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The ride back to Aetaea had been almost entirely silent.
Persephone had not spoken as she was still trying to digest all that she had witnessed during the harvest festival in the central plateia of the capitol. Ariadne, the new addition to the party, was quiet because Persephone was. She was new to the situation and did not know what was common knowledge between the people in the carriage and what information she might have was privy for which ears. Persephone was already determined to sit with her for a long time tomorrow, catch up over her absence and speak of everything they had missed by not being together. Iason was silent across from her in the closed carriage, not saying a word and staring out of the window for most of the journey. He did not seem willing to engage with the situation they all found themselves in or, perhaps, so engaged in it that his thoughts were too dark and convoluted to be shared. Olena was silent besides several sniffs, as she lost herself in the understandable terrors of what she would do if Demetrius proved to be dead.
The entire journey from capitol to the Demetra manor was disturbed only by Ariadne asking once if Persephone was warm enough and Persephone murmuring the occasional comfort to Olena. At some point along the way, Persephone wasn't sure went, she had reached out and taken Olena's hand in hers as a form of comfort. They had not looked at one another or properly talked over the fears that she held. But they had continued to hold hands until they reached their destination.
As the carriage that Olena and Perse had taken to the festival returned back to the Argyris manor, everyone was still lost in their own thoughts but immediately sparked into action by the necessity to sort themselves out. The ladies had to settle their skirts and arrange getting down from the closed vehicle. And Iason had to arrange his cloak and sword as he descended the steps. The coachman was a trusted aide of Iris' - one that was not often used for journeying to the city so he would not be noticed.
Taking Ariadne into an embrace and assuring her that she would arrange to have another cot moved to the chamber currently used by Chrysanthe and Olena for her to stay in, Persephone promised that they would speak in more depth the following day. For the hours that it had taken to see them back to Aetaea had seen the sun setting and darkness descending. Now was time for each of them to rest, assess what they had witnessed, and find some calibration within their own minds as to how things would go from here.
And this was Persephone's own plan as she made the appropriate requests to Iris' steward, greeted her host family and assured them that she was safe but that her presence was now known to Athenia but no they had not been followed back to Iris' estate and that they would concoct a plan of some kind the following day, for she was too tired to speak now. Instead, she headed directly to the chambers that she and Iason had been sleeping in since her arrival in Athenia, encouraging her betrothed to shut the door behind him and suddenly feeling the strongest sense of repetition. For this was how they had entered the room when arriving that first night in Athenia.
Pulling roughly at the tie of her cloak, Persephone breathed a sigh of relief when it came away from her shoulders and she loosened the tie around her neck for the gown also. She had been itching all day, despite never showing a hint of discomfort. And she was certain her skin was rubbed raw beneath the ill-woven fabric.
Glancing around at her intended, Persephone realised only then the level of anger that had been simmering beneath his expression of concentration the entire way back...
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The ride back to Aetaea had been almost entirely silent.
Persephone had not spoken as she was still trying to digest all that she had witnessed during the harvest festival in the central plateia of the capitol. Ariadne, the new addition to the party, was quiet because Persephone was. She was new to the situation and did not know what was common knowledge between the people in the carriage and what information she might have was privy for which ears. Persephone was already determined to sit with her for a long time tomorrow, catch up over her absence and speak of everything they had missed by not being together. Iason was silent across from her in the closed carriage, not saying a word and staring out of the window for most of the journey. He did not seem willing to engage with the situation they all found themselves in or, perhaps, so engaged in it that his thoughts were too dark and convoluted to be shared. Olena was silent besides several sniffs, as she lost herself in the understandable terrors of what she would do if Demetrius proved to be dead.
The entire journey from capitol to the Demetra manor was disturbed only by Ariadne asking once if Persephone was warm enough and Persephone murmuring the occasional comfort to Olena. At some point along the way, Persephone wasn't sure went, she had reached out and taken Olena's hand in hers as a form of comfort. They had not looked at one another or properly talked over the fears that she held. But they had continued to hold hands until they reached their destination.
As the carriage that Olena and Perse had taken to the festival returned back to the Argyris manor, everyone was still lost in their own thoughts but immediately sparked into action by the necessity to sort themselves out. The ladies had to settle their skirts and arrange getting down from the closed vehicle. And Iason had to arrange his cloak and sword as he descended the steps. The coachman was a trusted aide of Iris' - one that was not often used for journeying to the city so he would not be noticed.
Taking Ariadne into an embrace and assuring her that she would arrange to have another cot moved to the chamber currently used by Chrysanthe and Olena for her to stay in, Persephone promised that they would speak in more depth the following day. For the hours that it had taken to see them back to Aetaea had seen the sun setting and darkness descending. Now was time for each of them to rest, assess what they had witnessed, and find some calibration within their own minds as to how things would go from here.
And this was Persephone's own plan as she made the appropriate requests to Iris' steward, greeted her host family and assured them that she was safe but that her presence was now known to Athenia but no they had not been followed back to Iris' estate and that they would concoct a plan of some kind the following day, for she was too tired to speak now. Instead, she headed directly to the chambers that she and Iason had been sleeping in since her arrival in Athenia, encouraging her betrothed to shut the door behind him and suddenly feeling the strongest sense of repetition. For this was how they had entered the room when arriving that first night in Athenia.
Pulling roughly at the tie of her cloak, Persephone breathed a sigh of relief when it came away from her shoulders and she loosened the tie around her neck for the gown also. She had been itching all day, despite never showing a hint of discomfort. And she was certain her skin was rubbed raw beneath the ill-woven fabric.
Glancing around at her intended, Persephone realised only then the level of anger that had been simmering beneath his expression of concentration the entire way back...
The ride back to Aetaea had been almost entirely silent.
Persephone had not spoken as she was still trying to digest all that she had witnessed during the harvest festival in the central plateia of the capitol. Ariadne, the new addition to the party, was quiet because Persephone was. She was new to the situation and did not know what was common knowledge between the people in the carriage and what information she might have was privy for which ears. Persephone was already determined to sit with her for a long time tomorrow, catch up over her absence and speak of everything they had missed by not being together. Iason was silent across from her in the closed carriage, not saying a word and staring out of the window for most of the journey. He did not seem willing to engage with the situation they all found themselves in or, perhaps, so engaged in it that his thoughts were too dark and convoluted to be shared. Olena was silent besides several sniffs, as she lost herself in the understandable terrors of what she would do if Demetrius proved to be dead.
The entire journey from capitol to the Demetra manor was disturbed only by Ariadne asking once if Persephone was warm enough and Persephone murmuring the occasional comfort to Olena. At some point along the way, Persephone wasn't sure went, she had reached out and taken Olena's hand in hers as a form of comfort. They had not looked at one another or properly talked over the fears that she held. But they had continued to hold hands until they reached their destination.
