#⋆.˚ ☾⭒.˚ ━ ‘ 𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐑𝐀 & 𝐙𝐄𝐇𝐑𝐀 ’

[obsiidians]

it was the bond of need, but it wasn't all the two women had to tie them together. amirra respected zehra, she had for some time and the tow had been able to trust and depend on one another, even from afar. it was one of the most valuable relationships amirra had but beyond zehra's weight in gold as a friend she was a truly lovely person and amirra counted herself lucky to be in zehra's good graces. the value of a relationship in that crowded room could not be undersold and in that aspect amirra felt a bit more secure, even though she couldn't name more than a few without masks obscuring identities.

"we are indeed, my friend." she places her own hand over zehra's, a squeeze and a nod of encouragement. "my sisters remain my number one priority, but i feel that finding a spouse would lessen the burden laying squarely on my shoulders. we are perhaps in the same situation, and time passes still." she mirros the sigh, the salt air cleansing her sea born heart. she didn't feel terrified, that wasn't the right word for it. she loved her home, she was skilled at running it well, but there were moments where sharing it would be welcomed. and it would help her sisters, she thought, if she married well. perhaps it didn't really matter, their society did not paint women poorly and her sisters could be just fine. but amirra worried anyway, could she not give them a better opportunity?

a smile graces her lips at the affirmation, she cherishes zehra's demonstration of emotion, it feels even more rare in this crowd. "we indeed have one another, and we're here in the thrall, in the music, we surely have as good of a chance as anyone else in there." she laughed lightly, hoping that sounded more nonchalant than it felt. "ah well, longing is different. i won't lie and say i haven't considered the additional benefits of having a spouse beyond the daily burdens of running a house. it's still difficult to feel it though, to crave it perhaps? i so value my independence and the quiet at the end of every day, my routine. but everything must change, just as we do." she lets her own gaze return to the dark waters for a moment. "we should get back inside, dance even, certainly we will not find spouses if we remain out here on this balcony. and wouldn't it be nice to make more dear friends?"

"that  makes  two  of  us."  zehra  murmured  at  the  mention  of  the  crowd  inside.  even  accompanying  her  mother  around  the  different  regions  and  places  zehra  didn't  know  many  people.  she  was  like  a  wallflower,  paying  attention  to  her  surroundings,  assessing  the  situations,  and  being  quiet  -  she  preferred  it  much  like  that.  Her  eyes  followed  her  closest  friend,  the  one  she  would  escape  to  when  Storm's  End  didn't  feel  like  the  haven  it  usually  was. 

Listening  with  all  her  heart  to  her  companion's  emotions  and  confessions.  letting  her  fingers  touch  the  stone  surface  of  the  balcony  railing  zehra  let  her  eyes  drift  out  to  the  waters,  unknown  and  mysterious.  amirra  was  very  right  -  the  thought  of  a  spouse,  a  loved  one,  and  a  lifelong  companion  was  something  everyone  wished  for,  was  it  not?  "I  believe  we  are  both  burdened  with  responsibilities  to  our  houses."  zehra  said  with  her  eyes  drowning  in  the  darkness  below.  "we  have  duties  and  tasks  which  others  do  not  so  of  course  the  trouble  of  completing  them  alone  is  terrifying-"  zehra  let  her  eyes  turn  back  to  amirra.  "but  I  don't  feel  completely  alone,"  she  confessed  and  tried  to  smile  at  her  friend.  "For  now,  we  have  our  friendship  and  I  believe  or  I  hope  -"  a  sigh  escaped  her  lips,  her  shoulders  sagging  slightly.  "that  we  find  companions  in  life  which  makes  our  tasks  easier  to  complete."  turning  herself  around  she  let  her  eyes  glide  back  into  the  ballroom.  "even  if  neither  of  us  has  longed  for  it  at  least  no  yet."

[obsiidians]

the relief as she understood just who had found her out here washed over like the crashing waves below. just zehra's presence was a balm but her voice was so lovely as well, the familiarity provided some form of safety amongst all the secrecy of the celebration tonight. "lady zehra.." she breathed out a sigh, she'd rather hug her friend but refrained for the moment. "no, that's quite true. the mystery of who is who tonight has me choosing my words more carefully than i otherwise might." she admitted, she preferred honesty, rarely resorting to lying, but that didn't mean she didn't know how. "i scarcely recognize a soul in there, it likely does not help that i haven't ever met a fair amount of them." she lets out a laugh that is swallowed by a gust of salty wind. she turned her hidden eyes on her friend then, a look of bemusement beneath the plaster and butterflies. "i am quite alright zehra, you worry too much. i was excited to witness a new match made, but i was also the smallest bit envious i suppose. which is so funny, i've never longed for a spouse but it seems quite important with each passing year."

the  announcement  came  as  news  to  zehra,  but  she  gave  nothing  away  as  she  clapped  and  smiled  at  the  news.  she  still  felt  rather  foreign  here,  even  with  family  all  around  her.  zehra  let  a  small  sigh  escape  her  lips  before  she  continued  her  search  for  the  one  individual  who  would  make  most  of  her  worries  disappear.  amidst  the  chaos  of  people,  she  could  see  the  dress  her  closest  friend  had  spoken  about  in  the  letter  zehra  had  received  this  morning  -  a  grin  present  as  she  walked  out  on  the  balcony  to  greet  Amirra. 

"it  isn't  like  you  to  apologize  for  escaping  unwanted  attention-"  she  said  with  surprise  covering  her  every  word.  a  smile  upon  her  lips  as  she  accompanied  Amirra  by  the  railing,  letting  her  palms  grace  the  stone.  "I'm  glad  I  found  you,  the  crowd  is  filled  with  known  faces  but  there  are  too  many  unknown  as  well,"  she  confessed  before  looking  at  Amirra.  childhood  friends,  companions  in  arms  -  at  least  that's  what  she  was  to  her.  "how  are  you  feeling?"  concern  lapping  around  her  words.