Ch 9 The Homeless Find a Home

Mwezi enjoyed dinner with her new family. It had been a while since she had a bunch of people together that really cared about one another, including her. The conversations flowed easily between everyone. Tayir took some warming up to and with Māui it was like pulling teeth but eventually she got them to join in as well. Nyoka had been so worried the entire time that Mwezi had to sit on his coils while he fed her and himself.

"Oh dear lort this good is amazing" Mwezi nearly moaned as she was fed another bite. Nyoka nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck and hissed softly almost like a purr. Mwezi fan her fingers through his curls and scratched his scalp gently. "I'm here, I'm safe. " she told him and he sighed deeply. "So on a positive note. Maūi, Tayir. What are you guys up to now?" Mwezi asked, trying to take the attention off of her. "I will probably wander a bit to the next village or kingdom for work. There's always a job to be done." Maūi replied. Mwezi scrunched her face confused. "Why don't you just relax. You need a break after that craziness with Amir. We all do." She replied. Maūi looked at the ground and the king and queen exchanged a knowing look.

"I'll definitely think about it." He replied with a forced smile. Before Mwezi could retort, Tayir replied to her. "I'm not really sure. I don't want to go home but knowing my father he will demand I return." Tayir said. "And I would like the return of my other son as well," a man added. Everyone turned to the main entry to the dinning hall to see an older, battle hardened version of Tayir and Amir standing with two men at his side in matching regal robes. "General Sumir" the king said followed by a deep sigh.

Mwezi's jaw fell and Nyoka lifted it back up for her with his finger. "What makes you think your son has a right to leave our dungeons after what he's done to my mate?" Kai asked. He crossed his arms over his chest but Mwezi could see him flexing his hands open and closed to try and hold off his anger. "I am well aware of the transgressions my son committed; however it was my other son that saved her life. I will make sure Amir is dealt with but I believe the debt is paid." Sumir said casually. "I beg your fucking pardon?" Mwezi said so angry her voice spiked.

Everyone but Paka was surprised by her outbursts and language. Paka had seen first hand what she was capable of and it made him cross his arms over his chest and smile. "You just expected to talk in here and be like 'Oh my B about my son. He's kinda a fuck up but my otherson saved the day so we good right?' Like you legitimately thought that was going to fly? Fuck you and ya shitty parenting skills. Otherwise your son wouldn't have ended up like this. Fuck ya kidnapping ass, murderous ass son for trying to kill my mate and take me against my will." Mwezi snapped as her chest heaved in anger.

The soldiers next to Sumir took a step towards Mwezi who leaned back with her mouth in an 'O' shape as she removed the jewelry Kai's mother had brought her. Māui , Tayir, Paka and Kai all stepped protectively in front of her, their fist balled and ready to protect her. Kai's mother put her hands on Mwezi's arms and gave her a knowing look. "While the incident is unfortunate, you and your mate are well. It's not even like you're really a princess yet. Just a nobody from some clan mated to another no body."Sumir snapped back.

Nyoka hissed as he shifted into his full snake form in a protective circle around everyone. Māui looked like he was going to partial shift and Kai roared loudly in warning. Tayir looked back to Mwezi who met him eye to eye. She nodded and he looked back to his father, his eyes glowing gold as he let out a warning screech. "You are my son! I've given you everything and you'd turn against me for some female!?" Sumir yelled. "Yes!" Tayir snapped back. "She, her mates and their family have treated me better than my own blood. Those years of studying, training and beatings just to make me into a strong man, to make me worthy of a mate and you never treated me like a person. Like someone you respected, even with all the accomplishments I made or mistakes I made following Amir around like a lost puppy seeking approval from both of you. Never again." Tayir spat in anger.

"Fine." Sumir hissed quietly. "Then give me my actual son back." he retorted. Tayir's eyes grew wide with shock and began to glisten with hurt but he quickly masked his pain. "No. As Mwezi and prince Kai are to be mated, your son did indeed attack the princess of our kingdom. Amir will be punished for his crimes." Kai's father retorted. "Should you keep my son understand that you will no longer receive aid from our clan. Kai's parents changed a look before turning back to Sumir."Fine." Mwezi replied before Kai's father could speak. She grew up religious and in a black church no less. She understood politics very well.