As the carriage that Olena and Perse had taken to the festival returned back to the Argyris manor, everyone was still lost in their own thoughts but immediately sparked into action by the necessity to sort themselves out. The ladies had to settle their skirts and arrange getting down from the closed vehicle. And Iason had to arrange his cloak and sword as he descended the steps. The coachman was a trusted aide of Iris' - one that was not often used for journeying to the city so he would not be noticed.
Taking Ariadne into an embrace and assuring her that she would arrange to have another cot moved to the chamber currently used by Chrysanthe and Olena for her to stay in, Persephone promised that they would speak in more depth the following day. For the hours that it had taken to see them back to Aetaea had seen the sun setting and darkness descending. Now was time for each of them to rest, assess what they had witnessed, and find some calibration within their own minds as to how things would go from here.
And this was Persephone's own plan as she made the appropriate requests to Iris' steward, greeted her host family and assured them that she was safe but that her presence was now known to Athenia but no they had not been followed back to Iris' estate and that they would concoct a plan of some kind the following day, for she was too tired to speak now. Instead, she headed directly to the chambers that she and Iason had been sleeping in since her arrival in Athenia, encouraging her betrothed to shut the door behind him and suddenly feeling the strongest sense of repetition. For this was how they had entered the room when arriving that first night in Athenia.
Pulling roughly at the tie of her cloak, Persephone breathed a sigh of relief when it came away from her shoulders and she loosened the tie around her neck for the gown also. She had been itching all day, despite never showing a hint of discomfort. And she was certain her skin was rubbed raw beneath the ill-woven fabric.
Glancing around at her intended, Persephone realised only then the level of anger that had been simmering beneath his expression of concentration the entire way back...
He felt like he was a kettle left boiling over a fire, there was nowhere for the pressure to go in the tiny carriage that squeezed in an extra person. Keeping silent felt impossible and so he kept his gaze fixed out the window, watching and cautious for anyone following them or any sign of danger from outside. His hand remained on his sword the entire journey back, and he was pointedly avoiding her gaze. In the moments he could feel it on him he simply bit the inside of his cheek as further reminder that this was not the time or place. They weren't married yet, she didn't have to bend to his will.
Before the carriage had rolled to a complete halt in the yard the baron was on his feet, sweeping cloak and sword out of the way so he could exit and offer his hand to help the women out of the carriage. Only when the last had been freed did he pause to speak to the driver briefly, giving thanks and a brief summary of the trouble for the man to pass on to Iris before turning to find Olena. With a hand on her shoulder he leaned close so he didn't have to speak loudly and interrupt the reunion happening between Persephone and Ariadne.
"I'll come see you later. Never worry for your future."
He'd grown close to Demetrius in the time since their escape, the man was as close to a friend among the party as any of them and one of the few he trusted aside from Persephone. To lose him was a harsh blow in several ways, but the harshest was the look on Olena's face and the knowledge that they had only just been returned to one another. He'd been asked permission for them to wed and given his blessing wholeheartedly, why they had not gone forward before Dima had left he didn't know, but regardless it was his responsibility to the man who had helped keep himself and Persephone safe to provide the same for his lady.
It was in silence again as he followed his betrothed to their room, shutting the door behind him and taking off his cloak. His sword was hung alongside it but the dagger he kept in his belt did not join them for the first time since they'd arrived. Now that people knew they were here, there would be no safety until a decision had been made and an agreement reached. Iason sat to remove his boots, still not trusting himself to break the silence. If he spoke now his words would not be kind and measured, they would not be reasonable and even as he tried so hard to make them. To say he was angry was an understatement. He was furious at the risk that had been taken, at how Persephone had dismissed him, how determined she seemed to jump into a foolish fight that to him seemed pointless.
When they had spoken before and she claimed not to want the throne, he had wanted to believe her so badly. Had been foolish enough to dare to hope that she would want to stay in Taengea with him, that a baroness' quiet life might satisfy she that would have been queen. In only his tunic now, he stood and padded over to the basin of water to splash it over his face and hands, cleaning them from the road and giving himself more time to think before he spoke.
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He felt like he was a kettle left boiling over a fire, there was nowhere for the pressure to go in the tiny carriage that squeezed in an extra person. Keeping silent felt impossible and so he kept his gaze fixed out the window, watching and cautious for anyone following them or any sign of danger from outside. His hand remained on his sword the entire journey back, and he was pointedly avoiding her gaze. In the moments he could feel it on him he simply bit the inside of his cheek as further reminder that this was not the time or place. They weren't married yet, she didn't have to bend to his will.
Before the carriage had rolled to a complete halt in the yard the baron was on his feet, sweeping cloak and sword out of the way so he could exit and offer his hand to help the women out of the carriage. Only when the last had been freed did he pause to speak to the driver briefly, giving thanks and a brief summary of the trouble for the man to pass on to Iris before turning to find Olena. With a hand on her shoulder he leaned close so he didn't have to speak loudly and interrupt the reunion happening between Persephone and Ariadne.
"I'll come see you later. Never worry for your future."
He'd grown close to Demetrius in the time since their escape, the man was as close to a friend among the party as any of them and one of the few he trusted aside from Persephone. To lose him was a harsh blow in several ways, but the harshest was the look on Olena's face and the knowledge that they had only just been returned to one another. He'd been asked permission for them to wed and given his blessing wholeheartedly, why they had not gone forward before Dima had left he didn't know, but regardless it was his responsibility to the man who had helped keep himself and Persephone safe to provide the same for his lady.
It was in silence again as he followed his betrothed to their room, shutting the door behind him and taking off his cloak. His sword was hung alongside it but the dagger he kept in his belt did not join them for the first time since they'd arrived. Now that people knew they were here, there would be no safety until a decision had been made and an agreement reached. Iason sat to remove his boots, still not trusting himself to break the silence. If he spoke now his words would not be kind and measured, they would not be reasonable and even as he tried so hard to make them. To say he was angry was an understatement. He was furious at the risk that had been taken, at how Persephone had dismissed him, how determined she seemed to jump into a foolish fight that to him seemed pointless.
When they had spoken before and she claimed not to want the throne, he had wanted to believe her so badly. Had been foolish enough to dare to hope that she would want to stay in Taengea with him, that a baroness' quiet life might satisfy she that would have been queen. In only his tunic now, he stood and padded over to the basin of water to splash it over his face and hands, cleaning them from the road and giving himself more time to think before he spoke.
