It was becoming increasingly obvious that he was doing the lady a disservice -if not full insult- in his dismissal of her proposal. The slight shift in her expressions, the tone and emphasis she put into her words. She'd not come to this decision lightly or without careful thought, but a too large portion of him was struggling to accept this entire scenario as real. It was too strange. Too abrupt. Yet here was the young lady, sitting on his couch, drinking his -so to speak- tea, and proposing marriage. There was a moment or two where he thought to speak, but she soldiered through. So he kept his mouth closed and listened.
In all, it was a simple, but effective plan -entirely believable and all too common. Enzo chewed on his lip as he listened, eyes cast down idly on his shoesas he nodded along. When she'd finished, he allowed the silence to settle for a few moments before looking up at her. He waited another beat, then turned his head slightly to the side as if to better position his ear. His brows arched, expectantly. Another beat.
"And then...?" he asked. "We'll be wed. Alright. Lovely." he added, gesturing with his tumbler hand as is to wave through the expected steps. "You'll provide me an heir?" Enzo pushed himself from the desk, circling around the low table to the empty side of the couch. He sat, leaning into the arm rest and draping his free hand across the back of the couch.
"Several would be better, truth be told." he amended, pointing toward her with the forefinger of his hand holding the glass. "The line must be strengthened. Can you bear children, Miss Icarius?" Leaning forward, he set the tumbler on the table and turned slightly toward her. "I do not mean to be indelicate but, as you said, we are each other's best option. A wife would do me a lot of good, I won't argue that. And a binding connection to your family would indeed be quite valuable. But a marriage would only serve me if it gives me an heir.
"You have thought your plan through, so I will not insult you by assuming you have not thought this part through as well. But, since I was not privy to the planning stage of our union, I will ask that you make it clear to me now." Enzo leveled his eyes on her, dropping all pretense and humor from his expression. If she wanted him to take this seriously, then he would do so. "Will you bear my child?" It was a simple question, but not easy. All the magic and science in all of Thedas could not make surviving childbirth a foregone conclusion. "This... marriage of convenience would be much less convenient for you than me. I won't take what you are not willing to give. But if you are not willing, then you are not my best option."
@Isabeau Icarius
In all, it was a simple, but effective plan -entirely believable and all too common. Enzo chewed on his lip as he listened, eyes cast down idly on his shoesas he nodded along. When she'd finished, he allowed the silence to settle for a few moments before looking up at her. He waited another beat, then turned his head slightly to the side as if to better position his ear. His brows arched, expectantly. Another beat.
"And then...?" he asked. "We'll be wed. Alright. Lovely." he added, gesturing with his tumbler hand as is to wave through the expected steps. "You'll provide me an heir?" Enzo pushed himself from the desk, circling around the low table to the empty side of the couch. He sat, leaning into the arm rest and draping his free hand across the back of the couch.
"Several would be better, truth be told." he amended, pointing toward her with the forefinger of his hand holding the glass. "The line must be strengthened. Can you bear children, Miss Icarius?" Leaning forward, he set the tumbler on the table and turned slightly toward her. "I do not mean to be indelicate but, as you said, we are each other's best option. A wife would do me a lot of good, I won't argue that. And a binding connection to your family would indeed be quite valuable. But a marriage would only serve me if it gives me an heir.
"You have thought your plan through, so I will not insult you by assuming you have not thought this part through as well. But, since I was not privy to the planning stage of our union, I will ask that you make it clear to me now." Enzo leveled his eyes on her, dropping all pretense and humor from his expression. If she wanted him to take this seriously, then he would do so. "Will you bear my child?" It was a simple question, but not easy. All the magic and science in all of Thedas could not make surviving childbirth a foregone conclusion. "This... marriage of convenience would be much less convenient for you than me. I won't take what you are not willing to give. But if you are not willing, then you are not my best option."
@Isabeau Icarius
02-25-2025, 07:26 PM
