Of all the places in her homeland, this, by far, had always been Raya's favorite. Most people chose the palace with its wide, gilded windows for some of the best views in all the Heartlands but not her. The former pristine palace had fallen into disrepair during the six years of the Druun's reign of terror. People rarely dragged themselves up the craggy rock on Heart's central island anymore, especially not to just sit and watch the sunset the way Raya did, but today was different.

It was here, on the far side of Heart's renowned, immense rock formation, past the former temple of the dragon gem, on a flat, shaded overlook, where Raya now stood. Not only did this spot offer some desperately needed solitude for the princess, but this spot also looked out in the direction of Fang, a place she had previously despised but now held so much meaning for her.

A light breeze caressed Raya's face, stray wisps of her own hair tickling her cheeks. The light, fresh scent of cherry blossoms drifted past her nose and the last rays of the setting sun warmed her skin. She could hear the birds chirping as they flew by, settling back into their nests for the evening but then another welcome noise met her ears.

A soft smile pulled at the edges of her lips subconsciously as familiar light footsteps approached steadily.

Well, apparently someone else thought the hike was worth it.

"Hiding again, are we, dep la?"

Raya glanced over her shoulder at the Fang princess, her smile stretching further across her face at the appearance of the one person she welcomed into her solitude. "You found me," she replied softly.

"I always do." Namaari replied smoothly, stepping up behind her. Raya's breath hitched at her sudden closeness, her heart stuttering in her chest.

She was still getting used to this feeling, the way her body instantly reacted to Namaari's presence. Sometimes it was a rush like a flood, other times it was like floating, calm and tranquil. She may never get used to it and she was more than okay with that.

After all, Raya had spent six years in relative isolation, unable to trust anyone enough to let them get within reach much less let her guard down enough for them touch her. She'd had too many bad experiences. Too many bad people trying to take advantage of a young girl alone. But from the moment they had met, Namaari had always been the exception, the one person aside from her Ba who made her feel completely safe just by being nearby.

It had only been two weeks since they had put the dragon gem back together and rid the world of the Druun. In a very short period Raya had gone from blaming Namaari for breaking the world to admitting to herself that she never really truly blamed her at all to trusting her completely and eventually even allowing herself to love the woman behind her.

Gentle but firm hands came to rest on Raya's waist, the heat from the touch burning through the fabric of her sabai.

Now that Kumandra was united something had compelled her to wear the traditional turquoise garments of Heart. It was almost as comfortable as her usual clothing and much more so than the awful formalwear that her Ba tried to convince her to wear. The perks of having come of age was being able to choose her own wardrobe but she would humor the old man at some point. For now, this was a bit of a compromise, one that Raya was learning to appreciate.

Namaari stepped even closer to her, if that was possible, close enough that Raya could feel her warm breath gliding over the shell of her ear. A pleasurable chill ran up her spine and she had to pull her lips into mouth to prevent the groan that threatened to escape. Instead, she reached her own hands down to take hold of the other woman's, guiding them around her middle. Once they were securely around her, Raya left her arms resting on top of the Fang warrior's, leaning back into Namaari's easy strength and savoring the peace that washed over her.

With saving the world and all, they hadn't had much time to spend together just the two them, what with cleaning up the buildings of all the overgrowth from being abandoned for six years and the necessary, but tedious, politics of determining how to be Kumandra in more than just name. So, to say that Raya missed Namaari would have been an understatement. While they made sure to sneak some time together every day it did nothing to satisfy either of them. In all these meetings, Raya would catch Namaari's eye across the room, or, if she was lucky, they'd be able sneak away from their parents to get some alone time, as they had now.

Raya hummed contently, her eyes sliding closed as she tried to memorize this moment to remember during all the moments they'd be apart later.

In response, Namaari slid one of her hands from Raya's, skimming up her arm and over her shoulder to sweep Raya's dark curtain of hair off to the side. Raya held her breath as lithe fingers grazed her exposed neck only to be replaced by a pair of soft lips.

"I missed you."

The combination of sensations was almost overwhelming. From the low timbre of Namaari's voice to the brush of her lips on her skin as she spoke to the press of her warm body against her back. This time she couldn't prevent the sound that emanated from her throat.

She needed more.

Wordlessly Raya turned slowly to face the Fang princess meeting those intense dark eyes, conscious of those hands that never left her, following her movement, slipping from her stomach to her lower back. She slid her hands up those perfect arms, savoring the curve of every muscle as her fingers traced the smooth skin, continuing their path over her golden arm bangles until her left hand felt a change in the texture. Her eyes were drawn to the slight indentation, but she knew without looking about the newly healed scar there.

