Chapter 14: Death of Lies
The realisation that the truth of Ria's situation was not as he had initially assumed was a great weight off Neteyam's shoulders. The knowledge that she still loved him was also a welcome lightening of the heaviness in his heart. However, the comprehension of what a moron he had been was a blight in his conscience. He should have given Ria an opportunity to speak for herself instead of making a blind assumption and avoiding her.
Blessed Mother, they were having a child.
Neteyam's heart both leapt for joy and squeezed in despair at the thought. How could he keep his family safe? How was he going to keep Ria and their baby safe? He wanted to be with Ria the way he longed to be, but forsaking his duty and position with Penina would jeopardise them all. There was no obvious solution, no clear path to the chance that Ria had told him Eywa had promised them.
He knelt at the foot of his family's sacred tree and offered his turmoil to the ancestors who had come before him. Neteyam placed both palms on the soft moss in front of him and he bent forward in a low bow until his forehead grazed the ground underneath. Eywa, give me guidance... I am here now and I will listen…
A cool hand touched his shoulder and Neteyam startled upright.
"Sorry," Kiri giggled apologetically, kneeling beside her brother, "Though I do love catching you off guard. It's something I never managed to do when I was still around. You were always so ready and physically aware."
"I still am, I'm just not always prepared for your mental sneak-ups because you hardly come to me anymore when I'm here." Neteyam responded, his tone surly and his eyes tormented.
Shushing him, Kiri sidled right up to Neteyam until the sides of their torsos and thighs aligned and she put an arm around his broad shoulders. He did not pull away from her and he let her draw his head into her shoulder, burying his face into the crook of his sister's neck.
Kiri could feel how her brother's face was twisted into a grimace against her, how his wounded breaths puffed out from his flaring nostrils to warm her skin as he wrestled with his predicament. It was true that she had not come to him in a long while and sadness filled her at the thought. Kiri could not be summoned and sent away at will. It was the Great Mother who decided when she could speak with her loved ones when they came to the sacred grove.
"Why have you come now when you haven't all the other times?" Neteyam murmured into her neck, his deep voice suddenly sounding small.
"It's difficult to see you when your heart is not ready," Kiri replied, knowing that her words sounded odd. She made an attempt to elaborate, "You've been so angry and bitter of late. It's hard to speak to you when you won't listen, when your heart is not open."
Neteyam's head left her shoulder and he pawed at his eyes and cheeks, roughly sweeping away any remnants of his tears, "Well, I'm listening now. Tell the Great Mother I'll do whatever she says."
Kiri bobbed her head slowly, regarding her brother with insightful eyes, "You need to apologise-"
"To Ria, for avoiding her? I have," Neteyam's response was quick, hasty, and he saw Kiri's ears flatten in disapproval at his interruption.
"No, you need to apologise to the Great Mother."
Scorn began to colour Neteyam's features as his confusion took over and his brows furrowed. What did he need to apologise to Eywa for? The dilemma he found himself in was of her making, was it not?
Kiri saw the darkness creeping back into her brother's countenance, recognised the derision that was clouding his heart and mind in that instant, "Neteyam, you need to acknowledge that you've made a mistake, an error in judgement. You've not taken heed of our Great Mother's guidance when she has given it."
Painful memories of his wedding night with Penina flashed through the forefront of Neteyam's mind and he winced. Indignance swelled in his chest and his lips tightened into a line. An error in judgement? What choice did he have? He had been stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"I did what I did to keep our family safe," Neteyam spat harshly, "What would you have done, Kiri, if you knew that our family's security rested on your shoulders?"
Kiri gave an exasperated huff. Neteyam was missing the point. She knew her brother had been faced with a tough decision, but she also knew that Eywa had tried to guide him to trust in her and he had not heeded her calls.
Pursing her plump lips, she sighed, "You're not as alone as you think you are, brother. You don't have to shoulder the weight of the world on your own. You have time now to fix this. Your plan has not worked and you need to ask for help from those around you."
Neteyam raked his fingers over his scalp, the beads in his central cluster of braids clinking at the action. He remained mute in response.
Reaching out to gently grasp his chin, Kiri tilted Neteyam's head up to meet her gaze, "You must trust in Eywa. She has opened your eyes and given you a sign. You know now that your true path lies with Ria and the miracle she carries. So, be brave, have faith and fix your mistake."
"How?!" Neteyam cried frenziedly.
Kiri stroked his cheek tenderly, "You've carried the weight of this family for too long, brother. It's time to think of yourself. Remember, we love you, we all do. No matter what, Sullys stick together."
