Deep in the Violet | Neteyam X fem OC

Chapter thirteen

Under the veil of night, the camp lay in the embrace of silence, cradling its inhabitants in the deepest slumbers. All the brave warriors, weary from the battle of days past, found at last solace in sleep. But amid this night's tranquility, one mind was nowhere near relaxation. The mind belonged to Naveah.

The unsettling nightmare had surfaced yet again, taking hold of her. She was transported back into the examination room, her troubled subconscious making everything seem even more twisted than before. The figure of the mysterious woman loomed over her, a malevolent grin stretched upon her lips. With evil laughter and a sharp scalpel in her hand, she chased Naveah around. The room turned into something resembling a white cube, its walls shrinking in with every moment. Naveah could feel the weight of the closing-in walls, leaving her breathless. It was clear that escape was out of reach. With nowhere to run, Naveah found herself cornered, the haunting, piercing blue eyes of the woman now centimeters from hers. The blade of the scalpel glistened as it swished through the air, finding its way into Naveah's flesh. The once-white room turned crimson red with blood.

Naveah woke up with a sudden jolt. She sighed with relief when she realized that all of that was just a dream. Though it took her a moment to remember where she was. She lay on her side, looking at some sort of fabric just centimeters from her eyes. Her vision cleared gradually; it was obvious that before her lay the tent's wall, and the very first light of the day was peeking through the little holes in the fabric. The visible fragments of the sky had a beautiful, rich shade of dark blue. It could only mean that dawn was moments away.

Wanting to get up, she suddenly realized that something was obstructing her movement. She glanced at her waist to find out what was the source of the weight that held her down. Panic initially set in when she spotted a big blue arm wrapped around her waist. 'Oh no, did Lo'ak somehow sleepwalk here and now he's laying beside me?' she wondered, her heart anxiously racing. She cautiously lifted the hand and moved it away from her body, sliding it down carefully to avoid waking him. Finally, she was free from its weight and could move. Naveah then turned, rising up slowly on her elbows, ready to give him a stern look in case she woke him up. But her mouth fell open in surprise as she unexpectedly found Neteyam sleeping beside her. 'When did he arrive? I didn't even hear him,' she wondered.

Settling back down beside him, Naveah watched his peaceful expression. Regret washed over her for having moved his arm earlier, as she now longed to curl up closer to him. She smiled silently as she admired him once again. His braids were in disarray, almost obscuring his face. Among the many colorful beads that adorned his hair, she noticed a small green leaf attached.

Her heart skipped a beat as her gaze drifted to his lips, so soft and alluring. Her face reddened, and her stomach tightened as thoughts of kissing him flooded her mind. It was all so new to her. She had never felt this way about anyone before. If she kissed him, she wondered, would Neteyam kiss her back? She had noticed his gaze lingering on her a few times, but was she interpreting it correctly? Did he see her as desirable? Could he look past her unusual appearance? And even if they did kiss, what would it mean for both of them? Her clan had never allowed her to complete their rite of passage, so in their eyes, she was neither considered an adult nor a true member. These undeniable circumstances meant she was not permitted to choose a mate. Neteyam, however, was the eldest son, not just of any Olo'eyktan, but the son of Toruk Makto, the great war leader and warrior. She was sure that great things were expected of him. Could associating with someone like her actually jeopardize his future position?

A loud snore abruptly resonated from somewhere in the tent, interrupting her thoughts. She looked around and soon realized that the tent had become rather crowded. The snore served as a reminder that Neteyam's parents had returned during the night as well. Naveah sighed, and with one last, longing glance at Neteyam, she quietly snuck out.