Chapter 4: The Great Mother's Blessing
Author's Note:
Alright, you lucky folks! :) EARLY chapter as well as LOOONG chapter. I will be away and unable to post when I normally planned to this coming Monday and I felt mean making ya'll wait until next Tuesday.
This one is a rollercoaster, with a bit of everything thrown in. So, buckle in and enjoy the ride! :)
The crisp morning air always carried with it the invigorating scent of the forest flora around them. As light began to grow across the horizon at the end of eclipse, the sweet blooms and fragrant flower pods that had closed for the night re-opened to greet the new day. Naia knelt in comfortable silence with Mo'at and Leylani among the luminous leaf-vines at the sacred site of Vitrautral (Tree of Souls).
They had flown down from High Camp earlier this morning as Mo'at had decided to hold their weekly prayer session here instead of in her hut, which was their usual place of prayer. There was an important matter being held in discussion at the clan council currently, Mo'at had remarked to Naia, and the Great Mother's guidance was vital to achieve the right outcome.
Naia did not know what was being deliberated over by the council and in truth, she was so engrossed in her bliss from the previous night that she did not care to even ask. The subtle weight of the pendant that now adorned her chest was a beautiful reminder of why. Thank you Great Mother, for this path that you have blessed me to walk…
The comforting rush of their ancestors' voices swirled through the bond she had made with the hallowed tree, and Naia relaxed into her meditation. Eyes closed in contemplation, she smiled a silent smile to herself. Neteyam loved her. They had made love last night and it was everything she had ever dreamed of.
Neteyam had been exceedingly gentle with her at first, but once Naia had convinced him that he had not caused her any hurt, he had been urgent and impassioned in his desire. He had been generous and attentive to her pleasure and Naia had discovered, in turn, that she too enjoyed watching him respond to the pleasure she brought him. After a short catnap following their initial lovemaking, they had been unable to stem the fervour of their newfound need for each other and they had tangled with each other one more time.
Overjoyed was not an adequate enough word to describe how idyllically happy Naia felt.
Chanted words spilled from the tsahìk's lips and Leylani's own murmurs mirrored Mo'at's as they prayed. Leylani did not fail to notice the silence to her left where Naia sat though. Cracking open an eyelid, she peered at her friend out of the corner of one eye. A serene smile was dancing across Naia's lips, and all over face and body, her syuratan (bioluminescent spots) twinkled and shone brightly against her cobalt skin. Naia's tail was relaxed and lay in a gentle curl at her side, but the little tuft at the end was dancing to and fro.
Happiness radiated from Naia in an unspoken glow and Leylani felt tender kindliness burst in her own chest at the sight. Her friend was blessedly happy today and it was the kind of joy that Leylani knew came only from that of an amorous affair. The beautiful necklace around Naia's neck was new too. Leylani studied the elegant piece of jewellery, noting that the materials it had been made from were foreign and not anything she had seen here before. She grinned, full of gladness for her friend. She did not even need to guess who had gifted Naia the piece of jewellery.
As discreetly and soundlessly as possible, Leylani shuffled closer to Naia and gave her a playful nudge with a bump of her hip. Naia's eyes flew open in question at Leylani who emitted a poorly stifled giggle.
"What are the two of you doing over there?" Mo'at's chanting stopped and her voice was a drawl as her amber eyes peeled open to dissect her two students.
Giggling uncontrollably now, Leylani peeped out between her tittering, "Manaia's distracted. She's not even praying."
Naia's jaw dropped and she goggled at being called out by her friend, "Yes, I am! I was giving thanks and reverence to our Great Mother."
Leylani's response was a teasing retort, muttered quietly through a closed mouth as she elbowed Naia naughtily, "Giving thanks to Eywa for the handsome man with broad shoulders and rippling muscles you were exploring last night, no doubt."
"Leylani!" Naia hissed, teeming with embarrassment at the salacious remark. Leylani dissolved into hoots of laughter. For all her demure demeanour, Naia knew Leylani could be mischievous if she wanted to be.
There was no irritation in Mo'at's expression as the older woman appraised Naia, the beginnings of a smile starting to etch its way across her aged face. The girl was flushed with mortification at being singled out. However, despite this, she was absolutely luminous in her joy. Whatever had occurred the previous night between her and Neteyam must have been deeply meaningful.
Mo'at's gaze fell to the necklet around Naia's neck and she recognised it for what it was: Her grandson had made his choice; Naia was his intended and he would wed no other.
"It's alright." Mo'at chuckled, regarding Naia with gentle eyes that sparkled with endorsement, "The Great Mother has blessed you. Be happy, child."
Naia was unable to contain her bright smile at Mo'at's words and she laughed, covering her face with both hands in an attempt to shield her embarrassment. Giving Naia one last parting poke in the ribs, Leylani scooted back to her position and they resumed their prayers.
Taking a deep and purposeful inhale, Leylani willed her mind to settle into a prayerful state. Eywa had blessed Naia and Neteyam with their reunion, and hopefully she would guide the clan's councillors to the decision she hoped for and bless the Omatikaya too with the successor the they needed.
Silently, Leylani offered her prayers of intention to the Great Mother. If Leylani was truthful, she had been relieved when Tupou had first expressed his wish to step down as successor upon Neteyam's return. As much as Tupou was a good friend of hers, he had his flaws and he could be difficult to deal with. Neteyam was a stronger candidate by far. She would do her duty as future tsahìk regardless of who was appointed successor, but Leylani would be lying if she did not admit to preferring Neteyam. They would work well as a leading pair and she could easily see herself growing to love him as a husband too.
However, the happiness of her friends outweighed her own desire for an easy partnership. Neteyam and Naia meant the world to each other and she was not going to step in the way of that. Neteyam would be a formidable olo'eyktan in time, but the Omatikaya would never see that day if the councillors denied him his wish to mate Naia.
A tendril of worry unfurled within Leylani at the thought. Tupou did not want to be successor and he would be miserable to deal with if forced into a mould he did not fit into. And there were no other suitable candidates. There really was only one ideal outcome.
Suppressing a sigh, Leylani beseeched the Great Mother to reveal her path and guide her towards it. Her duty was first and foremost to her clan. She wanted only what was best for the people and she would play whatever role she needed to ensure that. Strengthening her entreaty, Leylani focused all her being into her prayer, willing the Great Mother to show her the way.
