#aretas

You grin, lightly taking his jaw and shaking it slightly.

He giggles nervously, allowing you to play with him.

"You're the king. I'll come when you call,"

You let him go and notice how he has to lean against the balcony afterwards.

The bow you give him wouldn't pass anyone else's standard but his and you feel a little dizzy yourself, the idea of having a king willing to eat out of the palm of your hand, tantalizing.

Leone!! 😤 You've made all these easy-to-fluster men that my MC can't help flirting with them all! 🥺 My MC is out here toying with the King when she's already flirting with a leader of a rival guild and her noble employer…oops

Hahaha!

This scene was so fun to write!

I try to make a more reserved romance optioned a downright audacious one, and I plan on adding a variable to track which ones are selected.

The way I see it, the style of flirting indicates the trajectory of the relationship and will influence certain interactions down the road. It's also funny, because, regardless of the MC you're playing, being this forward is going to fluster them.

I enjoy writing the more reserved options as well, but they take more workshopping. I don't want a reserved MC to have to initiate, so writing a passive expression or feeling of interest, that still feels reciprocated, is a bit difficult, but really rewarding.

I swear your powers of perception are unmatched!

Close to spoiler territory, but:

They know Avith is dead and that Aretas is king

The nobles knew before the common people

There was an announcement made and it was a significant event, but because Aretas was so young, they he wasn't as big of a focus as his dad was.

That's all I can say because the characters will talk about it more.

I found it kind of funny that Aretas doesn't trust Merikh to do it properly since he hasn't up until now…and he's right because Merikh never does it 😭

Hahaha!

Aretas seems closer to his mother than father and based on Sarai’s Patreon story there was definitely competition between the wives, maybe Aretas saw it hurt his mother and decided to avoid repeating that, or maybe he feels unsafe falling for the other nobles even with people he generally trusts like Laverna, just because they’re friends dont mean her family wont try to pull something.

It might even be a subconscious decision, so him falling quickly for MC makes sense. He craves a connection but the current choices in court could cause a power imbalance, then comes this stranger/outsider from outside the court no one knows who they are or what they’re capable of, even if they are after influence they are from a fallen house so there is no viable threat there.

You say Aretas is like gasoline but I think he’s more like gunpowder at this point, just need a spark to make everything go BOOM!

This was such a great analysis and interpretation of Aretas and his route that I've just kept it in my inbox to look at it.

Being called by his title gives a sort of reverence to the relationship, but depending on the dynamic could be flipped as possessive (affectionate) by the partner. Terms like “My King” with an emphasis on Mine, He becomes the object of desire in the relationship, the prize.

Aretas POV

-How easily can words be changed, their meaning remolded to fit another.

He sees them walking from the corner of his eye.

The nobles talk, something about past glories trying to impress the young ruler, but he long since stopped listening, ever since he caught their look across the hall.

He turns a little, not to face them, no, can’t turn your back on guests while in conversation, but enough that he is split between the two.

Their hand comes to gently rest beneath his, palms facing each-other, and then those words…

“My King…”

Softly said so that only he can hear, alas no such speech exists in the court.

To outsiders it may seem like a request, a subject to their liege, hands not touching afraid to reach beyond their station, back slightly bowed forward head tilted to whisper, everything set to not appear grander than the king

But he knows…

He can feel the smug smile on their face, their breath below his ear…

And then it’s gone…

The hand lightly brushes his as they move away… a tease as always… they stand there waiting to be accepted or dismissed… but they also know…

That he is but a pawn in their hands-

While being called by name could be more liberating, a person beyond the title with an add on of the forbidden, since calling one by their name suggests closeness in station or equality and since nothing can ever be as high as the king it could be seen by outsiders as insulting to the king

Aretas POV

-Was it ill advised? Yes, Dangerous? Also Yes, Undermine his authority? Most definitely, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care.

The first time it happened was unexpected, as are most things with them, but they kept on talking so he had no choice but to keep on as well.

