Tedious. That was word that best described these council meetings in Namaari's opinion.
It had been centuries since Kumandra had been unified so there was certainly much to discuss and plan and coordinate but that didn't make them any easier to sit through. It had been about a month since the dragon gem had been restored and there had been almost daily meetings of this kind. The topic of discussion today, and for the last week and a half, centered around trade and travel between the lands. This was where things started to get contentious, not that it hadn't already with the array of strong personalities at the table.
Spine had elected a new chief, Dara,Tong's wife actually, who was currently seated across from Namaari and next to Tail's new chief, a wiry, suspicious-looking man named Minh. At the other end of the table sat Dang Hu and Dang Hai, now joint leaders of Talon. Namaari's mother had left to attend to matters back in their homeland, leaving her as the representative for Fang. And finally, to Namaari's left, the land of Heart was represented by Chief Benja who was joined by none other than Raya.
Namaari tilted her head slightly, glancing to the side so she could catch a glimpse of the Heart princess seated next to her. She always made sure to situate herself next to Raya or save her a space if Namaari arrived first, which happened more often than not. She told herself that if she would have to endure these meetings, then she wanted to be as close as possible to the one person who could make them bearable.
Trying and failing to be subtle about it, Namaari took in the Heart princess's appearance, something she never tired of doing. Raya had gotten into the habit of wearing a turquoise sabai and sampot, exposing the smooth honey-colored skin of her shoulder and the graceful slope of her neck, framed by her dark hair. She was so beautiful and incredibly distracting, easily much more interesting than trade agreements.
Namaari, herself, while still firmly against formalwear, had realized the benefits of bending that rule sometimes. Indeed, she could frequently feel Raya's eyes burning on her bare arms and she was satisfied with her choice of a sleeveless, fitted silk shirt in the traditional pure white of Fang with silver embroidery paired with her own dark sampot, finished with a pristine white sash around her waist.
Unable to bear it any longer, Namaari shifted her eyes upwards to catch Raya's staring right back at her. Namaari could see the almost immediate blush that crept up the Heart princess's neck, but the other woman just gave a little shrug paired with a wide grin, clearly experiencing not an ounce of shame at being caught staring. Namaari had to bite back the pleased grin that threatened to split her face aware of the others around them, but they had both moved past the point of looking away.
Instead, a moment later the sudden welcome pressure of Raya's hand could be felt, fingers lightly squeezing her thigh. Heat spread through Namaari's body originating from the source of the touch. She couldn't prevent the smile that curved her lips this time, instead choosing to reach down and cover the other woman's hand with her own, intertwining their fingers and holding them securely in place.
They stared openly at each other all the while and Namaari found herself getting lost in those light brown eyes, wishing they were somewhere else, somewhere they could be alone. Since the dragon gem was restored, they had been almost inseparable and yet when they were forced apart by duty or sleep Namaari's heart still felt as though it was being stretched to the point of almost breaking until they were together again.
The sound of Chief Benja's throat clearing on Raya's other side snapped them out of the little world they always seemed to create around them. Wordlessly, they both came to a silent understanding that maybe they should start paying attention and tore their eyes from one another. After all, Namaari was the only representative from Fang and needed to be the voice for her people.
"We should have the borders patrolled to prevent unapproved travel between the lands," Minh suggested. Namaari had to hold back an audible scoff at the Tail Chief's contribution; was there really anyone that would want to go out to that desert land?
Dang Hai, with his large arms folded across his barrel chest, leaned back in his chair and nodded, stroking his beard. "I agree. In the past everyone has come and gone as they pleased," he said. "With no regulations, how will we keep out the undesirables?"
Again, Namaari had to school her face to prevent a visible reaction; Talon was probably full of more 'undesirables' than the rest of Kumandra combined, whatever 'undesirable' was supposed to mean anyway.
Like her mother, Namaari was more apt to listen to the conversation around her, choosing her words carefully and only speaking when she had fully considered all of the options and their consequences, but she felt she needed to derail the dangerous path of this conversation. "The need for literal border patrols seems extreme. Wasn't the whole reason the Druun returned was due to our discord and mistrust of one another?" she countered, bringing her elbows up to rest on the table her hand having regretfully released Raya's under the table.
Out of the corner of her eye, Namaari could catch the Heart princess nodding emphatically in agreement.
