𝖍𝖔𝖒𝖔 𝖍𝖔𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖎 𝖑𝖚𝖕𝖚𝖘

and i swear that i don't have a gun (no) / m. 22. she/her. cet. independent multimuse sideblog under con. mun & muses 18+.

[thefallenwcman]

pinned! hi, i’m maca / m ( she / her ), twenty-two and i reside in the cet timezone. this is an indie multimuse under con. my activity ranges from low to moderate and will be generally pretty inconsistent, i promise.

rules

muse info

wanted plots

wanted opposites

[thefallenwcman]

on a hiatus for now. law school is kicking my ass.

[thefallenwcman]

ladyfingcrs​:

       𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍  ,   she had spent months getting to know someone she might not have had a real chance with. she was the queen of india & due to her duties she often found it hard to even think about loving someone with a lower ranking than her own. it wasn’t that her heart didn’t yearn for the other — because she would be LYING if she said her heart didn’t feel a certain type of way whenever he was around.  〞oh jonathan please, you know my situation. you know why things have to be this way … 〟the raven haired femme admitted with a straight face, her expression never faulting.   〞i can’t be with someone who doesn’t benefit me, my sisters or my country. i’m a queen, you must understand. 〟

as the first born with the title - and all the responsibility it entailed - jonathan thought he would know duty and sacrifice like no other. but his responsibility faded to insignificance, compared to the rule of an entire nation. if the logical side of his brain had any say in this, he would see reason eventually. what future was there for a measly duke governing a smudge of southern england and the queen of india ? and yet he could not help but feel used. they had spent months getting to know each other and for what ? he was barely starting to come to terms with the harshness of reality when riya suddenly reappeared, upending his plans, throwing his whole evening out of alignment, making him feel all kinds of things he had no business feeling, and for what ? “ oh i understand now ”, he bit out, searching her features but they gave him nothing. he hated that she could keep herself so contained, the indifference on her face nearly elegant. regal. “ this was all a game to you, was it not, your highness ? ” he took another step in her direction, just to see what she would do. “ how did it feel, seducing the duke of nothingshire ? was it fun, at least ? or maybe a humbling experience for a monarch such as yourself ? ” jonathan heaved a sigh. “ i’m not naive enough to think that we have a future, riya. but apparently i was naive enough to think that our present mattered … to you, that is. ”

[thefallenwcman]

newdevil​:

open to : f / nb plot : source !

“straight, you said? you are far too pretty to be straight. the men really do not deserve you.”

the comment was enough for a blush to flare hot and furious across her face. for some reason, that never happened when men complimented her. regina’s habitual answer to that was mostly ‘ew’ or ‘creep’. she stretched her lips into an uneasy smile. “ yes, straight. ” her voice didn’t come out nearly as resolute as she had wanted it to sound. “ well no, they don’t. ” she crossed her arms in a defensive manner that bordered on petulant. “ what, you think you do ? ”

[thefallenwcman]

ladyfingcrs​:

        〞let’s not pretend like you DON’T know who i am. 〟

“ you’re right, there’s … something. ” he clasped his hands behind his back, took a few steps forward as if to get a closer look at her. “ miss… miss ‘you and me never happened’, was it ? ” jonathan curled his lips into a nasty smile, not bothering to hide the hurt that statement had caused. back then, now. “ don’t you worry being seen near me will brand you a fallen woman ? that breathing the same air as me will corrupt you to the point of no return ? ”

[thefallenwcman]

persephonyed​:

