She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, easy for her given their height difference.
"Give yourself credit. You're building something unprecedented. A clan formed from desperate remnants, led by someone barely into adulthood by elven standards, navigating politics that would challenge leaders with centuries more experience. The fact that it's working at all is impressive."
"Is it working though?" Jorghan asked.
"Or are we just delaying inevitable collapse?"
"Both," Nami replied honestly.
"Every clan is always on the edge of potential collapse. The strong ones just hide it better. We're building something, and whether it endures depends on thousands of decisions we haven't made yet. But we're trying, genuinely trying, and that matters."
She kissed his cheek.
