[ She laughs, tilting her head back in a quick bark of it. ]
I was young, and he was willing, it made it easy. Our lives were structured to the last, it took... some of the pressure off. Some of the work was taken from us.
[ The tradeoff, of course, of what it meant to be King and Queen, and to rule together. But there he had been twice-fold the man any of these Vor were. He had not taken a bride to rule over her too. Yes, her duty was in producing a child, but he had not rushed that either. Did not force himself on her when she was still not much more than a child. He had taught her, let her learn as she wished, coaxed her without ever dismissing her, to her position of duty without ever depriving her, and for that too - she loved him and felt twice the consternation for Vorvolk's words. The insult not to her, but to them both.
And these men here, now, doubted her? Dismissed her? Ah well, now was not the time for it. She had heard it all and worse. ]
no subject
I was young, and he was willing, it made it easy. Our lives were structured to the last, it took... some of the pressure off. Some of the work was taken from us.
[ The tradeoff, of course, of what it meant to be King and Queen, and to rule together. But there he had been twice-fold the man any of these Vor were. He had not taken a bride to rule over her too. Yes, her duty was in producing a child, but he had not rushed that either. Did not force himself on her when she was still not much more than a child. He had taught her, let her learn as she wished, coaxed her without ever dismissing her, to her position of duty without ever depriving her, and for that too - she loved him and felt twice the consternation for Vorvolk's words. The insult not to her, but to them both.
And these men here, now, doubted her? Dismissed her? Ah well, now was not the time for it. She had heard it all and worse. ]