Raya's heart clenched at the vivid memories that came flooding back.

She could almost still feel the soreness in her knuckles from having just hit Namaari in the jaw, something she wished desperately she could take back. She had regretted it the moment it happened and every moment since.

As she had stared down the edge of her Ba's sword into Namaari's wide, disbelieving eyes, Raya had experienced a swirl of conflicting emotions that she hadn't had the time to name much less process.

Then the fear that cut through her as Wahn suddenly appeared, crossbow pointed at her as she, in turn, pointed her Ba's sword down at Namaari's exposed throat.

The icy feeling that she was going to be shot down by a Fang warrior just as her Ba had been had caused her to react impulsively, going to whip the sword at the intruder.

But then she had been blindsided by the shove, catching herself just in time to look behind her and see Namaari in such pain even as she tried to hide it, an arrow imbedded deep in her arm.

At the time Raya could not fathom how Namaari would have risked her own life to protect someone who had just done her harm, someone who had looked at her with such anger.

She hadn't been expecting the tightness in her chest now or then. Her mind had been spinning with a million pieces of new information, none of them making any sense. But she couldn't deny the ache in her chest at seeing Namaari injured, even though she had just been the cause of her pain only moments before.

All she knew for certain was that she never wanted to see Namaari hurt ever again, and she hadn't understood why at the time. This had been the woman she was supposed to hate. The woman who she thought had been responsible for her world being turned upside down. Well, she had been. But not for the reasons she originally thought.

And then there had been later, on Boun's boat. Namaari's words that she would never forget, "I swear to you, Raya. I would never have hurt you. Not then and not now."

Raya had been certain her heart had beat out of her chest, but she wouldn't allow herself to admit that she had never truly hated this woman a minute since they had met as kids. Despite everything she thought had happened.

"Did I lose you?" Namaari asked gently, drawing Raya's attention back to her dark eyes, soft and searching. Raya had always felt so exposed by those eyes and now was no exception. Namaari lifted one of her hands to Raya's face, her lithe fingers combing her hair back while her thumb grazed her cheek bone. She felt herself leaning into the touch instinctively.

Raya managed to tear her eyes from Namaari's long enough to glance back down where her finger was still absently tracing her scar before meeting her eyes once more. "I was just remembering how you got this."

Namaari hummed in acknowledgement, bringing her hand back down to tighten her hold around Raya just slightly as if afraid she'd lose her, "I'd do it again in a heartbeat… And I pity Wahn should he ever decide to show his face again."

Her heart fluttered a bit at Namaari's protectiveness. Raya felt confident she could hold her own against the best of Fang's warrior, but she'd be lying if it didn't feel good to have Namaari at her side. And she had absolutely no doubt Namaari would make the former lieutenant pay for his crimes.

Namaari leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to her cheek. It was just such a chaste, sweet gesture that it took Raya off guard in the best way. A blush crept up her neck and colored the spot where Namaari's lips had just been.

Raya's hands continued their path after their detour on Namaari's scar, finally completing their journey up and around Namaari's neck, her forearms resting on those powerful shoulders. She had to clear her throat a little, but she managed to say, teasingly, "You missed."

"Oh, did I?" Namaari countered, a grin spreading across her beautiful face showing her prominent canines while her eyes seemed to twinkle in amusement.

"Hmm Hm. Yup."

"And where was I supposed to be aiming for, Princess?" Namaari inquired but without waiting for an answer she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the slope of her neck, her breath hot against Raya's skin. "Here?"

Raya was all of a sudden incapable of speech.

Namaari continued along, pressing featherlight kisses up her neck to the sensitive skin behind her ear lobe. "Or here?"

Breathing became near impossible.

A kiss to the corner of her lips, the tip of her nose nuzzling hers. "How about here?"

She couldn't take it anymore.

Raya slid her hand to the back of Namaari's head, nails running over the short hair, pulling her in and capturing those lips.

Namaari responded just as fervently, her hands sliding up Raya's back, leaving a trail of fire, clinging to her tightly. Raya savored every sensation the Fang princess elicited in her. It was unhurried but insistent, both women satisfied to take their time exploring one another and discovering new depths of their feelings.