"Exactly. I think we should have open borders… no limits or restrictions on trade or travel between lands," Raya suggested, her eyes sweeping around the people of the council as she spoke passionately. It reminded Namaari of the speech she gave when they were surrounded by Druun at what could've been the end if not for her and her trust of Namaari. "I traveled across the lands for six years and I could see how isolated everyone was even without monitored borders. The reason we were able to defeat the Druun was because we trusted one another. We can't keep making the same mistakes."
No one said anything at first and Namaari could see the others glancing around, their postures guarded aside from Chief Benja who looked proud of his only daughter and also Tong's wife, Dara who was nodding in agreement. Eventually, someone else did speak up. Unfortunately.
"Isn't it past your bedtime, little girl? Why don't you let the adults handle this?" Dang Hai retorted, his face smug as he leaned even further back in his chair. He clearly hadn't enjoyed being contradicted in front of the other chiefs.
A white-hot rage shot through Namaari at his disrespect towards Raya. Her palms came down hard on the wood of the table, shoving her chair back as she made to stand, ready to choke the Talon Chief with that stupid beard of his, but to her surprise someone beat her to it. Well, sort of.
An audible smack drew everyone's attention to the little old woman to Dang Hai's side. To Namaari's surprise, Dang Hu had reached up as high as her short arm would go and whacked the back of her son's head with the wooden cane she had taken to using as of late. The blow couldn't have hurt that bad but it was enough to shock him into silence, his hand flying to the back of his head and his eyes snapping down to his mother, incredulous.
"That 'little girl' saved your life and the lives of everyone at this table. You'd do well to remember that," she reprimanded, her tone sharp. It was simple and to the point but extremely effective. This reaction was a far cry from the Dang Hu that had tried to have her goons chase them out of Talon before they stole her piece of the dragon gem.
Almost everyone at this table had been turned to stone by the Druun at one time or another, including Namaari herself. However brief it was she would never forget the feeling of the cold, utter darkness and she had to suppress a shudder at the memory.
Beside her, Namaari's attention was drawn back to Raya who was biting her lips so hard Namaari thought she might draw blood. She was unsure whether she was going to kill Dang Hai now or later but Raya shot her a quick glance with a slight shake of her head and Namaari eased back into her seat.
Dang Hai had the decency to look properly chastised. He stood from the table and bowed fully to Raya, his hands forming the traditional circle as he spoke, "My apologies, Princess. That was uncalled for and it won't happen again."
Raya didn't reply but merely nodded in acknowledgment. If Namaari had her way she would've been tempted to cut something valuable off of the Talon Chief for his insolence but that was a big reason weapons weren't allowed at these meetings she supposed.
The awkward exchange had silenced the rest of those gathered at the table and no one seemed to be willing to be the first to speak up again. After a long moment Chef Benja suggested, "Shall we adjourn for the day?"
There was a general mumble of agreement, and they all began to disperse.
As had become their routine, Raya immediately grasped Namaari's hand and led her out and onto the path towards the gardens after giving her Ba a quick parting hug. She allowed herself to be guided from the council room to the well-trodden path outside.
It was later than Namaari realized, a firefly here and there lighting up the darkness sporadically before dimming out again. They said nothing while they walked, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's company without others around. Namaari always found the warmth and pressure of Raya's hand comforing, strong and callused like her own from years of sword training.
As soon as they were in the seclusion of their usual spot in the gardens, Raya all but collapsed onto Namaari, flinging her arms around her waist and burying her face as deep as humanly possibly into the taller woman's neck. Namaari instinctively lifted her arms up and around her, encircling Raya and shielding them both from the outside world for a while.
"If I never had to sit through another one of those meetings it would still be too soon," the Heart Princess grumbled miserably. Namaari could feel Raya's fingers pressing into her back firmly and responded by tightening her own arms around her. The flutter of Raya's eyelashes tickled the sensitive skin of Namaari's neck, but it was her warm breath gliding over the hollow of her throat that was distracting her.
"Today was particularly awful," Namaari agreed as she lifted one of her hands to stroke Raya's hair absently. "Dang Hai was way out of line."
"But he was right. I don't belong." Raya's voice was small, just above a whisper, and yet her words crashed over Namaari as if she had shouted them.
She leaned back and gently shifted Raya far enough away so that the Heart Princess had to lift her face from Namaari's neck. She kept her arms securely around Raya, ensuring her that she wasn't going anywhere but tilted her head to encourage Raya to look up and meet her eyes.
