Nyssa rolled her eyes and shoved him. He feigned off-balance, clutching his chest as though she'd actually hurt him.
"That’s two for you as well now," she bantered. "Do you think you can keep it professional while you give me a tour of this beach you're so proud of?"
Nadir laughed. "No promises."
He held out his arm for her to take. The familiarity of such a gesture made her shake her head, and she knew he knew why.
But he kept his leering to himself, making good on the gentleman that he was, as he showed her more of his beach and introduced her to a few of his people. She didn't miss the bite of their pressed lips and the tenseness in their shoulders when they shook her hand.
Stares followed them as they walked, and after a while, Nyssa grew so uncomfortable that she dropped her arm from around his. The feeling she'd had earlier walking through the market was back and now worse with him at her side.
As to why his people watched her with such malice, she had a few ideas... Exiled princess forced on their shores. Perhaps they thought her part of the council that had condemned Draven. A danger to their great Commander and his ability to keep their people safe.
These were the stares and thoughts that made her stomach queasy and made her realize whatever she and Nadir had together could not be brought up in public again... Not until she'd proven herself worthy of his attention in their eyes.
Nadir told her he would show her the food forest the next day, that it was getting too dark to venture in there with the Dead Moons overhead. It was the Noctuans’ last night, and Nyssa was grateful he did not press to show her much after night fell.
Lex met them back at the shack after dinner, already lighting her pipe as she relaxed on the porch. "Commander and the Princess," she drawled upon their approach. "The least you could do when escorting her around is put a shirt on, Nadir," she added.
Nadir huffed amusedly. "I'll make a note of that." He turned to Nyssa then, took her hand in his, and his lips brushed her knuckles as he backed up the steps. It physically hurt her heart to see the dilation in his eyes and know that she had to let him go.
He left them then and went inside to change. Nyssa sighed into the seat beside Lex, her head hitting the wall.
"Talk," Lex said without looking at her.
"What am I doing, Lex?" Nyssa breathed. "I mean... What are we doing? Should we not be marching to Man’s camps and demanding peace right now? We've been here—“
"Three days," Lex finished for her. "I've never seen you urgent about anything. Why so urgent about this? You know it's the long game."
"Doesn't make it any easier."
The smoke from Lex’s pipe entered Nyssa’s nose, and Nyssa closed her eyes at the sweetness of it.
"Are you ever going to tell me whatever it was you and Dorian have been hiding from me?" Lex asked.
Nyssa sat up and pulled her knees into her chest, avoiding Lex’s eyes. "I don't know—“
"Fuck off, Nyssari," Lex cut her off. "I've watched the two of you grow up. I know when you're hiding something. As your brother isn't here to keep that secret for you and help with whatever it is, I implore you to tell me."
Nyssa knew she was right, but she wasn’t ready. She wasn’t prepared for the look she knew Lex would give her, along with the stares of Nadir's people from the tour.
"Soon," Nyssa told her.
Lex leaned back, head lolling on her neck as she exhaled. "What's wrong? Thought you would be skipping after seeing you walk through the village with him."
"His people stared at me today as though I am a disease," Nyssa whispered. "As though my being on his arm somehow made them question his authority."
"They don't know you," Lex said. "Give them time."
A question burned through Nyssa then as the doubts in her head threatened to flood and drown her beneath their weight.
"Lex, would you be here if it wasn't your duty?"
A pause.
One long enough that it nearly confirmed Nyssa’s suspicions and sank her further beneath that water.
"What do you mean?" Lex finally asked.