"Take you son but understand this is not a resolution. Charges will be filed" Mwezi hissed. Kai's parents smiled at Mwezi before turning to the guards and telling them to collect Amir. Nyoka hissed at the bird's shifted mangled body and the guards tossed him to Sumir's men. "What have you done to my son!?" he yelled. Kai and Māui laughed as they crossed their arms. "Remnants of our fight with him and his men. For a battle hardened four mark I expected better but seeing as how he was a bully only capable of taking candy from children, he wasn't too hard to take down." Māui goaded.

"And what's a tracker doing around helping out a female like some lost dog. Still looking for a place to call your own after your pack kicked you out Māui? Once a stray, always a stray!" Sumir retorted but Māui seemed unbothered by it or he was really good at hiding it. "Bitch I will fucking cut you!" Mwezi screamed and she walked up to Sumir.Everyone was confused by the knife she randomly produced from seemingly out of nowhere but Māui stopped her with his arm around her waist. She looked up at him and Māui threw her a sad half smile as he shook his head. Mwezi let her breathe out so slow it sounded like a hiss and stepped back.

"So weak you need a female to defend you flea bag?" Sumir asked with a smug grin. "Not really, sure your son can attest to that." Māui replied casually. Sumir's grin fell but he masked it with a blank expression quickly. "We'll be making our leave now." Sumir replied and left without another word. Mwezi counted backwards from 10 before letting out another breath and turning back to Māui. "You should have let me cut him." she said with a pout before turning to one of the guards and handing him the blade he had no idea she took.

"What will you do?" Kai asked Tayir. The bird shift shrugged and scratched the back of his head. "I'm not sure." was his own reply. Māui looked at Tayir before he and the king exchanged a knowing look. "You can travel with me. I don't exactly have a home but between our knowledge and hands on experience we'd make a great tracking pair." Māui offered as he extended his hand out to Tayir. Tayir's eyes grew wide and he smiled as he shook Māui's hand. "I think that'd be fun" he tried with a nod. "Aht aht." Mwezi cut in. "I mean yeah sure you can totally do that but you'll always have a home here. Pick something you like and it's yours. Besides you'll need something when you finally pick a mate right?" Mwezi said with a smile.

Māui and Tayir looked at one another and nodded before turning to Mwezi with a smile. "We'd be honored." they replied. "Who knows, maybe you'll nab the heart of the same girl's heart" Mwezi said playfully as she batted her eyelashes with her hands over her heart. Tayir and Māui looked at her before looking at one another. "Sure thing princess." Māui said and Mwezi gasped. "Māui made a joke!" she squealed. "BWAHAHAHAH I've gotten him to lighten up" she cackled jokingly. Māui smiled before he began to chuckle. Mwezi's mouth fell open and she held her chest like she was clutching her pearls. "He laughs too!?" she said as she began to giggle everyone else began to laugh.

Māui pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her body. She hugged him back and relished in the warm feeling of his body against hers and how well she fit. Māui took a deep breath in with his face buried into her hair as if to remember her scent. "I will miss you princess." Māui said with a smile as he finally pulled back. "Well then come see me more often silly." she giggled and patted his bare chest playfully. 'Lord I shall not think about me naked under his bare body tonight.' she thought to herself as she stepped back slowly. She hugged Tayir just as enthusiastically which caught him off guard. It didn't take long for him to catch on and hug back. It was nice, her easy and genuine acceptance of him. "Till next time Mwezi, and thank you. For everything." he said with a soft smile and she nodded with a smile. "Any time!" she replied.

Everyone had settled down for the night and Māui and Tayir agreed to leave in the morning after breakfast. "Night everyone!" Mwezi said as she made her way to sleep. "The rest of you, with me." Kai's mother said in a no-nonsense tone. Everyone ended up in a smaller entertaining area away from the bedrooms where Mwezi couldn't happen upon them. "Sit." his mother commanded and everyone sat down. "I see the look you boys give that girl. Nowhere as these three have openly admitted their feelings and actively pursue her, what in the God's name are you two waiting for?" she asked Māui and Tayir who looked at one another.