He felt like he was a kettle left boiling over a fire, there was nowhere for the pressure to go in the tiny carriage that squeezed in an extra person. Keeping silent felt impossible and so he kept his gaze fixed out the window, watching and cautious for anyone following them or any sign of danger from outside. His hand remained on his sword the entire journey back, and he was pointedly avoiding her gaze. In the moments he could feel it on him he simply bit the inside of his cheek as further reminder that this was not the time or place. They weren't married yet, she didn't have to bend to his will.
Before the carriage had rolled to a complete halt in the yard the baron was on his feet, sweeping cloak and sword out of the way so he could exit and offer his hand to help the women out of the carriage. Only when the last had been freed did he pause to speak to the driver briefly, giving thanks and a brief summary of the trouble for the man to pass on to Iris before turning to find Olena. With a hand on her shoulder he leaned close so he didn't have to speak loudly and interrupt the reunion happening between Persephone and Ariadne.
"I'll come see you later. Never worry for your future."
He'd grown close to Demetrius in the time since their escape, the man was as close to a friend among the party as any of them and one of the few he trusted aside from Persephone. To lose him was a harsh blow in several ways, but the harshest was the look on Olena's face and the knowledge that they had only just been returned to one another. He'd been asked permission for them to wed and given his blessing wholeheartedly, why they had not gone forward before Dima had left he didn't know, but regardless it was his responsibility to the man who had helped keep himself and Persephone safe to provide the same for his lady.
It was in silence again as he followed his betrothed to their room, shutting the door behind him and taking off his cloak. His sword was hung alongside it but the dagger he kept in his belt did not join them for the first time since they'd arrived. Now that people knew they were here, there would be no safety until a decision had been made and an agreement reached. Iason sat to remove his boots, still not trusting himself to break the silence. If he spoke now his words would not be kind and measured, they would not be reasonable and even as he tried so hard to make them. To say he was angry was an understatement. He was furious at the risk that had been taken, at how Persephone had dismissed him, how determined she seemed to jump into a foolish fight that to him seemed pointless.
When they had spoken before and she claimed not to want the throne, he had wanted to believe her so badly. Had been foolish enough to dare to hope that she would want to stay in Taengea with him, that a baroness' quiet life might satisfy she that would have been queen. In only his tunic now, he stood and padded over to the basin of water to splash it over his face and hands, cleaning them from the road and giving himself more time to think before he spoke.
Persephone was not one to push a fight where it was not wanted. Neither she nor Iason were naturally combative individuals. Instead, they preferred peaceful resolution and saw violence - either verbal or physical - as the childish reactions of those that help not the maturity of honour to keep their mind in command of their muscles. And yet, sometimes emotions were not so easily dismissed by dignity and logic.
Persephone noted the anger in Iason’s gait, in the set of his shoulders, as he went about his business to prepare himself for sleep. She watched from her peripheral ad he removed his boots and washed his face. For her part, she folded the cloak she had removed and carefully set it to one side. The gown, she reached beneath the neck of and scratched at where it had caused a red dotted rash upon her flesh. She pushed back the strands of dark hair that had tumbled from their braid and hung about her face.
With a slow exhale, Persephone reached for the body of her gown and drew it up and over her head. Wearing nothing beneath, she was reduced to her skin before she selected a simple chiton, already fastened and able to be pulled over her head. The silk drifted over her skin, a breath of fresh air over her flesh after that itching monstrosity. She then reached to untie her hair and began to finger comb the locks into pretty little waves. She remained silent as Iason did, until she was finished with her own ablutions for the evening.
“You can say what you feel, Iason.” She assured him. “I’ll neither break nor cower.”
The words opened the doors for Iason’s feelings to pour out. For she wanted to hear them, wanted to help heal him from the emotions that ate him from within. She was not quite, however, aware of just how much anger she herself held for Iason’s apparently easy acceptance of her sister being used as a bartering tool for a peace that would exist for all but her...
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This character is currently a work in progress.
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Persephone was not one to push a fight where it was not wanted. Neither she nor Iason were naturally combative individuals. Instead, they preferred peaceful resolution and saw violence - either verbal or physical - as the childish reactions of those that help not the maturity of honour to keep their mind in command of their muscles. And yet, sometimes emotions were not so easily dismissed by dignity and logic.
Persephone noted the anger in Iason’s gait, in the set of his shoulders, as he went about his business to prepare himself for sleep. She watched from her peripheral ad he removed his boots and washed his face. For her part, she folded the cloak she had removed and carefully set it to one side. The gown, she reached beneath the neck of and scratched at where it had caused a red dotted rash upon her flesh. She pushed back the strands of dark hair that had tumbled from their braid and hung about her face.
With a slow exhale, Persephone reached for the body of her gown and drew it up and over her head. Wearing nothing beneath, she was reduced to her skin before she selected a simple chiton, already fastened and able to be pulled over her head. The silk drifted over her skin, a breath of fresh air over her flesh after that itching monstrosity. She then reached to untie her hair and began to finger comb the locks into pretty little waves. She remained silent as Iason did, until she was finished with her own ablutions for the evening.
“You can say what you feel, Iason.” She assured him. “I’ll neither break nor cower.”
The words opened the doors for Iason’s feelings to pour out. For she wanted to hear them, wanted to help heal him from the emotions that ate him from within. She was not quite, however, aware of just how much anger she herself held for Iason’s apparently easy acceptance of her sister being used as a bartering tool for a peace that would exist for all but her...
Persephone was not one to push a fight where it was not wanted. Neither she nor Iason were naturally combative individuals. Instead, they preferred peaceful resolution and saw violence - either verbal or physical - as the childish reactions of those that help not the maturity of honour to keep their mind in command of their muscles. And yet, sometimes emotions were not so easily dismissed by dignity and logic.
Persephone noted the anger in Iason’s gait, in the set of his shoulders, as he went about his business to prepare himself for sleep. She watched from her peripheral ad he removed his boots and washed his face. For her part, she folded the cloak she had removed and carefully set it to one side. The gown, she reached beneath the neck of and scratched at where it had caused a red dotted rash upon her flesh. She pushed back the strands of dark hair that had tumbled from their braid and hung about her face.
With a slow exhale, Persephone reached for the body of her gown and drew it up and over her head. Wearing nothing beneath, she was reduced to her skin before she selected a simple chiton, already fastened and able to be pulled over her head. The silk drifted over her skin, a breath of fresh air over her flesh after that itching monstrosity. She then reached to untie her hair and began to finger comb the locks into pretty little waves. She remained silent as Iason did, until she was finished with her own ablutions for the evening.
“You can say what you feel, Iason.” She assured him. “I’ll neither break nor cower.”
