Chapter 17: Peace-Marker
The ground level alcoves which the Omatikaya used as a medical bay were spacious, bordering almost all of the eastern side of kelutral. The alcoves and inlets that made up the area intersected with each other very much like a honeycomb of earthen walls and rooted archways. It made for good privacy between different patients and also provided enough room for family to stay with the sick where needed.
Jake had fallen into a deep sleep again not long after Lo'ak and Tsireya had paid their respects and greeted him. The pair had spent a short while thereafter by his side sponging the beading sweat from his face and torso, ascertaining for themselves with their own eyes and gentle touches that he would be alright in the end. The knowledge had calmed their weary and harrowed hearts after their lengthy journey from Awa'atlu.
Tuk had taken up residence on a sleeping mat by the foot of her father's resting form, attempting to get some rest of her own while she kept vigil in case he woke in need of something. Lo'ak, Tsireya and Spider sat around a corner in another recess, speaking quietly so as not to wake the other two.
Spider had recounted everything to his brother and Tsireya. Well, everything apart from the titbit about Neteyam and Penina's failed mating. He had felt it was not his place to reveal that. That truth needed to come from Neteyam. So, Spider had detailed every other part of Ria's tale from the day they had found her, through her rites, her encounter with the palulukan, the prophecy, the insurgency, right up to the present moment.
Flabbergasted was not a sufficient enough word to describe the look on Lo'ak's face.
"So, let me get this straight, Ria was your guard and she's the recombinant soldier who helped us all escape from the SeaDragon?" Lo'ak recapped, his incredulity evident even in his hushed tone, "She survived the plague at Bridgehead, became Omatikaya and she loves Neteyam, but he mated Penina? And Ria has conceived a child with Neteyam even though they aren't mated?"
"It's complicated. I know it sounds crazy, brother, but I swear to Eywa I haven't exaggerated any of it. You can't make this shit up." Spider insisted gravely.
If it was not for the sober expression on Spider's face and his steely eyes, devoid of the cheeky glint Lo'ak was accustomed to seeing, he would have proclaimed Spider the greatest storyteller in Omatikaya history.
Tsireya on the other hand appeared enchanted by the narration of the events. Her facial bioluminescence shone in the lamplight of the alcove and her blue eyes were enthralled, "There will be songs written and sung about Ria for generations to come, Lo'ak! She has been chosen by Eywa to be the bearer of the peace-marker. Her path has been as fated by the Great Mother!"
"Why the hell did Neteyam mate Penina if he loves Ria?" Lo'ak hissed, massaging his temples with his fingers in exasperation. His eyes were closed but his mouth still hung ajar. It was a question uttered aloud as his brain grappled to process everything, but Lo'ak knew why. Duty, responsibility and expectation.
"Your brother has always done what is expected of him. He has always put the family before himself." Even Tsireya understood and her voice was remorseful as the words left her. In the years since the Sullys had first arrived seeking uturu with the Metkayina, she had grown to see Neteyam as another older brother and she had witnessed his blind altruism first hand on countless occasions.
A tired chuckle emanated from Lo'ak as he shook his head with a sigh, "By Eywa, that's so typical of him. Trust Neteyam to always use his head, and his dick even, but ignore his heart." The crass comment earned him an unimpressed swat from Tsireya on the knee where they sat.
"I hope they've found her," Tsireya murmured, recalling the earlier fluster and panic at Ria's disappearance.
"If they haven't returned by now to get our help, chances are they did." Spider reassured, "I just hope she's doing OK. She wasn't due for another few weeks."
"May the Great Mother deliver Ria of her child safely." Tsireya prayed quietly. Her expression turned delighted again then and she clutched at Lo'ak's forearm, "A child! At long last! Your grandmother's prophecy is soon to be realised and there will be peace among Na'vi. Ria and Neteyam are truly blessed to be bringing about the peace-marker!"
Lo'ak could not help his smile at Tsireya's words, tenderness bursting in his chest at her fascination with the prophesied child. Like many other mated pairs, they had prayed for a child of their own, had entreated the Great Mother to end the many years of childlessness. Hope bloomed warm in his heart at the thought of his grandmother's prophecy being on the cusp of fulfilment. Perhaps he and Tsireya would be blessed with a little one of their own soon too in the predicted peacetime to come.
However, beneath the warm hope, an unsettling froth of apprehension simmered in Lo'ak's stomach as he contemplated the very real insurgency Spider had also spoken of. Lo'ak could not reconcile in his mind how the eternal peacetime his grandmother had foretold of seemed so imminent and yet danger surrounded them like ravenous viperwolves. There was no way they would surrender Ria or the child to the enemy. They were part of his family now.
With sickening dread, Lo'ak realised that for the second time in their lives, his family would be hunted to their deaths again unless a solution was found in three days. Great Mother save them all.
Mo'at could hear the quiet concern in Neytiri's voice as her daughter approached. A warm hand settled itself on her shoulder, forcing the tsahìk to meet her daughter's uneasy gaze. Prophecy and peace-marker aside, this was a joyous moment for Neteyam and Ria; the birth of a child. This was also the first child to be born amongst the people in many years and it was still a reason to celebrate.
