i'll tell you my sins, you can sharpen your knife

she waited with bated breath, searching his face for his reaction. Acere seemed pleased, accepting her challenge. Heloise relaxed, knowing he never would have thought it was a grab for power. it was just difficult to explain; she wanted to stand with him, up there at meetings and official business. she wanted to be his queen in the eyes of everyone. her own traditional mindset refused her this boon. they were not married, not yet anyway. he knew he would hand her the rank if she asked but she was a woman who worked for the things she wanted. she would not accept Acere handing her the title of the queen by marriage.

she would beat him, prove to everyone she deserved to be with him. some laughed at her small size compared to the handsome direwolf. she knew they did. "thank you, my love" she said, smiling as he grazed his nose against her. wagging her tail slightly, she went on. "no companions. no armor. no weapons. just the two of us. perhaps I'll finally beat you." she joked softly, amusement clear in her icy depths. the restlessness she felt while pregnant was gone and she felt ready to take on her king once more. though not a master fighter yet, Heloise wanted to do this. she wanted to prove she was ready.

that maybe all her training was leading up to this very moment. she moved away from him now, to the opposite side of the ship. "I was always ready to be your queen" she told him, resolve in her eyes as they squinted "yet I always felt I had to work harder than everyone else. I just never had a formal goal until you. please, accept my challenge now. I am ready, Acere." and may the gods be in her favor.