their silence is never anything less than companionable, these days. it’s nice, ella thinks, to be granted these moments of peace with one another. the rest of their lives are hardly peaceful ; too many duties to attend, too many matters to address, too many people to speak with. a kingdom can hardly run itself, and as king, char bears more of that than ella can imagine. should they not, then, revel in these little moments of peace?
and yet there’s a tense air to the room, just around the edges. as much as ella wishes she could pretend otherwise, she knows it is because of her. it seems only fair to address it, and she makes sure to keep her tone fair and even before she does. ❛ you owe him nothing. ❜ were she a more cowardly person she would avert her gaze ; she is not. she is his wife, and his queen. ella will look at her husband when she speaks. ❛ you don’t owe him your kindness, nor your care. not after what he’s done. not after all this time. ❜ // @crowngranted
