Duke Ronan Cromwell

semi - closed : @rxnancromwell

Ronan partially listened to the long winded story, a measure to remain polite, while he was acutely aware of Maite's uncharacteristic silence. Usually by the plateaued climax of their anecdote, she would inject with a witty comment to segue the conversation. He noticed she had been far more demure in her responses and overall letharatic over the last couple of weeks. He chalked it up to all of the martial bliss and excitement had finally worn her down. They two deserved a long vacation away from all of the pageantry. "Please excuse me, duty calls.." he bowed his head politely before allowing her to whisk them back into the unfolding crowd. Ronan leaned down to press a kiss to her temple, his free hand passing along her forehead to detect any change in her normal temperature. "You don't feel hot but a little clammy," he produce the satin pocket square from his suit jacket and gingerly dabbed away the moisture. "I've been ready to leave since we arrived. I know we must keep up appearance but this has altered our honeymoon plans," he squeezed her hand. "Should I collect your siblings or will they be able to make it back to the hotel on their own?"

"As much I enjoy knowing things that others do not," he gave his best friend a knowing smirk, "you both deserve the big celebration." Moment of sincerity aside, Max took a sip of his champagne then glanced around for his wife. "She will be right back, the children don't adjust to timezone changes as quickly." He wasn't concerned, he trusted Maite's security enough to bring his children. "I'm surprised you managed to keep it a secret for that long."

"Where do you keep all of you secrets," Ronan leaned over to poke around Max's perfectly folded pocket square. "I am only doing this for her sake. I was happy with the small ceremony in Belfast. My family has grown smaller over the years." He didn't regret not inviting his father; he would have just caused a scene. His gaze tipped back to the buzz room of people who rang in the beauty of today with them in search of Maite. He swore she had escaped his view twice today, the thought didn't sit well with him. "Well if there's anything we can do to ease the transition, please let me know." Ronan whistled with a cheeky grin. "You've forgotten how skilled I am at keeping things to the vest. I'm ashamed."

"i'll admit, i thought it was a long time coming," michael had wondered if he would feel some measure of apprehension or jealousy. ronan would be prince consort to an empress. he would have a whole country to run. but michael was still unsteady on his own two feet, he was already better with people around him. now ronan would be an ocean away. but michael thought about how he felt standing here and he didn't find he felt that at all. michael was adaptable and they were too tangled now to ever part, if only for the shared weight of their actions. "i'm giving a speech. got it all practiced." he cracked a smile, "i promise i won't mention easter 1999." michael clapped ronan on the shoulder, squeezing. "i do and i don't know what you mean by a man like you because you're a good man, ronan." he said it firmly, like he was an authority on the matter. michael wondered if this was the first time he'd said it, if he'd reinforced this point since his father had died. "you are," he said again.

The impending weight of his new title came with a swelling tide of emotions that Ronan couldn't trifled with today. Today had to savored; a gift of grace and good will for a man who feared nothing beyond the wrath of God. Yet, the pang of concern that carved itself into his heart knowing that they may not be able to traverse the waters nearly as symbiotically now that he was married. Life needed to move forward. It seemed like they had missed out on so many years of closeness due to the hubris of their fathers. Ronan looked lovingly at his young cousin knowing that he could change the world, or at least the beautiful landscape of a land they both loved. "Good things come to those who wait, right? I'm just lucky she saw me as something good." His bowed his head for a moment, the pent up breath burst by the sentiment of Michael's declaration. "It wasn't my fault Sister Siobhan slipped before the congregation. You dared me to step on down on the runner, knowing, it was the longer tail of her habit." The thought tickled him. Michael words torn down parts of the wall of doubt that shrouded his joy. A constant struggle over the things he had done up until this point. "Thank you," Ronan tore himself away from the mirror to pull Michael into a tight embrace. " You know I wouldn't want anyone else standing beside me today than you."

before the ceremony (i’m not crying you’re crying)

Nervous fingers absentmindedly brushed away the wrinkles from his lapel. He never really got nervous. Life never went as planned so it was easier to accept the mystery of it all. Plus, fussing never looked great on a man swinging on a pendulum between control and love. He peered up at Michael, a pure and unmoving piece of his family, with a soft smile. Strangely, he brought him peace knowing that traces of his mother was here to ring in the occassion."I'd be lying if I said I haven't been ready for this moment for a while. Are you ready? You don't have to give a speech if you don't feel incline." Ronan bowed his head feeling an ounce of the weight of the complication of his matrimony shift. "You think? I still wonder what she saw in a man like me."

Ronan surveyed the mixed bag of guests who watched them both with a varying spectrum of emotion. He couldn't care about their cynicism because today would be one of the best of his life. He appeared seamlessly at her side, a light hand ghosting along the small of her back. "A lot of prayer and grace," he offered with a soft smile. Ronan extended his other hand out to Arnauld. "Thank you for celebrating with us." @vrnvuld @maitedobrasil

"well, i'm dying of boredom. maybe we should encourage a fight? a war? it would be so f--," almost as soon as he said this, there erupted a kerfuffle. he turned when he heard it and, lo and behold, one's wishes do indeed come true. "what's that about?" he asked, sipping his drink as if he was asking about a sudden turn in the weather.

Ronan nearly choked at the immediate break in the placid flow of the reception. He pivoted slightly to garner a better look at the two warring bodies. It was like two toddlers fighting on a fucking playground. "I hope your power of manifestation continue to be used for good," he chuckled. "I put my money on the greek. What's your take?"

"It's still early. We could very well be walking into the well dressed gallows to see something hang. If he's not dying of boredom, he should be happier than a hog in shit."

"I haven't seen the man of the hour emerge just yet. You missed the usual pandering but nothing special."

Ronan spent many nights trying to reconcile with his decision to follow his heart. His silly action impacted not only his own future but potentially hers. Not that he doubted Maite's ability to turn the tides. All those who oppose her shall quake in the intimidating shadow of her greatness. "Octaviano should be more mindful of his previous marriage and the Italian issue. Our marriage should simply be a festivity that he can eat freely at." He artfully ignored the topic; his ambitions for a liberated Northern Ireland was the thorn that would snag on the satin of her wedding dress. He hoped they could have it all; their love, her crown, and his homeland unchained. "Oh? Are you worried about how they will find me so utterly handsome that they begin to gossip about me? What better story than a Duke turned trophy husband?"

" –––– Our traveling plans? Perhaps. I've spoken to my office and, things are looking good for vovo but I don't think we should cancel our trip. " @rxnancromwell

"Honey," he hummed lightly as not to fracture the already fragile air around them. "I don't think he means our traveling plans."

The tension rose between his shoulders and bound his posture with an uncomfortably stiffness. Ronan, a man who carefully concerned all options, still left unease between his peers; in the soft light of this room they didn't feel like those same young men they once were. "..one that would be mutually beneficial." @arturcii