EPILOGUE (HEART)

This was it.

Their whole journey had led them here. To the land of Heart.

Namaari had watched Raya carefully on the boat ride to her homeland. The princess had seemed to turn in on herself, lost in thought this morning and quieter than she had been the last two days. She could feel the anxiety and anticipation rolling off the woman in waves and Namaari wished she could do something to ease her mind. But she knew there was nothing that would distract a daughter who had spent six years apart from her father on the day of their reunion. So, she contented herself by making sure Raya knew she was nearby if she needed her.

A familiar boat with a large shrimp on the roof caught their attention along with a few other boats crowding the dock as well. Once they had departed their own boat, Chief Virana and General Atitaya stood with a few other Fang citizens who had volunteered to travel with them, excited to leave the Fanglands for the first time in their lives. They had looked around at the scenery in awe at the sheer vastness of it all, having spent their whole lives on a very small island. Safe but isolated. Almost as soon as Raya and Namaari were off the boat they were inundated by their friends, excited to be reunited after their brief time apart.

Boun introduced them to his parents along with his siblings, two older brothers and an older sister who- just as the young Tail boy had told them she would- tousled his hair affectionately. Namaari could see behind Boun's look of mock-annoyance the joy he took in the gesture.

Noi and the ongis were in the arms of her mother and her grandmother. Kind women who showered them with appreciation for taking care of little Noi. Raya had quickly covered up a snort of laughter, trying to pretend it was a sneeze. If Noi's mother only knew that Noi more than took care of herself while in Talon and beyond while on their little adventure. And if Namaari wasn't mistaken, she thought she spotted her ear climber on Noi's mother but when she arched a brow at the toddler, she just stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at Namaari.

Then Tong trudged over, his young son perched in his arms, his wife at his shoulder followed by her brother. The Spine warrior didn't hesitate to put his son in Raya's arms and then it was Namaari's turn to suppress a laugh. The Heart princess was so uncomfortable, holding the little boy out and away from her body, unsure of what to do with him. Namaari chose to have mercy on the woman and took the boy, placing him on her hip as he babbled to her incoherently. She caught Raya's eye over the boy's head and she could see the woman's look of gratitude.

Meanwhile, TukTuk and Chaiya didn't have a care in the world, the furbug rolling around in the lush grass as the serlot playfully tried to catch him.

Sisu had made her rounds with all of them, those that hadn't met the dragon yet staring at her in open wonder. And to those that had met her, there was still a sense of disbelief that real, live dragons were truly back in the world. Namaari hoped that Sisu would introduce them to her brothers and sisters at some point, but for now she was content to here her talk about them with reverence Namaari didn't know the goofy dragon had.

Namaari had introduced them all to her mother and Ty, though they had all met them briefly before leaving Fang. While she could see the guilt coloring her mother's expression, looking at all of the families she had torn apart by her action six years ago, the others welcomed her and Ty with open arms. All was forgiven. Now was the time to come together. As Kumandra.

Eventually, they all began preparing to head to the bridge that would lead them into Heart but as Namaari scanned the crowd she couldn't spot the one woman who would lead them across. Stepping away from the group, Namaari glanced around the outskirts, finally laying eyes on the princess.

Raya was sitting on the dock, her feet dangling over the edge, her hands clasped in front of her as she slumped forward. Her only personal items, her father's sword, her hat, and red cloak were already tucked away on TukTuk's saddle. The fact that she had allowed the sword to part from her person while around so many strangers, former enemies even, spoke volumes to Namaari. The hard-won trust tangible.

Stepping lightly so as not to startle the Heart princess, Namaari approached. Once she was within a few yards of the woman Raya finally looked up, a distracted smile on her lips.

"May I?" Namaari asked gesturing to the vacant space beside Raya on the wooden planks. Raya replied without hesitation, "Of course, dep la."

Namaari lowered herself down beside her, their thighs and arms resting against one another comfortably. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the other woman staring off at the water, glistening in the dusk.

After a moment, Raya finally spoke, her voice sounding small and unsure, "Do you think he will even recognize me? So much as changed."

