After Kumandra

Raya and Namaari Part 10

But Raya pulled away. "This…” Her voice caught. She tried again. “This isn’t what I wanted.” It took a moment, but then Namaari's dazed look hardened and she pushed herself back even farther. “I mean, it is,” she amended. “Obviously, it is.” Namaari's relief was obvious, and warmed every inch of Raya's body. Namaari's quick, teasing grin spoke volumes. Of course this was what she wanted. Of course it was. “But … not to be a secret,” she said. “I never wanted to be just a clandestine affair” The smile vanished again.

"Okay, Dep La" Namaari whispered, her head turning down.

She fixed Raya with a steely gaze. "Okay. I don't have answers for you right now, but one day, I promise you...".

She glanced at the sun dial and gasped. "I have to go. I'm almost late! Ishan will be done with his daily training soon."

Raya wanted to face palm, but instead gave Namaari an encouraging grin.

"Off you go then, Dep La. I'd forgotten too. You've got this."

With a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek (Raya couldn't help turning her head, still a bit frustrated) Namaari discreetly winced and strode out of the room, going to fetch Noi. (Noi had been in Fang under the guise of a free, all expenses paid vacation with her family). This worked out well, because Noi had a thing for cats. Large cats.

                                 (<:>)

"Time to see where Ishan goes each weekend" Namaari said confidently to Noi.

Noi put her chubby hands on her face, exasperated. "Creep-creep. Gah."

"Hey, I'm not the one who used to use my baby charms to hustle foreign visitors."

"Low bow, Nam-Nam. Low bow."

"Right. I'm sorry."

Noi perked up a little, at least until they saw Ishan stride out of a shop.

"It's your moment girl, let's go get him."

Namaari had fashioned Noi a cat harness (toddler seat?) out of dragon fruit leather (that stuff was tough as nails, after all, just don't tell Raya) and so far, so good.

They carefully padded on the dirt road after Ishan. Fang had expanded a lot after the end of the druuns, but even Namaari hadn't realized quite so much.

Soon they were surrounded by rural fields and forests.

"Middle of nowhere nowhere nowhere" Noi sang softly.

"Quiet, you" Namaari hissed affectionately.

They were at the border. They were crossing the border. Now in the badlands, practically. Lawless.

Why on earth would Ishan be traveling here? He had an apartment in the capitol, Namaari knew that. Although she rarely saw him in it, come to think of it...

They came across a small house, a hut practically, and using binoculars saw a tiny child run outside, loudly wheezing just from a few steps.

Ishan happily picked up the child and spun him around, until the boy began to cough harshly.

Another man rushed outside. "I told him not to run, he wouldn't listen." Still, the man gazed at the child almost -lovingly.

What was going on here?

"The healers still won't look at him because of, well, who I am, obviously, but I have a few days off next week and should be able to travel to Heart. They should have treatment there."

Ishan nodded gently, transfixed on the child, who was a mirror image of him. His son? Illegitimate? Perhaps that's why there was no wife.

"Daddy!" The boy cooed, his arms almost successfully wrapped around Ishan's rather bulging bicep, snuggling into his arm. Yep, that confirmed it.

Once the boy had calmed (and it took a few minutes), Ishan set him in a rocker inside.

He then came back out and embraced the other man and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

Oh. There was definitely no wife, then.

She would never in a million years have expected that much tenderness from Ishan. Even for a lover -er, husband?

Wait, what?!

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Hoping you guys don't hate me for this plot twist :). Answers are coming, I promise. Romantic scene paraphrased from Marissa Meyer's novel "Cress."

As always, constructive feedback, comments, and votes are always welcome.

What are your thoughts on this development?

Sincerely,

-NamaarixRaya