A sharp intake of breath from Naia drew Leylani's attention then and she opened her eyes to look at her friend. A gasp of her own left her at what she saw.
Dozens of atokirina (seeds of the sacred tree) were descending from the canopy of trailing, radiant vines overhead. The graceful seeds undulated towards Naia, flocking to her and enveloping her in an incandescent picture where she sat. The atokirina floated around her, resting on her head, shoulders and lap, their rippling wisps skimming across Naia's skin in a gentle caress.
Leylani pressed the fingers of one trembling hand to her lips as a wave of emotion overcame her. She had asked the Great Mother for guidance and her prayer had been heard. The Great Mother was showing her the way.
"Sa'nok, no!" Naia cried, swatting her mother's hands away as Ayepni made a renewed attempt to slather some sweet balm onto her face.
"Men appreciate it when a woman takes pride in her appearance and looks after herself." Ayepni chided lightly, grabbing hold of Naia's arm to halt her escape and smoothing a dollop of the balm onto her daughter's forehead, "You keep frowning like that and these crinkly lines on your forehead will stay there forever."
Naia was cantankerous now after her mother's various attempts to spruce her up. Earlier, her mother had chased her around their family shelter armed with a small bottle of scented oil, determined to spritz some on her. And even before that, Ayepni had tried to thread some sun lily blooms into Naia's braids. As annoying as it was that her mother was fussing over her and assailing her with all these feminine things, there was no real heat behind Naia's annoyance. She knew it was because her mother was happy for her.
When Naia had joined her parents for breakfast at the beginning of the day with her new necklet adorning her chest, it had provoked a barrage of questions from them about it. After the affable ribbing Leylani had given her during their morning prayer session, Naia had been ready for more interrogation and she had bashfully, but gladly, shared the news of her new association with Neteyam with her parents.
"I'm already late, mother. It's well past the start of eclipse now."
"Now, now, it never pays to be too eager to see a man." Ayepni clucked, chortling away in good spirits, "Leaving him waiting is a good thing. Let him crave you a bit. It'll be all the sweeter when he does finally get a taste."
Naia rolled her eyes and made a face of disgust at her mother's remark. She was not about to start taking romantic advice from her mother, nor was she about to enlighten her that Neteyam had technically already had a taste. She felt her cheeks heat at the thought.
"You sure you don't want to try some more scented oil?" Ayepni queried, holding the bottle up. She grinned impishly at her daughter, "I know your father rather enjoys it when I wear it."
The thought of her parents getting amorous made Naia gag and she exclaimed her repulson, "Yeugh! I don't want to know! Goodbye, I'm going now!"
Taking the opportunity to escape her family home before her mother got any more ideas, Naia disappeared out of the entry flaps to the cackling of her mother.
Jogging through the stronghold and loping across the arching boughs that led towards the mount of the ikran rookery, she cursed the perfume of the scented oil as it tickled her nose. It seemed to be getting stronger as she ran, the light perspiration on her skin mixing with it and amplifying the scent. She recognised the fragrance well. It was the same sweet cologne she often scented on Leylani. Great, now she smelled all girly…
By the time she reached the flat summit of her destination, the skin of her cheeks felt tacky from the balm and the scented oil was all that permeated her nostrils.
Neteyam was waiting for her by the storage hut, his ikran's saddle in hand as he checked its straps and buckles for signs of wear and tear, "It's very unlike you not to be on time." His voice was mirthful despite the censure of his words.
"Sorry. My mother got a little over-exuberant over our ah, relationship?" Naia apologised, testing out the word that represented their new connection to each other on her tongue. She closed the distance between them upon her approach and fitted herself against him in a hug as his arms closed around her. She took a purposeful inhale against the warm skin of his neck. By Eywa, she loved the way he smelled…
He pressed a kiss to her temple, "So, your parents approve of me?"
Naia's eyes bugged out of her head at his question, and she stepped back to look at him, "Are you kidding me? My parents have always thought highly of you. My mother loves you! Honestly, I'm surprised she didn't make an entire batch of utumauti (banana fruit) cake for me to bring to you after I told my parents this morning."
Neteyam grinned as he recalled the sweet treat that Naia's mother often used to make for him in their younger years. Ayepni made the best utumauti cake. It was even better than his grandmother's though he would never say that to her face.
A delicious fragrance floated around Naia and his nostrils flared as he nuzzled her cheek, "No, she just sent along an even sweeter treat for me to enjoy tonight instead. You smell good." He punctuated his statement with a light nibble to her ear and he smirked in satisfaction when he felt her shiver at the contact.
"You like the scented oil? It's so overly feminine."
Seeing the uncertain expression Naia wore, Neteyam chuckled softly, "It's nice, but I like the way you smell with or without it."
Ready now for their evening flight, they let out their usual chirruping calls, summoning their winged familiars. Neteyam's beast, Tompa, soared over a nearby cliff, landing to perch before them in a regal display of turquoise and yellow. Naia waited for Lortirea, and her brow knitted deeper and deeper in a frown as the moments continued to pass with no sign of her. Strange.
Naia let out an ululation again, scanning the stony cliffs and vines for her ikran. Tompa gave an odd squawk, shifting anxiously on taloned feet. Cocking his head, the ikran nudged Neteyam's shoulder, emitting yet another cautionary skreich.
"Something's wrong." Naia breathed, her worry rising, "Lortirea has always come when I've called."
Neteyam scratched Tompa's snout in an attempt to calm his familiar, who appeared uncharacteristically agitated, "Maybe she's out hunting?"
"No. She always hunts during the day when she knows I'm busy working."
Tompa head-butted Neteyam's shoulder again, more insistently this time, causing Neteyam to stumble a few paces to the side. The winged beast screeched and bowed his head, extending a neural whip towards Neteyam, encouraging his rider to make the bond.
Naia looked on apprehensively as Neteyam bonded with Tompa, whose talons clawed nervously at the ground. She watched as Neteyam frowned at Tompa, interpreting the exchange of information through their bond. Tompa trilled out several sharp notes and settled his yellow eyes firmly on Naia, which caused her to look away instinctively, knowing never to look another's ikran in the eyes.
"He wants to us to go with him. Now. He said he'll take us to Lortirea." Neteyam said, urgency informing his actions as he slipped the saddle onto Tompa's back and adjusting the straps.
"What? What's happened to her?"