Mo'at warred within herself as her anxiety and confusion at the unexpected clashed with her familial desire to rejoice at the new addition to the family. Contrition filled her heart. No matter what she had expected and no matter what she had foreseen, this child was her first great-grandchild and it was time she greeted the little one. Everything else, her fear and her doubt, could wait.
The grove still glowed and pulsed around them and the blissful warmth of the water remained, cocooning them all in a cosy and peaceful ambience.
"I am fine, maite," Mo'at insisted, forcing a warm smile at Neytiri, "Simply tired is all." Slowly, she waded towards the new parents, watching as they exchanged affectionate nuzzles, huddled close to each other with their new baby held in arms.
Ria marvelled at the silken smoothness of her baby's skin and at the soft and downy hairs that covered her little head. She gently tucked the length of her daughter's neural queue to trail along her forearm at the baby's back. Being newly born, her baby's queue was naked and hairless, the skin of the neural whip exposed where it trailed from the crown of her head. Through time her baby's hair would grow and it would be woven around the neural whip to form the signature braid she was accustomed to seeing.
Ria gave Mo'at a watery smile as the older woman to a stop beside them. Ria owed so much to the entire family, but it had been Mo'at who had opened her arms and her home to her since the day she had arrived, "Thank you, Mo'at, for everything. Would you like to hold her?"
"Yes, I would love to. I would like to give the little parultsyìp a blessing," Mo'at pronounced affectionately. The baby girl had fallen into a newborn slumber after suckling for a few minutes and she slept soundly without protest as she was passed into her great-grandmother's arms.
Tenderness swelled in Mo'at's chest as she gazed down at the babe. Any anxiety she had felt from before disappeared in that moment as she delighted in the warm weight of the baby in her arms. Placing a kiss to the child's cheek, she murmured her blessing, "May Eywa bless you and keep you always, little one. May the Great Mother's words forever guide you and may the warmth of her fire burn bright in your heart for eternity."
Neytiri had gone to fetch a few implements from her mother's medical pack in the meantime and she returned to sever the baby's umbilical cord, tying lengths of twine around the two cut ends to quickly stem the flow of cord blood. Meeting Ria and Neteyam's eyes, she informed Ria mildly, "The pains will return shortly to help you deliver the afterbirth. They will not be as painful as before though and it should pass quickly."
Ria nodded in understanding, taking deep and mindful breaths as she relaxed against Neteyam. Their queues remained connected and she could still feel his strength vitalising her along with a multitude of his other emotions: Pride, joy, love, awe…
"I'm so proud of you. You were so strong," Neteyam murmured by Ria's ear, "Thank you. Our little girl is beautiful."
Resting her head against his shoulder, Ria turned her face into his neck and inhaled… Strong and safe and everything she loved. She pressed a kiss to his throat, attempting to convey her own gratitude, "Thank you for helping me."
"Why didn't you come back to the medical bay to get me? Why did you wander off on your own?" Neteyam's tone was fretful, his confusion at her actions clear.
Ria could feel her fatigue beginning to overwhelm her again and her eyelids were heavy as she slurred, "Your father needed you all. I didn't want to be an added burden."
"Stupid," Neteyam muttered, reproaching her even as one of his hands lovingly smoothed the loose strands of hair away from her face and forehead, "That was a stupid thing to do, Ria. I said I wanted to be with you when the time came."
Ria's familiar scent wafted up to his nose, but it was tinged with a foreign unpleasantness and in the calm mood of afterbirth, Neteyam was brusquely reminded of the reason why. Ria had been poisoned.
"Did you see anyone last night after us? Did you eat something that someone gave you?" Neteyam asked, jostling Ria gently to get her attention when he realised she was sinking into a drowsy stupor again, "Grandmother said you've been poisoned."
An upsurge of pain shot through their bond and Neteyam grimaced. He felt Ria squirm in his arms and she let out a pained moan.
Ria writhed as the gripping pain enfolded her midsection. She felt dazed and she was so drained. She just wanted the pain to stop, but it increased in the next moment and Ria felt a pressure pushing low in her abdomen and pelvis.
"Gentle pushes with the pain, Ria," Neytiri coaxed softly, "You'll have to deliver the afterbirth now."
Shaking her head frantically, the pain crested into a full contraction and a guttural scream tore from Ria as she clutched at Neteyam's arms around her. No, not this again! It was too much… and she was much too tired now… She suddenly felt a burn again between her legs and an inescapable urge to bear down hard.
Neteyam groaned as he pulled some of the pain from Ria, his expression contorting at the intensity of it. Didn't his mother say that afterbirth pains were milder? These pains felt just as intense as the ones from before.
Mo'at rocked the baby girl in her arms soothingly when she began to stir from the noise. She kept her body low in the pool, ensuring the warmth of it enveloped the little one so she would not get cold. She watched as Ria thrashed and trepidation swelled within her. The amount of pain Ria seemed to be experiencing was unusual and it appeared Neytiri had picked up on the abnormality too.
"Neteyam! Prop her up a bit higher for me," Neytiri called frantically, moving to check Ria again with urgent hands.
Panic lanced through Neteyam as the pains kept on coming. Ria was straining again and though he had zero experience with childbirth, he knew from his mother's nervous expression that something was not right.
Neytiri's brows were furrowed in concentration as she tried to do her work as gently as possible, not wanting to cause Ria any more discomfort. Her hands and fingers probed between the girl's legs, feeling around for the afterbirth until her fingers met something round and solid.