The words opened the doors for Iason’s feelings to pour out. For she wanted to hear them, wanted to help heal him from the emotions that ate him from within. She was not quite, however, aware of just how much anger she herself held for Iason’s apparently easy acceptance of her sister being used as a bartering tool for a peace that would exist for all but her...
Iason had no response to his betrothed's words for a long moment, finishing the cleaning of his face and arms before turning about and patting himself down with a drying cloth. His silence extended as he strode to the bed and settled himself in it, discarding his tunic as was usual. Perhaps he should have just spoken, let down the filter that he had been learning to keep in place since childhood, to think through everything he said before he spoke it into the world. His thoughts though were in such a turmoil he wasn't sure where to begin, and so he had pulled the blankets over himself and was propped up against the pillows and headboard staring at his hands before he thought he might have something coherent to say.
"Today's adventure was dangerous. And foolish. When we were keeping our heads down and trying to gather information it was slower, but now that you are known to be present, it puts not just us at risk but every single person associated." Demetrius appeared to have been the first casualty, but how long would it take before Elias sent out parties to search the grounds of various noble estates and even poorer homes that might hold sympathy to Persephone. His tone when he spoke was more even, but it held little emotion save the tension he felt throughout his entire body in trying to keep himself steady.
"We should not remain here. It puts everyone at risk. If I were to be the one making decisions, I would suggest returning to Taengea where we are safe to begin making plans now that we know who supports you and who does not. From there we could launch an attempt to retake the throne with the support of my cousin and the Dimitrou armies. It would be safer to remove those who are not military at the very least. Your ladies, Iris and her daughter. If we are to remain here I would ask that we send them to safety in Chaoedia."
The baron fell silent after that, finally lifting his gaze to look at Persephone and gauge what she was thinking. The tight twist of his hands in the blankets was the only outward sign of his tension, eyebrows furrowed inwards in stress at the thought of what would happen to everyone they had just put at risk with their foolishness.
"If, my queen commands it."
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Iason had no response to his betrothed's words for a long moment, finishing the cleaning of his face and arms before turning about and patting himself down with a drying cloth. His silence extended as he strode to the bed and settled himself in it, discarding his tunic as was usual. Perhaps he should have just spoken, let down the filter that he had been learning to keep in place since childhood, to think through everything he said before he spoke it into the world. His thoughts though were in such a turmoil he wasn't sure where to begin, and so he had pulled the blankets over himself and was propped up against the pillows and headboard staring at his hands before he thought he might have something coherent to say.
"Today's adventure was dangerous. And foolish. When we were keeping our heads down and trying to gather information it was slower, but now that you are known to be present, it puts not just us at risk but every single person associated." Demetrius appeared to have been the first casualty, but how long would it take before Elias sent out parties to search the grounds of various noble estates and even poorer homes that might hold sympathy to Persephone. His tone when he spoke was more even, but it held little emotion save the tension he felt throughout his entire body in trying to keep himself steady.
"We should not remain here. It puts everyone at risk. If I were to be the one making decisions, I would suggest returning to Taengea where we are safe to begin making plans now that we know who supports you and who does not. From there we could launch an attempt to retake the throne with the support of my cousin and the Dimitrou armies. It would be safer to remove those who are not military at the very least. Your ladies, Iris and her daughter. If we are to remain here I would ask that we send them to safety in Chaoedia."
The baron fell silent after that, finally lifting his gaze to look at Persephone and gauge what she was thinking. The tight twist of his hands in the blankets was the only outward sign of his tension, eyebrows furrowed inwards in stress at the thought of what would happen to everyone they had just put at risk with their foolishness.
"If, my queen commands it."
Iason had no response to his betrothed's words for a long moment, finishing the cleaning of his face and arms before turning about and patting himself down with a drying cloth. His silence extended as he strode to the bed and settled himself in it, discarding his tunic as was usual. Perhaps he should have just spoken, let down the filter that he had been learning to keep in place since childhood, to think through everything he said before he spoke it into the world. His thoughts though were in such a turmoil he wasn't sure where to begin, and so he had pulled the blankets over himself and was propped up against the pillows and headboard staring at his hands before he thought he might have something coherent to say.
"Today's adventure was dangerous. And foolish. When we were keeping our heads down and trying to gather information it was slower, but now that you are known to be present, it puts not just us at risk but every single person associated." Demetrius appeared to have been the first casualty, but how long would it take before Elias sent out parties to search the grounds of various noble estates and even poorer homes that might hold sympathy to Persephone. His tone when he spoke was more even, but it held little emotion save the tension he felt throughout his entire body in trying to keep himself steady.
"We should not remain here. It puts everyone at risk. If I were to be the one making decisions, I would suggest returning to Taengea where we are safe to begin making plans now that we know who supports you and who does not. From there we could launch an attempt to retake the throne with the support of my cousin and the Dimitrou armies. It would be safer to remove those who are not military at the very least. Your ladies, Iris and her daughter. If we are to remain here I would ask that we send them to safety in Chaoedia."
The baron fell silent after that, finally lifting his gaze to look at Persephone and gauge what she was thinking. The tight twist of his hands in the blankets was the only outward sign of his tension, eyebrows furrowed inwards in stress at the thought of what would happen to everyone they had just put at risk with their foolishness.
"If, my queen commands it."
Persephone waited as Iason settled himself. He removed his clothes, finished drying himself and then moved towards the bed that they had shared for the last few weeks. Persephone had gradually become used to waking up with the weight of Iason's arm over her waist or a leg pinning her own to the mattress. Curiously, despite sleeping alone for so many years, she had not ever, since that first morning, felt his closeness to be an imprisonment or containment. It was always a gesture of shelter and support.
Once Iason was abed and rested against the wall behind, his back propped with some of the pillows they shared, Persephone tried not to be distracted by the breadth of his shoulders as they swamped the white linens. Instead, she moved over in her silken, sleeping gown and settled upon the bed. She sat facing Iason, her legs elegantly curled over the edge of the mattress and her hands set demurely in her lap. Her hair fell about her face and over her chest in soft gossamer tresses.
Persephone allowed Iason to speak of all that he had within him; his thoughts, his feelings, his plans and his ideas. He finished his suggestion with the promise that he would do only what his Queen demanded of him.
Persephone was quiet for a moment before she responded.
"I agree with you." She offered him with a nod, when he chastised her for the events of the day. "About today. It was a great risk that could have been avoided for a slower approach otherwise. I do not deny this and I do not deny your assessment, nor your logic... But I still do not regret doing it." Persephone's fingers brushed at the shape of Iason's leg beneath the covers, a light touch of connection.