Neteyam mounted Tompa in a supple leap, holding his hand out to Naia, "I don't know, but Tompa wants you to come up here with me and he'll fly us to her."
Clasping his forearm, she sprang up onto Tompa's back to settle herself in front of Neteyam. Naia felt one of his strong arms loop itself around her middle and she grasped on to one of Tompa's neural whips, bracing herself for take-off. With a murmur by her ear to hold on tight, Neteyam urged Tompa to the sky before letting his familiar lead them where he wanted them to go.
Tompa sailed over the frontage of crags and overhangs at the summit, sailing past scores of other ikran as he took them towards the wooded area of the rookery. They were enveloped by lush greenery as they flew deeper into the timberland towards a large tree which had a trunk the width of several ikran's wingspans.
Naia had never been this far into the banshee rookery and as she surveyed the colossal tree that Tompa was circling, she realised the trunk had big niches notched into it and she could see other ikran as they rested in the various recesses. Tompa alighted on a bough before one of the niches and Neteyam gracefully slid off his back, helping Naia off in turn.
Tompa twittered gently, looking towards the mouth of the niche. In the dim environment of the recess, Naia could just make out the mottled blue and purple of Lortirea's wings and she padded in slowly with a soft call of her ikran's name. Neteyam lingered by the entrance of the niche, patting Tompa's neck to soothe him when he gave another edgy squawk.
Lortirea was curled on her front and she appeared to be unharmed and resting, her deep breaths blowing from the air inlets at the front of her chest. Her wings were relaxed at her sides and she perked up at the sight of Naia.
"What's wrong, Lortirea? Are you alright?" Naia queried, coming to stop by her familiar's head and giving her muzzle an affectionate stroke.
A placid trill of notes burbled from Lortirea who blinked eyes of deep gold at her. The ikran extended a neural whip towards her and Naia made tsaheylu with her beast. A rush of emotions swathed her through their bond and Naia mentally rifled through them, searching for any sign of harm or illness. She was relieved to find none, only feelings of tiredness, apology for being unable to come when she was called, and an overarching feeling of great joy.
Naia's ikran was exultant about something and she probed deeper, trying to ascertain through their unique connection exactly what the reason was. Lortirea chirruped and shifted her body, lifting one of her wings slightly so Naia could peer under it. Naia sucked in an astonished breath.
"What is it?" Neteyam's troubled voice sounded from a few paces back, "Is she injured?"
Naia let out a relieved laugh as her own delight mingled with Lortirea's at the discovery, "No, she's great. She's laying. She's having babies!"
Nestled in the crook under Lortirea's wing lay a pair of polished sky-blue eggs. They were quite large, almost the length and width of Naia's torso, though given the size of an ikran, she supposed they were about right. Neteyam's hearty laugh of happiness followed Naia's as he caught sight of them, and he stepped into the niche to join her. Winding his arms around Naia from behind, Neteyam pulled her into an embrace against him, relishing the sound of her husky laughter.
Realising then that Lortirea laying eggs meant that she had found a mate, Naia caressed her familiar's elegant neck, "I'm glad for you, sister. Who have you mated?"
A rumbling chuff came from Tompa and he edged forward to rub his head demonstratively against Lortirea, who stretched her neck to meet him with an affectionate trill.
Chuckling under his breath, Neteyam gave his ikran several jovial slaps on the shoulder of the wing closest to him, "This is your doing, is it? Blessings on you both and on your offspring."
It was not uncommon for two ikran belonging to two mated Na'vi to bond with each other. Then again, just because two Na'vi were mated did not necessarily mean that their ikran would pair-bond either. Ikran were free to mate whoever they wished regardless of their riders' own relationships.
Neteyam smiled at the thought of Tompa and Lortirea's mating, and he joked silently to himself that his own ikran was working faster than he was. He and Naia were not mated. Yet. But Neteyam was determined to change that, hopefully one day soon.
A wave of approval rolled through Naia's bond with Lortirea and she watched as her ikran fixed her and Neteyam with an acute look. Lortirea communicated her happiness for Naia, warmth and light pouring through their bond and Naia beamed in return. She felt a little guilty then. Lortirea must have been so happy too to have found a mate in Tompa, and Naia wondered if she would have perhaps realised this sooner had she not been so engrossed in and stuck in her own head about Neteyam.
Sensing her rider's thoughts, Lortirea sent a trickle of reassurance to Naia that it was alright that she had not noticed. A deep, puffing breath blew from Lortirea then and an aching discomfort reached Naia, clenching low in her abdomen. Naia understood her familiar's message. She was not done laying. She was expecting another egg soon.
"We should go." Naia murmured to Neteyam, "Let's give them some peace. She's still laying."
Breaking the bond with Lortirea, Naia bid her ikran goodbye and even managed to give Tompa a congratulatory pat on the snout. She joined Neteyam on Tompa who then took to the skies again to return them to the edge of the rookery.
Having had to abandon their plans of an evening flight due to the happy surprise, Naia and Neteyam retired to their grotto. Relaxing by the firelight, the raspy chafe of a blade against a sharpening stone mingled with the crackling of the fire as Neteyam deftly sharpened Naia's dagger.
Glancing down at her own task, Naia pulled a needle and thread through the purple fabric of the old flying shawl, carefully patching a hole in it. She smiled gently to herself, overjoyed at her ikran's impending motherhood. Lortirea would be out of action for a few days while she recuperated after laying. Her eggs would not hatch for a couple of moons, but ikran were social creatures with complex flock structures. While the care of young was primarily the mated pair's responsibility, other closely related ikran would often step in to rear the younglings too.
"I can't believe they've mated." Naia breathed, still elated by the discovery.
Neteyam grinned in agreement, nodding, "And Eywa has blessed them with offspring too."
His eyes met Naia's across the hearth and her glee was apparent in her lash-framed eyes. He quietly wondered if their ikrans' mating was a sign of good fortune for their own bond. Perhaps the Great Mother would bless him and Naia too; bless them so the council would vote to allow him to mate Naia and still reclaim his birthright.
The council vote around his requested condition was taking place at tonight's meeting. They were likely deliberating at this very moment.
While Naia was his priority, Neteyam had had plenty of time over the last two weeks to mull over the situation of the proposition. He had never envisaged leading the Omatikaya again after forfeiting his birthright, but faced with the opportunity now, he felt hopeful prospect bloom in his soul. He wanted to make his parents proud and succeed his father like he had prepared to for most of his life, but it did not change the fact that Naia was the deciding factor. He would still walk away from the offered position if the council did not grant his request.