Neytiri's breath hissed inward through her mouth in a shocked gasp. No, it could not be… it was unheard of…
"Sa'nok!" Neytiri cried out, agitated, and her mother approached on deliberate strides through the warm water. Neytiri took the baby from Mo'at and gestured for her mother to check Ria.
The contraction that gripped Ria subsided and she flopped back against Neteyam limply. Neteyam's breaths were short and he frantically panted out his questions while his grandmother performed her checks, "What is it? What's wrong? Why is she still hurting like that?"
An almost inaudible string of words whispered from Mo'at's lips in disbelief before she turned her wide eyes on Ria and said, "Great Mother, there's another child."
Neteyam's jaw slid agape. Na'vi only had singleton births; one baby at a time. As far as he was aware, there had never been an occurrence of a pair of children conceived and born at the same time. His father had been one of a pair in his old life. Twins, his father had called it in his own tongue, but the Na'vi did not even have a word for such an occurrence.
Eclipse was ending now and rays of dappled light were beginning to stream into the spring grove through the fertile canopy overhead. The spring water sustained its consecrated warmth and the tufts of atokirina continued their twirling dance around them. Hallowed whispers rushed past Mo'at's ears as she guided Ria through the pangs of her labour, her lips breathing heartening words as she urged the girl to bring forth her second child.
Reinforcing their bond with as much adoration and support as he could, Neteyam pushed his strength towards Ria, fortifying her as she gave a final uninhibited shout of strain. When he saw his grandmother pull another child from Ria's body, his heart surged with emotion so profound that he had no words.
Mo'at gazed at the child through the ripples of the clear spring water, its little body still peaceful in the liquid warmth that surrounded it, not unlike the warmth of its mother's body where it had grown before. Gradually, she brought the baby upwards and it gave a mild startle as its body broke the surface of the water to meet the cool air. The baby's face wrinkled in upset and it squealed aloud, testing its lungs.
The tsahìk pressed the babe to Ria's chest and Neteyam's arms wound around her and their second child as the girl lay lethargically against him. Mo'at stroked one of the baby's clenched fists with a soothing finger and its little hand unfurled to reveal five tiny fingers. A quick glance at a little foot confirmed the same, five toes… And as the baby settled to the sound of Neteyam's deep murmurs it blinked open eyes that were a striking shade of violet.
A bright smile illuminated Mo'at's face as a blessed wave of understanding washed over her. She had not been wrong about Ria.
Ria had indeed brought forth the peace-marker. However, Mo'at had misinterpreted what the peace-marker was. She had seen this second child in her visions, but this child was not the peace-marker. Not on its own anyway.
Five fingers and five toes… the cry of a newborn babe…
Conceived in darkness secret by the grace of Eywa… first of its epoch…
Born of demon and Na'vi… Gold and violet...
Heralds of faith the truth illume... the unity pair...
The peace-marker to come, the dawn of the eternal peacetime age…
Mo'at had thought that 'gold and violet' and 'the unity pair' were references symbolic of the bond between Neteyam and Ria. She realised now that they, in actual fact, referred to a pair of children. The peace-marker was not a single child, it was the miraculous birth itself of a pair of babies carried and born together. First of its epoch; first ever in history amongst the people.
Ria's breaths calmed, the heaving of her chest slowing as she clutched her newborn to her bosom. Twins… she had carried and given birth to two babies. The fact was a shock to her psyche, but she repeated her actions from earlier again, unable to help her curiosity.
Peering between their baby's legs Ria heard Neteyam give an elated chuckle, "A boy!"
Neytiri approached them and her beautiful face was streaked with tears of joy as she returned the first baby girl into the waiting arms of her parents, placing her next to her brother who was lying placidly and awake on one side of his mother's chest.
Cradling her babies, Ria felt a glorious smile stretch across her cheeks despite her wild exhaustion. A daughter and a son. Thank you Great Mother.
No words were uttered aloud as Neteyam encircled his new family in his arms, or as Neytiri embraced her mother in jubilation, but silent prayers of praise and thanks were lifted to Eywa by them all in the tranquillity of the spring grove.
However, rising turbulence awaited them beyond the haven that sheltered them now. A new day had dawned and their bubble was about to burst.
The rest of the Sullys had attempted to get as much rest as they could in the early hours before daybreak.
Tsireya had lain delicately curled on a soft mat in the corner, fast asleep. She had understandably been exhausted after the lengthy flight from her home in the islands. She had flown with Lo'ak on his ikran for short distances in the past, but never all day and all night as they had in their rush to reach the Omatikaya clan. Lo'ak's eyes had been scratchy and dry from his own fatigue, but his nerves hummed with apprehension and his anxiety had prevented sleep from finding him.
Spider had attempted to catnap here and there whilst keeping an eye on Tuk and their father, but like Lo'ak, sleep had not claimed him at any point and when daylight had broken, he had abandoned any further hope of getting any rest. Stretching his arms upward and relishing in the feel of his joints popping, he got to his feet and moved to stand by his brother at the main alcove archway, watching as the gentle rays of morning light greeted kelutral's ground level.
Lo'ak turned his head to look acknowledge Spider and the two brothers shared a poignant look. The hustle and bustle outside the medical alcoves could be seen and heard now that people were up and about. Every so often passers-by would shoot nervous glances in their direction, no doubt wondering how their father fared and likely also wondering what further furore the day might bring.