With a jolt, Neteyam returned to his corporeal surroundings in the sacred grove. Though she had not said so outright, Kiri's insinuation was clear. He needed to tell his family the truth. He needed to face the shame, the disappointment and the impending danger that would come with it, but he would do it for Ria. He would give it all up. It would all be worth it for her and their baby.
But first he would need to face Penina.
Visitors from other clans poured into Omatikaya territory over the next few weeks. Word of the prophecy and Ria's pregnancy had reached even the farthest nooks and crannies of Pandora and scores of people came to witness the occurrence with their own eyes. The increased foot traffic kept the Sully family incredibly busy, especially Jake, Mo'at and Neteyam, welcoming the clan's guests and mingling to foster good relations.
Neytiri stood back from it all; she had one focus and that was Ria.
The young woman's belly had swelled very quickly in the last while, evidence that her child was growing fast and she was nearing delivery. Her rapidly burgeoning form now restricted her from doing any heavy clan duties including hunting and patrol. So, Jake had rostered her to the lighter duties of helping with food preparation, cleaning and washing.
All through the days people came to see Ria, to speak with her and touch her. She had reluctantly become somewhat of a fertility idol and many people stopped to greet her, bestowing her with gifts and blessings in the hope that Eywa would grant them a child through her. Neytiri accompanied Ria on her duties, making warm conversation and expressing gratitude as appropriate, but she was not foolish enough to let her guard down based on the positive and blessed reality that presented itself on the surface.
There were many visitors coming and going, but not all of them imparted their blessings on Ria. For every individual that looked upon her with reverence, there was another pair of eyes that blasphemed her from the shadows. Neytiri stood guard over Ria, watching every individual who approached and every gift that was given. Apprehension stewed and bubbled in Neytiri's gut and she swallowed down the bitter suspicion that there was more to the gathered crowds than it seemed.
"Irayo, oel ngati kameie," Ria said, bidding an older woman goodbye after the woman had come up to her and handed her a gift of some utumauti (banana fruit) cake. Ria's stomach gurgled at the sight and she caught Neytiri's cautionary gaze out of the corner of her eye.
Ria had been very partial to fruit cake in her pregnancy and she often craved it. However, Jake had given her strict instructions not to eat anything she was gifted for safety reasons. If they did not know how it was prepared then there was no guarantee that it was safe and not contaminated with anything intended to harm her. With the precarious division amongst the people with regard to her situation, all Ria could do was stare wistfully at the beautifully wrapped sweet treat in her hands and let its sweet aroma tantalise her nostrils.
Wiping off the grease from the food wraps they were preparing on a nearby cloth, Neytiri chuckled and gently took the cake from Ria to set it aside, "I have another batch made up in the alcove that you'll be able to indulge yourself in after last meal, don't fret."
"Thanks," Ria muttered sheepishly, shifting slightly on her crossed legs and returning her attention to the partially wrapped food parcel she had been making before being interrupted.
Another alluring scent wafted into the vicinity, distracting her once more. Ria looked up to see Neteyam striding past with Jake on their return from yet another one of their never-ending list of engagements. Ria's eyes met Neteyam's and he shot her a warm smile as he passed, setting butterflies alight in her stomach.
Since the night she had finally been able to reveal the secret of their child to him, they had not had another opportunity to speak alone. However, it was a relief for Ria to know that Neteyam knew the truth now. They had parted with an unspoken promise and renewed hope that Eywa would guide them back to each other, so long as they trusted in her. It had to be enough for now.
Neytiri watched as a smile graced her oldest son's face. It was a smile she rarely saw. Neteyam had been a happy child, but his cheeriness had waned as he had grown older and his responsibilities had increased. Handsome though he was in adulthood, his expression was often grave and brooding. When she did chance upon one of his smiles now, it almost always had something to do with Ria.
Neytiri felt a wrench of guilt. She had disapproved of their relationship when she had learned of it. She had never disliked Ria, but she had thought the girl an unfit prospect for Neteyam despite the deep bond she had witnessed between them before her son's mating to Penina. She saw Ria's eyes trail sadly after Neteyam's form as it retreated into the distance of the village and she felt another stab of pity.
All she had wanted during her pregnancies with her children was Jake. Neytiri remembered looking forward to reuniting with him after their individual duties at the end of each day; being comforted by the warmth of his skin as she lay against him and the reassuring scent of him around her. She remembered thanking the Great Mother for Jake every time she had laboured with each of their children, as it was the sheer strength of his love through their mated bond that had seen her through each feat.
