Day 3, EE - Pampered Ra'Shari

[Soraya al-Menjari]

"I... you just.. "

She chewed her bottom lip.

"I am unused to being seen as anything besides a beautiful body. I suppose the fact you might think of me as something besides a charming and attractive woman is kind of... frightening."

[Raya]

"Frightening?"

Raya frowned.

"I understand now. You are thinking that Raya may see the person beyond the body and it would not be good yes? Because people never tried to look beyond the body and see the woman behind?"

The Ra'Shari woman shook her head, leaning in to give Sora a soft kiss before leaning back and speaking again.

"To me, beauty is more than outside. You are beautiful Soraya, but you are not just beautiful because you have a nice body and lovely eyes and hair. You are beautiful because you have a soul that sees more, and wants to do more. Because you have a heart that is full of love and joy, and want to give the world joy and love too so it can be brighter. I can enjoy looking at someone who is just visual beauty, but I enjoy being with someone who is beauty inside and out like you are more. It is why I like being with you."

[Soraya al-Menjari]

"Oh."

She thought a moment, before nodding and smiling wanly, "I understand what you mean. I feel that way about people myself. I am just used to my father and his associates treating me otherwise. I don't mind; If my being beautiful and having sex can make people happy, or help connect people, why wouldn't I. I mean... I like to think my getting close to you and Sidi al-Basiri that way has brought you two closer together."

[Raya]

"I am not sure who you are referring to, but it is more than being beautiful and having sex that made me close to you Soraya. That is not saying both of those are not good, more that I think we have more connecting than just...how you say, sex attraction? At least that is what I am thinking?"

Raya frowned slightly.

"I do not look at you and think I want to have sex, I look and I think I want to be with. Is that making sense? I can think of the ways to express in Ra'Shari but not sure if I am expressing correctly in Mekhem."

[Soraya al-Menjari]

Another long moment thinking before Sora nodded, smiling brightly before hugging the younger woman to her out of the blue, "I do. And I love you even more for that. To be interested in me, all of me, even the silly, personal parts of me..."

She buried her face into Raya's neck, "It makes me feel special in a way I can't explain. It's like... I'm an actual person to you, not just something to have around that makes you happy."

[Raya]

Raya wrapped her arms around Sora, hugging her gently and smiling a little finally, placing a kiss on the womans cheek before speaking.

"I was worried I would not explain it well, it fills me with so much joy that you understand. Now I am thinking Soraya can let me love her like she deserves it. I am no big important person, I am just Raya, but I want to make you happy."

[Soraya al-Menjari]

"Just Raya indeed. You are the most wonderful woman in the world, in my book."

Her voice was muffled against Raya's skin, after she nuzzled back in, "I love everything about you, how you treat me and how you treat others, as well as the spirit you give to life and the people around you. I feel honored and lucky I could meet someone like you after so long being just an object."

[Raya]

"You are making me blush" Raya said with a small laugh, giving the woman a squeeze "but I am happy. Truly."

Raya closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the woman on her lap more than the bath.

"Now Soraya can be Soraya, not an object. And if she forget, Raya will remind her every day. Or I will do what I keep promising and steal you away to the sands to remind you every day that you are."

[Soraya al-Menjari]

Sora looked up at Raya and nodded, patting her on the back before letting go of her, though not making her get off. "If you steal me away, give me some warning please. I do want to travel more, but I would miss this city and Qasim if I just suddenly left, and I would feel really bad for Lady Majdala if I were to just disappear."

[Raya]

"If I give warning it would not be stealing no?" Raya said with a grin, before nodding.

"I do understand. There is much here that matters to you, and I do not want an angry Dahabi or a khadi chasing after the caravans. It is not a concern for a while though, as I am to be staying for a little while. As difficult as that is for me, I am going to be waiting for my caravan to return."