      “perhaps that’s why my parents were so keen on marrying me off to whoever deemed me suitable enough,” she teased, “without speaking to me first.” winifred’s jokes had always landed just beside her company, missing them by a little bit, but still entirely. she was sure her parents liked to deal with her marriage arrangement on their own so her mouth couldn’t ruin a good plan — something she understood completely, even if she didn’t like it. and when he trailed off before coming up with his brothers as an excuse, winifred caught on easily. it wasn’t a mystery that the men in their society felt entitled to a little ‘fun’ before settling down, and she had heard of his reputation. but she was there to calm her family’s concerns and attempt to live amicably with her new spouse, so she didn’t see fit to chastise him for society’s standards. even if the displaced hurt shone on her face. “and what have your brother’s said you speak of while dreaming? i’m intrigued what stories i might be woken by in the middle of the night; i’ve always loved a good tale.” it was easy to overlook, for the time being, and to offer a welcome manner instead. despite nearly wincing at the word ‘wife’ every time it was uttered. “i wish to know you too, my lord. i know i’m not used to being a wife ….. yet. and i know we may. but i do hope that maybe we can be friends in the least. i know i’m a handful and have been told i’m a lot to learn to love, so i wouldn’t fault you for … taking your time … but i’m going to try. if we are stuck with each other, it’s worth it to try.” and though she was honest, she wasn’t sure it was the kind of honesty every newlywed desired. which perhaps was her downfall in relationships. “tell me, what’s your favourite part of the estate? i imagine we’ll be arriving soon, and i want to know where to go first. i want to see it through your eyes.”

jonathan’s brows furrowed in objection. “ oh i’m sure any reasonable gentleman prefers honesty and wit over dull politeness. ” that was only partially true. when he thought back to the drawing room talk, he remembered no small number of gentlemen that preferred courting a compliant girl, all conceding smiles and stifled laughter. as if there was anything interesting about that. he saw a flicker of hurt passing over her face and he realized she must have put the pieces together, knew what to make of his silence and it filled him with an odd sensation he must be feeling for the first time in his life because it took him quite some time to identify. shame. to his surprise winifred played along. “ it seems i am fighting, mostly. muttering colourful words under my breath, none of which are suitable for gentle ears. though i doubt i dream of heroic battles. you see, growing up with four siblings makes you build up quite the … vocabulary. do you have siblings, miss k— lady griffiths ? ” it still felt surreal, addressing a practical stranger with one’s own family name. jonathan would’ve known how many siblings she had if he had paid attention at the wedding but unfortunately, his thoughts had been all over the place. he blinked. “ good ”, he said after a while. “ good that you’re a handful. ” he pressed a hand to his chest in theatrical relief. “ and here i had feared that my wife would be boring. ” then he dipped his chin, adapting a more serious tone. “ i will gladly learn to love you, winifred. or at least try to. no matter how long it will take. you’ll see, i’m quite stubborn. although personally i prefer the word determined. ” he swallowed. the use of her first name somehow felt more intimate than any title could. jonathan lifted both eyebrows in surprise. she really did know what questions to ask if she wanted to get to know him and it impressed and terrified him all the same. but he’d promised her honesty. “ you’ll laugh but it is the library. it’s not so much the quiet but the amount of knowledge, the lack of … expectations. there had been a time when books were the only place i could find solace. no book ever lost patience with me or told me to sit still. ” when his tutors had thrown their hands up in frustration, it was the library that had taught him everything. “ do you read, winifred ? do you have a favorite book ? ”

[thefallenwcman]

open to: f / nb

plot: based on this but make it period

“ i’m sorry, who are you ? ”

[thesoldiersminute]

Gina Gray — PEAKY BLINDERS S05E06

[wolftyla]

*Romantically passes you the blunt*.