The fact that Neteyam was mated to Penina left Ria in a very isolated and painful position. Though if Neytiri was honest, something about their mating rubbed her the wrong way. The pair were tense around each other and there was a strain between them that was more than just the nerves of a newly wedded couple getting to know one another after an arranged betrothal.
In hindsight, Neytiri dejectedly wondered how things had turned out the way they had and if something had gone terribly awry. But no matter, Ria was family now and her child was a Sully; and Sullys stuck together. She would never be alone.
Eclipse was moving across the horizon and Neytiri and Ria helped the others tidy away the food preparation area as they bid each other goodbye for the evening. Ria gingerly got to her feet, wincing slightly as one of her hands moved to knead the ache in her lower back.
"Sore?" Neytiri asked mildly, chuckling when Ria nodded sullenly. She gently took Ria's elbow and lead her back to the central spiral of kelutral so they could return to Mo'at's alcove, "Come, I'll rub your back for you once we're settled in the alcove. Then you can have some utumauti cake as a reward for your efforts today."
The spicy scent of the gifts and fertility favours that sat piled in a corner in the background of the inner alcove permeated the air as Neteyam reaved through the pile. The assortment of presents had sat untouched, collecting dust since they had first been left there and while he and Penina did not have any use for the varied nutriments, salves and supplements, Ria did.
One of the things about being the oldest child was that he had witnessed his mother's pregnancy with his youngest sister and he remembered it fairly well. His grandmother had helped his mother mostly, but he had learned a thing or two along the way. Carefully picking through the items, Neteyam sorted them into two piles; one for the items that aided in conception and another for the items that were for supporting health during pregnancy and after.
Having had a few weeks to digest everything, Neteyam's feelings around Ria's pregnancy and their impending arrival remained a dichotomy. One part of him was thrilled and the other part of him thrashed in dread and despair. He felt helpless in his current position being apart from Ria. He supposed that was why he now sat compiling whatever items that were useful to her into a woven satchel in an attempt to feel like he was doing something for her.
However, Neteyam had made his mind up and he was resolute. He would not be kept apart from Ria and their child any longer than necessary. It was going to be a harrowing admission, but he knew what he had to do.
He had done plenty of reflection since finding out and he had also apologised to and made up with Spider. Opening up to his brother had helped, as had speaking to Kiri. Clan life had been a whirlwind of endless responsibilities and events with the visiting clans, but there would be a big feast in several days at the week's end to mark the conclusion of their stay and they would return to their own territories thereafter.
Neteyam would speak to his parents then and tell them the truth; he would tell everyone the truth.
"What are you doing?" Penina's voice behind him snapped him out of his thoughts.
Penina stood with her arms full of freshly washed, dried and folded laundry; thin blankets, shawls, towels. She had evidently come to put them away in their inner alcove.
"Just tidying things and getting rid of what we don't need." Neteyam said evenly, uncrossing his legs and rising to his feet, the packed satchel in hand, "We've got not use for these things. We might as well give them away."
He knew he was throwing fuel on the embers of a fire that had burned and blackened for many moons now, but he was ready for the fallout. It was time.
Penina blinked unbelieving eyes at him as they stood before each other. The incredulity that flashed in her eyes soon turned to anger as expected and she hissed, "Giving them away? We may not need these things now but they will be useful to us in future, when we have children of our own."
"No, they won't, Penina." Neteyam ground out through gritted teeth, "This isn't working."
With a virulent and huffing laugh, Penina dropped her arms and let the load of laundry go and the pile fell to the floor with a thump, "This isn't working because of you. You can't even bring yourself to try!"
"I have tried! I have done everything right by you since we wed!"
"Yes, with all the reluctance of a child that's being dragged home from a play area! You can't even look at me when we're intimate!"
With a frustrated snarl and barely controlled ire, Neteyam stepped towards her to bare his teeth in her face and he hissed quietly, "We've given this a go and it's failed. It's done. I won't do this anymore."
Lips curling back in return, Penina spat, "No! You will lead this clan and I will lead by your side when that happens. You won't throw that away for both of us!"
Neteyam's temper surged and detonated and he roared at her, "We are living a lie!"
Penina flinched and recoiled at his outburst. When her gaze met his again, she saw the pain in her own eyes reflected back at her through his green-gold orbs, except the pain was different. Hers was pain for her crumbling aspirations and pain at failing to reach a man she wanted to love and already partially did. His was pain at being forced into a mould he no longer fit into and pain at being unable to be with the one he truly loved.
