YOU HAVE ME ~ JAKE SULLY

19

"What? Why would you do that?" I was looking at Mian, no doubt extremely flabbergasted, "I don't wanna do that."

Mian sighed, dropping his head and scratching the back of his neck, looking back up at me, "Nessa... just give it a shot-"

"No."

"Ness," my brother looked at me with that expression that says 'please stop interrupting me,' "You don't even know if you'd like the guy."

I just shook my head, looking away from him. Mian just told me that he set me up to go out with the new Olo'eyktan from another Na'vi tribe.

When an Olo'eyktan chooses a mate, the rules are completely different. For any other Na'vi, both mates must choose each other. But for Olo'eyktans, whoever they choose has no choice. No say.

The rule is mostly for the occasional circumstances where someone may be rushed into Olo'eyktan and needed to take a wife immediately. But there were unjust Olo'eyktans who abused it, and used it to take mates who didn't want them.

"Nessa, if you don't like him, I won't allow him to take you. I'll say no if he asks me for your hand... but please just try." Mian pleaded, but I was already furious.

"You're just like mom and dad," I spat, looking back at him, "Setting me up with random men I don't know and trying to get me married off."

"Do not talk poorly of mom and dad," Mian warned, "They were trying to protect you."

"Yeah? and in the midst of 'protecting' me, they set me up with men who hurt me. You know that. Don't be ignorant, Mian." My eyes held fury and sadness in them.

Furious that Mian would even try to do something like this to me. Furious that he knows my past and still set it up. Sad because there's a very real possibility this man might try and take me as his wife without my consent. Sad because that could take me away from Jake.

It didn't matter if Mian refused to give him my hand, if this man had any honor at all, he would leave me alone. But if he didn't... he would take me anyway.

I shook my head, "I'm not going. I'm not doing it," Mian couldn't make me go and I was prepared to put up a very real fight.

Mian sighed, "Li'Nessa... I'm just trying to help you. I'm just trying to keep you safe." He stepped towards me but I took a step back.

Keep me safe? Protect me? This wasn't keeping me safe or protecting me, offering me to another man for his taking.

Mian spoke again, "Do you not understand? The deep forest may have taken us in, and offered us shelter, but war is still a threat here. We're not completely safe," he shook his head slightly, "and I won't lose another family member to those people."

That's what this was about? He was scared I was going to die?

"Giving me away to some other tribe isn't going to take away that fear, Mian."

"I'm not trying to give you away-"

"You are. Do you not realize what you're asking? What if I'm unhappy with him? What if he hurts me? I'm not safe, I'm just not dead." I replied.

I could see Mian's jaw clench from where I was standing. His eyes glanced away in thought as I just stood waiting for him to open his mouth again.

He can't actually be sending me off to do this right?

"Ness... please. He's already on his way here, he'll be here by tonight. Just... just try."

"Mian, we don't even know him."