The brothers both knew that confusion would be rife amongst the clan after the events of the previous night. It was anyone's guess how many Omatikaya clan members had turned against them to join the insurgents. Everything hinged on this morning's meeting between the warriors and whoever remained of the clan's elders.
"Lo'ak, can you come help me sit Dad up?" Tuk called gently, attempting to help her father into a more upright position. Much more colour had returned to Jake's face and while he still looked poorly, his wound no longer bled and he was alert enough to hold a conversation.
Big-hearted and devoted as always, Tuk had scurried up to their family alcove at the crack of dawn to bring some food down to them for first meal. Afterwards, she had painstakingly ground some berries, grains and wheatmeal with some pa'li milk to make a nutritious gruel for their father to slowly eat.
Lo'ak tucked a bolster roll behind Jake's back to support him and Tuk pressed the small bowl of gruel into her father's hands, "Do you think you can manage some of this?"
With a small grunt, Jake found a comfortable position and took a small sip from the bowl, "Yeah, thanks kids."
"Have another dose of the rosewater too. That's some powerful stuff." Spider called over his shoulder.
Jake's eyes flitted around the alcove, noticing that the other members of his family still remained absent. Settling the bowl in his lap, he queried, "Have the others returned? Did they find Ria?"
"They've been gone the whole night and haven't been back." Lo'ak replied, "Spider says they probably did find Ria or else they would have come back for help."
As if on cue, Spider saw three figures enter the village on the far side of kelutral through the main entrance. He would recognise those figures anywhere. Neteyam, Neytiri and Mo'at had returned. Neytiri had her mother's medical pack slung over one shoulder and she held a wrapped bundle of cloth in her arms. Mo'at sported a similar small bundle in arms, while Neteyam carried a larger wrapped figure; Ria.
Spider blew a low warning whistle from between his lips, "Speak of the devil. They're back now."
"No, don't move, Dad. Stay there." Tuk chastised sternly, placing a firm hand on her father's chest as he attempted to get up.
Tsireya, who had awakened a few moments earlier at the sound of conversation, quickly reinforced Tuk's sentiment, "Yes, don't move too much or you might strain the wound and break the stitching if you're not careful."
Lo'ak joined Spider again by the archway, watching as the people milling around the expanse of the ground level all stopped what they had been busying themselves with to stare at the returning figures.
Then, they all heard it.
The wail of a baby pierced the brittle air of the village around them and not a mere moment later it was joined by a second keening cry. Shocked gasps and cries resounded all around and Spider cursed long and hard in his disbelief, as he turned his gaze to meet Lo'ak's equally stunned expression. Twins?
Neteyam tightly swallowed the lump of apprehension in his throat as they entered the village. His ears kept flicking backward towards his mother and grandmother behind him while they both endeavoured to pacify the babies and quieten their cries with gentle hushing. All eyes and ears were on them and people were starting to gather now. Some called out exultant blessings at the discovery of the little ones and others stood speechless in their surprise.
The walk back to kelutral from the spring grove had been taxing. Ria was small in stature and she was not very heavy, but Neteyam had given her much of his mental and physical strength during the birth and he was weary now. His arms ached and burned where he carried her wilted form, blanketed and buddled his arms. If he was tired, she was even more so, depleted of almost everything she had.
Neteyam had not dared to break their bond as a result, wanting to make sure he could still feel her and keep her alive until he could get her to safety. His neural queue trailed over the front of his shoulder, the end of it still joined to Ria's where it lay between them, tucked out of sight into the blankets around her.
"Neteyam!" A strong male voice called and Neteyam looked to his left to see Tarsem, Penina and an assembly of warriors and supporters approaching him.
Shit, the morning meeting. Neteyam had forgotten about it entirely after undergoing the events of Ria's labour. The crowd around them was growing exponentially now and he recognised the faces of those who supported them from the visiting clans; Mireya and Anyik, the Tawkami and Anurai tsahìks, as well as Na'nong and his troop of Hulanta warriors.
The jumble of voices grew to a loud din and the words 'miracle' and 'peace-marker' were clearly audible despite the many voices. Through the growing melee, the babies cried, hungry to suckle again after being separated from Ria on their journey back. Their keening only added to the commotion.
"Please, brothers and sisters, give us some space!" Mo'at implored, raising an arm to motion for the crowd to step back, "We need to get these children and their mother to safety so they can rest!"
Penina pushed through the crowd to reach Neteyam, her expression impatient and disgruntled at the sight of Ria in her husband's arms, "You need to be at this meeting. The people need their leader." Her tone was abrupt, a demand.
Tarsem stood behind her left shoulder, flanking his daughter, and his eyes betrayed his internal disquiet as he surveyed the picture before him. He inclined his head gravely at Neteyam, "The warriors and supporters are looking to you for guidance. A plan of action must be drawn up soon."
"I understand, Tarsem, but it has been a long and arduous night for my family. The birth was unexpected." Neteyam's response earned him a raised brow from the man.
There was more pushing and shoving as the crowd parted again on the other side to reveal Spider, Hana and Lo'ak. The latter two facilitated a pathway through the crowd for Neytiri and Mo'at to make their way quickly back to the medical bay alcoves.