Painful memories of their wedding night flitted through both their minds…
FLASHBACK
Neteyam's eyes were faraway as Penina led him by the hand into the sacred grove of their ancestors. His feet padded numbly after her as they made their way deeper in-between the luminous trees to find a more secluded spot.
Penina slowed and she picked a sheltered site surrounded by three of the biggest trees in the grove, each of their trunks wide enough to easily obscure them both from any passers-by. She bent her knees to kneel on the moss-covered ground, wincing slightly at the stretch of the skin over her tender knees which were chafed from their rigorous joining from before. Neteyam had not been gentle with her, but Penina was not new to sex and she did not mind. It was satisfying to have finally had him completely the way she had desired after so long. He was hers now, only one final deed to go and they would be bound forever.
One of her hands still held one of his and with her free hand, she reached around to grasp her neural queue and brought it to her front between them. Wordlessly and emotionlessly, Neteyam did the same. The air thickened with an unexplained foreboding strain, but Penina was focused on the sight of the undulating tendrils as she brought her hand to his.
Their knuckles brushed and the twirling tendrils of their queues ended their individual dances and twined together to begin their bond…
Excruciating pain shredded through their minds and they both cried out with eyes clenched shut at the sharp explosion of agony. A wraithlike scream filled their ears and it was the most terrifying, most ugly sound they had ever heard…
Their individual emotions clashed against each other's and a cacophony of spine-chilling voices cried out in an incomprehensible and booming din… It was wrong, everything was wrong… The pain intensified into a fiery scorch that shot from their minds down the nerves of their queues, singeing them from the tops of their skulls down to the twined tendrils at the ends…
Neteyam and Penina sprang apart, separating their queues with a violent wrench. Penina had scampered back so quickly that she had fallen gracelessly onto her bottom a few feet away from Neteyam. Her heaving breaths matched his as they surveyed each other for several moments, astounded, in silence.
"What was that?" Neteyam whispered shakily.
It was a rhetorical question uttered in shock. It was plain to them both what had just occurred.
The mating bond was supposed to be a beautiful thing; wondrous, pleasurable and perpetual in its binding of two souls. What they had just experienced was anything but.
It was a rejection by the Great Mother. A failed bond. Failure with a capital 'F'.
Penina looked stricken and she felt sick. She swallowed the build-up of saliva pooling in her mouth, "It's because you don't choose me. Your heart is closed to me."
Neteyam's emotions broiled in his gut like an over-crowded soup of panic, horror and bewilderment. A failed mating between two individuals was a bad omen and that was notwithstanding a failed mating between a future olo'eyktan and tsahìk. The shame this would wreak on both their families… the disappointment… the danger…
Evidently Penina's mind was working faster than his as she shook her head stubbornly, searching for a solution, "We just need time. You need time to let go of Ria and then we can try again."
"What? Don't be ridiculous. Our bonding has failed!"
Penina scrambled forward towards Neteyam, her knees knocking his as she grasped his wrists, "The clan will shun us! They'll kick both our families out! Do you want that? We'll go on as we are and then we can try the bond again in future, when you feel differently."
Mute in his shock, Neteyam could only regard Penina with aggrieved eyes. Fleetingly, he thought of Ria, but Penina was right. The only way he could keep her and his family safe was by upholding his position and duty within the clan.
"This is the only way we get what we want. You keep your family safe and we will lead this clan side-by-side in time." Penina added.
Seeing no other way, Neteyam agreed to their pact.
FLASHBACK END
Back in the reality of their shared alcove, the tension was thick enough to slice.
"So, what? How are you going to do this without endangering us all?" Penina taunted cruelly.
Beyond the action of coming clean with his parents, Neteyam was just as stumped as to what the next step would be. He just needed to stop living this lie…
"I don't have to explain myself to you," Neteyam replied coldly, before he snarled again as Penina snatched the satchel from his grasp.
She gave another bitter and barking laugh, "There's only one person in the clan who would find these supplements useful currently. You are pathetic! Even as she carries another man's child you can't let her go!"
"The child she carries is mine!"
Stunned silence followed. Neteyam's declaration halted Penina's derision in its tracks and her wide eyes blinked at him in unbridled astonishment.
"What did you say?" Penina stammered.
"Ria isn't mated to Spider, or anybody. The child is mine. She conceived the child before you and I made this disastrous mistake."
Neteyam expected fury from Penina. Perhaps also distress and accusations of betrayal, but what he did not expect was her laughter; contemptuous laughter.
"That's impossible!" Penina screeched through her mocking hoots, "By Eywa, Neteyam, you are delusional! Have you lost your mind?"
No, he would not suffer any more of her today. She had derided him enough.