"If I am to decide whether we stay and I fight for the throne or we leave and return to the life that we both want, I cannot make that choice Iason on reports and documents. Paper and clay cannot tell me what to do when the choice involved the bloodshed of my father's people. This coming decision is one that I will have to live with for the rest of my life... Can you understand that I needed to see the state of matters with my own eyes if I was ever to be able to sleep at night, convinced of my choice?"
To make a decision based on third-party intellect; even intellect from those that she trusted, Persephone could not envision a future without doubts and plaguing thoughts of mistrust. If this was her decision to make then she needed to make the decision based on her own thoughts.
"It is true that perhaps the risk did not pay off this time. I hadn't exactly been planning to be discovered. And I agree with you that it was a risk that, believe it or not, I did consider. I chose to take that risk." That was what monarchs did. There was no safe route when ruling a kingdom. There was always someone waiting to see you expose a weakness or a place of vulnerability. You could not live your life solely protecting your weakest flanks. You would send your entire existence hiding, shielding, doing nothing by caring for your own skin. Being a leader was about monitoring risk, balancing what was and was not a valid threat for a valid gain. And then, when all the die had fallen... accepting those consequences...
"That being said, what is done is done now. And there have been fallouts and privileges from this choice. My presence has been discovered in Athenia, but so too have we made contact with someone who may be able to find Demetrius. And I've been able to discover the fate of my sister."
"I hear you Iason but can you not understand why I cannot leave?" She winced a little, her face one of contrition as she leant towards her intended, her hands upon the sheets and causing a dip in the mattress. More of her hair fell forward from over her shoulders.
"What if this were Alexa? What if you returned to Taengea to discover that Alexa had become engaged to the most notorious womanizer and power-grabber in Taengea. You had heard no word from her, knew only that those you trusted thought her being pushed into the arrangement. Would you leave the kingdom? Leave her to be married to such a man so that you could find happiness, or raise an army to fight against the man who would then be her husband? Could you permit your sister to go through that?" Whilst Alexa was younger by a few years than Emilia, it was a fair comparison. Each were young for marriage (even if Emilia was technically legally able to) and each held a sense of innocence and sweetness that felt even more threatened beside the hubris and lascivious behaviour of one such as Elias.
Persephone shook her head.
"I do not want you to do as a queen commands of you." She told him, her eyes large and searching of his. "I wish for us to be able to understand one another and for you to support me with your heart, not just your loyalty."
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Persephone waited as Iason settled himself. He removed his clothes, finished drying himself and then moved towards the bed that they had shared for the last few weeks. Persephone had gradually become used to waking up with the weight of Iason's arm over her waist or a leg pinning her own to the mattress. Curiously, despite sleeping alone for so many years, she had not ever, since that first morning, felt his closeness to be an imprisonment or containment. It was always a gesture of shelter and support.
Once Iason was abed and rested against the wall behind, his back propped with some of the pillows they shared, Persephone tried not to be distracted by the breadth of his shoulders as they swamped the white linens. Instead, she moved over in her silken, sleeping gown and settled upon the bed. She sat facing Iason, her legs elegantly curled over the edge of the mattress and her hands set demurely in her lap. Her hair fell about her face and over her chest in soft gossamer tresses.
Persephone allowed Iason to speak of all that he had within him; his thoughts, his feelings, his plans and his ideas. He finished his suggestion with the promise that he would do only what his Queen demanded of him.
Persephone was quiet for a moment before she responded.
"I agree with you." She offered him with a nod, when he chastised her for the events of the day. "About today. It was a great risk that could have been avoided for a slower approach otherwise. I do not deny this and I do not deny your assessment, nor your logic... But I still do not regret doing it." Persephone's fingers brushed at the shape of Iason's leg beneath the covers, a light touch of connection.
"If I am to decide whether we stay and I fight for the throne or we leave and return to the life that we both want, I cannot make that choice Iason on reports and documents. Paper and clay cannot tell me what to do when the choice involved the bloodshed of my father's people. This coming decision is one that I will have to live with for the rest of my life... Can you understand that I needed to see the state of matters with my own eyes if I was ever to be able to sleep at night, convinced of my choice?"
To make a decision based on third-party intellect; even intellect from those that she trusted, Persephone could not envision a future without doubts and plaguing thoughts of mistrust. If this was her decision to make then she needed to make the decision based on her own thoughts.
"It is true that perhaps the risk did not pay off this time. I hadn't exactly been planning to be discovered. And I agree with you that it was a risk that, believe it or not, I did consider. I chose to take that risk." That was what monarchs did. There was no safe route when ruling a kingdom. There was always someone waiting to see you expose a weakness or a place of vulnerability. You could not live your life solely protecting your weakest flanks. You would send your entire existence hiding, shielding, doing nothing by caring for your own skin. Being a leader was about monitoring risk, balancing what was and was not a valid threat for a valid gain. And then, when all the die had fallen... accepting those consequences...
"That being said, what is done is done now. And there have been fallouts and privileges from this choice. My presence has been discovered in Athenia, but so too have we made contact with someone who may be able to find Demetrius. And I've been able to discover the fate of my sister."
"I hear you Iason but can you not understand why I cannot leave?" She winced a little, her face one of contrition as she leant towards her intended, her hands upon the sheets and causing a dip in the mattress. More of her hair fell forward from over her shoulders.
"What if this were Alexa? What if you returned to Taengea to discover that Alexa had become engaged to the most notorious womanizer and power-grabber in Taengea. You had heard no word from her, knew only that those you trusted thought her being pushed into the arrangement. Would you leave the kingdom? Leave her to be married to such a man so that you could find happiness, or raise an army to fight against the man who would then be her husband? Could you permit your sister to go through that?" Whilst Alexa was younger by a few years than Emilia, it was a fair comparison. Each were young for marriage (even if Emilia was technically legally able to) and each held a sense of innocence and sweetness that felt even more threatened beside the hubris and lascivious behaviour of one such as Elias.
Persephone shook her head.
"I do not want you to do as a queen commands of you." She told him, her eyes large and searching of his. "I wish for us to be able to understand one another and for you to support me with your heart, not just your loyalty."
Persephone waited as Iason settled himself. He removed his clothes, finished drying himself and then moved towards the bed that they had shared for the last few weeks. Persephone had gradually become used to waking up with the weight of Iason's arm over her waist or a leg pinning her own to the mattress. Curiously, despite sleeping alone for so many years, she had not ever, since that first morning, felt his closeness to be an imprisonment or containment. It was always a gesture of shelter and support.