Eventually Raya did look up, her dark eyes impossibly darker, filled with self-doubt and exhaustion.
Namaari made a mental note to kill Dang Hai later. Peace be damned. Namaari would rather take on a hundred Druun than ever see Raya's eyes the way they looked now.
She could feel the crease in her own brow even as she spoke, "No. Dang Hai is a fool. He is a small man who is insecure in the presence of strong women."
This didn't seem to soothe the other woman who just shook her head and looked away again causing Namaari's chest to twist painfully.
"That might be true. But that doesn't make him wrong," Raya argued, looking up to meet her eyes again. "Namaari, I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know the first thing about how to be around other people anymore much less how to be a leader. All I know how to do is survive and be alone."
Her words cut through Namaari's heart, the pain in her chest sharp and immediate. After this past month she knew that Raya didn't actually want to be alone and Namaari had done everything in her power to show the Heart princess that she wasn't going anywhere.
The pain must've reflected in her eyes because Raya seemed distraught as well, the realization of how her words must've sounded. "Namaari, I didn't- I don't-," Raya stumbled over her words, but Namaari was not going to allow her to suffer in self-doubt any longer. Instead, she tightened the hold her left hand had on Raya's waist while her right hand she lifted to caress the other woman's face.
"Raya, you are the reason I'm here, the reason that I'm still breathing," she began slowly and carefully as she held the Heart princess's gaze steadily so she could see the sincerity in her every word. Trying to keep her voice even as her chest heaved with so many emotions, but she gathered herself and continued, "The reason everyone in this world is here. You are the reason there is a Kumandra. I don't blame you for not wanting to be a part of shaping what Kumandra becomes but regardless, you need to know that you are not just some 'little girl.' You are more than deserving of a seat at the table. And you are far more capable than you realize."
After she had run out of words Namaari became aware of how heavily she was breathing, how fast her heart was pounding in her chest, and how Raya was looking at her.
The Heart Princess seemed to be on the verge of tears, her eyes glistening. This was the Raya so few got to see. She'd always had to be so strong out on her own for all those years. Weakness not an option for fear of someone taking advantage of any vulnerability. Namaari would change that if it took until her dying breath.
She reached out, the tips of her fingers hovering over the thin scar above Raya's brow, a shade darker than the rest of her skin. She would never forget the image of the Heart princess's face covered in blood that day they defeated the Druun. Even now, her chest clenched at the memory, hatred for the man who gave it to her and anger at herself for not being there to prevent it but mostly afraid of what other wounds Raya may have that weren't as visible. She felt like she had only begun to scratch the surface. If Namaari could go back in time she would've spent every hour of every day of those six years keeping this woman safe. She would have to settle for doing that for the rest of her life.
As Namaari traced the scar slowly, grazing it in a featherlight touch, Raya's eyelids fluttered closed, her long black lashes fanning out over her tan skin as a deep sigh escaped her as well.
Her fingers continued their journey across her temple, brushing her dark hair back, sliding down to where her jaw met her ear as her thumb came to rest lightly on her full lips. Even though Namaari had tasted them dozens of times she still marveled at their softness, and she was always drawn to them as if by an invisible force pulling them together.
They were so close that Namaari could feel the hitch in Raya's breathing rather than see it, but the real tell was the way the Heart princess's fingers curled, twisting in the back of Namaari's shirt
Namaari flitted her gaze up, searching for permission in Raya's eyes, now open, her brows slightly furrowed with some unknown emotion. She was taken off guard when Raya reached up, cradling Namaari's hand to her cheek as she leaned into her touch. After a moment, she pulled the hand to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to her palm before turning to look into Namaari's eyes once more.
Leaning forward, Namaari paused just short of Raya's lips, savoring their closeness and the feel of her light breaths. But it was Raya who closed the distance between them this time, tilting her chin up and claiming Namaari's lips.
Raya freed her hand from Namaari's to slide it under the curtain of her longer hair and gently scrape her fingernails along her scalp where her hair was shorn underneath. Her skin tingled as the sensation sent a pleasurable shiver down Namaari's spine.
Namaari slid her hands back down to the other woman's waist, pulling her impossibly closer, their bodies fully flush against one another. She was only peripherally aware that they were still in the garden, the nighttime sounds all around them, so entranced was she by this woman.
