Ragnar was thoroughly surprised when Thistle acknowledged him but hid it well with a coy smirk despite that she had not turned to face him. The use of her endearment for him did not feel right, as if she were speaking it simply out of habit rather than actually meaning it though Ragnar supposed he deserved no less. Still, he'd rather she call him Ragnar than 'dearheart' if she didn't truly mean it. Perhaps she did mean it and perhaps she was on the path of letting her anger at him go but he sincerely doubted it. He was dubious and skeptical but he had came here for a purpose despite that he had deigned important enough to break the design of giving her the space she not only needed but demanded. He did not bring up his Priestess wife, having no intention of speaking about the other woman to her and bestowing the same courtesy to Nerian. Slowly, Ragnar drew nearer to her, brushed his side against hers, letting his lips skim her shoulder, nipping lightly at her neck in an affectionate gesture his usual physical greeting to Thistle though he circled her then so they were facing one another. “You have a bit of dirt on your nose, my love,” Ragnar teased her, meaning his own endearment for her wondering if the touches and such were him trying too hard to get her to come around faster.
“Despite how it seems lately between us, I have not forgotten anything that you have said to me the day you agreed to be my wife,” He took a deep breath and let it out giving her his infamous mischievous grin. He wasn't trying to act like her anger at him and his Priestess Wife wasn't an elephant in the room because on his end gaining a second wife did not change much of anything other than he had another woman in his life to love him and bear him sons. “I remember you told me you did not want to lead but I am going to put this out there anyway,” He continued on holding her azure gaze in his wanting to see something other than anger in her ocean deep and captivating irises. “I want you to step up as my Alpha Female, as the Earl. Lead beside me. I need a woman's opinion, perspective and touch to my leading methods and there is no one I trust more than you.” Ragnar told her honestly falling silent, awaiting her response.
