He was always so thoughtful in what he had to say, it did not come to a surprise to Navia that Théadan took his time before answering her question. She could see the way his green eyes took in the new views, her they swept over windows and balconies and treetops. She waited patiently, their horses walking along companionably and bringing them ever closer to the building that housed her family. Finally he called the palace impressive and pretty, sentiments Navia agreed with, and it was exciting to know he thought so. The mention of angry waves from the sea crashing on the outer wall caught her attention though, and Navia looked toward the wall where the ocean’s waves were lazily lapping against the protective white wall. He was right of course, and it had been a sound Navia had enjoyed on stormy days in the past.<br/><br/>Navia was about to suggest they look forward to hearing it together, but Théadan distracted her by asking if they could see her balcony and if she could point out any interesting features of the palace from where they were. Pleased he wanted to know and was embracing the fact they were going to have so much for him to discover in the coming days, Navia felt it important to give Théadan a basic layout of the palace while they took their time weaving through passersby. “We can’t see my balcony right now, no,” Navia started, her gaze shifting to the palace as if laying her eyes upon it would help her see in her mind how it was laid out. “The entire building is pretty much one huge square with the center cut out. We have gardens outside the palace, which were planted after my grandfather ordered the outer wall to be built to protect us from<i>tufans</i>. But then in the center, there are more.”<br/><br/>Navia paused as a cart crossed in front of them, her hands working to pull on the reins gently to encourage Vari to slow down and wait. Once the waving Khluri woman was past them, Navia returned her attention to the palace and how to best describe it to Théadan. “The front of the palace is the most public part. It is where the throne room and banquet halls are located, as well as several other communal spaces for governing the country. The eastern side of the palace has the kitchens and some servant housing, but the upper floors are meant for nobility. The western side of the palace has several more chambers for visitors and nobility. The southernmost portion is the most private and meant for the royal family. The entire top floor belongs to Kazim and his wife, then it varies from there.”<br/><br/>After a small frown of thought that it could have changed after she left, Navia glanced Théadan’s way and shrugged. “My siblings and I all grew up on the third floor with our parents, with each of us having our own chambers to call our own. After Yousef and I each got married, we received other chambers. Unless it’s changed, Yousef is down on the second floor now with his wife. Devam had been given rooms on that floor before we were married, which had been unheard of at the time because he had no blood ties to the royal family. He was just Kazim’s greatest friend.” Her father had not liked it, nor had many other older members of nobility, but if they had all learned anything quickly after Kazim had assumed power of the monarchy, it was that he would do whatever he pleased. “After Devam died, I moved my belongings back into my chambers,” Navia went on, pursing her lips together for a beat as she remembered the day she’d done it before continuing, “It felt strange to be in his space without him. So before I went back to Vanam, I had been staying on the third floor again with Sainan as my neighbor. I’m hoping you’ll like my chambers enough to call it ours, but if not I’m sure we can look around and find a set of rooms to make our own. I want to make sure you feel comfortable and able to create a space that is all yours.”