Their mouths moved in unison, lips gliding over each other as Namaari felt Raya's other hand come up to her chest, her palm flat just over her heart. She hoped the Heart princess could feel how her own heart reacted to her touch, her mere presence.
The feeling of Raya's tongue gliding over her top lip, asking for entrance to Namaari's willing mouth made the fire between them burn even hotter. She gladly granted her access, allowing the other woman to explore as she pleased, always following her lead. Their relationship had grown quite a bit this past month, but Namaari had no plans to rush things. She was fairly certain that Raya had little to no experience being intimate with anyone and Namaari was going to let her to set the pace.
The fevered pace of their kiss slowed only due to their shared need for oxygen, but even then Raya pulled away just long enough to take a breath before diving back in for another and another. Eventually, they slowed until Raya pressed one last lingering kiss to Namaari's lips.
"I love you," Raya whispered breathlessly as they parted, causing Namaari's heart to pound in her chest. She would never tire of hearing those three words from this woman.
"I love you too. So much," she replied fervently, trying to force air into her lungs.
They stood there, foreheads pressed together for quite some time, just basking in being alone together. Until…
"Ah, I thought I might find you two here," Chief Benja's voice drew both of their attention over to the path they had come from earlier.
Raya's father strolled up to them slowly, his hands clasped behind his back. For someone who had apparently been searching for them he looked awfully unsurprised to see them. Namaari couldn't help but wonder how long he'd been standing there.
"Ba," Raya greeted first as she slowly and somewhat reluctantly disentangled herself from Namaari. Instead of breaking their connection entirely, Raya slid her hand from where it had been stroking the shaved hair on the back of Namaari's head, down her neck, shoulder, arm, until it came to her hand, a much more acceptable location to be in while one spoke to their father. Namaari responded by lacing their fingers together and squeezed for no other reason than she loved the woman beside her.
"Chief Benja," Namaari inclined her head in respect, unable to form her hands in the traditional circle as Raya's grip never loosened. He mirrored the gesture before directing his next words towards his daughter.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay after the meeting, but I see someone beat me to it," he said with a bemused smile on his face as he looked between them at their joined hands.
It was nice not having to hide. She hadn't been sure at first whether Chief Benja would be supportive of their relationship. There had been a lot of catching up he and Raya had to do, so when one of the first things she did when they reunited was to reintroduce him to Namaari it had made her heart swell with overwhelming affection for both of them. She had been so grateful she had her mother's blessing and Chief Benja's permission to remain in Heart, not wanting to imagine a Kumandra where she and Raya would be separated after finding each other again.
"You could say that," Raya dead panned. From the corner of her eye she could just make out the faintest blush creeping up her neck as her eyes darted to Namaari briefly.
"Well, in that case, I was also hoping to have a word with you, Princess Namaari. Will you take a walk with me?" Chief Benja asked, turning his attention to her.
"Ba…," Raya's tone was low with a hint of warning as she arched a perfectly curved brow in question.
Namaari froze at the unexpected request, her eyes shifting to the man before her and then to Raya who merely shrugged, and back again.
"Don't worry, Dewdrop. I'll return your girlfriend in one piece," Chief Benja joked with a wide grin, stepping forward and throwing an arm around Namaari's shoulders.
She gave a short awkward laugh, immediately stiffening in discomfort. It wasn't that Chief Benja specifically made her feel uncomfortable it was just that she wasn't used to most physical contact, especially with anyone other than Raya.
"Ba!" Raya hissed in embarrassment, apparently incapable of any other words at the moment.
As Chief Benja pulled her towards the garden path, bidding his daughter goodnight, Raya's fingers slipped from her grasp leaving her palm cold and empty.
She shot a glance over her shoulder at the Heart Princess just to see Raya's look of complete and utter confusion. The last thing she saw as she was being pulled around the corner was Raya mouthing, "I'm sorry."
As soon as they were out of Raya's sight and back in the open-air hallway of the palace, Chief Benja released her, clasping his hands behind his back once more.
"My apologies, Princess. I just had to have a little fun at my daughter's expense," he said giving her a warm smile, the skin next to his eyes crinkling with mirth.
"No apology necessary, Chief Benja. And please. It's Namaari, remember," she reminded, falling into step with his slightly longer strides.