With a growl and an ireful grimace, Neteyam turned on heel and strode out into the living space of the alcove and out the main archway, descending the central spiral. Penina's laughter rang in his ears as he fled.
Penina fought to catch her breath as her hysterics died down. It was farcical what Neteyam had just told her, utter madness. However, it was clear that time had changed nothing with regard to his feelings for Ria. She looked down at the satchel she held. If Neteyam wanted to gift the favours to Ria, so be it. Let him give them to her.
Penina knew exactly what she would do.
Spider trailed playful fingers down the back of the slender arm in front of him, tracing the patterns of cerulean stripes and glowing freckles with his fingertips. Her warm body was tucked against his in the privacy of the coppice they lay in, her back to his chest as he spooned her. Hana flinched involuntarily and giggled and she turned her head to face him, chastising him through coquettish eyes. Spider grinned. He knew she was ticklish there.
Propping his head up on an elbow, Spider's hands moved to caress her temple, stroking over the short braids on her head. Many Na'vi chose to wear their hair longer, at the shoulder or past there to trail down their backs. However, Hana's braids were short reaching only just past her chin, falling around her face in a pretty little bob. She said it was easier to keep out of the way like that.
"Haven't you had enough touching tonight?" Hana teased, twisting her body to lie flat on the moss-cushioned ground beneath her so she could face Spider more easily. Her large, gold eyes twinkled up at him and her full lips pursed coyly.
Spider graced her with a roguish smile and he leant down to place a heated kiss in the crook of her neck, "With you? Never."
Hana's lips danced in an answering smile before it faded and her expression became pensive, "And what about with the other girls?"
She watched Spider suck a deep breath through his nose as he considered her question and she felt a sliver of unease creep into her gut. Hana really liked Spider. He was a playful and a generous lover, but also a skilled hunter and warrior. They had played around many times during casual liaisons, but she had begun to see a warmer, gentler side of him in recent moons. They had been spending a lot more time together too and she did not want to just be a playmate anymore. She was unsure if he felt the same though.
Spider felt his heart begin to drum at the thought of the discussion he was about to enter into with Hana. He felt a meaningful connection with her, enough that he wanted to explore his relationship with her exclusively. His thoughts and feelings had dwelled around the matter for a few weeks now and he had to broach the subject with her sooner or later.
"I haven't seen or been with anyone else for a while," Spider disclosed quietly, regarding her with earnest eyes.
Hana blinked in surprise at him before her face split into a happy grin that eased the nervousness in Spider's heart, "Really?"
A low chuckle rumbled through his chest and he took one of Hana's hands in his, "Yeah, I've abandoned my wild days. You mean something to me, Hana. I don't know what exactly yet, but you're important to me and I only want to see you exclusively."
Hana did not respond straight away and the silence caused Spider's stomach to erupt in a flutter of nerves again. Perturbed by the lack of response, Spider hastily added, "Only if you want to. I get that my history and my family are complicated and that I'm different, you know, alien. I understand if you'd rather not get entangled in all of it."
"No, don't talk like that." Hana said, her tone determined. She placed a firm hand on his chest, "We're not defined by what we are, but by what we do. I think it's wrong how some in the clan have treated you and your family. All of you are guilty of nothing but being yourselves. The untruths that people speak of are just toxic gossip. Your father is a great leader and he's given so much to the people. You are Na'vi, Spider, you are one of us."
Tender warmth burst in Spider's heart at her words and he beamed in thanks at her. He watched as she became shy in the next moment while she contemplated her next words. Hana was a warrior like him and she was tough and resilient in her duties. She was only ever bashful around him and Spider found the quality incredibly endearing.
"I'm loyal to our olo'eyktan and your differences mean nothing to me. I'd be happy to be with you only and to see where this could go."
Spider claimed Hana's lips in a tender kiss and she squeezed their entwined hands hearteningly. Breaking away slowly, he murmured against her lips, "People are going to talk. They think I'm mated to Ria."
Hana scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Let them talk. They are fools to doubt the tsahìk's words that Ria is unmated and that her child is a blessing put there by Eywa."
Leaning back to rest on his elbows, a thought occurred to Spider and he saw an opportunity present itself. He looked back at Hana again, his ears twitching expressively as he pondered his thoughts. Hana could be trusted. She had been supportive and friendly with Ria from the start and she was fond of Neteyam too, having grown up and worked with him for so long.
"I need a favour," Spider asked carefully, "Well, my brother does."
Hana's brows raised questioningly, but her expression was open and willing, "What is it? What does Neteyam need?"
