♛ ʙᴏᴡ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ǫᴜᴇᴇɴ ♛

       The Proposal ;;

     I do not love gently, nor with half a heart. An easy love is not within my nature; I am not a man of easy nature. There is no halfhearted attempt to please you, there is only my utmost desire to adore you. I do not pretend that I might be worthy, or that I might deserve you. I make no promises of comfort or that marriage will be always happy. But there will always be love. Just give me the chance to be the man who spends his eternity with you. I have loved you for every day since I have known you. I have craved your touch, your smiles, your laughter – and I have spent too long apart from you. So now on bended knee, I do not take lightly the request I beg.

               Marry me Aislin.

Their love was not without its trouble, not without its heartache, not without its turbulence. Yet they persevered, they fought, sometimes each other, but when it mattered --- they always fought together. From the lowest points to the highest ones, each monarch had beside them a lover who not only understood them, but championed them. A force to be reckoned with the two stood together against all odds, against all tragedy and heartbreak. Until finally… They found joy.

     “ Talked? Of what, exactl’eh?” 

      a pause of hesitation -- surely it is obvious. the dressmakers buzz with anticipation, the court thrives under his mother’s intimidating glare. be merry or die the seeming undertone. she has decided to wed them, the son she cannot be proud of, and the daughter she never had. but the two have discussed treason, to form a liaison that while sanctioned -- will not benefit his mother. 

      ‘ i think perhaps --- it is time we truly talked. ‘ 

people.

wait was that a bad answer? but honestly. the thing that frustrates her so easily is people. but we have to keep in mind regina was raised fairly / very sheltered. her primary companion was daniel and her horse. daniel was killed by the villain of her story ( cora ), who was enabled to abuse regina by the supposed loving parent ( reginas father ). beyond regina being paraded around to whichever royalty she was supposed to be married off to. and then leopold kept her basically locked up ( in a pretty gilded cage ). 

regina and socialization are not best buddies. her peers were also her rivals in the case of court / snow. 

so as such she has a remarkably limited tolerance for things other people might write off as merely personality quirks, or maybe being a little slow, or maybe just even being different. regina has limited patience. 

     lips curl into a false smile, how endearing -- fishing. a trial she has never been forced to endure, and as such has little to no interest in. oh but she will feign great interest, a spark in her eyes to belie the boredom. she’s to pay respect to him --- but must she really listen?   

        shadows catch the planes of delicate features as she lowers her head, the firelight glinting against ebony hair as she casts a glance towards him. she may share this table with him, but she is aware of her place amongst those of his kind. they are legends, they are gods --- and for all her abhorance of the ceremony and pomp such places require. she will listen to the lord of the sea, and a smile will play upon full ruby lips -- and she will seem to be interested.

            ‘ ---- what wise advice, i cannot help but see the merit in it. after all -- if a man is unable to provide for himself, than ought he to really thrive? what then does he provide to his family or village... you are truly most sage my lord ---. ‘