"I'll start calling you by your name when you start calling me by mine," he countered and Namaari had nothing to say to that. This was their typical back and forth, but she really couldn't quite bring herself to call him just Benja. She was much closer to calling him Raya's Ba than she was to that level of informality.
"Actually, I did have something I wanted to discuss with you," the Heart Chief said after a moment, his face turning serious as he slowed to a stop, his hands remaining behind his back.
Namaari did the same, turning to face the slightly taller man. She had no idea what he could want to speak to her about- in her time in Heart they had never had a conversation without Raya present- and her mind was racing a mile a minute with all likely scenarios. Was he going to chastise her for being too intimate with his daughter? Was he going to tell her she would need to leave Heart and Raya and go back to Fang?
She said nothing, waiting for him to speak as her mind conjured up all manner of outcomes including one that involved a pretty epic sword fight between the two of them. As she looked up at him though all she could see was kindness in his warm, dark eyes- so much like Raya's.
"I haven't had a chance to thank you," he began softly. Namaari was sure her expression reflected the confusion she was now experiencing because his smile widened.
"I always knew that I wanted to be a father, but I never expected to end up being a single parent," he continued, resuming their walk and it took a second for Namaari's brain to follow his words, but she quickly caught up falling in step beside him, listening intently. "So, when Raya's mother died in childbirth, I was so lost but I knew one thing for certain from the moment Raya was born: I would do anything for her. I would protect her, keep her safe, and do everything in my power to make this a world she could live in.
"And then the day I was turned to stone, when the Druun was upon us, I knew without a doubt in my mind that I would have to sacrifice myself to save her. I didn't think twice." He continued walking but his pace was slower so he could meet her gaze. Namaari hung on his every word, anxious to hear any little detail about Raya from the person who raised her.
"From the way Raya tells it, you did the same," he nodded his head in the direction of her shoulder, the deep scar from the crossbow bolt still visible. "Taking an arrow for her, risking yourself even though you had only met her briefly as children many years ago. You saved her life. For that I am endlessly grateful to you."
Namaari hadn't expected the turn this conversation was taking and she could feel heat creeping up her neck and burning her cheeks. Reaching up, she brushed her hair back behind her ear as was her habit when she was nervous. It never stayed in place but it gave her hand something to do. She wasn't embarrassed about her actions that day, far from it, but the acknowledgment of it was a different story all together.
Her silence spurred him to continue, "If I've learned anything in this life, it's this: every moment we have with our loved ones is a gift to be cherished to the fullest." He paused once more and turned to face her, unclasping his hands from behind his back this time. Namaari recognized that they were in the hallway where Raya's room was located. She knew it well because she had walked Raya back to her room almost every night, always reluctant to part ways. She had only seen the inside of her room once the night they arrived back in Heart for the first time.
Chief Benja reached out his hand and let it rest on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as he spoke sincerely, "To know that Raya has chosen to spend her days with someone as honorable and devoted as you, brings me so much happiness as her father. There is no one else I'd rather see by my daughter's side than you, Namaari."
If Namaari was speechless before she was even more so now. A lump had formed in her throat as the back of her eyes burned with emotion. The feeling of belonging and acceptance from Raya's father made her chest feel tight and his words brought a wave of affection for him she hadn't anticipated. His use of her name without her title did not go unnoticed as well.
In response Namaari stepped forward and simply wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Physical affection was something she was still working on, but it felt like the right thing to do in this situation. She felt his arms wrap around her, returning the embrace. It was short but meaningful and they both stepped away smiling at one another.
"Thank you, Benja," she managed after a moment and he bowed his head in acknowledgement.
"Good night, Namaari. I'll see you bright and early for another riveting day of meetings. Don't stay up too late," he grinned teasingly, arching his brow in a perfect mirror or his daughter's before walking away down the hall and disappearing around the corner.
Namaari stared after him dumfounded, realizing her mouth was hanging agape, unable to bid the man good night, as her brain attempted to process what he may or may not have been implying with his parting words. It didn't seem like a coincidence that the Heart Chief had concluded their little stroll directly outside of Raya's room.
Out of respect to Chief Benja's hospitality Namaari had never spent the night with Raya, insisting she continue to use the room provided for her. Not that she hadn't been invited. Quite the contrary actually. Almost every day Raya would try to convince her to stay the night and every day it got harder and harder to refuse the Heart princess. Tonight, she hoped to be invited again.