[thefallenwcman]

@loveisliquor

[thefallenwcman]

loveisliquor​:

her cheeks warm at the idea of the nudist beach, mostly–at the idea of them naked together, but she tries desperately not to get too carried away by the thought, no matter how much she wants to. “i have to confess–i have shoplifted before. i was 9 years old and stole a chocolate bar. it was the heist of the century. all those places–all those things– they sound perfect.” she doesn’t expect him to turn serious so quickly– or insist on a little selfishness on her part. it’s sweet– he’s sweet. and she isn’t sure if she’ll survive him, if he keeps this up.  “sure. i’ll tell you all about it, when i do. though i think the trip itself should count. at least for half a point.”

she knows that he doesn’t talk much– can’t imagine though, that there aren’t a million people in his life willing to listen to him. it’s clear– that whatever she’d thought of him and who he was before she’d stepped into his world couldn’t be any further from the truth. there’s something about his admission about never mentioning his father that makes her chest ache– and her hand itch to reach out to him. she gives in to the urge, and reaches for his hand. she gives it a gentle squeeze before letting go and occupying herself with something other than the surprising softness of his palms. there’s something about him that makes her feel like she’s in orbit. somewhere between the ocean blue of his eyes and the rapidly decreasing distance between them she’s being sucked in, and she can’t bring herself to want to save herself from it. so what if she falls? what happens if she just– inches forward a little? she can’t get the  idea of kissing him out of her mind once it’s there– even when she looks away and breaks eye contact. even when it feels like time restarts again… something lingers. the tension is still there, simmering beneath the surface. his statement snaps her to attention, and she braves his eyes again– “really?” there’s a slight tone of disbelief when she asks– even though she gets the sense that he’s mostly honest. “well good. that’s good. great--actually.” her voice softens to something closer to a whisper– “perfect–really. because same. i feel the same that is. bugger. ” she curses under her breath. all she can feel are nerves, and the relentless fluttering of butterflies in her gut. she bites her bottom lip, to keep from saying something idiotic like– i’m not going anywhere. they’ve known each other for the span of an afternoon– and she’s a little terrified of the effect he might have on her over the course of their trip. “um– you were going to say something? about the bodies in your floors?” she changes the topic in an attempt to feel grounded– like she isn’t slip sliding all over the place.  “earlier– i mean. i think i might have interrupted you.”

tempest curling her fingers around his after he’d mentioned his family situation, that gentle squeeze of support and affection is nearly too much. noah clenches and unclenches his jaw, fighting back a wave of aching, nearly unbearable warmth surging through him, threatening to spill over. it’s dangerous, the severity of his feelings. he’s known her for what, an afternoon ? sure, it was easy to trust her but naïveté could get his ass behind bars if he wasn’t careful. the faint layer of disbelief in her voice gives him pause. of course, he thinks. what kind of person drops statements like these after spending an afternoon in the other’s presence ? he should get a grip. that’s good, great, perfect. he purses his lips in understanding. there it comes - polite rejection. i feel the same that is. “ you do ? ”, he blurts, equal parts relief, equal parts amusement at her cursing. he clicks his tongue. “ see ? that’s my bad influence right there. after ten days with me you’re gonna have to wash your mouth out with soap. ” despite the lightness in his tone, the prospect terrifies him. ten days with tempest. when she’s needed a few measly hours to make him feel like his world had tilted on its axis. 

then tempest reminds him of their earlier topic and— right. the bodies in his floors. noah teeters on a precipice, the words poised on the tip of his tongue. i ordered a gang boss to kill my father. it’s a sure path to ruin, after that there’s no going back. but how else could he explain to her that he was practically chained to a life of crime ? “ i don’t know whether a road trip with me— a friendship, or whatever this comes down to, is a good idea ”, he starts, overcome with a sudden urge to reach out for her, squeeze her hand right back to indicate that this was not rejection, far from it. “ look i— there’s someone in my life saying shit like rob this place, snatch that car, beat that guy up and i have no choice but to do it, it’s— complicated. let’s say i have debts and i need to settle them. ” he leans forward again and good god, he has to stop doing this. it’s not underlining the importance of his words but robbing him of his ability to think straight. “ you don’t have to agree to anything right now. i’d think about it, if i were you. the road trip, everything. ” and he tries to put everything there is, everything there might be between them, into this woefully inadequate word, while trying not to think of her dizzying scent or their mingling breaths. if noah turned his head just so, the tips of their noses would brush. “ sorry, i didn’t want to—”, he whispers but the sound of his voice is so low, so uncertain, it seems to break apart the moment it meets air. he doesn’t want to give in to the urge to kiss her right then and there. it would complicate things, he would lose control and he couldn’t. he’s afraid of the consequences that slip entails because what then ? tempest deserved something better than this mess, him. independent of intent he tries to avert his gaze, turning his head to the side and then it happens. their noses brush. and with this unexpectedly intimate sensation his resolve crumbles to dust. fuck he thinks and closes the distance between them.

