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✦ 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 / 𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐘

• We meet at last. I confess, the rumors did not prepare me for the reality.   • The contracts bear both our seals. We are bound now, in the eyes of gods and men.   • I would ask that you refrain from such familiarity. This union may be lawful, but it is not affectionate.  

✦ 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 / 𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐆𝐀𝐙𝐄𝐒

• You did not meet my eyes once during the ceremony. Not once.   • I am not unaware that your heart belongs to another. I have eyes.   • You may take whichever chambers suit you. Save mine.  

✦ 𝐃𝐔𝐓𝐘 / 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

• The council anticipates an heir before year's end. We must discuss the practicalities of such an expectation.   • In public, I would appreciate the courtesy of civility, at minimum.   • I did not desire this match any more than you did. Let us not pretend otherwise.  

✦ 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒 / 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄

• Your realm secures our wealth. Mine ensures your protection. We both inherit disappointment.   • The court is watching. Kindly smile as though my presence does not revolt you.   • I could hear you in your chambers throughout the night. The walls are thinner than one might hope.  

✦ 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 / 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒

• If the ring offends you so deeply, you need not wear it.   • I was to wed your elder sibling. Until fate intervened and the alliance fell into our hands instead.   • Take my arm, if you would. We are expected to present a united aspect.  

✦ 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 / 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐄𝐓 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

• I fulfilled my duty to my house. I shall not apologize for that.   • You withdrew when I extended my hand. The servants took note.   • We are not adversaries by choice. Our families made us so. We are merely the consequence.  

✦ 𝐍𝐎 𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐄 / 𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐒

• An annulment would ignite war across three kingdoms. We are bound to one another, like it or not.   • I discovered your correspondence with your former beloved. Hidden in your writing desk.   • I do not ask for affection. I do not even ask for friendship. But mutual respect would suffice.  

✦ 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 / 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍

• We maintain separate chambers for excellent reason. I suggest you retire to yours.   • The alliance grows more tenuous by the day. Without issue, the treaty collapses entirely. • You have taken wine again. To excess. The foreign dignitaries are beginning to whisper.  

✦ 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐒

• This was not my choosing, any more than it was yours.   • I would thank you to cease referring to me as your "treaty obligation" when at court.   • Your house slaughtered mine in the last campaign. Now I am meant to bear your name?  

✦ 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐆𝐄

• We have been wed nigh on three months. I still know nothing of you.   • A letter arrived today. From the one I was to marry before you. Inquiring after my happiness.   • The physicians grow suspicious as to why I have not yet summoned them. Why has there been no... consummation.  

✦ 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 / 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐋

• You need not love me. But you must dance with me. It is our wedding celebration.   • I witnessed how you regarded them this evening. You make no effort at discretion anymore.   • This arrangement serves every interest save those of the two souls who spoke the vows.  

✦ 𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄

• Your kingdom required a consort. Mine required access to your ports. Thus, we arrive at this.   • Had I been granted choice in the matter, I would have chosen otherwise.   • The marriage bed serves as political theater. Let us discharge our duty and be done with it.  

✦ 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓 / 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

• You carry the scent of another's perfume. Have the decency to bathe before appearing at table.   • I do not ask for your love. I ask that you cease making a fool of me before the entire court.   • Your father threatened invasion. This marriage was offered as terms of peace.  

✦ 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍

• We must sit in proximity. Touch hands. Convince them this alliance holds firm.   • I came upon your private writings. You described wedding me as akin to attending your own execution.   • The treaty contains a consummation clause. We cannot defer this indefinitely.  

✦ 𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄

• You bestowed upon me a crown and a title. Everything save the one thing that cannot be commanded.   • I am with child. Do not feign such shock—we both knew this was a possibility.   • I find this as unbearable as you do. The difference is that I am attempting to honor it.  

✦  𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 / 𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄

[ tug ] sender tugs receiver behind them during a tense moment

[ pull ] sender pulls receiver out of harm's way at the last second

[ tuck ] sender stares at receiver and quietly reaches up, tucking a fallen strand of hair behind receiver's ear

[ yank ] sender yanks receiver closer to them, ending up in semi-suggestive close proximity

[ steady ] sender grabs receiver's arm to steady them before they fall over

[ walk ] sender moves around receiver and walks closest to the street as they travel down the sidewalk, keeping receiver away from any potential danger in the roadway

[ untied ] sender drops to their knee and starts tying receiver's shoe for them

[ spoon ] sender lifts a spoon towards receiver's mouth, encouraging them to eat

[ trace ] sender traces receiver's lips with their thumb

[ pin ] sender pins receiver to a tucked-away spot in the shadows to avoid being caught

[ neck ] without a word, sender dips down to receiver's throat and kisses them soundly

[ handheld ] sender slips a hand behind their back and grabs receiver's fingers as they stand behind them

[ carry ] without asking, sender takes receiver's heavy bags from them and carries them

[ lock ] sender and receiver lock eyes across the room

[ drink ] sender brings receiver a drink and holds it to their lips, insisting they take a drink

[ reload ] sender reloads receiver's gun for them in the middle of a fight

[ shelter ] sender uses their body to shelter receiver from an explosion or attack

[ carry ] sender picks up receiver and carries them off the battlefield and into a safe spot before running back to the fight

[ toss ] from a secret hiding spot only receiver and sender can see as they avoid an enemy, sender silently gestures to receiver to toss them (their gun, something valuable, etc.)

[ stairs ] sender offers out a hand to help receiver ascend or descend a staircase

[ cover ] sender covers receiver's eyes so they don't witness something gruesome

[ fix ] sender comes up to receiver and fixes their collar and/or tie

[ shake ] to convince receiver not to do something, sender hastily shakes their head from a distance

[ watch ] from a distance, sender taps on their watch to show receiver they're running out of time

[ i'll go ] sender gently pushes receiver back, taking charge and insisting they will handle the dangerous task

[ reach ] through a locked gate, sender reaches for receiver's hand

[ ship ] as receiver's ship takes off from the planet, sender waves to them from the ground and watches them leave

[ protect ] after someone threatens receiver, sender rushes over and gets right in their face to protect them

[ punch ] after someone attacks receiver, sender rushes over and punches them in retaliation

[ nip ] sender playfully nips at receiver's neck

[ knuckles ] sender kisses receiver's knuckles in a polite gesture

[ squeeze ] sender gives receiver's butt a playful squeeze from behind

[ danger ] as an all-powerful receiver is about to lose control of their powers and cause massive damage, sender finds their eyes and tries to talk them down

[ goodbye ] without saying a word, sender approaches receiver and kisses them goodbye

[ wipe ] sender wipes a tear from receiver's face

[ location ] without saying anything and giving away the surprise, sender takes receiver to a secret spot

[ hold back ] sender has to hold back receiver from attacking someone

[ game ] sender lets receiver win a game they're playing