Focusing on the scrape of the dagger against the whetstone, Neteyam battled the urge to tell Naia about the council's proposition. He had tamped down the urge several times before already. Part of him felt bad for keeping her in the dark and another part of him justified his decision because he knew Naia, and he knew how she would react.
Naia was loyal to her clan and she loved her people dearly. She disliked Tupou and her outlook on the entire matter would mirror everyone else's. She would push him to accept because he was the best candidate. If things did not unfold in their favour, Neteyam knew there was a high chance she would withdraw from him and throw what they had aside for the greater good of the clan. He was not having that, which is why he would make this decision on his own and tell her after.
Naia's next words broke the comfortable silence they shared and her words were uncanny considering Neteyam's inner musings, "I received a blessing from the Great Mother this morning."
Neteyam glanced up and cocked his head with a raised brow, "You did?"
"Yes. We were saying our prayers at the Tree of Souls. Your grandmother wanted to go down there. She said there's an important matter before the clan council and she wanted to beseech Eywa to guide them."
A niggling lump of unease stuck in Neteyam's throat and he swallowed it down quickly, "Did my grandmother say what the matter being discussed was?"
Naia shook her head with a sheepish laugh, her fingers moving subconsciously to caress the pendant at her chest, "I didn't even think to ask. I was too stuck in my own head, still riding the high of last night." The smile she directed at Neteyam then was equal parts bashful and bold. He winked and blew her a cheeky kiss in return.
Giggling, Naia continued, "I was thanking the Great Mother for bringing you home safe, for bringing you back to me. And then all these atokirina wafted down from the canopy and they came to rest around me. Your grandmother says it's Eywa's blessing on us."
Naia's words heartened Neteyam, renewing the hope in his chest for a favourable outcome from the clan council. He hoped she was right and he briefly sent his own prayer of intention to the Great Mother. There was a meeting planned for dawn tomorrow morning, where the council would deliver their verdict to him, Tupou and Leylani. Tarsem would be present as olo'eyktan and his grandmother as tsahìk. "I'm blessed to have you, Naia. Oel ngati kameie."
Naia's response was a wide smile and she returned the sentiment by performing the gesture with one hand. "It doesn't have to be lethally sharp," She remarked then as he returned to honing the blade of her dagger, "I only use it for cutting stems and fruit when I'm working."
Neteyam shook his head, unimpressed, "Yeah? Well you might need it one day to defend yourself and then what? The blade isn't completely blunt, but it definitely isn't sharp enough to penetrate if you had to stab something."
Naia gave a sceptical snort in response. She narrowed her eyes at him, admiring the flexing muscles of his forearms with the quick strikes he was making with the blade against the whetstone. She was in a frisky mood now that they were alone and in the privacy of their hideaway. The sensual memory of their previous night together replayed in the forefront of her mind and she felt flutters of anticipation in her stomach at the thought. It was as if Neteyam had awakened a previously dormant side of her. Her body burned to feel his touch again and her mind was curious to explore him further.
Setting her work down, Naia crawled on all fours to join him where he sat across the fire from her and she pressed her side against his, "And who exactly am I defending myself from, hmm? From strange men who swoop down on me unsuspectingly after being away for many years?"
Neteyam's lips peeled back into a smirk at her reference to his first night back when he had found her asleep and vulnerable here in the grotto. All jokes aside though, that was exactly the kind of situation he was warning her about, "Yes. You never know what ill intentions people have or when they'll spring them on you."
Trailing her fingertips slowly down his arm, Naia's hand came to rest on his wrist, stopping his movements. Deciding her dagger was more than sharp enough, she carefully took it from him and returned it to its sheath on the ground. Taking both of his hands in hers, she squeezed them and massaged her thumbs against his upturned palms, "Did you have ill intentions for me, Neteyam? Should I have used my knife on you that night?"
Naia's tone was coquettish and her flirting was rapidly heating Neteyam's blood. A playful smile was dancing on her lips and her golden eyes sparkled impishly in their depths. A corner of his lips upturned at her mischief and he murmured, "You might not have stabbed me with it, but you certainly showed intention of using it."
She stroked a hot hand over his chest and leaned in to purr by his ear, "Somehow that's not the kind of penetration I have in mind when I think of you."
An audible gasp left Neteyam at her unabashed remark, the points of his ears springing upright in keen attention. The floodgates of his desire flew open and it sent unbridled lust coursing through his system. Turning to face Naia, he clasped her jaw with one hand and brought his lips to hers in a scorching kiss. The resulting moan that left Naia was so wanton that he felt it like a lascivious stroke over his cock. He coaxed her mouth open and her tongue swept against his in a sensual tango. However, when he tried to manoeuvre her to the ground beneath him, she pulled away with a teasing nip to his bottom lip.
Chuckling at the growl Neteyam emitted when her teeth snagged on his lip, Naia pushed away from him and rose to her feet. She backed away from him leisurely, her eyes never leaving his as he watched her hungrily from his lowered stance kneeling on the ground. She felt a rush of confidence when she realised how aroused he already was. His breaths were deep, breathing roughly through parted lips. He was not even trying to conceal his need and his blistering gaze raked down her body.
She turned around then, continuing forward towards the nest of blankets on the other side of the grotto, accentuating each step with deliberate sway of her hips. Naia cast him an enticing smile over her shoulder and Neteyam sprang up in the next moment, tackling and tumbling her onto the softer surface of rug rolls and throws. Naia could not suppress the squeal of laughter that escaped her at the contact and they wrestled excitably for control.
Neteyam aimed several nips and kisses at her face and neck, his fingers ghosting over her ribs where he knew she was ticklish. Naia squirmed with laughter, trying and failing to roll away from him while he attempted to pin her down.
Clasping a hand over Neteyam's mouth to halt the gratifying assault he was wreaking with his lips, Naia stopped him with a coy shake of her head, "You took the lead last night. It's my turn. I want to explore you at my leisure."
"You want to explore me?" Neteyam's voice was a muffled murmur, his lips obscured by her palm. He was tickled by her choice of words.
Naia giggled before she schooled her expression into one of mock seriousness and said, as evenly as possible, "Yeah, for educational purposes you know? As a healer."