[thefallenwcman]

rcsegld​:

pandora made an effort to look relaxed, or as relaxed as she could manage being reluctantly pinned to hunter’s side. she was careful not to let her smile falter as mike seemed to pick up on the less-than-friendly vibes that they were giving off. she stiffened slightly at the excuse that was given and had to resist the urge to scoff. he could have said anything, anything at all, and that was what he came up with? “what can i say? i’m a marvel girl.” she forced a laugh and shot hunter a glare in the brief moment that their friend glanced away from them. “yep, that’s me. so intense.” she hitched the smile back, praying that it looked more sincere than it felt. “no chill whatsoever – oh, would you look at that!” she held up the empty glass she was holding as if suddenly surprised by the fact. “i need another drink.” she grabbed hunter’s hand as she excused herself and pulled him with her. “marvel or dc?” she started to berate him as soon as they were out of earshot. “really?” 

“ again, lying doesn’t come to me as easy as breathing, unlike to certain people ”, he hissed, wrenching out of her grip. he licked his lips. “ we have to— we have to make an effort to at least look in love … or whatever. unless you want me to come up with even weirder excuses. ” out of the corner of his eye he saw yet another friend approaching them and he’d rather chew off his own tongue than talk with them now of all times. he just knew they would shower them with questions regarding their relationship - they always did, nosy little bitch - so hunter did the first thing that came to mind. a knee-jerk reaction, really. he cupped pandora’s cheek with his hand and pressed his lips against hers. this was a party, full of horny couples and smooching strangers, after all. seconds later - that felt like hours - he drew back, slightly out of breath, looking around. “ are they gone ? they’re gone, thank fuck. oh don’t look at me like that, i saved us from yet another awkward conversation. or interrogation rather. ” he drove his hand through his hair in frustration. “ i still don’t know why i agreed to this. ”

[thefallenwcman]

benvolents​:

he  steps  closer  with  the  scent  of  his  attractiveness  and  it  takes  impeccable  control  for  her  not  to  step  back.  “  it  is  quite  a  large  garden, your grace.  surely  you  could  find  other  divisions  that  are  far  more  permeable.  “  tongue  sticks  to  the  roof  of  her  mouth  as  she  speaks,  brows  lifted  inconspicuously.  it’s  the  temptation  of  him  that  makes  her  dread  this  season.  but  she  is  compliant  as  she  is  forced  to  attend  these  galas  to  please  her  parents  seeing  how  she  is  their  only  child  despite  her  stubborn  stance.  pretends  to  entertain  the  idea  of  marriage  while  rejecting  every  suitor.  and  it  is  men  like  jonathan  that  usually  have  her  fuming  from  the  inside…  but  something  about  her  has  her  feeling  hot  in  other  ways.  “  i  do  not  flee.  ”  the  lady  defends  with  agape  jaw.    then,  a  derision  laugh  leaves  just  beneath  a  heavy  breath  as  gloves  hands  clasp  together,  head  tilting  adjust.  “  are  you  to  say  your  reputation  does  not  precede  you,  your grace?  that  you  do  not  take  different  ladies  to  bed  every  so  often  to  cure  your..  boredom?  that  you  are..  a  gentleman?  i  may  hear  the  whispers  circulating,  but  i  do  have  eyes,  and  an  opinion  of  my  own.  in  which,  you  are  not  the  gentleman  you  pretend  to  be.  ”

