King Elk Forest tell me again how rome burned, how our bodies became the sun

Mato’s gaze follows her as she circles him, hoping that he is delivering his words well though he nearly cringes at the lack of eloquence. In the times that he’d rehearsed how he would reveal his feelings to her they came out just as he wanted: well rehearsed and well executed. In reality, it was more like a man with stage fright. Though he could not pinpoint his own nervousness. Perhaps it is borne out of the consideration that she may not feel the same, that she may not want to be with him in that way, that there is someone else. Oh! They were endless and relentless as they badger him. He ducks his head when she calls him her haran. He tries not to think of himself as a king because he does not know if that is what he is, nor if he deserves it. He chose the rank Morwinyon because it emulates his authority but lacks the pomp that naming himself Haran might have conceived. He has a bit of a superiority complex as it is and he’d not sought to instigate it. He does not linger upon these thoughts long, thankfully, else he might have missed her delighted chuckle ( and that would have been a shame ).

The druid’s heart is in his throat as she speaks that she cares for him too — more than he knows — and his breath audibly catches. The empyrean did not expect this …did not expect to fall in love. “You do?” Mato’s voice is thick with his own jubilation at hearing that she does, indeed, feel the same way. Admittedly, Mato is not sure what is too fast and what is too slow as far as …relationships work. He’s treading into unfamiliar territory now and though he is far from afraid he does not want to pressure her into anything she is not ready for. “You do not need to give me an answer today, you can take as long as you need,” For her, Mato would wait forever, but he wants to lay all of his cards out on the table. He wants her to know where he stands and where he’d like to go from here. As to whether she was ready or wanted the same: that was strictly up for her to decide. “— would you do me the honor of being my mate?” Not nearly half as eloquent as he’d hoped. He’d meant to be more romantic but he is still tongue-tied and simplicity feels like the best course of actions in retrospect.