𝑀𝓎 𝑔𝒾𝒻𝓉 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝐸𝓌𝓎𝒶

Chapter Five

"Raya wait up!" Neteyam yelled as he followed her through the woods.
"Catch me if you can!" She giggled as she continued to run.

She tripped and Neteyam caught up to her, "Gotchu!" he helped her up.

"No fair, I tripped it doesn't count!"
"Mhm sure!" He playfully hit her shoulder.

It was Raya's 12th birthday and he was showing her the glow in the dark lake that he had found.

She stood up and looked around, taking in the beautiful colors of the lake. The smell of the flowers and the warm breeze around them.

"It's beautiful Tay!" She smiled and she walked over to the water and picked up one of the water Lillie's and turning it over in her hand to examine it.

"I found it when Dad brought me to learn how to fish and it reminded me of you! Always so bright and full of beauty!" He said smiling at her.

"Tey promise me we'll be friends forever!" Raya said as she grabbed his hand.

"I promise, Ri!" He replied as he grabbed hers also, "but promise me we won't fall in love!"

"I promise, Tey!"

She threw her arms around him hugging him tightly. She was going keep her promise. She was never going to stop being friends with him, and they were never going to fall in love.

———
Raya had been up since before sunrise. She'd been pacing back and forth in her tent clutching her body every now and then due to pain.

Ionia had stayed with her father last night in their tent so she and Zara stayed with the Sully's.

She walked over to her spot and sat down, feeling the pain shoot up her body. Not long before she sat down, Neteyam did too.

She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his shoulders rising up and down.

"You're tense. What happened?" She put her hand on his arm and rubbed her thumb in a circular motion.
"Raya, my dad wants us all to leave. To go across the ocean." He paused looking over at her.
"What do you mean? You're leaving me?"
"No, Raya. He wants you and Zara to come with us."

She couldn't believe it. She so badly wanted to jump onto her Ikran and ride with them and leave this forest, but this was her home. It was the only place she had ever know.

He put his arm around her, pulling her closer.
"I understand if you don't-"
"When." She asked looking up at him.
"Tomorrow."
"I'll pack my things." She said standing up and walking to her tent.

She didn't need to think about it, because if she did she'd never go. She couldn't leave Zara here, and with Ionia and Ka'i trying to take her away it was the best option.

She walked into her tent and saw Ka'i and Ionia. She ignored them and started grabbing her things.

"Whoa and where do you think you're going?" Ionia stood up and walked over to Raya.
"Somewhere away from you, and I'm taking Zara."

"You can't do that!" Ka'i stood up so fast it caused Raya to flinch.
"I can! And I will!" She yelled back at him. He stormed over to her grabbing her braid and dragging her to her room.

"Ow let go of me!" He threw her on the ground causing her to wince in pain.
"You will not take your sister!"
"I will if I want too! Jake and Neytiri think it's what's best!"

As soon as the words left her mouth she felt a fist connecting with her jaw, followed my another. Then a kick to the ribs.

Her father was beating her.

"Ow! Dad stop! Stop please!" She yelled as tears poured down her face. She was in so much pain. She started loosing conciseness.

"You are not taking your sister!" He yelled as he kicked her stomach again, grabbing her queue and squeezing it, causing her to yell in pain.

"You know, you can't leave," He paused with a smile on his face, "if your mated." It was against the rules to leave your village if you were mated if you weren't leaving with your mate.

"Hu'exo, come in here." Her father lead a boy into the room. She tried to sit up but she was in too much pain.

"Father, please don't."
"This is Hu'exo, the boy you're going to mate with." He nodded to the boy, who walked over to Raya and grabbed her queue.

"I'm sorry." He whispered as he brought his queue forward before pausing.
"I'd like to be alone with her, if that's alright."
Her father nodded and left, leaving them alone.

"Please, you don't have to do this." Her voice was raspy, and she was crying.
"I don't want to. I promise."
"Then don't, tell him you did. And let me leave, please."

He nodded. "Let's talk a little first so he thinks we're mating." He continued holding their queues close incase her father walked back in.

"You like him don't you, Neteyam?" He asked.
"I do, I think."
"I see the way he looks at you." Hu'exo smiled.
"Makes me wish I was him." He said with a smirk on his face, bringing their queues even closer.

"Hu'exo, wait no, please!" She yelled just as he was about to connect them someone grabbed him by his arms and was throwing him out of the way before another set of arms wrapped around Raya.

She could barely see out of her now swollen eyes, but she knew it was Neteyam.

"Tey!" She cried out as she threw her arms around his neck.
"It's okay, Ri. I got you."
Jake was standing back with Hu'exo. He had a tight grip on his arm.

Neteyam picked up Raya in what Jake called "bridal style" and carried her to their tent.

He gently placed her down in his hammock, moving her hair out of her face.

"Sleep. You need your rest." He stood up and was about to walk away when Raya grabbed his arm.

"Please stay."
He nodded and gently climbed into the hammock with her. She wrapped her arms around him and he held her tightly.

She soon fell asleep and he laid there looking at her, not taking his eyes off of her.

He made himself a promise that night. He was going to protect her no matter what happened.

———