doe-eyed debutantes and eager mothers flocked to him like sheep in a meadow. comparatively young, handsome ( he thinks ), in possession of a title — this season’s most eligible bachelor indeed. and yet miss kumar suddenly avoided him like the plague. he’s heard the whispers circulating about her, pretending to entertain the idea of marriage while rejecting every suitor, breaking hearts and trampling over prides along the way. not with him. jonathan could’ve easily excused his eagerness with feeling challenged, a desperation to prove that he might be the one to woo her, a wounded pride. yet, there was something else. something between them that has the back of his neck tingle with anticipation, robbing him of breath and rational thought, leaving him feeling oddly bereft and unmoored when she slips out of reach again and again. “ i beg your pardon ? ” the audacity of her claim sparks a flame inside him, chasing away the chill of his thoughts. “ what would you know of my … boredom ? not a gentlema— how dare you ? i am burdened with great responsibility. i have a family to lead, a dukedom to keep watch over. am i not allowed a modicum of distraction every now and then ? ” he steps even closer, fumbling for his composure. her eyes are dark and unfathomably deep and it takes impeccable control for him not to lose himself in them. “ you are not the saint you pretend to be, miss kumar and i am going to make sure everyone sees you for who you truly are. i am— ” he clears his throat. god, she’s close. he can’t think when she’s this close and it’s highly inappropriate when they’re unchaperoned in the gardens at that, but stepping away would be admitting defeat so he stays where he is, glaring down at her.

[thefallenwcman]

wildcr​:

            —             this is the beginning of an xxx-rated movie. she’s sure of it. this only happens to actresses about to get railed by a hot stranger in the videos she watches when she wants to get herself off quickly, and daley finds herself both stunned and strangely excited. her throat dries up more with every flirtatious comment out of the older woman’s mouth. “HAH”, she replies, oh so eloquently, before taking a breath and starting over. “WHO EVER SAID I WAS WELL-BEHAVED? I DIDN’T, THAT’S FOR SURE.” she gives the other a grin and takes the glass from catalina, immediately raising it to her lips. she definitely needs that liquid courage, even if she can’t find it in herself to be anything but intrigued by this situation. “DALEY PHELPS,” she answers, noting the comment about her husband but ignoring it right now. a lot could happen in three hours, after all. “YOU CAN CALL ME DALEY OR DAL. OR SWEETHEART. AS LONG AS YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT ME.” she gives a little wink over the rim of her glass, feeling more flirtatious than she would usually allow herself with a stranger. “OH, SHIT,” daley curses at the spill, though her eyes are drawn naturally – and not discretely, though she thinks they might be past that – to catalina’s bare skin when the robe is pulled away. god, she’s hot. “YEAH, OF COURSE. IS THERE A LINEN CLOSET OVER THERE?” she goes to step around the other woman, towards the hallway out of the kitchen, coming closer than is really necessary to get by her.

“ daley. ” she repeats her name slowly, like she's wrapping her lips around each syllable, running her tongue over them and tasting them. you can call me daley. or dal. or sweetheart. catalina’s mouth goes dry at daley finally, unmistakably flirting back and she bites down on her lip in response to the wink. so this was really happening, huh ? it emboldens her to the extent of putting on her little show with the seemingly spilled whiskey and it’s not so much the cold liquid but daley’s gaze trailing down her exposed skin leaving goosebumps in its wake. “ yes, right there, sweetheart. ” catalina motions in the general direction of her linen closet and her pulse leaps at daley’s sudden proximity, the other woman’s smell invading her nostrils, sweet with a spicy undertone. “ shit ”, she mumbles when the brown liquid reaches the crease between her breasts. she laughs a little, though it comes out breathless. “ it’s uh— it’s seeping into places it shouldn’t. ” she strides up to the young woman, holding out a hand to receive the towel, her other hand already lingering on the waistband of her dressing gown. “ you can look away. ” —— she should look away. she’s awfully young, though probably not naive, but the neighbour’s daughter nevertheless. catalina was married. everything about this screams trouble, scandal, apocalypse and yet— “ if you want to, that is. ”

