Nothing had truly ended between her and Stillwater, but then again, nothing truly began. That’s the reason why she is confused by her own mind and how jealousy is aroused when she breathes in his scent mingled with Djinni’s. Her heart quickens for a brief spurt, but she forces it from her thoughts and settles herself easily enough. Lior, she tells herself, and her eyes stray from Djinni as though in blind search of the male. Their actions – the caving of their temptations – stirs in her gut as something greater is created. Nayl realizes what is happening, what repercussion, there is, but she doesn’t shrink away from it anymore. When her body shifts, she wonders how long it will be until she shows and until she can no longer deny her virginity. For now, she is safe, but she can’t help the offhanded glance over her shoulder to confirm that.
As to not seem suspicious and to appear simply deep in thought, Nayl continues to idly look back until Djinni mentions Heartfire and Brennen. Another grin appears then, but not quite as broad, as her head looks ahead again to more easily see the mage. ”Well. They’ve been doing well. Brennen is interested in teaching the soldiers some new skills. The only downfall is that we don’t have too much of an army – never did.” There hasn’t exactly been a use for one since the renovation of Beqanna, but she still prefers to have the caste just in case the need were to arise. ”It’s still rather quiet without your fiery self,” she manages a chuckle as she reflects back to her ascension to the throne. Both her and Djinni’s tongues were barbed and ready for the confrontation that ensued. Since then, however, it has been quite subdued in Nerine. Everyone quickly accepted their newest Queen.
In reference to the alliance between their lands, Nayl can only nod at first. She contemplates when she visited each kingdom and saw the slow progress that was being made in each. The topic of interkingdom relations never arose. Each land was still in the process of its new creation with their own, individual aims. It had still been too early to construct treaties and anything of the sort. Djinni, ever quick to stir some excitement, was quick to follow Nayl’s orders and obtain Sylvia so that their lands could be bound. Now, Nayl is looking even farther. ”Part of me wants Ischia,” she admits almost lackadaisically with a shrug, ”but perhaps use Brennen. He could make it his own,” she pauses in consideration as her eyes meet Djinni’s, ”but I’m not sure I can trust him to that extent. He isn’t the type to take a knee to me, even if I were to somehow give him his brotherhood back.”
But this is still all politics, a topic that Djinni is beginning to steer away from. Nayl mulls over her own personal life since the genie was last here. Unable to admit her pregnancy just yet, she merely says, ”I’ve been well. Trying to work on the whole manners thing and niceties.” She airily chuckles before reciprocating the question. ”And you? How have you been doing?” Stillwater isn’t mentioned, but his name is treading water and trying to surface from the depths of her mind.
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