Hereās an interesting question does Aretas prefer to be called by his name or title?
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 āMy Kingā with an emphasis on Mine, He becomes the object of desire in the relationship, the prize.
-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, canāt 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 wordsā¦
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
He can feel the smug smile on their face, their breath below his earā¦
The hand lightly brushes his as they move awayā¦ a tease as alwaysā¦ they stand there waiting to be accepted or dismissedā¦ but they also knowā¦
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
-Was it ill advised? Yes, Dangerous? Also Yes, Undermine his authority? Most definitely, but he just couldnāt 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 publiclyā¦
Even his mother doesnāt have the audacity, she only ever uses his name in private.
And yet they do, no long preamble, no title beforehand justā¦ Aretasā¦
When addressing him in letter or company, when talking of himā¦
He is aware of the weary looks when itās 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 comesā¦
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 āCrown Princeā to everyone but his parents after he became old enough to know there is a difference.
But nowā¦ 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 donāt want to change itā¦
ā¦and honestly, neither does he, itās 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 āsecret power dynamicā or the āopen scandalā?
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.
Anyway, thank you for sharing your writing with me anon!