Scores of arms reached out towards them, wanting to touch the little miracles, wanting even just the barest brush of their fingertips against the woven blankets they were swaddled in. Neytiri knew the people were in awe and meant well, but their actions irritated her and if it were not for the many familiar faces of her own friends, she would have hissed and snarled at them to stay back.
Spider strode purposefully up to Neteyam, his arms reaching out to relieve his brother, "Give Ria to me, I'll settle her in the medical bay. Do what you need to do with this meeting and come back after."
"Yes, give her to her mate." Tarsem remarked brusquely, his confusion and displeasure evident at what appeared to him to be his daughter's husband carrying another male's mate fresh out of her ordeal with childbirth.
Neteyam knew his position looked peculiar, inappropriate even, especially in light of the lie he and Penina had conceived and implemented. To Tarsem, he had no business being around Ria whatsoever. Beneath the concealment of the blankets, his neural queue tingled with warmth where it remained joined to hers. Dread and bile surged up his throat.
This was not at all how he had envisioned the truth getting out… In front of his family was bad enough, much less before everyone else…
Neteyam's lips pressed into a thin line as the reality of his pretence came racing up to him. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself uttering a strong curse aloud. There was no escaping it, everyone would see the evidence of their bonding.
"Ria is not mated to Spider," Neteyam stated flatly. He gently transferred Ria's wrapped form into Spider's waiting arms, taking as much care as possible not to jostle her too much. She had remained deeply asleep in his own arms up until current, oblivious to the tumult around her. However, she stirred now at the movement. Once Ria was settled, Spider was about to turn and stride away when Neteyam stopped him. He needed to break their bond first.
Leaning down toward Ria, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, earning sharp inhales from their audience. He murmured to her quietly, "I've got some things to take care of. Spider's got you and he'll take you back. I won't be long."
Gritting his teeth hard now, Neteyam steeled himself for the inevitable fallout. Grasping his own neural queue with one hand, he reached into the wrapping of the blanket with his other and gently separated his queue from Ria's. She let out a soft whimper at the action. He blinked once, forcefully, at the unfamiliar sensation of tsaheylu ending between them and he instantly felt the loss of her.
The clamour around them rose, resounding in sharp tones of indignance and bewilderment at what they had just witnessed between Neteyam and Ria. Neteyam refused to meet Tarsem's gaze and it was Penina who spoke first, her voice tremulous with astonished fury, "What have you done?"
"What I should have done a long time ago." Neteyam sounded dead-beat tired, even to his own ears.
Stepping past Penina and Tarsem, he addressed the warriors and supporters who had gathered around awaiting the commencement of the scheduled meeting, "I know you will all have questions! And I know that uncertainty is rife after last night's events! However, it has been a very difficult night for my family. We've not had any rest and I need to tend to my mate. I respectfully ask to be excused and for you to give us the day to recuperate. We will all gather tonight after last meal and I will address everything and everyone then."
"What do we do in the meantime?" A young warrior called out, "Do you want us to continue our perimeter patrols? Do we engage if the hostiles attack?"
"No, do not engage if they turn aggressive outside the village. I don't believe they will attack. The insurgents appear to be keeping to their word and are unlikely to cause strife in the meantime. If they do go on the offensive, return to the village and seal kelutral off. We don't want war and we will hold our ground." Neteyam instructed firmly, "Keep up the patrols, but everyone else can return to their usual duties. Report to Tarsem in my absence."
Slack jaws and aghast faces followed Neteyam as he turned and strode away, deliberately not waiting around for any further reactions. He could hear Penina calling after him, but his footfalls were quick and determined and he pressed onward without a backward glance. Ria and his family were his priority now. Everything else would need to wait.
His grandmother had mentioned to him that she had left the Hulanta clan's gifted sleeping basket up in her alcove. No one had thought it would be put to use this soon, but there were two little ones who would fill and warm its depths now. A burst of warmth ignited in his heart at the thought. He was a father.
Quickly scaling the central spiral up to Mo'at's alcove, he entered the space and he scanned the area for what he was after. He spotted the sleeping basket in the corner and moved to collect it. It was intricate and beautifully crafted, the waxy leaves woven together tightly to form a sturdy yet lightweight result. An eerie chill prickled at his skin as he examined the basket. Neteyam thought it looked familiar, but his tired brain could not recall where from at current…
Tucking the basket under his arm upright so the blankets within it would not fall out, he was about to leave when the scent of sweat and kali'weya toxin caught his nose. With a deeper inhale, he found the smell permeated the air of the alcove and Neteyam glanced around the corner into the inner recess of the alcove where Ria usually slept.
Neteyam's gaze zeroed in on a partially opened packet of dried fruit by her mat, which sat next to the small woven satchel of foods and favours he had brought Ria previously. Suspicion unfurled deep in his gut and he bent to pick the packet of dried fruit up, bringing it to his nose. The saccharine scent of the fruit tickled his senses and beneath it was the slight but unmistakeable scent of the toxin. This was what Ria must have eaten…
Ria would not have been familiar with the toxin and she would not have recognised it for what it was. His eyes flicked to the woven satchel again and an icy horror filled him. Neteyam had been the one to bring her the satchel and Ria would only have eaten out of it trusting that whatever he had brought her was safe. He should have checked the contents before giving it to her…
Potent rage followed then, hot on the heels of his horror as the puzzle pieces fell into place and he realised who the culprit responsible for contaminating the food was. He had almost forgotten the satchel the other night in his anticipation to see Ria and his family. It had been Penina who had reminded him and pressed the satchel into his hands before he had departed.
