very little clothing. What's her name again? Anuhea? Alana? Whoever she was, her stare began to get into him. What did she want exactly?
Anahera stared at Maui calculatively, before lowering her voice to an insidious whisper.
"Hi handsome!" she called, winking coquettishly. Maui smiled vapidly in reply, attempted to concentrate his attention in hauling his very little belonging. Actually, he could reply her with much bravado and matched her coy smile that could swoon her right on the spot, but after camping from cave to cave and being tensely on guard each night, Maui was too tired to entertain any flirtatious maneuver. At the moment, he was desperate for bed more than women.
"Oh yes, sorry for not introducing myself. I am Anahera," she greeted him formally. "I am Moana's cousin, and this is Tai, my older brother," she exchanged glances with her brother who offered Maui a hongi. "I see you have feelings for my beautiful cousin," Anahera appended, going straight to the point.
"Ugh. What are you talking about?" Maui replied, denying all account or pretended to be oblivious.
"You heard me," Anahera smirked meaningfully. "I know you are very much aware she is betrothed. I can see it," she fixed Maui a knowing look.
Maui decided silence would be the best answer for now.
"You just got to know her a few weeks and be willing to endanger your life standing up against her suitor. And the unmistakable adoration as you staring at her when you thought she wasn't looking," the girl smirked, getting more confident witnessing Maui couldn't refute any of her accusation. "Did you come here because you care for her?"
Maui groaned in mounting annoyance; it became obvious that stubbornness and persistence were ingrained deep and far in Waialiki's blood.
"I'll take it as a yes then," Anahera leaned closer until Maui could feel her breath lapping on his bare shoulder. Maui mentally facepalmed himself while next to him, the lanky prince just shook his head, amused with the odd exchange between his sister and her latest victim.
Thankfully for Maui, they'd arrived in front of the guest fale soon enough before the girl could interrogate him further (or squeezed all the juice of his patience dry).
"Here is your room," Tai went on opening the door of the fale to let Maui in, while Anahera was standing outside. But as Maui planned to disappear behind the door, the girl yanked his wrist willfully. Maui rolled his eyes, berating Anahera's relentlessness.
"Yes?" Maui turned to her, not trying to hide the piqued irritation depicted on his face. But the girl remained gracefully unfazed with the hulking giant glaring spitefully at her.
"Hey, don't worry. Leave it to me," she said again, patting Maui's broad shoulder patronizingly."I will make sure my cousin would waltz willingly in these arms in no time." Anahera batted her lashes as she ran her finger tracing Maui's dense biceps.
"Thanks!" Maui snorted sarcastically, trying to repel the unauthorized access to his arm without involving him feeding his fist to anyone. "But, I don't neeuuhhppm…."
That was as much as Maui could say, because Anahera clipped his sentence by plastering his mouth with her palm, leaving Maui with a muffled snarl. "Bathhouse, after sundown tomorrow. I don't take no for an answer," she announced with finality. Before Maui could oppose her request, the girl fled the scene like a specter, leaving Maui gawking incredulously and aggravated at the same time.
"My apology. My sister's audacity can be insufferable sometimes," Tai said apologetically. Maui fetched his stuff from the floor and began strutting behind Tai. He went on showing Maui around the room and its amenities.
"But rest assure, she meant well, and she is an excellent judge of character. A lot of people have been coming to her for advice in relationship matters," the young prince went on, endorsing his sister's expertise as a love doctor.
"If I were you, I'll take her offer. You don't have much time, and you'll need all the help you can get," he said before bowing and excusing himself. "Good night," he added, leaving confused Demigod alone with his thoughts.
"So, what do you know about those people from Kailua?" Emere opened the conversation. Perching by Moana's bed, she watched her niece unpacking some of her belongings.
"Well, on the way here, a group of islander nearly captured me because of this," Moana reached her hand towards her Jade pendant. "And….on another island, Maikai and I stumbled into a village that appeared to be deserted and heavily plundered. I saw the same marking, a pikorua, on one of the weapons we found there," Moana summarized, reminiscing the incursion, the brutal raid, and the greedy pillaging that would haunt her to her sleep.
"That's hardly surprising," her Aunt replied offhandedly.
"You mean… ―?" Moana peered over her shoulder, pausing whatever she was doing.
"Those people came here a few weeks ago. I presume they've tried to rob a few islands on the way to Motunui," Emere said, which explained why the island was heavily guarded.