Eventually, she was able to collect herself enough to turn so she stood facing Raya's ornate door for a moment, her thoughts racing after the interaction she just had. She lifted her hand to the door, hesitating only a second before tapping her knuckles on the thick wood.
Almost suspiciously quickly, the door flung open, and Raya poked her head out, her eyes going wide at the sight of Namaari before her lips curved into a sly smile.
"Long time, no see, dep la. Miss me already?"
Without waiting for an answer (which would have been a resounding affirmative), Raya gripped the front of Namaari's silk shirt in both of her hands, yanking her into her room. Namaari's thoughts were still a blur as Raya backed herself into the now closed door and pulled Namaari hard towards her. Stumbling slightly, Namaari prevented herself from crushing Raya by reflexively throwing both of her hands up on the door on either side of the Heart princess' head even as Raya's lips crashed against her own.
"Hello to you too," she teased lightly when they were forced to break apart for air. Now that they were alone in the room Namaari saw that Raya had obviously been in the process of getting ready for bed. Her raven hair unbraided, wisps falling in front of her face, and she had changed into a white shirt and matching pants. Namaari couldn't help but think Raya looked good in white. Then again, she looked good in everything. But seeing her in the traditional color of Fang made something flutter in her chest and she surged back in for another passionate kiss.
Now that she was settled against Raya, Namaari lowered her hands to the slight curve of Raya's hips only to be met with bare skin. The Heart princess's night shirt was loose fitting and had ridden up at some point, exposing a strip of perfectly toned midriff. A combination of warmth and electricity shot through her from the simple, unexpected touch and it was exhilarating. Namaari had to swallow a groan of want, her fingers itching to feel more.
Raya's response to the touch was immediate. A sharp gasp parted her lips and broke apart their kiss. Her arms clung tightly around her shoulders as Namaari froze, unsure. They had never gone this far before. The heat had been building for some time now and it was becoming harder and harder to dampen each time. But there wasn't a world in which Namaari would ever do anything Raya wasn't completely comfortable with.
"Is this okay?" she asked softly, her eyes searching Raya's for the slightest hint of discomfort.
In response, Raya merely leaned forward and pressed her lips to Namaari's jaw, trailing kisses up until she reached her ear, her mouth grazing where her ear climber used to be. She whispered one word, "More."
That one utterance made Namaari's body react instantly. Low in her core a tightness was building, a pull that was intoxicating and becoming overwhelming.
The hands that had stilled in place at her hips, slid further under Raya's shirt, savoring every inch of skin she was allowed the privilege of touching. Her palms ran over Raya's ribs, purposely avoiding any more sensitive areas. All she felt was perfect, warm skin, unimpeded by anything and Namaari became dizzy at the realization that the only thing separating them was the thin material of her shirt. As her hands roved to the expanse of Raya's back, Namaari buried her face in Raya's neck, giving the sensitive skin a gentle nip before soothing it with another kiss. This elicited a low groan from Raya and Namaari could feel the woman's hands fisting the back of her shirt.
Namaari knew she needed to slow things down, cool them both off before they got to the point of no return. And while Namaari dreamed of that moment more and more frequently and in vivid detail, they had a lot to talk about before they crossed that line in their relationship. So, as greatly as it pained her, Namaari eased back, her hands still firmly in place on the smooth skin of Raya's back, feeling the firm muscles underneath, as she pressed one last chaste kiss to Raya's forehead with a sense of finality.
The adrenaline seemed to have drained from the Heart princess's blood stream because Namaari could hear the exhaustion in her voice, as she pleaded quietly, "Stay? Please?"
"As long as you'll have me," Namaari hummed in response to the Heart princess's request.
It was only a few steps to the bed, but it felt much further as Namaari guided her by the hand across the room. They settled in, Namaari still in her formalwear from earlier. As she laid on her back Raya curled up onto her, hooking her leg over Namaari's. Raya's hand came to rest over Namaari's heart as she buried her face into the crook of her neck.
"Oh, what did my Ba want to talk to you about earlier?" Raya asked, her voice muffled in Namaari's shoulder and sounding already half-asleep. A fond smile curled her lips as she pressed a soft kiss to the top of the sleepy princess's head.
"I'll tell you in the morning. Sleep, dep la." She commanded gently but even before she had finished speaking she could feel the steady, even breaths of Raya having drifted off.