XLII
The future
Zusawkrr
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It felt like victory.
Triumph over the clutches of death and pain and she triumphed. Tsu'tey felt in him, a reverence, a pride in her. She was beyond strong. And now they had two babies.
They named their little girl, Yoräyu. Yoräyu te Rongloa Hia'ino'ite. Artsut demanded that their first born be of the Rongloa, but she had no say over their little son. He was Eyte'lan, named similarly after his grandfather Eytukan. Eyte'lan te Kan'ina Tsu'tey'itan.
It was appropriate, funny enough. Yoräyu resembled her father more, same bone structure in her little squishy face. Similar markings, but her mother's eye shape. Eyte'lan had his mother's face structure, father's nose, his eyes.
They would never sleep soundly again with these two new little people.
They made their first bond with their mother as it has always been done. She thought only pleasant, soothing thoughts to lull them to sleep. And then to Eywa. Oh the light in their eyes! It must've been a similar look she had when Hia first connected to a sacred tree.
They were introduced properly to the clan.
Happiness has never come so easily. Tsu'tey had been keeping track of their lives events. Turing them into short little songcords.
•—————•—————•—————•—————•
Life became simple after that. Protect these children, feed them, clothe them, bathe them. Stay active and manage to find some time to spend alone or just with Tsu'tey. And then Grace's avatar turned up pregnant. She was kept in amnio-stasis. There shouldn't have been any pregnancy. And yet she was.
Jake volunteered first, upfront. As if Neytiri didn't have their second born on the way. Good luck to him, she had enough children. She was happy.
Life was just... perfect until another came along. She was pregnant again, a while after Neytiri had Tuktirey. Tuk was maybe three or four? Verbal and learning. Yoräyu and Eyte'lan were both seven or eight.
"Why Aunty big?" Tuktirey asked Neytiri. Hia'ino came over with Tsu'tey to let Yoräyu and Eyte'lan play with other kids with Arvok's supervision. He was an uncle now too. The fun uncle rather than the weird uncle like Jake.
Tsu'tey chuckled. He had barely changed since the birth of their twins. Same hairstyle, only a little more decorative, he kept some of his hair in a bun after Yoräyu nearly tugged off a braid. He had a new neckpiece. It was like the one he had gifted Jake, just with a Palulukan claw and nantang teeth instead of Ikran teeth. Not to mention the cummerbund.
Hia dressed in whatever was comfortable, same as before. With Neytiri as Tsakarem, Hia was not needed to be trained. However, she was often left alone with her children since Tsu'tey was helping Jake on a consistent basis to organize the clan and settle disputes.
"She is with child." Neytiri said simply.
"I have a baby in my belly. They're waiting to come out." Hia answered, as if she hadn't told the same thing to her twins.
"How?" Tuk asked, pressing a tiny hand to Hia's stomach.
Hia froze up, remembering vividly just how this new child was created. She shook her head while laughing as Tsu'tey choked on the water he was sipping on.
"Eywa blessed them with a baby. Like how Eywa blessed me with you." Neytiri picked up her little child and tickled her belly.
"Children are a blessing, but the real way is-" Tsu'tey chuckled as Hia slapped her hand over his mouth.
"The real way is a ritual. You pray really hard." Hia covered. Tsu'tey chuckled again, knowing she'd stop him. Although Hia was opposed to having children when she was younger, she always sought to preserve what was innocent and precious.
And she did it fiercely. She was a great mother, knowing what her children needed to hear or learn or do. And Tsu'tey was an excellent teacher to the twins so far. Neither had managed to fail them.
And then Hia's pregnancy came to an end.
She heaved heavy breaths as she finally relaxed, again, she had hemorrhaged. This time it was more blood than before, they stopped the bleeding just too late before she passed out. Arvok was doing a good job distracting Yoräyu, Eyte'lan, and his own child from disturbing Hia while she healed. He was really a blessing during this healing period.
Tsu'tey was left to ponder his newest child as Hia was healed.
He held the pale child, she was white as the clouds and her little markings glowed like the stars. Like Polyphemus. And so he named her there. Naraya te Kan'ina Hia'ino'ite. She looked just like Hia, but pale.
"She's... so pale. Tiny." He said while holding her. Neytiri joined him outside to see the child. The babe writhed in his arms. Groaning in discomfort. She was born early. Earlier than the twins.
"She will lead a hard life." Neytiri said sadly. Albinism in na'vi was rare not only because of genetic circumstance, but also because of how easy it was for them to be seen by other animals.
Tsu'tey stood silent. With his daughter in his arms, he was stronger than any force on this moon. He could fight ten battles like the one for Pandora all that time ago. He'd do it all again for his kids.
"I'll be there." He said, "I'm never letting you out of my sight."
When Hia first saw her, she cried. She was terrified for her youngest. She wished she could've kept her in longer so that she might be even toned like the other na'vi. She felt like she had failed already. But Tsu'tey was her rock. All throughout her postpartum, he was there.
And then spider was there.
Neytiri was obvious about her disdain.
"He should be with his own kind." She said.
"He is my brother, like it or not." Hia'ino bit back, "I don't disagree, but he has nowhere else. No one else." She said.
It got Neytiri quiet, but it didn't change her mind.
Tsu'tey taught him how to shoot, as he had taught all their kids how to shoot. And Hia taught Spider life lessons, to steer him away from the path she had been on before. She wanted him to feel at home even when he was alone so he didn't feel like he had to rely on his father's memory. He had better men to look up to. Like Tsu'tey. Of course, he always called Tsu'tey an honorific rather than by his name or father. Spider always knew who his father was. He knew who his sister is. She did her best with the cards she was dealt.
And it was good. For now.
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