Once Iason was abed and rested against the wall behind, his back propped with some of the pillows they shared, Persephone tried not to be distracted by the breadth of his shoulders as they swamped the white linens. Instead, she moved over in her silken, sleeping gown and settled upon the bed. She sat facing Iason, her legs elegantly curled over the edge of the mattress and her hands set demurely in her lap. Her hair fell about her face and over her chest in soft gossamer tresses.
Persephone allowed Iason to speak of all that he had within him; his thoughts, his feelings, his plans and his ideas. He finished his suggestion with the promise that he would do only what his Queen demanded of him.
Persephone was quiet for a moment before she responded.
"I agree with you." She offered him with a nod, when he chastised her for the events of the day. "About today. It was a great risk that could have been avoided for a slower approach otherwise. I do not deny this and I do not deny your assessment, nor your logic... But I still do not regret doing it." Persephone's fingers brushed at the shape of Iason's leg beneath the covers, a light touch of connection.
"If I am to decide whether we stay and I fight for the throne or we leave and return to the life that we both want, I cannot make that choice Iason on reports and documents. Paper and clay cannot tell me what to do when the choice involved the bloodshed of my father's people. This coming decision is one that I will have to live with for the rest of my life... Can you understand that I needed to see the state of matters with my own eyes if I was ever to be able to sleep at night, convinced of my choice?"
To make a decision based on third-party intellect; even intellect from those that she trusted, Persephone could not envision a future without doubts and plaguing thoughts of mistrust. If this was her decision to make then she needed to make the decision based on her own thoughts.
"It is true that perhaps the risk did not pay off this time. I hadn't exactly been planning to be discovered. And I agree with you that it was a risk that, believe it or not, I did consider. I chose to take that risk." That was what monarchs did. There was no safe route when ruling a kingdom. There was always someone waiting to see you expose a weakness or a place of vulnerability. You could not live your life solely protecting your weakest flanks. You would send your entire existence hiding, shielding, doing nothing by caring for your own skin. Being a leader was about monitoring risk, balancing what was and was not a valid threat for a valid gain. And then, when all the die had fallen... accepting those consequences...
"That being said, what is done is done now. And there have been fallouts and privileges from this choice. My presence has been discovered in Athenia, but so too have we made contact with someone who may be able to find Demetrius. And I've been able to discover the fate of my sister."
"I hear you Iason but can you not understand why I cannot leave?" She winced a little, her face one of contrition as she leant towards her intended, her hands upon the sheets and causing a dip in the mattress. More of her hair fell forward from over her shoulders.
"What if this were Alexa? What if you returned to Taengea to discover that Alexa had become engaged to the most notorious womanizer and power-grabber in Taengea. You had heard no word from her, knew only that those you trusted thought her being pushed into the arrangement. Would you leave the kingdom? Leave her to be married to such a man so that you could find happiness, or raise an army to fight against the man who would then be her husband? Could you permit your sister to go through that?" Whilst Alexa was younger by a few years than Emilia, it was a fair comparison. Each were young for marriage (even if Emilia was technically legally able to) and each held a sense of innocence and sweetness that felt even more threatened beside the hubris and lascivious behaviour of one such as Elias.
Persephone shook her head.
"I do not want you to do as a queen commands of you." She told him, her eyes large and searching of his. "I wish for us to be able to understand one another and for you to support me with your heart, not just your loyalty."
"I can understand it, my lady. But I have never been one who claims to desire power or throne. Your feelings for the kingdom can only be measured against my love for Chaoedia, a place where the greatest threat is a bad harvest and not a tyrant."
He didn't react as she touched his leg, didn't move other than to turn his head to look at her as she spoke to him. When he had agreed to marry her there had only been a possible hint that she might be considered to be in line for succession. He had agreed to marry a princess, yes, but never had he wished to be the partner of a queen. If he had known before his ship had sailed what the crisis at hand would be, Iason knew he would have paused to reconsider. He could lie to himself and everyone about how prepared he felt to be king consort, but it would never be true. No one would have ever chosen him for that position. He was a simple man with royal blood on accident rather than by design, who preferred hunting and working alongside his people to ruling and luxury. He was lucky, yes, but there had yet to come any harvest season or dilemma in Chaoedia that he had not gone to see to himself, except for any that might have arisen since he'd left to follow her.
The sacrifices he'd made for her felt like a heavier weight tonight than they ever had before. Leaving his family and home, having his life be put at risk time and time again. The promises he'd made to her as his future wife were taking far more from him than he had anticipated, and for the first time in his life Iason felt his patience wearing thin. Even when his cousins and Stephanos had thrown whores at him, when he had been ridiculed by others for his steady demeanor, called boring, he had never felt quite so much like he could snap. Perhaps he was afraid, of any number of things that were before him, his life had never been at such risk before, nor those he cared bout threatened in such a way. Whatever the case, he feared the dissidence between himself and Persephone most of all.
Iason shook his head as she asked him to support her with his heart, looking to try to meet her dark eyes with his own light. He had never been the one to end up here, to have this be his destiny. The comparisons she made were meant to help clarify things for him but the steady knowledge he held, that his father would never force Alexa or Dorothea or even himself to marry against their will, that they had never behaved like a proper noble family for alliances and personal gain, prevented him from seeing what she could. He didn't know how to explain his position in a way she would understand, and it seemed she was having similar difficulty.
"I wish to understand. Maybe one day I will. Perhaps in the morning after we have slept and been given time. Perhaps weeks or months from now. I do not know. I will always follow you as a queen, and as my wife. But I cannot yet support the war and bloodshed it will take with my whole heart." Iason sighed heavily and rubbed his hands over his face in frustration and exhaustion, wondering if he would be able to sleep through the stress or if he would sit up even in his fatigued state and worry.
"What I do understand, is your desire to protect the people and country you love. That I can easily comprehend. Perhaps it is a fault of my upbringing and family, but I have never been able to rush into things without consideration. I would not ask you to give up your hope of the crown or protecting your people and sister, I would only ask that you not dive into conflict without any preparation or support. Come back to Taengea. We will form a plan where we are safe, we will marry and my cousin the king will give us the armies and support needed to take Elias down. If as many people still wish you upon the throne as you believe, then it will not take a large force, only enough to help us be triumphant. Help you, be triumphant."
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"I can understand it, my lady. But I have never been one who claims to desire power or throne. Your feelings for the kingdom can only be measured against my love for Chaoedia, a place where the greatest threat is a bad harvest and not a tyrant."