Neteyam knew that Penina was a bold and feisty personality, but he had clearly underestimated her. His lips curled back with a menacing hiss. It had never crossed his mind that she would be capable of attempted murder. With torrid ire bubbling in his veins, he swiftly exited the alcove with the basket and deftly made his descent. He would deliver the basket to his family in the medical alcoves and then he would seek Penina out immediately.
At his grandmother's instruction, Spider had settled Ria on a mat in one of the deeper recesses of the medical alcoves out of the sight and sound of the main archway. Curious people would no doubt be moseying about the archway entrance, eager to witness and check on Ria and the new arrivals.
Neytiri and Mo'at had swiftly broken the news to Jake, Tuk and Tsireya, but there was no time for slow introductions to the new family members as the babies needed to be reunited with their mother. Ria's milk would be coming in soon and the suckling of her babies would help the process along. Ria was barely able to keep awake, but with Neytiri and Mo'at's guidance, they were able to place the littles ones on either side of her in a comfortable position to suckle.
There was a commotion at the entrance archway and Mo'at heard the deep timbre of Tarsem's voice speaking furiously with Jake from where she was in the inner recess with Ria. Neteyam and Ria's mating was going to cause a rift… What had transpired earlier was a less than ideal way for Tarsem to discover the lie Penina and Neteyam had been living, and the heated discussion he was having with Jake now was an even ruder way for Jake to discover the same truth.
Mo'at exchanged a worried look with Neytiri. There had been no time to tell Jake and the others in the medical bay. Things were happening so quickly and what had begun as a joyous morning in the spring grove was now spiralling into yet another unfolding nightmare.
There was the sound of raised voices and then Spider's unmistakeable placating tone as he attempted to intervene and mediate. Tsireya's lissom form appeared in the inner recess and she chewed her lower lip worriedly, "I think you both need to be out there. A lot has happened and things are getting heated. I'll stay here with Ria."
Thanking Tsireya, the two women swiftly moved to re-enter the main space of the alcove.
"I don't know what is going on, brother! This is news to me as the words have left your mouth!" Jake exclaimed, sitting upright with the support of Tuk. He clutched at his wound with one hand, attempting to tamp down the nausea that seized him at the pain that his yelling had caused.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Tarsem all but bellowed, pointing an accusing finger at Mo'at and Neytiri as they made their presence known.
"Mawey (be calm), Tarsem! An explanation is in order, but we can do this calmly and without antagonism." Mo'at said firmly, holding both her arms out.
Spider was glad for the added space of the medical bay currently. The ground alcoves were much more spacious than the alcoves higher up. The atmosphere was suffocating enough due to the volatile nature of the dialogue that was about to ensure and he could only imagine how overwhelmingly claustrophobic it would be if this was occurring in a smaller space.
Penina stood mutely by her father's side looking stricken. Her eyes were wide and her hands fidgeted nervously with the fabric of her loincloth. Spider shot her a deliberate glare, comprehending that she had not revealed an ounce of the truth to her father so far about her failed mating to Neteyam.
"An explanation? Yes, please explain why my daughter's mate has performed a sacred bond with another woman! What sacrilege is this?!" Tarsem hollered, irate. His entire body quaked with anger and he turned wild eyes on Spider, "The girl has borne you two children! Where is Neteyam? How does your brother fit into this mess?"
Fuelled by his fury, Tarsem's presence was intimidating, a fact which Spider was not at all surprised by considering this man had been olo'eyktan in his father's absence when their family had fled to the Metkayina all those years ago. Spider felt a warm hand slip into his as someone moved to stand behind him in moral support. Hana. He gave her hand a grateful squeeze.
"Ria and I are not mated. I didn't father her children, Neteyam did, before he wed Penina." In truth, Spider had not known how to start his response to Tarsem, so he had stuck with the facts. However, he felt it was unfair that he was being grilled, seeing as Penina stood not two paces from her father. Perhaps it was time Spider brought the heat back onto her, "Maybe you should ask Penina for an explanation, since she knows exactly what has gone down from the beginning."
Tarsem wheeled around to face his daughter, who shrank under his glower, "Well? Spit it out!"
Cornered now, Penina's expression twisted and turned injured, "Our bonding was rejected by Eywa. Neteyam and I are not mated."
"What?" It was Jake who spoke from his spot on his mat.
Tarsem's mouth was ajar and he looked confounded, "Your mating failed?"
Penina nodded tightly, the confession squeezing painfully from her as her face heated in shame, "I thought we needed time. I thought that he would feel differently in time and we could try again."
"You knowingly defied the Great Mother's will?" Tarsem queried in dismay.
However, before Penina could add her next piece, Neteyam flew through the main archway. His mien was dark, his face twisted into a cruel grimace. Setting down the sleeping basket, he hurled something at Penina and it hit her in the lower legs before the item bounced to the floor. The woven satchel.
Neteyam continued his advance and he reached Penina on rapid strides. He had never laid a hand on a woman, but he was sorely tempted to now. His hands encircled her upper arms forcefully, bringing her right up against him so his incensed face loomed down over hers, "You tried to kill her. You tainted the nutriments in the satchel with arachnoid toxin!"
