[The smile he gives her is purely indulgent, along with the way he reaches out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He could never deny her anything, she's his queen and he is eternally loyal to her but it's more than that too. It's how much he respects her, how he knows that she would never abuse his loyalty to her, that is what keeps his trust, and makes him want to lay the world at her feet.]
As my lady wishes.
[And this is Raleigh leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.]
[She doesn't always ask more of him, never had at the beginning at least. Never more than his loyalty and the eagerness to fight at her side. The respect and kindnes he showed her warmed her up to him, and everything that followed blossomed over time, without pause. There is no official claim or declaration, but she does not hide that she favours him. Loves him. It is more important for her to defend her country and people from kaiju than to host a royal wedding, but when there is finally peace - he'll have a proposal at his feet, and her whole world with it.
Of course, the kiss to her cheek surprises her; she doesn't always ask much of him, but she does expect some things to happen, just because - it's Raleigh. And yes, she was expecting a different kiss.] Raleigh?
[Raleigh likes taking her by surprise sometimes. Like kissing her on the cheek when he knows full well that she was expecting one to the lips. They don't talk about what they mean to each other, about how she plans to make him her consort someday, because there's more important things than that right now.
The war is more important. Protecting her people, fighting the kaiju, staying alive. He knows that and he doesn't fight it, he'd wait years to have the honor of marrying her if he had to.
Though hopefully that won't happen, since that means it would take years and cost dozens of lives to defeat the kaiju.]
[He may not know it yet, but he leaves an emptiness in her stomach sometimes, regardless how full her heart is. She can't blame him, or get mad at him for it, because there are more pressing matters to attend to. Always.
With a royal-like graceful movement, she straightens her back, squares her shoulder, and nods.]
I will remember to be more specific. [Now it's a matter of getting her sword and the two of them may go.]
[If there wasn't anything more pressing happening right now, he'd probably grab her by the wrist, pull her in close and kiss her properly, just because he felt bad for teasing her. But if he does that, he knows that he won't stop right now, not for a while and that could be dozens of lives and that's not an acceptable loss.
He waits until she has her sword and then he turns to lead the way out.]
[Of course, he's right. He's the best choice she could've made, because he complements her where Mako is lacking. It's why it's absolutely necessary that he stays alive, but Mako has stopped ordering that because she knows he hears it everytime she says:]
Let's move out. [And she follows him, as if he escorts her to a carriage to be taken to a ball, instead of escorting her to battle. This is the part where she stops being the Mako who is ridiculously in love with the man walking ahead of her, and turns into the queen.]
Which other dragons are saddled and ready?
sorry for the wait boo i have to be ~in the mood~ for medieval things i guess
[Raleigh loves her no matter what woman she is, the soft quiet one he steals moments with and the fierce queen that leads them into battle. She's perfect the way she is, if you were to ask him, there's absolutely nothing he would change about her. Nothing he wouldn't do to keep her alive, safe.]
Striker, and Cherno. [It's pitiful, really that they're down to just a handful of dragons when in her father's day, there were dozens of them, and dozens of riders. The cost of war, it would seem.]
[Don't remind her of the cost of war. The ravages on her country, the losses of her people. Three dragons and their riders is all they have. But she has slain kaiju with just one as well.]
Better to let them recover than push them into another battle to lose them. Striker, Cherno and Gipsy will do.
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As my lady wishes.
[And this is Raleigh leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.]
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Of course, the kiss to her cheek surprises her; she doesn't always ask much of him, but she does expect some things to happen, just because - it's Raleigh. And yes, she was expecting a different kiss.] Raleigh?
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The war is more important. Protecting her people, fighting the kaiju, staying alive. He knows that and he doesn't fight it, he'd wait years to have the honor of marrying her if he had to.
Though hopefully that won't happen, since that means it would take years and cost dozens of lives to defeat the kaiju.]
You said a kiss, my lady, you didn't say where.
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With a royal-like graceful movement, she straightens her back, squares her shoulder, and nods.]
I will remember to be more specific. [Now it's a matter of getting her sword and the two of them may go.]
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He waits until she has her sword and then he turns to lead the way out.]
Perhaps after we kill some kaiju, my lady.
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Let's move out. [And she follows him, as if he escorts her to a carriage to be taken to a ball, instead of escorting her to battle. This is the part where she stops being the Mako who is ridiculously in love with the man walking ahead of her, and turns into the queen.]
Which other dragons are saddled and ready?
sorry for the wait boo i have to be ~in the mood~ for medieval things i guess
Striker, and Cherno. [It's pitiful, really that they're down to just a handful of dragons when in her father's day, there were dozens of them, and dozens of riders. The cost of war, it would seem.]
Crimson and Echo are still injured.
you gotta do you boo
Better to let them recover than push them into another battle to lose them. Striker, Cherno and Gipsy will do.
snugs
I thought so too, your majesty. I also thought we should let Cherno take point.