Expectations had been laid upon the fae prince since the time of his birth. He was expected to be the perfect heir to the Seelie Court and the future king of the fae. He was expected to uphold himself with honor and dignity at all times. To become more than just another fae of noble blood. His power had blossomed early, becoming apparent to all those around him that magic, the gods, perhaps both had blessed him with approval. There was the expectation of his court, his people, the fae kingdom, his mother, the queen, and now the human kingdom as well. So much upon his shoulders, though the weight was such a familiar friend that he didn’t quite realize it was there. Not, at least, until he felt it lift when Desdemona seemed to expect very little from him. Many, perhaps, might take such knowledge and hold it in offense. After all, as future partners in life, to expect things from one another was… well… expected. It was part of any human relationship, as far as Aurelion was aware, and yet she didn’t expect him to do much more than the bare minimum of what their relationship called for. That had him wanting to do a great deal more for her. In the span of the few hours he had known her, he had quickly come to realize that she was so very different than most humans he had crossed paths with.

Love might be out of the question between two creatures so different, but certainly friendship was not. And, he was coming to realize, he desperately wanted to hold that title in her eyes. Friend. It had been so very long since he’d had a human friend; perhaps he was due for one. Humans were different from the fae in a variety of ways, but that didn’t mean they were inferior to the beings that survived eons. Their lives were short, yes, but they were able to do so many great things in the few years that they had been granted life upon this earth. They were intelligent beings, understanding and capable of love in ways that weren’t familiar to the fae people.

As the hours of the night morphed into the early hours of the morning, still separated from the arrival of the sun by a good amount of time, Aurelion continued to move, walking through the garden with his future bride upon his arm. It was soothing, being here with her. Calming and peaceful in a way he hadn’t known in well over a hundred years, and he didn’t wish for it to end any time soon. Of course, should she grow weary and wish to retire to her chambers for the remainder of the night, he would let her, but until then, he would fully enjoy her company.

For a being that had lived through the Sundering War and who had the great expanse of the future waiting for him, its arms of time spread open wide in welcome, reading had helped to pass the time. It was one of the few things that he had come to treasure because, with every year that passed, new books would appear, old books would remain, and he could continue to read. He could go on adventures with characters born from the minds of some magnificent artist of words, or he could learn about some important figure in human history. Books would never disappear, of that he was certain. Too many people relied on their existence, both in the fae realm and in the mortal world. The infinite stretch of time embraced the literary works of the world as it embraced him, and he found a great deal of comfort in that knowledge.

When the soft sound of Desdemona’s voice broke the silence, the fae prince looked towards her. He listened reverently as she spoke, dipping his head in a nod at her words. A noble interest. He quite liked the way that had been worded. A great many things could be learned from the words printed on a page, and many more emotions could be evoked. A warm and light laughter bubbled up within him and erupted into the coolness of the night as Desdemona spoke of her time being spent more in the company of ledgers and reports than anything else. “I am quite familiar with materials.” And he was, well, over five hundred years had seen him writing, reading, and interpreting such things for the court, the queen, and for himself. At her last couple of words, the fae prince listened with as much intent and interest as he’d had since they first began speaking. He watched as the wind caressed her skin and ran its invisible fingers through her hair, lifting it and gently pulling it along on its current before reluctantly letting go. “I think…” He started and lifted his free hand to carefully and gently brush aside the strands of hair that had blown into Desdemona’s face. “I would very much like that.” He finished, his tone honest and genuine.

Over the course of his many years, Aurelion had likely seen well over a million ledgers pass the surface of his desk. He'd likely touched and read just as many when he had stood at his mother's side, reading over and offering his opinion on the different ledgers and documents that she had been brought by her different subjects. There was no small shortage of them with the Unseelie king, lords, and ladies, and the mortal kings sending her a great deal of information and requests. He wouldn't soon forget the kinds that had passed before him and his mother during the Sundering war, though he doubted that he was the only one. Reports of attacks, death tolls, supply needs, among other things, had been presented endlessly. Aurelion, his mother, and her court, near the end of the war, had been forced to decide who was in teh direst need of resources before they handed any out. Supplies had started to run thin for both the fae courts and the human realm before the Veilpiercer had unleashed The Red Bloom. Along with the many upsetting ledgers and documents that had passed through his hands, there were just as many that were joyous and exciting. The birth of new fae children, the festivals and celebrations that both the Seelie and Unseelie celebrated, weddings and parties, among others. Regardless, such ledgers and documents requiring his approval, or at least his acknowledgement, weren't something that Aurelion thought was new. On the contrary, he was acutely aware of the fact that this was a task many in the royal and noble families of both fae and mortals had to endure, and as such, he'd long since accepted it as another task to carry upon his shoulders.