Penina snarled at him, the fire in her bold nature glinting in the depths of her eyes even though they swam with unshed tears, "That is quite an accusation! You merely re-gifted them to Ria!" She forced her hands against his chest, attempting to twist out of his unforgiving grasp.
In the background, Mo'at had moved to pick the satchel up, sniffing its contents intently. The scent of the toxin was rife and there were no words needed to confirm the food was contaminated as she fixed Penina with a silent, but critical stare. The younger woman was her apprentice. Penina would have had access to the toxin in the supplies that Mo'at had given her as part of her training. Ria must not have ingested enough of contaminated food for it to have been fatal.
"You dare to deny it? Those favours were gifts from the clan, from friends and family, when we wed! Why would anyone have gifted us poisoned food?" Neteyam spat viciously, ignoring Tarsem's grip on his shoulder as he maintained his hold on Penina's struggling form. Penina was a proficient warrior herself, but she was no match for the brute force of his strength in that moment.
In the end it was Hana who swung the axe to deliver the final sentencing blow. She piped up from beside Spider, her own expression was shaken at the comprehension of what her friend had done, "I saw you give Neteyam that satchel the other night. He was about leave without it, but you insisted he take it to Ria."
Penina sagged slightly as she ceased her struggling against Neteyam. Breathing heavily from the exertion her tears finally fell as she cried petulantly, "She needed to be taken out of the picture! You couldn't see past her to even try with our marriage!"
Penina's words were as good as a confession and Neteyam snarled savagely at her, his ears pinned so flat against his head that they were barely visible. Ria could have died... His children could have been hurt… His rage consumed him and his next words were a direct and callous threat, "You know what the penalty for attempted murder is. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you here and now!"
A spiteful laugh barked out from Penina and she leant in towards him with a vindictive whisper that the others would not hear unless they strained their ears, "Would you risk killing your own child? Who knows? Perhaps I too am carrying a child of yours."
A small spear of panic lanced through Neteyam. Surely, the Great Mother would not have blessed Penina with a child… not after their blatant failure of a bonding. Frantically, he searched her eyes for any shred of truth to her claim. All he saw was malice and lies... With a growl, he gripped her arms even harder and shook her in frustration.
"Neteyam!" Neytiri called out and she moved to physically help Tarsem intervene between him and Penina.
Separating the two, Tarsem wrapped an arm around his daughter's defeated form, though his eyes were aggrieved and disappointed as he regarded her, "It has been a grave night and an even more terrifying morning. Your error in judgement has been costly and fault has occurred on both sides. I entreat you to spare my daughter's life. I will ensure she is reprimanded suitably."
Neteyam's chest was heaving and his nails were digging into his palms where his fists remained clenched tightly by his sides. As a parting dismissal he spat at Penina, "I acknowledge my own error in judgement. I renounce the vows I made to you when we wed. We have brought shame on our families and we will own up to this before the clan tonight. I will also relinquish my standing as my father's second-in-command and I give up my right to lead. I'm not worthy."
The silence in the medical bay was deafening as the gravity of Neteyam's words sunk in.
With a pointed nod of acknowledgement at Neteyam, Tarsem wasted no time steering Penina out of the alcove and they strode away. Neteyam watched their retreating forms with a bitter taste in his mouth. By Eywa's grace, Ria was alive and their children were unharmed, but Neteyam knew without a doubt, in the darkest part of his soul that if Penina had succeeded in her attempt on Ria's life, he would not have hesitated to kill her in retribution.
Turning away from the alcove archway, he met the eyes of his entire family and dishonour pooled like lead in the pit of his stomach. It was time to own up to his mistake in full. It appeared that this was an unspoken understanding shared by the others too as he saw Hana give Spider a discreet kiss before she excused herself, not wanting to be an outsider witnessing a private moment between family members. Neytiri had shifted to sit by Jake on his mat and his parent's eyes were wounded now as they looked at him.
Jake took a deep and slow inhale, wondering where to begin with his questions; wondering how to even ask why his son had deceived them for so long. Eventually, he spoke, choosing to start from the beginning, "You've loved Ria this entire time, from even before she passed all her rites."
It was a simple statement and Neteyam nodded once, deliberately, in response. He kept his head bowed, unable to meet his father or mother's eyes.
"Why did you wed Penina then?" Jake asked.
Like a soldier being interrogated, Neteyam responded, "Duty, sir. We were betrothed and it was expected of us."
"And when the Great Mother herself rejected your bond, why did you carry on like you did? Why have you lied to us for this long?"
"Because it was supposed to keep our family safe! Because I didn't want to bring shame on this family!" Neteyam cried out resentfully and he gave a bitter laugh then as he continued, "A failed mating between a future clan leader and tsahìk, what an ill omen. The clan could have thrown us out! I tried to keep Penina happy so she wouldn't run to Tarsem. We all know he was the third vote on the council that kept the other elders from overruling you!"
"Well look where we are now! We're no better off than where we were. In fact, we're probably in even more danger now because of how long this has gone on!" Jake exclaimed, "You and Penina defied the will of Eywa! You haven't just lied to us; you've lied to the entire clan! That is a far worse omen than a failed mating!"
