Chapter Text
It was a week ago that the chief of Fang had received the letter from Heart. It was a warm welcome, an invitation to call a truce between the five lands. There was no way Kumandra would become a reality, she had written back to him. It was a silly fairytale that would never happen. And he was a fool for thinking it ever would.
Give it a chance, he had responded. There will be warm meals and good service, a chance for them all to bond with each other. Even if they don't become Kumandra, what's the harm in this one event? She had accepted his request, but not for the reason he thought.
The chief of Fang would bring prosperity to her people, she would take the dragon gem and let Heart fall into ruin. Two weeks later, when they had entered the gates of Heart, the chieftess had brought her daughter aside to speak with her.
"Listen, my morning mist. There's a valuable treasure somewhere in Heart, and I want you to find it"
She of course, meant the dragon gem. The Fang princess however, was not entirely clear on what her mother was implying. It turned out the gathering wasn't as much of a disaster as everyone initially thought it would be. And many of the chiefs seemed open to the idea of Kumandra, Virana was, of course, one of few who disagreed.
Later that evening, when everyone was just about to leave for their homes, the chieftess finally sees her daughter approaching in the distance, making her grin smugly. Surely Namaari had been successful with the task. She quirks an eyebrow to find her daughter's arm linked with the small Heart princess's. Virana offers Raya a small smile before bringing Namaari to the side.
"Where's the dragon gem?" She whispers.
"Dragon...gem?" Her confused daughter whispers back, her face twisted into a small frown.
"Yes, the treasure"
"Oh..."
The small princess nervously scratches the back of her head, quickly darting her gaze to her feet. Her mother narrows her eyes in suspicion.
"Namaari?"
The Fang princess bites her lower lip nervously, avoiding her mother's look completely.
"You said to bring back Heart's treasure..."
"Yes, and?"
Namaari glances at Raya again, a faint blush adoring her cheeks when the latter smiles at her.
"I...I did" she mumbles.
An exasperated sigh leaves Virana's lips as she pinches the bridge of her nose. Why? Why does everything happen to me? She thought.
"Morning mist, you can't seriously believe we're bringing her home with us"
"Why not? My room has lots of space"
Before Virana could say another word, the father to the Heart princess had come into view, his kind smile as prominent as ever.
"Dewdrop, there you are!" he gushes picking the girl up in his arms, causing her to giggle and throw her arms around his neck.
The Fang princess narrows her eyes at the man, anxiously tugging the sleeve of her mother's dress with a pout.
"Ma, please do something, he's taking her!"
At this point Virana had lost every last bit of patience she had left for her daughter. Her plan was completely ruined.
"Taking?- that's his daughter!"
"But I saw her first!"
"No, you didn't!?"
That's how it all started when the two princesses first met, and around eight years later, the two were happily married, laughing and smiling together in the rose garden outside the palace of Fang. After years and years of hard work, Kumandra was finally a reality, and Fang was finally free of famine and starvation. More importantly, no dragon gem was needed for that to happen.
"Who's the fool now, Virana?" The chief of Heart teases, shooting her a proud smirk.
"Keep your mouth shut, Benja"
A chuckle of amusement fills chief Benja, he looks back at his daughter in law who is picking Raya up bridal style and placing a tender kiss on her forehead. He couldn't help but smile and tear up.
"C'mon, you gotta admit, they're adorable together" he says nudging his new friend with his elbow.
The chieftess rolls her eyes before cracking a small smile, her eyes catch Raya's for a moment who was beaming at her.
"I guess you're right"
She frowns feeling the man shove her slightly, almost causing her to spill her hot tea.
"So, guess what I found"
He picks up a board game from under the table.
"Look! It's the dragon and the ongi!"
She feels her eye twitch in annoyance and her hands clench around her cup. Is he seriously asking her to play a game for twelve year olds? Another loud sigh emerges from her, she pinches the bridge of her nose.
It wasn't enough that he would call them best friends forever, but now she had to play board games with him? Her eyes then fall on her daughter, on the look of pure happiness on her face. At least Namaari's happy, she thought the corners of her lips quirking up.