Neteyam had sought Spider out the other week to talk, much to Spider's surprise. His brother had spoken to Ria and, upon finding out the truth, had apologised for the rash behaviour he had displayed in the weeks leading up to it. Spider had considered rejecting Neteyam's apology, outraged that his brother had been stupid enough to make such an assumption and then act on it without clarification. However, Spider had seen the change in Ria after she had reconciled with Neteyam, had seen how her spirits had lifted and he concluded that giving his brother the cold shoulder would only upset her again.
Spider chewed the inside of his cheek, realising that there was not a way to enlist Hana's help without revealing the entire convoluted truth to her, "Do you trust me?"
"Of course," Hana replied, her brows knitting in seriousness and she moved to sit herself upright to face him.
"This is going to sound crazy, but it's the truth as the Great Mother has made it. Only my family knows." Spider began slowly, "Ria's baby is a blessing from Eywa, but her child is not fatherless. The child is Neteyam's."
A shocked gasp left Hana as she took in what Spider had revealed, "What?"
"I know it's crazy, but they were together before he wed Penina and Ria conceived then. You need to trust me on this."
Hana had suspected during Ria's training that she and Neteyam had grown close, but she had thought no more of it after he had mated Penina.
"Neteyam needs to talk to Ria alone, but Penina will barely let him out of her sight in the evenings. You're friends with her. I need you to take her out or go distract her some other way." Spider continued, grimacing slightly at how dishonest his request sounded.
"I can't condone this. Neteyam and Penina are mated! They made their vows to each other."
"I know, but they just need to talk about things," Spider implored, "By Eywa, I know it's all one big clusterfuck. No one knows how or why this has all happened, but they're having a child. Please, Hana?"
Hana gave a muted curse as she gazed into the depths of Spider's eyes. She saw no deception there. Hana trusted Spider, but moreover she trusted in Eywa. If things were as he said then she knew that the Great Mother must have her reasons, but she also hoped that Eywa had a plan for Ria.
"Alright, I'll organise something and talk to Penina."
Hana's head bobbed into view at the alcove entrance and she called out a greeting as she entered. Penina plastered as genuine a smile as she could onto her face as she rose to welcome her friend into her home.
Hana had proposed a relaxed meet-up between them to catch-up as friends, share a meal, re-braid each other's hair and talk about whatever mundane things women spoke of when they spent time together. Ordinarily Penina would not be opposed to the idea. She had known Hana since they were children and she enjoyed the other woman's company. However, Penina was not stupid. She knew it was no coincidence that their meet-up fell on the same night that the Sullys were getting together to share their fortnightly family meal. No matter, it served her own agenda just as well.
"Neteyam, oel ngati kameie," Hana said, clasping Neteyam's forearm in a warrior's greeting as he returned the sentiment.
Strapping his dagger to his hip, Neteyam inclined his head at the two women, "Well, I'll leave you both to it. Have a good evening."
"Yes, you better not keep your family waiting. You know how cranky Spider gets when he's hungry." Hana chuckled good-naturedly.
"Wait," Penina called, striding up to Neteyam just as he was about to leave the alcove. She thrust something at him and he let his gaze fall to see the woven satchel he had packed the other evening for Ria.
Aware that they were within view of Hana, Penina pressed the satchel into Neteyam's hands and leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek, ever the picture of a loving wife bidding her husband goodbye. With her lips by his ear, she whispered sourly, "Get this crap out of my sight. I can't stand to look at it."
Keeping his expression neutral, Neteyam gripped the satchel in hand and departed without another word.
With the absence of Penina, last meal in the family alcove was a blessed enjoyment. The overall atmosphere was relaxed as they ate, spoke and joked, delighting in the immediate comfort of their soaia (family).
As usual, Neteyam's eyes were drawn to Ria who sat on a cushion of folded soft cloths, laughing as she nibbled at her food. She was very round now and the cushioning under her bottom elevated her torso to alleviate some of the tightness in her hips as she sat. Her eyes caught his across the circle and she smiled a shy smile.
Despite her heavily pregnant form, Spider had told Neteyam that Ria often took slow walks in the evenings as it helped with digestion and lessened the ache in her lower back. The family took it in turns going with her, both to guard her as well as accompany her.
Neteyam would go with her tonight and he could not wait to spend some time alone with her. He missed her greatly and he wanted to feel their child kick and move within her again.
"You brought this with you, son?" Neytiri queried, gesturing to the satchel that lay tucked against the wall as she came to sit by him.
"Yeah, just some of the favours that Penina and I were given as gifts. I figured Ria could use some of the things." Neteyam replied, forcing a small grin at his mother.