Neteyam snorted in response. She sat upright then and he felt her place one of her hands against his chest, urging him to lie flat on his back with a deliberate press downward. Intrigued by whatever she was up to, he let her position a soft roll beneath his head and lay still, peering up at her expectantly with a quick retort, "I'm sure you've seen many naked men before as a healer."
Kneeling alongside him, Naia ran her fingers over his muscular torso. She tested the firm pectorals of his chest and trailed appreciative fingertips over the grooved definition of his abdominal muscles. She grinned naughtily at him as her fingers trailed lower to toy with the fabric of his loincloth, "Yes, but my patients don't come to me like this."
Neteyam's hips jerked violently when Naia's next action was to deliberately palm his erection, and he grunted through gritted teeth. She added, "Usually, they come to healers when things don't work, not when they work perfectly."
Undoing the garment at his pelvis, she pushed the fabric out of the way and sat back to look at him. In the flickering firelight of the grotto, she could see him much better now than when compared to the gentle bioluminescence of the cavern the previous night. Naia felt a creeping heat prickle all over her and she was sure she flushed violet to the tips of her ears when her mouth watered. He was beautiful there too, like the rest of him, cerulean blue and standing proud with a delicately pink tip.
"Anything of concern, zeykoyu (healer)?" Neteyam teased, "Taking good notes?"
Naia was struck dumb in her appreciation of his body and all she managed was a blushing eyeroll in response. Great Mother, he was perfection… and this man was hers? Her own body hummed with carnal anticipation at the memory of how they had joined previously, the perfect hardness of him filling her to a satisfying fullness. She was a bit taken aback, if she was honest. He was impressive in size and she wondered that she had not felt more discomfort than she had last night.
Reaching out to touch him, she felt gratifying empowerment when Neteyam whined in pleasure at her touch. She noted the strokes and caresses that elicited the noisiest responses from him, marvelling at how she had reduced such a powerful creature to a writhing state before her. The feel of him hot and hard in her hands was an exercise in patience for her. Her desire pulsed tantalisingly between her thighs and pricked at the tips of her nipples. Her own body yearned to be breached.
One of Neteyam's hands maintained a rigid grip on her thigh, his fingertips digging into her supple flesh while her hands wound him closer and closer to his breaking point. If she wanted him tonight then she was going to have to stop or everything would be over before it started.
As if reading his thoughts, Naia purred out a question, "How do you feel? Is that good?"
Nodding tightly with a grimace, his answer was strangled as he fought to maintain control, "Eywa, yes. You make me feel like a wild animal."
She ceased her stroking and her hands moved to undress herself. The covering over her breasts went first and then she stood to shimmy out of her loincloth. This left Naia bare with nothing but his soul-gift adorning her neck. Neteyam had to bite down hard on his bottom lip to stop himself losing control and succumbing to climax at the sight.
Eager to have him now, Naia gingerly stepped over him and lowered herself to straddle his hips. She felt a flurry of nerves seize her and she thought to herself that she did not really know what to do next. She knew they could join this way, had heard women talking of different positions, but her inexperience made her uneasy.
Facing him now with the throbbing heat of his erection nestled against where she ached most, Naia gazed upon his handsome face. A sheen of perspiration sat on his skin and his phosphorescent spots glowed brightly against the lightly flushed cobalt of his cheeks, but it was his eyes that made Naia pause. His pupils were dilated wide and dark, leaving only a thing ring of his green-gold irises around them, and in their depths Naia could see his barely reigned desire.
Another wave of empowerment and fulfilment rolled through her when she realised he was being obedient and letting her have control because she had requested so. Neteyam respected her as an equal and cared for her wishes; again, something that a man like Tupou would never have done in such a situation. Naia imagined Tupou liked to be in control, especially in matters often considered a man's domain.
Grounding herself with two hands against his chest, Naia licked her lips and repositioned herself anxiously, "I don't really know what I'm doing. I hope I'm not doing this wrong."
Neteyam gave a husky chuckle, settling warm hands on her hips, "You could never do this wrong. Not when you're so perfect the way you are, wearing nothing but my soul-gift around your neck." He guided her nonetheless, coaxing her to raise her hips a little while he positioned himself with one hand at her core.
Naia felt his flesh slip against her easily and when the tip of his cock settled into place at her entrance, she sank down slowly until she was fully seated, her mouth falling open in silent awe. There was no burning discomfort this time, just a delicious stretch as she coupled them in the most intimate of ways. A ragged groan came from Neteyam beneath her and his face was a sensual grimace. She tested out some movement, lifting her hips up and down gradually, and savouring the muted curses from the man beneath her.
Neteyam guided her hips and he hissed out between panted breaths, "Just move how it feels good for you."
Naia found rolling her hips back and forth was much more pleasurable and she did as she was told, grinding herself against his pubic bone. A throbbing beat of pleasure soon overtook her as she settled into a rhythm, and soft whimpers gurgled from her involuntarily. Her fingernails scored the skin of Neteyam's chest, but the light pain only served to heighten his own enjoyment further.
Neteyam observed Naia through half-lidded eyes, adoring the way the soft globes of her breasts quivered with each deliberate push and roll of her hips. He reached out with a hand to squeeze one breast gently, flicking his thumb over the stiff point of her nipple. She whimpered in delight, grinding her hips down harder while she chased her pleasure. Her movements became more frenetic then and her gasping breaths increased in pitch.
Naia was so close. Her pleasure was teetering on the precipice, tormenting her with the promise of a rapturous plummet and yet, she could not quite get there. The muscles in her thighs burned from the exertion and her knees were starting to hurt. She needed more. She wanted to be surrounded by all of Neteyam and drown in the masculinity of him.
Perhaps it was testament to their bond, because Neteyam shifted then, sitting upright to wrap both arms around her. The heat of his mouth and tongue branded her nipples as he venerated each breast in turn. Deciding he needed to taste more of her, Neteyam rolled them in a graceful flip so that he was nestled above her and between her thighs. So fluid was their change in position that his body never broke the intimate fusion with hers.
Naia sighed in gratification as the new position relieved the strain in her thighs. Neteyam's strokes were long and deep as he thrusted and his mouth sought hers again. He surged over her, his hard flesh stoking Naia's pleasure onward, hurtling her towards the burst of ecstasy she yearned for. Her hands clutched at his jaw and her senses were saturated by the passion of the kisses he gifted her between groaning breaths.
