Afaedean summers were always excruciatingly warm, the air heavy and thick even after the sun had found its bed beneath the horizon. The sky was clear, the moon casting a cool white light across the white and gold stone of the palace, and the city had settled into a peaceful stillness. For now it seemed the bustle of the trade fair the previous week had faded. Namyna sighed, already missing the lively travelers and entertainers it had brought. A yawn came to her lips as she looked across the city from the back halls, the quietest wing of the whole palace. The lake shimmered beyond the city walls, reflecting like thousands of diamonds. She idly wondered whether she could slip past the guards to escape to its cool, windy shores.
"You're up later than usual," a familiar voice commented, amused. Namyna didn't even turn to face him, a smirk crawling its way to her lips.
"I could say the same of you," she returned. "A prince is no good to his people if he sleeps the day away."
"I am not the one that sleeps until after high noon."
Namyna finally turned, her tongue poking out from her lips at the comment. "There are worse things than beauty rest for a princess."
Brelan chuckled, giving a playful hit to her arm. "Is that what you call it?" Namyna struck out against his arm in return, much harder than her twin. He laughed harder, earning another punch. He wrapped his arms around hers, despite the flailing it incurred, placing a kiss against her forehead. She attempted to headbutt him in the process, just barely missing. Still, it brought a smile to her face - she would've denied it if asked.
"Get some sleep," Brelan chuckled as he set her down, turning to continue on his original path down the hallway, waving his hand over his head as he went. "I'm going to make sure you're up for sparring practice at dawn."
"Don't you dare," she called after him, hearing only laughter in his wake.
The princess turned again to the balcony, soaking in the moon's light and the sight of her city. Sleep would still be a while off; it would be no harm if she remained here for a few more minutes.
"You're up later than usual," a familiar voice commented, amused. Namyna didn't even turn to face him, a smirk crawling its way to her lips.
"I could say the same of you," she returned. "A prince is no good to his people if he sleeps the day away."
"I am not the one that sleeps until after high noon."
Namyna finally turned, her tongue poking out from her lips at the comment. "There are worse things than beauty rest for a princess."
Brelan chuckled, giving a playful hit to her arm. "Is that what you call it?" Namyna struck out against his arm in return, much harder than her twin. He laughed harder, earning another punch. He wrapped his arms around hers, despite the flailing it incurred, placing a kiss against her forehead. She attempted to headbutt him in the process, just barely missing. Still, it brought a smile to her face - she would've denied it if asked.
"Get some sleep," Brelan chuckled as he set her down, turning to continue on his original path down the hallway, waving his hand over his head as he went. "I'm going to make sure you're up for sparring practice at dawn."
"Don't you dare," she called after him, hearing only laughter in his wake.
The princess turned again to the balcony, soaking in the moon's light and the sight of her city. Sleep would still be a while off; it would be no harm if she remained here for a few more minutes.