His mother had always been beautiful; all quiet strength and lithe grace. For the longest time she had been the only woman he had adored, until Ria. A lump began to form in Neteyam's throat as he thought of the admission he had to speak to his parents about and he swallowed tightly.
Neytiri graced him with a warm smile of her own and she reached out to caress his cheek, before her eyes turned playful and she flicked at one of his ears teasingly. The actioned earned her a mild protest from Neteyam as he batted her hands away, chuckling. He was her firstborn child and Neteyam had opened her eyes to the endless and boundless love that a mother would always have for her children. Soon, he would be a father too.
All Na'vi babies only made their first communion with Eywa when they were several moons of age. The first bond a child would know was the bond between parent and child. For the first few moons, little ones would be introduced to tsaheylu through their mother and father. Parents would make the bond with their babies regularly, right from the first few days, only stopping this act upon the child's first bonding with the Great Mother. However, the bond forged between parent and child was infinite and would remain for life. The only other bond an individual would ever make again with another individual was the sacred mating bond between pairs.
The alcove was abuzz with chatter from the rest of the family as Neytiri regarded her son with perceptive eyes. A mother's intuition was never wrong and she could sense Neteyam was troubled.
Reaching out to clasp one of his wrists soothingly, Neytiri prompted, "What troubles you, Neteyam?"
Moistening his lips, Neteyam breathed a sigh and met his mother's large gold eyes, "I need to speak with you and Dad about something, after the great feast tomorrow and once the hype of all our visitors has died down."
Cocking her head, Neytiri's expression became concerned, "Is something wrong? Is it urgent?"
"It's a long story, mother. It's urgent but best left until the other clans have gone."
Nodding gravely, Neytiri gave his wrist a squeeze, "Alright, I'll let you father know and we will talk soon, my son."
A strained grunt followed by laughter sounded across the alcove as Tuk pulled Ria with some difficulty to her feet.
"Oof I needed to get off my butt, thanks Tuk." Ria said, stretching upward to loosen tight muscles before her hands came to her rounded belly, "I feel so huge."
Spider snorted a laugh, "Yeah, you are. You would look right at home amongst a pod of tulkun whales."
Jake shot his son a warning look and Mo'at clucked her tongue at the tasteless comment, but Ria simply laughed in good humour and stuck her tongue out at Spider, "Care to accompany the whale out for a walk then, smart mouth?"
"Nah, I think I'll let Neteyam have the honour." Spider grinned mischievously and then added to his brother, "Try and keep Ria on flat ground, otherwise she might roll away if she stumbles and falls."
Spider gave a strangled groan in the next moment as he simultaneously sustained an elbow in the ribs from Tuk, a swat on the arm from Ria and a flick in the ears from Mo'at. Everyone was grinning and laughing though and Neteyam felt the bright spark of a smile crack the grave expression on his face.
Neteyam and Ria left the alcove in silence, slowly descending the central spiral at Ria's slower pace. Eclipse was well and truly underway now and the bioluminescence around them blazed in all its picturesque glory. Their footsteps illuminated underfoot as they walked towards the springs. It was a familiar path and the air around them grew charged in anticipation of some privacy.
Ria honestly took no offense at Spider's playful jabs around her increased rotundity. However, as she strolled now alongside Neteyam, she absently wondered if he was put off by the extra weight she carried in her thighs, hips and arms. She was not overweight by any means, but the agile leanness to her form that she possessed before was gone now, replaced with softer and fleshier limbs.
Late pregnancy really was just balancing aches and pains in different places, Ria discovered. Though the strolling eased the pain in her lower back, it made the swollen tenderness in her feet worse. Sitting down would take the weight off her feet, but it would made her hips pull tight.
"My feet hurt so I'm not going to walk far," Ria said softly to him, turning into a smaller set of springs to her left.
Neteyam nodded, knowing what she meant. They would not be going to their spring tonight.
Ria stepped into an isolated coppice with a small set of cascades that flowed into a shallow loch, "This is where I've been bathing. It's less stressful here without the stares in the main bathing spring."
Sheltered away now from any prying eyes, Ria closed the distance between them and she slipped her arms around Neteyam's torso to press herself against him as much as her protruding belly would allow. His strong arms received her without hesitation and he inhaled deeply against her hair, allowing her sweet scent to tantalise him.
"By Eywa, I've missed you, Ria." Neteyam breathed against her temple.
Ria sighed contentedly. The heat of him warmed her skin and the smell of him was so comforting. She was unsure if she was imagining it but with the feel of his arms around her and his scent in the air, the aching in her back and feet seemed to almost disappear entirely.