Moana pulled a heavy sigh,"And those items they've stolen were presented to my Dad as my betrothal gifts." There was an unusual fragility in her voice. Some part of her wished she never eavesdropped, she never came across that plundered village, and was left in the dark, blissfully ignorant about who Tane really was.
Emere observed the tint of sadness in her niece's slumping posture and went on to console her. "I am sorry to hear that Moana. I promise that I would try everything to extricate you from this unwanted marriage," she responded with a touch of empathy. There was a brief pause before she continued."There is a lady, Ngaire, she came from Kailua before marrying one of our men and settled here. If you be willing to wait a week or two, you can have a chat with her. I believe it is the far safer option than trying to go to Kailua without knowing a single thing about them."
Moana considered her Aunt's suggestion. It was possible this lady would aid them solving the conundrum and answered the enigmatic motives behind Tane's desire to kill Maui.
"Okay, Auntie. Thank you very much," she replied, agreeing.
Emere patted the spot next to her, inviting Moana to sit. As Moana did so, Emere reached her hand, and Moana straight away knew her aunt was going to say something important… and unpleasant.
"The truth is…. there was more to Akoni's revenge than just over his anger of your Dad stealing his son's bride."
"I knew it!" Moana exclaimed, pulling her hand from Emere's grasp. While Moana had heard a lot of scandalous rumor around her father's dirty secret in stealing her mother from someone else, Moana had never believed a matter like that worth avenging for, certainly not on the scale Akoni was plotting. Besides, according to her Mom, she was never forced into marrying her Dad, her Mom had chosen him willingly.
"You knew? Who told you?" Emere sounded surprised.
"No one! I mean, I've been questioning how could broken betrothal produce such horrid hatred that Akoni was willing to entangle the whole island just to bring my Dad to justice?!" Moana retaliated, her intonation flared. There was unmistakable potent amount of anger in her expression. Why did her Dad never told her something important like this?
"If you knew, why did you never asked him?" her aunt asked calmly.
"Well, why didn't he say anything?!" Moana retorted, hurt laced in her raised voice, but she immediately got a firm hold of her emotion. "Apologizes," she muttered, scooting closer to her aunt. "It's just… it's just the lack of transparency that made me angry," she said, lowering her voice. She huffed resignedly; there was hardly any point of frustration, it won't solve anything.
"Moana," Emere's comforting hand encircled her shoulder. "People who have secrets are usually afraid," she explained understandingly. "Afraid of being laughed at, rejected, punished, or humiliated. Nobody does it for fun―I promise you."
She waited, letting her words assuaged her niece's resentment. "It was like the dark part of your life you desperately wanted to forget about, but you couldn't."
"So...what exactly happened, Auntie?" Moana asked again; her tone returned to emphatic softness.
"Moana, do you remember why your Father desperately prohibit you from sailing beyond the reef?"
"Yes, I heard one of his friends died when he attempt to sail to the open ocean," Moana answered in a matter-of-factly tone.
Emere cleared her throat. "Well, Kauri was his name, and he wasn't just your Father's friend Moana. He was his very best friend. They grew up together, they were like brothers," Emere explicated."When the threat from the ocean began creeping to threaten our islands, many valiant warriors everywhere gambled their life to go out there and try to find Maui. Your father and Kauri were among them. However, both young men went to do so without getting any consent from the Chief."
"Oh… and then, Kauri died and my Dad felt guilty for the rest of his life?" Moana cast her guess. "So, what this had to do with Akoni's revenge?"
"Unfortunately, it's not quite simple as that," countered Emere.
"You see, Kauri wasn't just your father's best friend, he was also… your mother's fiance."
"What.. ―?!" Moana couldn't believe her ears. Eventually, her brain caught up with the fact and chain of vicious allegation formed in her mind. 'Does that mean that Dad intentionally plotted to kill him?' Moana wanted to say, but nothing came out of her mouth because the words had deserted her.
Kill. It was one massive, harsh accusation. Even the crudity of the expression was very hard to dilute. How could Moana even think of that? Her father wouldn't even hurt a bug, let alone killing his best friend to steal his fiance. But, speaking of experience, It was a common knowledge of men who would readily mutilate each other out of jealousy or slit their own throats to escape the sorrow of rejection.
'Have Dad plotted to kill Kauri to steal his bride?'
So, in my story, Kauri was the man that in the movie canonically killed during Tui's first excursion beyond the reef.
I made some assumption here, that during the period Te Ka's power overshadowing the ocean, voyaging had become a life and death game and people generally didn't cross the sea unless they really have to.