`

Thgaid, he had also read a great many tales. True stories of heroes long before their time. Heroes of human and fae men and women who'd fought alongside one another before relationships between the two races soured. There were true accounts of the Sundering War from both fae and mortals that Aurelion had read. When he felt like something more fantastical with magic and little realism, there were plenty of books to choose from. A part of him was interested in what Desdemona might think of the Royal Seelie Library. If she liked reading as much as it seemed that she might, then certainly she would find the vast room of books to be a sanctuary. Both he and his mother had made it their mission, as avid readers, to acquire all kinds of stories and fill their library with tomes and novels of all genres. There were science books, lesson books, romance books, fantasy books, horror books, history books, and anything that one could possibly wish to read; their library held. Having the largest library in all of the Unseelie court, and likely in all of Elarion, was something that Aurelion prided himself on. Many a late night or a busy day when the gardens weren't available to him, the library became as much a sanctuary as his own personal quarters. It was a quiet space, peaceful and hardly visited. It was a place in the palace where he could often go to unwind and enjoy what little time he had for his hobbies and interests.

`

The fae prince could see then, for just a moment, the woman at his side seated in one of the fine chairs that were deliberately placed throughout the library. Her stunning silver eyes were fixed on the pages of a book that had caught her interest, and her gown, the finest among fae tailorship, and made of starlit silk with midnight and gray hues. When the vision faded, the prince was left hoping that, should such a thing truly come to pass, Desdemona was at the very least content with her life in the fae realm. His thoughts likely would have continued down that trail had he not felt the coolness of Desdemona's hand against his own. Pulled from his thoughts, the prince watched in amazement and surprise as she didn't push his hand away, though he would have fully understood if she had, but instead brought it down so that she could lean her cheek into his palm. He didn't doubt that the surprise was visible, and he didn't bother trying to hide it. Nor did he attempt to mask the hint of joy that this touch brought him. It would also be a falsehood to suggest that his heart didn't feel as though it stuttered, skipping one of its many beats within his chest as he watched the woman before him close her eyes as if relishing his touch.

`

Then, he listened to teh words she uttered so softly. It pleases me more than you know to hear that she had said, and the words seemed to settle between them like soft ash after a fire. Pleases me. It felt as though his willingness to share a quiet room and shelves of ink and parchment worlds would be a gift to her rather than a bare obligation of getting to know one another, or an attempt to maintain sanity while in a foreign land amongst a hated people. The humility of it... her humility, wrapped around his ribs more tightly than any oath that had ever been sworn to him.

`

When her hand slipped away, the absence of it felt sudden and unjust. Aurelion found he had almost followed it, an aborted motion that had died at his wrist before it could become more than a thought. Instead, he let his hand drift downward, brushing his own thigh as though to remind himself his limbs, at least, were still his to command. The night breeze returned, sliding between them like a jealous chaperone. For several long moments, teh fae prince afforded himself the luxury of simply observing and taking in the mortal vision at his side. Then, he was smiling, a warm and genuine smile, while dipping his head into a slight and courteous nod. "Then it shall be so." He promised. If being able to share with her some of the books that had entertained him countless times through the years would bring her such joy and happiness, then he would not fail to grant her that much. Aurelion was not blind to what she was being forced to sacrifice to wed a member of the fae... to wed him. He would not soon forget her kindness, her humility, or her courage throughout this exchange, either. So if there was anything he could do to make their time together from this moment onward more bearable and comfortable, then he wouldn't hesitate to do so.