Tilting her head back to look at him, Neteyam's lips found hers in the next instant and Ria's heart and soul soared. They kissed slowly, lips and tongues melding in a languid dance of passion. His hands were hot against the bare skin of her back as he clutched her to him, plundering her mouth. Soft moans left Ria and her fingers dug slightly into the firm muscles of his shoulders while she continued to crane her face up towards his.
Breaking apart for air, their breaths mingled through their shallow pants. Their kiss was a fresh reminder of everything they could have and everything they stood to lose, and Neteyam felt a fresh surge of determination to remedy his plight.
"I'm going to leave Penina," Neteyam told Ria decisively, "I'll talk to my parents after all the clans have returned, ask them to help us. I don't want to lead this clan if it means being without you. I love you, you're all I need."
A spear of happiness illuminated the dark and longing part of Ria's heart at Neteyam's words. To know that his heart still longed for hers was a great comfort but the execution of the situation seemed fraught with peril.
Ria's questions poured forth, "How will you leave Penina? You're bonded to her and you'll upset her entire family, especially Tarsem! Your parents already know about us, what can they do about it?"
There was a ticking in Neteyam's jaw as he looked down at Ria. It was time to come clean with her and admit the crux of it all. Stroking her cheek with his thumb, he said, "I'm not mated to Penina, not truly. It's all been a lie."
"What do you mean?" Ria asked, her brows knitting deeply in confusion.
"We made our vows but our bonding failed. The Great Mother rejected our attempt to seal the bond." Neteyam admitted, "I just wanted to keep you all safe, so I agreed when Penina suggested to just go with it and we would try again another time. But this has all been a stupid mistake."
Ria was lost for words. Neteyam and Penina's mating had failed. He was not bound for life to another woman, but he had led her to believe for hopeless months that he was lost to her forever, despite Eywa's clear warning. The Great Mother's words about the painful path Ria trod being of Neteyam's doing made perfect sense now. She wanted to be furious with him, but she understood the corner he had been backed into and understood why he had chosen the path he had. He had been selflessly responsible and dutiful all the while drowning in his spiritual sightlessness.
Becoming apprehensive at Ria's silence, Neteyam kissed her deeply again and cajoled her, "I've never belonged to Penina. I've been yours this whole time, Ria, and I'm sorry for this lie I've lived."
Choking on the tears that had begun to consume her at the relief his words brought to her tortured soul, Ria stuttered, "I love you too; you fool."
Neteyam pressed tender kisses to each of her eyes as Ria's tears fell, kissing away the salty drops before they could roll down her beautiful face. Resting his forehead gently on hers until their noses touched, he reassured her, "I'll tell my parents the truth. I don't what they can do but at least they'll know and there'll be no more lies. You're my family now and Sullys stick together."
A jolt in her belly interrupted them and Ria gasped in surprise, before she laughed wetly at her baby's jabbing announcement, reminding them of its presence.
"Is he moving?" Neteyam asked, his eyes twinkling with an eagerness as he placed a large hand against Ria's cloth-wrapped belly.
"He? It could be a she." Ria mused out loud. She took Neteyam's hand and pressed it into the firm tautness of her flesh, attempting to coax the baby to move again. The baby did not disappoint and it responded with a flurry of stretches and kicks. Ria winced a little at the movement, which was not painful but not comfortable either at the same time. She swore it felt like her baby had more than two arms and legs sometimes with how much it kicked.
A smile of wonderment stretched across Neteyam's cheeks and he moved his other hand to join in its twin, framing Ria's abdomen in his hands. Bending to rest on one knee to bring himself closer to where his child grew, he kissed the rounded swell as it rolled and rippled gently beneath his hands. Was it possible to love someone you had never met?
Lifting his gaze to meet Ria's, he found her violet eyes shining with affection as she watched his interaction with their little one. Neteyam made a vow to them both, "No matter what happens, I will be with you when you bring our child into the world. I promise."
The curved claw-blade of the ornately carved hunting dagger gleamed in the flickering light of the fire. The virgin blade was acutely sharp and the edge of it was a sinister promise of blood and death. It was beautiful in the peril it guaranteed, its handle bound and woven red and black with intricate designs specifically for this event.
The knifemaker presented it to the wielder with steady hands before the gathered assembly, "With this blade you will begin the end of the effluence that walks among us. Cut off the head, and the body will die."
The wielder accepted the blade carefully with a malicious sneer, "Yes, tomorrow at the great feast. I know my role and I will perform it gladly."