Namaari's heart hurt seeing how anxious she was. In response, she gently slid her hand down Raya's toned forearm to slip her fingers into her closed hand, spreading them out until their fingers interlaced.

"Of course he will," she assured her with a squeeze of her hand. "A parent never forgets their child."

Raya turned her eyes to look at her with a small smile on her lips. Nodding slightly, she lifted herself up from the dock, pulling Namaari up with her.

"Are you ready?" Namaari asked softly, brushing Raya's wild, stubborn hair away from her face. Those warm eyes shifted up slightly to meet hers and they still never failed to take her breath away. But now there was a playful edge to them and the Heart princess gave a quick glance around before grinning at her.

"Well, actually, there is one more thing…."

With that Raya reached her hand up and hooked it around the back Namaari's head, pulling her in for a kiss. It took Namaari by surprise, but she eagerly responded, snaking her arms around Raya's narrow waist.

Raya's short nails grazed over the shaved part of Namaari's hair, making her scalp tingle pleasantly and an electric jolt shot through her as Raya's other hand came to rest low on her bicep, near the sensitive spot at the crook of her elbow.

Just as suddenly as she had pulled Namaari in for the kiss, Raya pulled back, leaving Namaari breathless. Slowly, her brain managed to turn back on, and she convinced her eyelids to open. Before she could form a coherent thought, Raya spoke.

"I love you too, by the way."

Namaari was certain her heart had exploded. That was the only explanation for the way her chest seemed to be bursting with happiness. She was peripherally aware of the fact that her face had split into a goofy grin as she looked down at the princess in her arms.

It was her turn to pull Raya in, sliding her hands up her back so she could bring the Heart princess into her as close as possible. She poured everything she could into that kiss. All the love she had for this woman since she was twelve years old. All the love she still had yet to give.

When the kiss eventually slowed and their lips parted, Namaari buried her face into Raya's neck, the soft tendrils of her hair brushing her skin and tickling her nose. Raya's arms had found their way up and around Namaari's shoulders, holding her tightly.

Namaari could have held Raya like that forever, but there was still one thing left to do to complete their journey.

They pulled back, Namaari's hands finding Raya's, giving them an encouraging squeeze while her eyes tried to convey so many things. No more words were needed. Hand in hand they walked over to the others, leading them to the clearing near the bridge. Namaari could feel the eyes of their friends and family on them but she was focused on the woman beside her.

With a slight nod, Raya released Namaari's hand slowly, taking a deep, calming breath before stepping up the stairs.

Namaari watched her reach the top of the stairs and pause. From her spot on the grass below she couldn't see Raya's face or what was happening on the bridge but based on the princess's posture she just knew she had finally laid eyes on her father after all this time.

Her heart swelled as a moment later Raya ran forward calling out to her Ba. It took her another moment to realize that Sisu had come up next to her, the great blue dragon grinning down at her, waggling her eyebrows. Namaari let out an awkward laugh, "You were watching us, weren't you?"

Sisu just shrugged, unashamed, "What can I say? Rayaari is my OTP."

With a swish of the dragon's tail, she bounded up the stairs, leaving Namaari stunned and shaking her head in amusement even as her cheeks burned.

After that her mother stepped up beside her followed by Ty and then their newfound friends and their families. Namaari glanced down the line of them. Boun, Noi, Tong. Fang, Tail, Talon, Spine. And now Heart. In unison, they led the people of each of their lands, being the first after Sisu to step up onto the stone bridge.

Her eyes immediately found Raya's and even from this distance she could see those dark depths full of love and complete happiness. It took all of her self-control not to run to the other woman, but she managed to stop and bow with the others at the Chief who had Raya tucked into his side. Then they all began to cross the bridge together, seeing the look of awe on Chief Benja's face at the knowledge his daughter had fulfilled his dream of Kumandra.

As they neared, Raya's smile seemed to grow, stepping away from her Ba just enough to reach out for Namaari as well. While the others flooded around them, the older man smiled warmly down at her. Raya looked to each of them, the brightest smile on her face as she spoke,

"Ba, you remember Namaari right?"