Whenever they kissed Raya felt as though she had stepped out into the rain after having walked through a desert. She drank the other woman in as if she may never get another taste. A few of their other kisses had become heated, never going farther than needing to break apart breathless before coming together again, but Raya was becoming familiar with the pull in her body, the feeling of needing to be closer, of always needing more; a sweltering heat, an unquenchable thirst.

Her left arm stayed hooked around Namaari's shoulders while she allowed her other hand to slide down to the other woman's collar bone, exploring, until her fingers brushed the leather necklace there.

Eventually, she pulled her lips away to look down at her hair cuff tied securely around Namaari's neck. It brought a smile to her face to see it and it reminded her of the constant weight of Namaari's dragon pendant in her pocket.

Raya could feel those eyes watching her again and she glanced up to meet them. Those depths making her feel more seen that she thought was possible. She was overwhelmed with affection for this woman.

Snaking her arms back up and around her shoulders, Raya pulled Namaari close and nuzzled her face into her neck. She could feel the hands at her back returning the embrace and she felt so safe and at peace in this moment, something she never thought would be possible again.

Again, Raya was reminded of their journey to this point. She thought about when they had stopped in Heart on the way to Fang and Namaari had been there, ready to pull her into her arms and comfort her. Somehow this woman could chase away all her fears and doubts with a simple touch. On that bridge had been a turning point for Raya. It had been the moment she realized she could no longer deny her feelings for Namaari at least to herself anymore.

"My mother and Ty are readying the boat," Namaari's words cut through her reverie. Her voice was quiet and somber, a sharp contrast to the playful tone she had moments ago. "They plan to leave for Fang in at dawn."

Raya could almost feel her heart crash to the pit of her stomach.

"Oh?" she said, trying to sound neutral, hiding the disappointment in her voice as she buried her face deeper into Namaari's neck, refusing to look up and face reality.

Already she could feel the walls going back up around her heart. She had spent six years surviving, going from one end of Kumandra to the other, fighting to get her Ba back. But she had also spent those exact same six years aching to know what had happened to the young Fang princess with the dark, serious eyes, transformed when talking about dragons and Kumandra. How could they separate now after everything they had both been through?

"I know we haven't really talked about what happens next…," Namaari continued but Raya still couldn't force her eyes to meet the Fang warrior's. She just knew she would fall apart. How could they say goodbye so soon?

She knew Namaari's people were more important to her than almost anything. She couldn't begrudge her that, but it didn't make it hurt any less.

"But with you and your father's permission, I would very much like to remain in Heart… with you," Namaari's voice was quiet, unsure.

Somehow, she managed to lift her head from Namaari's warmth and clear her throat of the lump of emotion that had lodged itself there, "I understand."

Her eyes went up to Namaari's finally and she could see the crease in her brow of confusion, and it took Raya a moment to process her words.

"Wait. What?" she blurted, hope bursting down her walls again, as her hands clung to Namaari's shoulders, holding her at arm's length so she could search those eyes desperately now. Had she just said what she thought she said?

Namaari seemed to be losing a bit of her confidence, so her eyes dropped to the space between them, "Well, I discussed it with my mother, and she gave me her blessing to stay."

A laugh bubbled out of Raya from sheer relief and happiness. She didn't have the words to express this feeling, so she just reached her hand up to the back of Namaari's shaved head again and pulled her back in for another kiss.

This one was different though. It was desperate and passionate and full of relief and joy and so many other things. Maybe it was the fear of being separated from her so soon, but Raya felt a need for Namaari she hadn't felt before.

She could feel Namaari surrender to her as Raya guided them, backing Namaari against the rockface, never breaking the passionate kiss. A low groan escaped from Namaari as Raya pressed the full length of her body against the Fang woman, eliminating any space between them.

"So, does that mean you approve, princess?" Namaari asked, a catlike grin on her face when they pulled away for some much-needed gulps of air, their chests heaving against one another's.

"I mean, I suppose, it would be all right," Raya replied breathlessly with mock nonchalance, shrugging her should noncommittally even while she clung desperately to her.

Raya wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, holding each other and completely content but at some point, a deep grumble from her stomach interrupted the moment, eliciting laughs from both of them.

"While I am more than happy with this current arrangement, the real reason I came to find you was that dinner is ready," Namaari told her, pressing a kiss to her hair.

Raya practically shoved herself away from Namaari, her face formed into an expression of mock betrayal. "Why didn't you lead with that?!"

An affectionate smile curved Namaari's perfect lips as Raya clasped her hand, tugging her gently in the direction of the palace.

"Come on, dep la."