39 XXXVIII. Why is there a flower in your hair

"Where have you been." Nä-tâshā asked her daughter as she held her arms lovingly and as if to make sure she was really there. The king on the other hand looked up and smiled upon seeing his daughter. "You had us worried." He said.

"Um I was just out for a walk." Nä-ræl stammered. No way in the world was she going to say that she went to her garden to see Rapha while her mother was there still holding her hands.

"On the palace grounds?" The queen asked. "I thought the guards searched." She said to her husband.

"Yes mother. I was on the palace grounds but where I was was quite... Oh blast it!" She exclaimed, getting tired of not saying the exact truth. "I was in my garden."

"Oh," the queen said and smoothed her daughter's hair lovingly. "Wait a minute... Why is there a flower in your hair."

"Um... I think I might go to bed. I'm quite tired." Nä-ræl said avoiding the question.