She praises him, and the words sink into his skin in ways they did not when others offered such flattery. Usually, such praise came from someone who sought to weaponize it against him. When he was small, his father's praise often came as a cushion before requesting some sort of task from him. Even with Nyimara, her praise often came with barbs and hooks ready to set into his skin and hold him in place. He did not believe Marcy was above such tricks, of course, but he - as of yet - did not see what she had to gain by falsely flattering him.

He was already smitten, she need not woo him further.

Still, there is no mistaking the irritation on her face as he delivers his news about Evrain, although whether it is because Asmo has delivered it poorly or because of true animosity toward Evrain is not immediately clear until she speaks. There has certainly been speculation on the islands when Evrain named himself successor immediately following Marceline's "death," but at the time, Asmodeus had been too far away to have any insider knowledge on the finer details. However, it did not take a rocket scientist to conjecture that something foul might have been at play when Marceline's miraculous return found her in the Peak, rather than back in the Hills.

"Anything regarding you is always worth discussing," he murmurs, partly to flatter her but mostly because he finds the statement true. She is an enigma and one that he delights in considering at any hour. She and Nyimara occupy most of his thoughts, albeit for vastly different reasons. He admired all of the mares he shared children with, but he was not foolish to presume a lasting relationship with Arsinoe (who despised the sight of him) or Daciana. A relationship with Nyimara came with a matching catalog of risks to go with benefits, but it was at least a possibility, although he found himself still slightly sour about it after her abandonment and subsequent betrayal. With Marceline, though, he could imagine the relationship without the weight of betrayals. Without the baggage of the past.

The only thing that really stood between them was that she had turned him down at first, and if he were honest? He had kind of deserved it at the time.

She feigns indifference and then hints at a cost and his attention sharpens on her, sensing that there is something there beneath the surface. Evrain's refusal and seemingly stalwart queen have been a particularly problematic thorn in his side thus far. Anything that could provide him with leverage over the Hills would be welcome at this point, especially as his self-imposed deadline drew ever closer.

The space between them cools and somehow grows sharp, like the air in the midst of a Tinuvel winter, where each breath felt like glass and so you had to breathe shallowly until you adjusted. The affection, so far freely given, dissipates beneath the expectant weight and he fixates his green gaze on her own.

"There is only one thing I would desire more," he murmurs, breath shallow. A hint of mirth touches his lips and they curl reflexively into a grin. Marcy might not have put her denial into words, but he knew that he alone was not enough to tempt her from her mountain stronghold. "But since I cannot have her, what else would you ask of me?"

Adult Stallion 16.0HClassic Champagne ChimeraSolomon x Xiomara