Asmodeus would freely admit that getting under Arsinoe's skin is enjoyable to him. Perhaps he'd been tainted by too much time spent in the likes of Nyimara and Marceline's company, but kindness is no longer the first thing he reaches for. Likely, however, as a child born of Xiomara's iron will and Solomon's drive for legacy, he has always reached for scheming first. As a boy he had schemed to keep his family together, and when that proved to be a fruitless endeavor after losing his free will, he had switched to scheming for himself.

Her comment is more funny than he expects and his estimation for her rises even as a chuckle slips past his guard. Asmodeus had heard of her capabilities, but witnessing her wit was better yet. Thankfully, their daughter provides a distraction before he can follow that interesting new development too far and he chuckles at her statement, too. Arsinoe is quick to correct the girl's misunderstanding and the chimera takes a chance to chime in too when she is done. "Your true home is only this island, you need not swim to visit me."

He lapses into silence as the girl requests leave to explore the beach and while Asmodeus does his best not to acknowledge the ache that arises in his chest, he cannot pretend he doesn't feel it. It has grown more obvious as of late, as autumn swallows the island, forcing him to acknowledge that he spends the vast majority of his time alone, accompanied by neither lovers nor his children. Everything that he works to put together is held together by promises, tape, and crossed fingers in the hope that if he can make it all work - the Desert, the Crown - it will all settle into place on its own and this feeling will disappear.

His gaze follows the filly as she heads toward the beach, unwilling to admit - even to himself - that a part of him wishes she did not care so little for him already.

The painted mare drew his attention back and he latched onto her comment eagerly, only to pause in consideration for a moment before replying. "I have not spoken to Raegar." Nor, if he were being particularly honest, had he planned to do so at all. The overo did not strike him as the sort to care what happened in the Desert, and had rebuffed Asmodeus the first time they had encountered each other at the border.

"As for Evrain," he mused momentarily, considering what to say. "I must admit I have not spoken to him recently." Asmodeus can manage to conceal the annoyance from his tone, but not from his eyes. They glitter with a frustration that has existed ever since his first conversation with the roan. "He claimed to want a competition or a vote of sorts - likely, I assume - because as your sister pointed out, he has ties to much of the island and believed he might be able to win."

A huff of dry amusement followed the proclamation. "I gave him a year to see if he showed any interest in taking the position for himself and he has not - to my knowledge at least." The chimera made a head motion that was roughly equivalent to a shrug. "All of the island will benefit from being united. Surely you can see that, too. Sakir might have thought twice about taking the Badlands from your family were all of us not on our own." His tail flicked against his hocks, choosing his next words carefully. "My father led a monarchy on Tinuvel that kept peace there. He did not impose his will upon his subjects any more than I plan to do. And should you support me in this," he murmured, feeling suddenly as if he were on trial and that offering the wrong option would cause her tolerance of him to crumble, "I would be more than happy to name Aesara as my successor. She is, after all, related to the majority of the island, is she not?"

Of course, Asmodeus had learned the hard way that a monarchy was certainly not what the rulers of Salem necessarily wanted. Some of them foolishly held out hope for an oligarchy or democracy, despite the fact that none of them seemed willing to agree on anything as it was.

Adult Stallion 16.0HClassic Champagne ChimeraSolomon x Xiomara