[thefallenwcman]

ohdcrlin​:

eyebrows rose upwards as her gaze lingered for a moment. “wait, so you’re saying your face actually knows how to do that? but also who even said that you don’t smile at all? because i surely didn’t,” alex’s head shook playfully. “oh? well, i never took you as one for not knowing how to socialize,” her features now fell into a frown. “i mean, wow, you really are out here beating yourself up, arent you. seriously be kind to yourself, you’re not that horrible to be around,” though they both knew that it would have been easy for regina to actually talk to anyone here if she put the effort into it. reaching the drink table, alex turned to look back at regina, her lips pressing together as her gaze fell to the liquor and then they darted back to the other woman. “then sorry, babe, you’re out of luck. they don’t have any of that here,” she didn’t miss a beat. "though my poison is currently jd with a shot of tequila on the side.”

you’re not that horrible to be around. regina’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “ what was that, dalton ? basic human decency ? ” she tsked, her lips twitching into a brief smile she quickly blinked out of. “ well, it appears we’re both full of surprise tonight. ” regina eyed the table distrustfully, then looked back up to alexandra. she stifled a horrified laugh. “ well that’s certainly one way to spend the rest of your night hunched over a toilet. ” she sneered until her taunting grin slowly but surely vanished from her face. leaving it at that would be admitting defeat, she realized. as if she were a wuss, a sissy. she cocked her head in the direction of the table. “ pour me both, then. ” regina knew she was committing a mistake, that she couldn’t possibly drink alexandra bloody dalton under the table. but it will be a cold day in hell before she throws the towel in without fighting. “ let’s see who’ll end up blocking the bathroom first. don’t worry, i’ll gladly hold your hair and stroke your back. ”

[thefallenwcman]

benvolents​:

    open  starter  :  royalty  type  stuff  because  …  can  u  guess  what  i  just  finished?  anywho,  nothing  in  particular  in  mind,  but  maybe  two  muses  with  very  bad  tension  but  shriya  knows  of  your  muses  terrible  reputation,  so  she’s  playin  a  lil  hard  to  get.  (  feel  free  to  change  my  lord  to  your  muses  proper  status.  )

       “  are  you  following  me  now,  my  lord?  “  thick  on  the  edge  of  crumbling,  shriya’s  composure  straightens  out,  chin  lifted  as  eyes  strike  onto  the  other.  the  sound  of  the  wind  blowing  in  the  trees  are  overshadowed  by  distant  orchestra  playing  at  the  evenings  ball.  the  lady  had  felt  neutral  about  the  night,  conversing  and  entertaining  the  motion  of  filling  up  her  dance  card.  but  as  soon  as  chocolate  hues  met  the  other  and  their  illuminating  scent  —  almost  as  if  they  were  purposely  trying  to  get  her  to  bend  her  will  …  shriya  was  desperate for  a  breath  of  air.  safety  of  the  gardens  …  until  she  turns  to  find  the  other  on  her  heels.  “  we  mustn’t  keep  meeting  like  this,  with  lack  of  chaperone.  do  you  not  have  young  ladies  to  appease  inside  the  ball,  my  lord?  “

“ am i following you, miss kumar—” he breaks off, chest heaving and his shortness of breath has nothing to do with him practically racing after her. “ or are you running away from me ? ” he plants both hands on his hips, stubborn, determined. “ i am merely taking a stroll in the gardens to escape the heat of the ballroom. ” jonathan looks left and right then strides right up to her, the ghost of a smirk tugging at his lips. “ it is positively suffocating in there, is it not ? ” he’s searching her face, her eyes, melted chocolate reflecting the moon, two scythes of light. he wonders whether he’ll ever catch his breath. “ the young ladies can wait. whatever have i done, miss kumar, that makes you flee at the sight of me ? ... is it what they say about me ? that i am the worst sort of rake, taking pleasure where i may ? you do not know me. and you would rather believe the whispers of bored footmen and thrill-hungry mothers than form your own opinion ? ”