Then it slowly started to appear more often, first in private then more publicly…

Even his mother doesn’t have the audacity, she only ever uses his name in private.

And yet they do, no long preamble, no title beforehand just… Aretas…

When addressing him in letter or company, when talking of him…

He is aware of the weary looks when it’s brought up, the glances his way from nobles and servants alike as they await a rebuke to remind their lover of their place, and it never comes…

He never noticed it before, how his name was never said or always with additions ever since he took the throne, maybe even before that always “Crown Prince” to everyone but his parents after he became old enough to know there is a difference.

But now… his name flows from their lips like a river and he is always swept in the waves, his attention immediately theirs.

They have to be aware of the looks they get, the scoffs deeming them improper, they just don’t want to change it…

…and honestly, neither does he, it’s just his name after all not a curse-

I recall you implying that Aretas is a romantic so I think either will get him going, but if he had to choose would he go with the “secret power dynamic” or the “open scandal”?

Thanks for reading my attempt at a fanfic

excited for the update <3

Woooooahhh this is not an attempt, anon! This is a success!

I think you captured Aretas's character very well in both of these scenarios. Funnily enough, when I first started writing Aretas, some of the first scenes I wrote were for a MC that was very uncomfortable with the attention and leans heavily into the "We musn't!" Secret Lover Type and the other was the Ruthless Flagrant Royal Favorite Type.

I think if Aretas had to choose, he would choose the "open scandal". If there is one thing Aretas has, it's audacity haha!

It's been fun (and difficult) to take the baseline of why the ROs would be attracted to the MC, and then splinter the MC into all aspects and see how they would react.

Ex. Laverna is attracted to the boldness the MC exhibits, clearly going against the grain. In stoic MC's that comes across as a quiet, self assured confidence, and in more extroverted MCs it can show up as cockiness. I try to characterize the MC, like I do the ROs.

Aretas thoughts on throne sex

The short answer to this is YES.

That's it. Once it either occurs to him that he can do that or the MC suggests it, he's ending court early. Or summoning the MC for a late night, private audience. Or, maybe he thinks the MC should practice holding court, if you're picking up what I'm putting down.

Isam is a fun character because he really is some of everything you describe! He's a mystery to the court, isn't seen anywhere outside the palace, and doesn't speak to the nobles in his own words, only conveying the wishes of the king and queen.

You can probably tell from the snippets posted on here, but Isam isn't an aloof, shadowy figure to Aretas.

I'm including some fun Isam facts, so if you want to be more surprised about him, then don't read below.

He and Aretas were born a year apart. With his mother being Lalia, he is both the blood cousin and milk brother of Aretas.

RO’s: This has awakened feelings previously unknown…

(Except Sarai, we already know she likes the scary type)

I hope there will be more dialogue options later on that are more… domineering? Assertive? I’m not sure what to call it but… the kind that reframe the power dynamics in the relationship without blocking the romantic route or making the RO hate you, especially with Aretas like… MC grew up on as a locust got everything taken from them grew up in a thieves guild and is now a stand in leader for said guild, I don’t see MC being meek with anybody including the king!

- You gently lifted the king’s chin with your finger to look at you, in his eyes you could see slight fear… or is it passion…

“I could tear down your kingdom from the inside out” you said slowly, one leader to another -

Sorry about the paragraph couldn’t think how to illustrate what I meant, love what you gave us so far <3

First of all, anon, you need to sit down and get to writing a story of your own. Once you finish, send me a link because oh my goodness! You created tension and atmosphere in just a few sentences that some take paragraphs to build up! You have an expectant reader over here!!

To answer your question, the last update left our character at a crucial turning point. You're no longer an outsider on the fringes of the court. Now, your character has ties to several of the most powerful people there, which means there isn't as much of a need to bow and scrape.

It won't be every option, because there is a time and place for everything and if your character gets thrown into the prison we don't have a story (Or do we...), but there will definitely be times when the MC can play with the power dynamic or flip it on its head completely. Doing it some ways in certain situations might make character's hate you, but for others it might add a different layer to a friendship or romance.