Falling for the Olo'eykte

✧ Chapter 23: One of the people

Neteyam's POV 

After our love confessions, Azura and I embraced each other for some time. "We should get going, my people must be waiting for us" Azura said quietly as if she didn't want to move. Kissing her on the forehead, I replied playfully "Can't they wait five more minutes?". She slipped out of my arms and looked at me while raising one of her eyebrows, "Neteyam, we are already late" "I know, but five more minutes won't hurt anyone" I insisted as I tried to trap her in my arms as she laughed. 

"Come on", she pecked my lips and stood up. Following her like a lost puppy, I couldn't help but admire how captivating she was. "Neteyam?" "Yeah?" "Quit staring at me and walk faster or my people will kill us" she said as she walked backwards so she could look at me. I hadn't even noticed I slowed my pace as I admired her,  her beauty mesmerized me in ways I couldn't comprehend. 

Finally, we reached the top of the Kelutral where the Ikrans normally rested. Azura began to call Sayuri as I called mine. Both Ikrans arrived simultaneously, spreading their wings widely as they landed on the branch of the big tree. After petting my Ikran's head, I climbed on his back and instructed him to begin flying towards the Eampin mountains. 

During the flight, I relaxed and let the wind brush my hair. It was at times like this when I could completely forget about everything, it was just me and nature. Looking at my side, I watched how Azura did the same with her eyes closed and immediately a smile came over my lips. The wind brushed back her hair, her arms raised to feel the air embrace her and a gorgeous smile on her lips, the same smile that drove me crazy.  

Slowly she lifted her eyelids and our eyes met. We smiled at each other dumbfounded, "I bet I can get to the Eampin mountains before you do" she shouted teasingly, knowing its effect on me. "I highly doubt that" I replied and without a warning, I instructed my Ikran to fly faster. "You cheater!" Azura shouted from behind me making me laugh. We continued our competition until we could visualize the mountains, that's when I decided to do the last sprint. 

"I arrived first" I said triumphantly as I got down from my Ikran. "That's because I let you win. I've beaten you so many times that I was already feeling sorry for you" "Sure lor syulang, whatever helps you sleep at night". Before she could do it alone, I helped her climb down from her Ikran. My hands rested on her hips as hers went to my chest, "You were just lucky, Eywa was by your side". I didn't reply, I stared deeply into her bewitching eyes forgetting about what we were here for. 

All of a sudden, I felt a strong gaze in our way and knew Azura had sensed it too since she looked around for the owner. Looking in the same direction, I saw how many clan members were already looking at us. However, it wasn't their gazes that I had felt, but Zygmunt's. His face held a confused expression, I could even appreciate some anger probably due to the closeness between his future mate and me. 

"Perfect, know we got everyone's attention" Azura said sarcastically as she tried to hide in the crook of my neck. It was true, everyone was looking at us. Some of them looked with fascinated and happy faces, while others began to whisper with the na'vi on their side like they were disgusted and upset by my proximity to their Olo'eykte. It was clear that some people still didn't accept me and my family in the clan, therefore just the idea of possible feelings between her and me disgusted most of them. I wonder how they would react if they knew the truth. 

Feeling pressured by her clan, Azura let go of me and began walking to her designated place for the ceremony and I was quick to copy her. As I walked to where my family was, I could see how my mother started deeply my way with a serious expression. Without saying a word, I sat between Kiri and Lo'ak. I knew my mother had seen beyond our closeness, she was good at reading between the lines and thus I was sure she suspected something.