With an uninhibited cry, Naia soared over the edge and for several blissful moments everything detonated in a flurry of sensation around her. The flutter and clench of her core around Neteyam's cock brought on his own orgasm, and he erupted inside her with a strangled growl punctuated in-between by heaving breaths.
Unadulterated joy burst inside Naia's heart and she stroked soothing hands over the slick muscles of Neteyam's back while they both caught their breath. There were not enough words or declarations of love to express how much she loved him, and after the Great Mother's blessing earlier that morning, Naia felt certain that nothing could tear them apart.
The clan council had voted to deny his request.
If Neteyam thought he looked disappointed, Tupou looked even more dour by his right side. Leylani's sigh was quiet on his left and she cast Neteyam a fretful expression, knowing what his imminent response would be to the half-circle of six council elders gathered before them.
"Tradition must be upheld! All have voted in support of this and it shall be so." Boomed one of the wizened councillors, Tama, the braids of his hair a sable mix of salt and pepper now in his old age, "We Omatikaya have come from a long line of ancestors where the olo'eyktan and tsahìk have led us, mated for life in the name of our Great Mother."
Another elder cast an unceremonious stare at Mo'at and Tarsem who were seated to the side, "One extenuating circumstance is no reason to abandon tradition entirely."
Mo'at scowled at the jab towards her daughter and Jake. Had Neytiri been present, she would have spoken out and reminded the council of Jake's many sacrifices and his great honour of being Toruk Makto, but Mo'at knew to hold her tongue lest she rile the council further.
Tarsem's shoulders sagged in frustration. His son was loathe to continue his role as successor, but Tupou would have no choice in the event that Neteyam declined. While Tarsem did have an executive vote as clan chief, it was not often that the olo'eyktan would decree to overturn an entire council's unanimous decision. Even that seemed one step too far.
Thrusting a wrinkled hand out towards Neteyam, Tama addressed him, "Neteyam te Suli Tsyeyk'itan, what is your answer?"
After the blessed contentment of the last couple of nights with Naia, and especially after she had told him of her blessing from Eywa, this was really not how Neteyam had envisioned this morning to unfold.
With a deferential bow of his head, Neteyam spoke, "I thank the council for their proposition and for considering my request in turn. However, in light of your verdict, I would like to respectfully decline the proposal to reclaim my birthright. My condition was a non-negotiable for me. I apologise if this isn't the outcome everyone hoped for."
Tupou suppressed a curse under his breath, but his impudence did not go unnoticed.
The loud clucking of a disapproving tongue resonated through the shelter as a female elder, Sanuri, shook her head. Her gaze was censorious as she regarded Neteyam and Tupou, "Such wilfulness in the younger generation! One refuses to better himself to take on the responsibility, and the other is the ideal candidate but refuses to reclaim his birthright and serve in the role. Where is your loyalty? Where is your love for this clan?!"
"Indeed, I would like to better understand your objection to Leylani who would be your betrothed tsakarem, that you even made such a request, Neteyam." Tama added.
Leylani's head was shaking in time with Neteyam's as he too shook his head to refute the statement. The elders were misunderstanding his position. He responded, "I don't have any objection to Leylani, elder Tama. It isn't the prospect of being mated to her that I find objection with. It's that I've already chosen another."
Neteyam's admission caused silence to fall among the elders and several of them cocked their heads in confusion.
Tama frowned, "You are not mated. You did not return from the Metkayina with a mate. Will you leave us again and return to the reefs for this woman?"
"No, my intended is here. She is Omatikaya-"
"Hah!" Sanuri's laugh was emphatic and full of cynicism, "You have not even been back one moon cycle and already you think you have a found an Omatikaya woman to take as a mate? You will throw away your birthright for this woman you have romanced for mere weeks?"
Several other elders chortled in agreement and Tarsem held a rigid arm up to silence them, "Quiet, mawey! Perhaps you would better understand Neteyam's reasons, Sanuri, if you let him speak? This proposition was a choice after all."
Sanuri snarled austerely and rolled her eyes, "He has already displayed wilful disregard for the greater good of our people, I can't see how-"
Frustrated at being interrupted, and affronted by Sanuri's insinuation that he had made his choice of mate so flippantly, Neteyam's ire broiled over within him. His voice rang out as he spat in return at the female elder, "You speak of wilfulness and my lack of loyalty, and you ridicule my decision without fully comprehending my place! I disagree! My loyalty has never wavered."
Mo'at's heart swelled with pride as she watched her grandson command the attention of the entire shelter. Great Mother bless him, and bless our clan… He is the future leader we need.
As quiet befell the space again, Neteyam seized the opportunity to continue, "Before my family was forced to leave this clan, when my birthright was still mine, I was promised to another. There was no formal betrothal announced, but it was understood that tradition would be upheld and that I would one day mate my tsakarem. My loyalty to that woman has never wavered. I did not return to the Omatikaya to reclaim my birthright, I returned to claim her."
Stunned silence ensued as understanding washed through the councillors.
"Manaia?" Tama queried softly.
Dipping his head to acknowledge the elder's answer, Neteyam took a deep breath and reiterated his standpoint, "Yes, so with the utmost respect, if the council won't allow me to reclaim my birthright with Manaia as my intended, then I must decline."
Sanuri gave a dramatic sigh and massaged her temples like a headache had spontaneously bloomed at the mention of Naia's name, "Ugh, all this defiance started with Manaia in the first place! It was why we had to formally appoint Leylani as tsakarem in her stead because Manaia relinquished her position!"
Leylani watched with rising irritation as the other elders chimed in again with similar complaints, collectively griping over the dangers of the younger generation forfeiting tradition amidst their wilful ways. The meeting had derailed entirely. It had become less about finding a suitable successor now and more about stamping disobedience out of the young.
There was a simple solution and Leylani saw it clear as day. Albeit Leylani was the only one who could propose it. She was the only one present with the right to do so. She could achieve what the clan needed.
She knew in the depths of her heart what she had to do.
Naia diligently gathered the soiled mats and cloths from around the tsahìk's hut, piling them into the designated laundry pail for washing later. She smiled to herself at the whispers and quiet coos of the new parents as they enjoyed their time with their new baby behind a wooden partition that had been erected at one side. The earthy smell of blood and afterbirth was piquant in her nostrils, but Naia maintained that it was the joyous smell of new life.
