𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓, neteyam sully

IX

‧˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙‧

only the day after, ionia was still being kept busy. she was still forced to sit with her mother and father, who didn't see anything wrong with this. but ionia hated it.

her group of friends looked over at her every so often, their eyes softening in sympathy for the girl, who sometimes looked up and met their eyes.

ronal spoke up, causing ionia to look away from her friends, "there is something we want to discuss with you."

her mother's tone of voice made ionia's stomach turn. it was a serious conversation. and by the sounds of it, ionia wasn't going to like it.

"the clan leader of one of our neighbouring villages will be visiting us. ateyo, his son, will also be joining us," tonowari continued.

ronal looked over to her husband for support, "we want you to mate with ateyo. tsaheylu," ronal sighed, knowing her daughter wouldn't like this one bit.

ionia's jaw dropped, "but how is-"

"he is a brave warrior! a caretaker! who we believe is a great match with you," tonowari explained.

"i do not want to be with someone i do not love! let alone know!" ionia sneered, standing up from her place.

the group who sat a small distance away, heard the small commotion, causing their conversation to end and for their heads to turn in time to see ronal also rise.

they couldn't hear what they were saying, but from the looks of it, the mother and daughter were arguing heavily.

"you are ateyo will be mated by next week," ronal spoke finally.

she let those words sink in for a moment, and then ionia hissed at the final decision; at her parents.

she stormed off away from them, which meant she would have to walk past her friends who looked at her with worried looks.

as she passed ionia didn't spare one glance towards any of them. neteyam yelled out her name though. "ionia!" he called, standing up.

but ao'nung put his hand around neteyam's arm, pulling him back down to sit. "leave her," ao'nung whispered, nodding his head towards his parents who were also watching the girl storm away.

tsireya and ao'nung shared a knowing look. the sibling knew what the conversation was about. ao'nung may or may have not heard the hushed conversation between his parents.

he then told tsireya, but both of them didn't know how to approach ionia and tell her that she was basically being married off to a boy she had never met or even heard of.

so neither was brave enough meaning now ionia had found out. she'd reacted the way both of them guessed she would. which was never going to be a positive reaction.

‧˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙‧

ionia had snuck off to the rocks she and neteyam had their first deep conversation. it had become her thinking place.

a place of solitude. she was now alone every time she visited here, no longer accompanied by the forest na'vi she had grown to like.

but at this moment, the tears accompanied her. ionia was expected to basically be married off, without knowing who he was. if ionia knew of him, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. but she had never heard of ateyo, or whatever his name was.

ionia felt betrayed by her parents. she knew they would choose her mate for her. but she didn't expect it to be this soon. ionia at least thought she'd have another year or two before this decision was made.