He didn't react as she touched his leg, didn't move other than to turn his head to look at her as she spoke to him. When he had agreed to marry her there had only been a possible hint that she might be considered to be in line for succession. He had agreed to marry a princess, yes, but never had he wished to be the partner of a queen. If he had known before his ship had sailed what the crisis at hand would be, Iason knew he would have paused to reconsider. He could lie to himself and everyone about how prepared he felt to be king consort, but it would never be true. No one would have ever chosen him for that position. He was a simple man with royal blood on accident rather than by design, who preferred hunting and working alongside his people to ruling and luxury. He was lucky, yes, but there had yet to come any harvest season or dilemma in Chaoedia that he had not gone to see to himself, except for any that might have arisen since he'd left to follow her.
The sacrifices he'd made for her felt like a heavier weight tonight than they ever had before. Leaving his family and home, having his life be put at risk time and time again. The promises he'd made to her as his future wife were taking far more from him than he had anticipated, and for the first time in his life Iason felt his patience wearing thin. Even when his cousins and Stephanos had thrown whores at him, when he had been ridiculed by others for his steady demeanor, called boring, he had never felt quite so much like he could snap. Perhaps he was afraid, of any number of things that were before him, his life had never been at such risk before, nor those he cared bout threatened in such a way. Whatever the case, he feared the dissidence between himself and Persephone most of all.
Iason shook his head as she asked him to support her with his heart, looking to try to meet her dark eyes with his own light. He had never been the one to end up here, to have this be his destiny. The comparisons she made were meant to help clarify things for him but the steady knowledge he held, that his father would never force Alexa or Dorothea or even himself to marry against their will, that they had never behaved like a proper noble family for alliances and personal gain, prevented him from seeing what she could. He didn't know how to explain his position in a way she would understand, and it seemed she was having similar difficulty.
"I wish to understand. Maybe one day I will. Perhaps in the morning after we have slept and been given time. Perhaps weeks or months from now. I do not know. I will always follow you as a queen, and as my wife. But I cannot yet support the war and bloodshed it will take with my whole heart." Iason sighed heavily and rubbed his hands over his face in frustration and exhaustion, wondering if he would be able to sleep through the stress or if he would sit up even in his fatigued state and worry.
"What I do understand, is your desire to protect the people and country you love. That I can easily comprehend. Perhaps it is a fault of my upbringing and family, but I have never been able to rush into things without consideration. I would not ask you to give up your hope of the crown or protecting your people and sister, I would only ask that you not dive into conflict without any preparation or support. Come back to Taengea. We will form a plan where we are safe, we will marry and my cousin the king will give us the armies and support needed to take Elias down. If as many people still wish you upon the throne as you believe, then it will not take a large force, only enough to help us be triumphant. Help you, be triumphant."
"I can understand it, my lady. But I have never been one who claims to desire power or throne. Your feelings for the kingdom can only be measured against my love for Chaoedia, a place where the greatest threat is a bad harvest and not a tyrant."
He didn't react as she touched his leg, didn't move other than to turn his head to look at her as she spoke to him. When he had agreed to marry her there had only been a possible hint that she might be considered to be in line for succession. He had agreed to marry a princess, yes, but never had he wished to be the partner of a queen. If he had known before his ship had sailed what the crisis at hand would be, Iason knew he would have paused to reconsider. He could lie to himself and everyone about how prepared he felt to be king consort, but it would never be true. No one would have ever chosen him for that position. He was a simple man with royal blood on accident rather than by design, who preferred hunting and working alongside his people to ruling and luxury. He was lucky, yes, but there had yet to come any harvest season or dilemma in Chaoedia that he had not gone to see to himself, except for any that might have arisen since he'd left to follow her.
The sacrifices he'd made for her felt like a heavier weight tonight than they ever had before. Leaving his family and home, having his life be put at risk time and time again. The promises he'd made to her as his future wife were taking far more from him than he had anticipated, and for the first time in his life Iason felt his patience wearing thin. Even when his cousins and Stephanos had thrown whores at him, when he had been ridiculed by others for his steady demeanor, called boring, he had never felt quite so much like he could snap. Perhaps he was afraid, of any number of things that were before him, his life had never been at such risk before, nor those he cared bout threatened in such a way. Whatever the case, he feared the dissidence between himself and Persephone most of all.
Iason shook his head as she asked him to support her with his heart, looking to try to meet her dark eyes with his own light. He had never been the one to end up here, to have this be his destiny. The comparisons she made were meant to help clarify things for him but the steady knowledge he held, that his father would never force Alexa or Dorothea or even himself to marry against their will, that they had never behaved like a proper noble family for alliances and personal gain, prevented him from seeing what she could. He didn't know how to explain his position in a way she would understand, and it seemed she was having similar difficulty.
"I wish to understand. Maybe one day I will. Perhaps in the morning after we have slept and been given time. Perhaps weeks or months from now. I do not know. I will always follow you as a queen, and as my wife. But I cannot yet support the war and bloodshed it will take with my whole heart." Iason sighed heavily and rubbed his hands over his face in frustration and exhaustion, wondering if he would be able to sleep through the stress or if he would sit up even in his fatigued state and worry.
"What I do understand, is your desire to protect the people and country you love. That I can easily comprehend. Perhaps it is a fault of my upbringing and family, but I have never been able to rush into things without consideration. I would not ask you to give up your hope of the crown or protecting your people and sister, I would only ask that you not dive into conflict without any preparation or support. Come back to Taengea. We will form a plan where we are safe, we will marry and my cousin the king will give us the armies and support needed to take Elias down. If as many people still wish you upon the throne as you believe, then it will not take a large force, only enough to help us be triumphant. Help you, be triumphant."
Iason had been quiet and calm, at least externally, as Persephone had tried to explain her position. He had heard her claims and listened through what she had to say, which meant that it was only fair and right that she returned the favour. He spoke of wanting to understand, of trying to comprehend just what it meant to be in her position. But he also admitted to being unable to entirely recognise a similarity in thought. There were some elements of their world that they were just not seeing through the same set of eyes.
And whilst that saddened Persephone and made her feel more alone in this than ever, there was also a benefit to be had from it; a silver-lining of logic that she tried to hold onto as her heart felt isolated and detached from his...
If Iason thought so differently from her and potentially challenged every thought she had on this, that could only be a good thing. It would see that every decision she made was one that had been tried and tested. And if she went against Iason's personal opinion or advice - the opinion of the man that she loved and trusted - then she had to be truly committed to her choice.
There was a small benefit in that, at least.
But it didn't stop the lonely feeling in her heart.
Perhaps what her father had always said was the truth... that a monarch rules alone. And that they are the ones who make the final decisions and settle the hard choices. That a good monarch listens to all around them, weighs the benefits and the drawbacks and hears what others have to say. But a great monarch also knew how to make decisions on that information that were the best for the people as a whole, rather than be swayed by others. A monarch had to be objective and stand firm in their decisions.