Little Amiria had been born quickly after a precipitous labour, rushing into the world with the dawn of the new day. The little one had been jubilantly received by her mother and father, Mere and Teira, and she had arrived just in time for Mo'at and Leylani to still attend the council meeting that had been planned for early that morning. Naia did not mind being left to clean up; she found washing laundry oddly therapeutic and she enjoyed the verdant serenity of the small spring near High Camp which the clan used as a washpool.
Teira stepped out from behind the partition and his eyes were bright, his toothy smile even brighter. He was bursting at the seams with the euphoria of newfound fatherhood and he approached Naia to give her a hug, "Irayo (thank you), Manaia. My daughter is here safe and my mate is as well as she can be."
"Congratulations, brother. Amiria is absolutely beautiful. May Eywa bless your family abundantly."
"I'm hard-pressed to leave my girls, but the day's hunting party will be leaving soon." Teira lamented with a slight pout, "I'll leave them in your capable hands."
"They'll be here waiting when you return. Eywa ngahu."
Setting the pail of dirty laundry down, Naia stood by the hut entrance and waved Teira off on his way. She turned to clean her hands in a washbowl nearby before picking up the wooden bowl of mixed grains, seeds, fruit and pa'li milk that Mo'at had prepared for the new mother before she left. Knocking softly with her knuckles on the wooden partition to signal her arrival, Naia stepped around it and seated herself before Mere.
"Oel ngati kameie, sister." Naia breathed, feeling tender emotion swell in her chest at the sight of her friend, cradling her baby close to her bare chest, "You were so strong, Mere. You did so well!"
Mere's face was drawn from exhaustion, but her joy shone vividly in her golden orbs, "Irayo. I'm so glad she is here now and I'm glad that ordeal is over. It's the hardest thing I've had to endure. Even my trials as a warrior through the Long War can't compare."
Naia burrowed a small wooden scoop into the bowl of food and gingerly lifted it to Mere's lips, "Here, eat. You must be hungry and the nutrition will help your milk to come in." The spoonful of food was gratefully accepted and Mere groaned in satisfaction, eliciting chuckles from them both.
The baby snuffled gently at her mother's breast, her tiny limbs still wrinkled and scrunched tight from the many moons spent compacted in her mother's womb. Naia looked on with affectionate awe at the downy hairs on the baby's head that surrounded a neural whip that was tucked against Mere's forearm. Amiria's little tail was curled adorably against her back, complete with a signature tuft at its end.
Mere grinned through a mouthful of food, "Would you like to hold her?"
Naia grinned, but shook her head. Truth be told she did want to cuddle the little one, but her healer's knowledge told her now was not the best time, "No, she needs to be kept against you. Skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby is important during the first several hours."
"You'll have your own baby one day, sister."
Mere's pronouncement took Naia a little by surprise. She had never really given having children any thought. After all, it was not long ago that she thought she would never mate anyone, much less have children of her own. However, the thought of what she shared with Neteyam now and the sight of little Amiria caused a fresh frond of hopefulness to unfurl.
Warmth fluttered in her tummy and Naia's lips upturned in a shy smile; she would gladly welcome little ones of her own if Neteyam fathered them. She would give him as many children as he wanted, Eywa willing.
Soft snickers from Mere brought Naia back to the present, "Judging by the lovestruck look on your face, I daresay maybe one day in the not-so-distant future?"
Naia's automatic reaction was to roll her eyes and she offered her friend another mouthful of food with a sheepish expression.
Carefully reclining a little more against the cushioning of rolls behind her, Mere readjusted her baby on her chest and reached out to pluck the bowl of breakfast from Naia, "Come, I can feed myself. I'm starting to feel decrepit with you feeding me. You have other work to attend to, sister. I'll call out if I need anything."
"Alright," Naia chuckled, "Leylani and tsahìk Mo'at won't be long, I don't think. Tsahìk will want to check you and the baby again when she returns."
Leaving the new mother in peace with her baby, Naia wandered to stand by the hut entrance again where she had left the pail of dirty laundry. Smoke was still billowing out from the top of the council meeting shelter in the distance. She wondered what was of such importance that a morning meeting was called. The council's usual routine was to meet in the evenings at the end of the work day.
A lone figure exited the shelter then, lean legs taking long strides away from it with purpose. Naia cocked her head in surprise; she would recognise Neteyam's strapping frame anywhere. He had not mentioned anything to her about attending this morning's council meeting. She could see that a frown marred his features and the set of his shoulders was tense.
A second figure rushed out of the meeting shelter a moment later, a woman this time; Leylani. Naia watched as Leylani quickened her pace to catch up to Neteyam and she caught his wrist to halt his departure. He turned to face her and they struck up a conversation. Squinting to see them better, Naia saw Neteyam's expression morph into one of astonishment before he shook his head. Naia's curiosity was instantly piqued. What were they speaking about? Something to do with the council meeting probably…
Naia knew she was being nosy, but she really wished she could hear what they were saying. She saw Leylani take both of Neteyam's hands in hers, speaking animatedly to him. She appeared to be trying to convince him of something. Leylani released one of Neteyam's hands to settle one of her hands on his broad chest and she smiled at him warmly. His face mirrored hers then in a beaming smile of his own and he enveloped her a tight hug.
Their warm hug ended with Leylani snagging Neteyam's wrist again and leading him keenly back into the meeting shelter. They disappeared back through the entry flaps and Naia's brow furrowed in puzzlement. Green envy began to simmer low in Naia's belly and she quashed the feeling, rebuking her insecurities and chastising herself for being silly. Leylani and Neteyam were friends and there was nothing wrong with friends hugging each other.
The doubtful part of Naia added a final quip about Neteyam not being allowed to hug his friends if they were exceedingly beautiful women…
Naia made a mental note to ask Leylani how the council meeting went when she returned to the healers' hut. Council affairs were generally confidential, but that was not going to stop Naia fishing for any titbits to satisfy her curiosity. Failing all attempts at wheedling information out of Leylani, she would have a second go at prying with Neteyam tonight.
The day had only gotten stranger since Naia had first spied Leylani and Neteyam speaking outside the meeting shelter. She had not noticed at first, but as Naia went about her business during the day laundering cloths and gathering more herbs, she saw several people cast abject looks at her. Some people even suspiciously stopped their talking and whispering as she went past. Weird.