Neteyam's head remained bowed and he could feel the flushing heat of his blood beneath his skin. His eyes stung from shame and a lump had lodged itself in his throat. He heard his mother attempt to placate his father with a soft murmur of "My Jake".
The sigh that breathed out from Jake then sounded defeated. He regarded his firstborn son. Dutiful, dependable and wise beyond his years… It was a sentiment he and Neytiri had echoed to themselves and to others many times over the years. Jake realised with a pang in his heart now that Neteyam was dutiful and dependable to a fault, and though he was wise in clan matters of leadership and counsel, he was not half as wise when it came to himself.
"I thought I raised you better than this." Jake's quiet utterance earned gasps from all around and he bit his tongue when he realised how it had sounded. The fault was not Neteyam's, the fault was his.
"Dad!" Lo'ak breathed, shocked at his father's statement, moving to stand behind his brother in solidarity. Spider joined him in the next moment, both of them flanking their brother.
Neteyam looked afflicted as he met his father's eyes, "I'm sorry I've failed you, sir. I did what I felt was my duty to the clan to this family. Being a good leader means doing your duty even if you don't like it. That's what you've always told me. Those were your words."
Jake looked at Neytiri, whose eyes shone with the same regret he felt searing deep in his soul. Had their strictness and expectations of their oldest son been his downfall? Had they unwittingly raised their son to give no care for his own heart and his own happiness in life in their desire to see him succeed? Their perfect soldier and yet in Neytiri's own words from years before, this was not a squad, it was their family.
"No, son, I have failed." Jake breathed, his emotion threatening to overwhelm him, "I have failed you as a father. I have taught you everything you need to know as a chief to lead this clan, but I've failed to teach you as a father should teach his son about what is truly important in life."
Neytiri stood then with tearful eyes and she approached Neteyam, stopping before him to lift his chin with a gentle hand. She saw her own eyes, set in her son's face, his cheeks wet with silent tears. She caressed his face tenderly with her right hand and she moved to place her left firmly against his chest over his heart, "I'm sorry, son. We have been too hard on you. Your worth does not lie in how well you do your duty, how well you follow orders or how much weight you can carry on your own. Your worth is here, in your heart, in who you are and what is important to you as an individual. You have grown into a good man and we are proud of you."
Neteyam embraced his mother, burying his nose into the side of her neck as his face crumpled in his own upset. They stood back from each other after several moments and she led him to Jake's side. Neteyam knelt before his father, taking his hand and pressing the knuckles of it to his forehead. While his anxiety about his parent's reaction had subsided now, his anxiety about facing the rest of the clan and their supporters later that evening weighed heavily in his mind.
"What do I do tonight, Dad? There will be further revolt once the people they find out."
Jake blinked somnolent eyes and shook his head at his son, but then he smiled, "You'll tell them the truth because it is as Eywa has willed it. We will deal with any fallout then. Now, go be with your mate and your little ones. Congratulations, son."
Lo'ak and Spider both sent him grins of their own and Spider nodded towards the inner recess where Ria was resting. Rounding a corner, he found her propped upright against some bolster rolls, a blanket wrapped around her to her underarms. She looked exhausted but the bright smile that she gave him when he approached made his heart soar.
Tsireya was busy settling the babies in their basket in the corner and she smiled affectionately at Neteyam as he came past. She and Ria exchanged amiable goodbyes before Tsireya departed to give the new family some privacy.
"Hey, you," Ria breathed croakily as Neteyam settled himself to sit beside her. She regarded his beautiful face, the tear tracks drying now on his cheeks, "I'm proud of you too. I love you."
Angling her face gently towards his, he claimed her lips with his, sweeping his tongue against hers when she parted her lips to allow him access. He could taste the sweet remnants of healing rosewater on her and it took everything in him not to pull her atop him when she gave a soft moan as he deepened their kiss. Neteyam mentally chastised his libido. Ria needed to heal and it would be some time yet before they would do anything more.
Breaking away from him slowly, Ria whispered against his lips, "I've thought of names. Tsireya helped with the words, but I thought of the meanings."
Neteyam grinned at her sheepishly. Of course, their little ones would need names. The thought had not even crossed his mind until now, he had been too busy re-acquainting himself with Ria's lips.
"What have you got?" Neteyam asked.
"For our daughter, Netireya. For our son, Reyatan."
Affection swelled in his chest and he beamed at the names. He liked them very much. Netireya was derived from the word 'spirited' and Reyatan meant 'live in the light'.
"They're perfect." Neteyam breathed, "I've got no complaints."
Ria chuckled, leaning to rest against his side. Neteyam took several mindful breaths, willing himself to just focus on the present moment and put aside his dread about the clan gathering that night. He glanced down at Ria to find her eyelids were drooping again and the sight served as a reminder of his own exhaustion. They needed to rest for now.
Out of the corner of his eye, he gazed at his son and daughter as they slept soundly in their basket. Their little faces were tucked close to each other's, the phosphorescent freckles on their skin glowing gently with life. The silvery hue of the basket was the last thing he saw as his vision began to blur with imminent sleep. One more breath, perhaps two, and slumber would claim him.
But Neteyam's mind jolted with the unwelcome memory of a nightmare… of swelling water and rushing rapids… a sleeping basket tossing in the violent billows… the keening cry of an infant…
His eyes flew open. He remembered now where he remembered the basket from and fresh terror clutched at his heart anew.