Persephone swallowed as she listened to Iason, her eyes becoming sad. She heard him, listened to him and nodded as he asked her to be considerate and thoughtful over her choices of bloodshed.
"I'll not see Athenia come to combat over easy means, Iason." She vowed, her gaze growing painful with hard choices. "War and battle are the last thing that I want, triumphed in horror only by the idea of a long existence of suffering for the Athenian people. I'll not risk one without certainty of avoiding the other."
When Iason talked of going to Taengea, Persephone nodded a little to show she was listening but not so much to say she was agreeing. She was seeing the validity in what he was saying and considering it carefully. Her hand rested on Iason's leg, the covers and blankets a barrier to their skin-to-skin touch.
"Returning to Taengea would be an option." She agreed with a nod of her head. "But I fear the difficulties of time. To arrange such a retreat and return would sacrifice much. My sister would be married before anything could be stopped and the Stravos would have longer to turn the people of Athenia against the Xanthos name - including the nobles. The longer we wait and prepare over such things the harder the fight will be and therefore the longer it will last and the more that will suffer. Not to mention the damage that Elias is doing to the kingdom in the meantime."
Persephone exhaled long and slow.
"Plus, whispers and reports have come in to Aimias that Egypt is preparing for war against Taengea. Greece may be in battle with them again soon. If we could secure Athenia before then, I'd have the largest army in Greece to aid in protecting your land and home."
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Iason had been quiet and calm, at least externally, as Persephone had tried to explain her position. He had heard her claims and listened through what she had to say, which meant that it was only fair and right that she returned the favour. He spoke of wanting to understand, of trying to comprehend just what it meant to be in her position. But he also admitted to being unable to entirely recognise a similarity in thought. There were some elements of their world that they were just not seeing through the same set of eyes.
And whilst that saddened Persephone and made her feel more alone in this than ever, there was also a benefit to be had from it; a silver-lining of logic that she tried to hold onto as her heart felt isolated and detached from his...
If Iason thought so differently from her and potentially challenged every thought she had on this, that could only be a good thing. It would see that every decision she made was one that had been tried and tested. And if she went against Iason's personal opinion or advice - the opinion of the man that she loved and trusted - then she had to be truly committed to her choice.
There was a small benefit in that, at least.
But it didn't stop the lonely feeling in her heart.
Perhaps what her father had always said was the truth... that a monarch rules alone. And that they are the ones who make the final decisions and settle the hard choices. That a good monarch listens to all around them, weighs the benefits and the drawbacks and hears what others have to say. But a great monarch also knew how to make decisions on that information that were the best for the people as a whole, rather than be swayed by others. A monarch had to be objective and stand firm in their decisions.
Persephone swallowed as she listened to Iason, her eyes becoming sad. She heard him, listened to him and nodded as he asked her to be considerate and thoughtful over her choices of bloodshed.
"I'll not see Athenia come to combat over easy means, Iason." She vowed, her gaze growing painful with hard choices. "War and battle are the last thing that I want, triumphed in horror only by the idea of a long existence of suffering for the Athenian people. I'll not risk one without certainty of avoiding the other."
When Iason talked of going to Taengea, Persephone nodded a little to show she was listening but not so much to say she was agreeing. She was seeing the validity in what he was saying and considering it carefully. Her hand rested on Iason's leg, the covers and blankets a barrier to their skin-to-skin touch.
"Returning to Taengea would be an option." She agreed with a nod of her head. "But I fear the difficulties of time. To arrange such a retreat and return would sacrifice much. My sister would be married before anything could be stopped and the Stravos would have longer to turn the people of Athenia against the Xanthos name - including the nobles. The longer we wait and prepare over such things the harder the fight will be and therefore the longer it will last and the more that will suffer. Not to mention the damage that Elias is doing to the kingdom in the meantime."
Persephone exhaled long and slow.
"Plus, whispers and reports have come in to Aimias that Egypt is preparing for war against Taengea. Greece may be in battle with them again soon. If we could secure Athenia before then, I'd have the largest army in Greece to aid in protecting your land and home."
Iason had been quiet and calm, at least externally, as Persephone had tried to explain her position. He had heard her claims and listened through what she had to say, which meant that it was only fair and right that she returned the favour. He spoke of wanting to understand, of trying to comprehend just what it meant to be in her position. But he also admitted to being unable to entirely recognise a similarity in thought. There were some elements of their world that they were just not seeing through the same set of eyes.
And whilst that saddened Persephone and made her feel more alone in this than ever, there was also a benefit to be had from it; a silver-lining of logic that she tried to hold onto as her heart felt isolated and detached from his...
If Iason thought so differently from her and potentially challenged every thought she had on this, that could only be a good thing. It would see that every decision she made was one that had been tried and tested. And if she went against Iason's personal opinion or advice - the opinion of the man that she loved and trusted - then she had to be truly committed to her choice.
There was a small benefit in that, at least.
But it didn't stop the lonely feeling in her heart.
Perhaps what her father had always said was the truth... that a monarch rules alone. And that they are the ones who make the final decisions and settle the hard choices. That a good monarch listens to all around them, weighs the benefits and the drawbacks and hears what others have to say. But a great monarch also knew how to make decisions on that information that were the best for the people as a whole, rather than be swayed by others. A monarch had to be objective and stand firm in their decisions.
Persephone swallowed as she listened to Iason, her eyes becoming sad. She heard him, listened to him and nodded as he asked her to be considerate and thoughtful over her choices of bloodshed.
"I'll not see Athenia come to combat over easy means, Iason." She vowed, her gaze growing painful with hard choices. "War and battle are the last thing that I want, triumphed in horror only by the idea of a long existence of suffering for the Athenian people. I'll not risk one without certainty of avoiding the other."
When Iason talked of going to Taengea, Persephone nodded a little to show she was listening but not so much to say she was agreeing. She was seeing the validity in what he was saying and considering it carefully. Her hand rested on Iason's leg, the covers and blankets a barrier to their skin-to-skin touch.
"Returning to Taengea would be an option." She agreed with a nod of her head. "But I fear the difficulties of time. To arrange such a retreat and return would sacrifice much. My sister would be married before anything could be stopped and the Stravos would have longer to turn the people of Athenia against the Xanthos name - including the nobles. The longer we wait and prepare over such things the harder the fight will be and therefore the longer it will last and the more that will suffer. Not to mention the damage that Elias is doing to the kingdom in the meantime."
Persephone exhaled long and slow.
"Plus, whispers and reports have come in to Aimias that Egypt is preparing for war against Taengea. Greece may be in battle with them again soon. If we could secure Athenia before then, I'd have the largest army in Greece to aid in protecting your land and home."