Leylani and Mo'at had returned to the healers' hut in good spirits. Leylani appeared most cheerful, almost springing about the place with quiet optimism. Naia had tried to squeeze information out of her about the council meeting and what the reason was for her high spirits, but all she had received in return from her friend was a glowing smile and a retort that it was not her place to say, and that Neteyam would tell her about it tonight.
The high heat of the day was starting to get to Naia and she ran the back of her wrist over her forehead to sweep away beading spots of perspiration. She made her way to the area behind the stronghold where woven lines had been nailed and strung between jagged rocks so the clan could put their washing out to dry. Eclipse was not due to begin for several hours yet, but the warmth of the day would have more than dried the cloths she had washed earlier that morning and it was best to take them down now before they dried to stiff crisp.
A group of giggling and conversing young women were standing a short way away from Naia as she began collecting her clean washing, and her sensitive ears pricked as she caught wisps of their conversation.
"… maybe he'll finally ask me to be with him… this is what he's wanted for a while…"
"You think so?"
"… the council hasn't announced anything…"
"… it's pretty much confirmed… he said Neteyam has accepted the proposition…"
"… everyone is talking about it now anyway…"
"… they would make such beautiful babies together… can you imagine?"
"… Neteyam's eyes and Leylani's lips…"
By now, Naia was staring outright at the cluster of young women. Eavesdropping was rude, but she could not help herself especially after hearing Neteyam's name thrown around. One of the women caught Naia's eye and she quickly swatted her friends about their thighs sheepishly. Their soft conversation ground to a halt as the other three pairs of eyes followed their friend's gaze to land on a perplexed Naia.
The knit between Naia's brows was deepening as her brain replayed the fragments of their words. What was going on? What were they talking about? The sickening feeling of being left out of the loop was creeping up her spine and Naia felt pins and needle start to tingle in her hands and legs. She hated feeling like everyone else knew something that she did not.
"What are you talking about?" Naia's lips formed the words before she could stop herself.
Four pairs of bashful eyes flitted about, looking at each other uncertainly before one of the girls, Kikuna, piped up, "Haven't you heard? Neteyam accepted the council's proposition this morning."
"What proposition?" Naia's words produced even more doubtful glances from the group, and there were those apologetic looks again, as if there was something awful about to happen that Naia was unaware of.
"Neteyam has apparently agreed to reclaim his birthright as successor. That's what this morning's meeting was about."
Numbness began to overwhelm Naia and her heart began to pound in her chest. An unsettling buzz whined in her ears and she blinked in bewilderment at Kikuna's response. What? Neteyam had reclaimed his birthright?
Swallowing the build-up of saliva in her cheeks, Naia posed yet more enquiries, "Who did you hear this from? What's happened to Tupou?"
Kikuna's lips pursed and her expression contorted into a rueful moue, "Oh, I heard this morning from Tupou. He wanted to step down when Neteyam returned. The council has been deliberating over this for the last couple of weeks. There's been no formal announcement, but Tupou said it's all done and Neteyam has agreed."
Kikuna was close to Tupou. There had been rumours swirling around the clan for many moons now that the two were close in the romantic sense of the word. There was no reason for Tupou to lie to her. If Kikuna had heard the news from Tupou then what she said must be true. If Neteyam had reclaimed his birthright, it meant he would succeed Tarsem as olo'eyktan, and as clan chief he would be mated to the tsahìk; to Leylani.
Naia felt completely blindsided. She was stunned into silence. Part of her wondered if she was dreaming. Neteyam had said nothing to her about any of this. She felt a cool hand touch her arm then and she realised Kikuna had approached her, a look of concern colouring the girl's face.
"Are you alright, Manaia?" Kikuna asked quietly, "I'm surprised you don't know. I thought Neteyam would have-" Kikuna did not get to finish her sentence.
Snatching the woven basket of clean linen from the ground, Naia swivelled on heel and began marching away, ignoring the calls of the woman behind her. An aching pain had begun to worm its way through her chest and she was dimly aware that her breaths were starting to hitch. Her panic was rising rapidly as she strode quickly back towards the healers' hut.
Suddenly, her heart felt like a frenzied battleground of emotion. Naia was confused, alarmed and distressed, among many other feelings she could not tack down and identify in that moment. Beneath it all, the sharp sting of betrayal made itself known. Why had Neteyam not said anything to her? Was it true? Had he agreed to mate Leylani to reclaim his birthright?
Stumbling into the healers' hut, the basket of laundry tumbled out of her arms and Naia met Leylani's startled gaze at her sudden re-entry.
Leylani was rocking a sleeping baby Amiria in her arms and the image sent a woeful pang through Naia. Was she looking at Leylani's future? Would she and Neteyam lead this clan as a mated pair and make beautiful babies like the women before had said?
Naia thought of Leylani's cheerful demeanour and her unconcealed happiness from earlier this morning. Of course, she would be happy at Neteyam's acceptance of the proposition. She would be rid of pig-headed Tupou as a prospective mate and olo'eyktan. It made her life as future tsahìk much better. Neteyam was all-round a much better choice of successor…
Through rapidly blurring eyes, Naia gathered her little sling-bag of personal belongings from her work station and fled the hut without a backward glance, her prickling ears deaf to Leylani's troubled calls of her name.
Great Mother, Naia needed to get away… Her world was crumbling around her, just like that fateful day all those years ago when Neteyam had left for the reefs. Right now, she just needed to be anywhere else but here. High Camp felt suffocating in the wake of her mounting horror. Now that she knew the reason, she would not hang around and suffer the pitiful glances any longer.
Streaking through the stronghold, Naia ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She did not know where she was going or whether she would return home tonight.
By Eywa, if the news was true and Neteyam had forsaken their love, Naia did not want to return home at all.
Author's Note:
OMG poor Naia... Are you all confused? What is happening?! I promised you all some angst, so angst I give you!
I wanted to stop this chapter several scenes before where I actually did, but due to dramatic pacing it didn't feel right. So, I ended up including all the scenes up until where it stops now. It's a bit of an evil cliff-hanger, which I'm usually known for hehe. I haven't really left any proper ones in this piece of work so I thought I better throw one in *evil laugh*. :P
Let me know how you are feeling! What are your thoughts and guesses for what has happened? Every time I see comment notification emails light up my inbox it just makes me so happy. I love hearing from my readers, positive or negative. Thank you all for your support!