[thefallenwcman]

rcsegld​:

“how about the fact that i haven’t punched you in the face yet?” pandora suggested through gritted teeth as she cast a passing friend of her mother a sunny smile. “that’s something to smile about.” she had only been trying to save them both a million awkward conversations in which they had to explain that no, they were no longer together. and yes, it was such a shame, whilst also somehow evading the question of why they had broken up. “oh, shut up. i didn’t force you into this, hunter. stop acting so hard done to.” she tensed when she saw a familiar face approaching them and his arm went around her – she had to resist the urge to shove him off and instead appear comfortable with the sudden close contact. 

alright, so, she had a point. which he would never in a million years admit to her but pandora had not exactly forced him to attend with her. it had sounded reasonable then -- appear in love or at least comfortable with each other for a few hours to avoid irritating questions and awkward conversations. just that nobody had warned him how much more awkward it would be to curl an affectionate arm over his ex while he would rather curl his fingers around her throat and squeeze. fine, he did not actually want to do that but it was a close thing. he blinked at their friend. “ mad, me ? oh, back then ? ” hunter motioned to where they had been standing - and bickering - mere minutes ago. “ oh, don’t worry, we weren’t fighting or anything. just that we’re always so passionate when it comes to … ” he shot her a sideway glance. “ marvel or dc. ” in his defence, it was the only thing his brain was capable of coughing up in that moment, with pandora in his arm and her familiar smell hitting him along with a wave of rage and nostalgia and … regret ? no, that was impossible. “ right, babe ? you’re always so … intense, about everything. ”

[thefallenwcman]

persephonyed​:

      winifred had tried to never picture herself marrying, but when she had, it was always for love — albeit not ideal for their families and society, she had grown up occasionally fantasizing of the possibility. and although jonathan seemed like a pleasant enough man from what she knew, she didn’t love him. she hardly even knew him! and the lady could tell he was having similar hesitations merely by the caution in his voice at first, and the way he caught side glimpses of her. “at least a stabbing would imply passion behind it. but starting off a marriage separately seems like we’re just taunting disaster, does it not?” she attempted to hide her gentle laugh, but her smile could not be concealed. “and it’s actually a good thing you asked, my lord. i do indeed snore. will that be a problem?” she gazed coyly into his eyes. “and do you? if not, you owe me one of your bad habits in exchange for my honesty!”

for the first time that day jonathan smiled, wide and bright. “ such refreshing honesty indeed ”, he mused, suddenly convinced that they might, at least, get along. the coyness in her eyes was so at odds with the topic of conversation that he could not help but laugh. “ not at all, i shall burrow my head into the pillows then. very well. i do not snore but i talk in my sleep. an awful lot, according to my—” he broke off, cleared his throat. jonathan had indeed spent the decade of his twenties in a mindless pursuit of pleasure, as had been frequently whispered about, but that was all in the past, now that he was married. for some reason, he could not find the courage to talk freely of this in front of winifred. “ … brothers. ” he smirked. “ i take no responsibility for anything i might whisper into your ear tonight, unless i compliment my gorgeous wife, that is. ” the smile on his lips thinned into a more solemn line. he sighed. “ i must apologize for my— our families. i do not know whether you were planning on marrying for love but i imagine vowing eternal loyalty to a complete stranger must be … less than ideal. miss kanari— lady griffiths— winifred. ours is not a love match but it can—” grow into one. “ i desire to get to know you, i wish for you to get to know me. all of me. and i am open for ... whatever might happen. ” he averted his gaze to the window, realizing with a bolt of anguish that they would be at their destination soon. alright, maybe he was just as nervous as his wife.