Valeriya paused, breath catching in her throat. She blinked, processing his words again and again. He was... She threw her head back and laughed, mirth flwoing up from deep in her gut and cascading out into the air. Her eyes began to water, the muscles of her stomach began to ache. Oh goodness, this was too perfect. She'd fled her own queendom and ended up meeting another king, who apparently spent a good bit of his own time goofing off. This gargantuan blue oaf began to change shape in her mind. And he seemed so proud of himself, as if he'd pulled some big prank! The dashing king consorting with a lowly country lass...
Worried that he might get the wrong idea she tried to form a coherent sentence or two. "You don't say," she gasped, trying in vain to calm her breathing. "And aren't you the big man, the lordy lord lording over his domain. Ever heard of the pack Ebony?" Her cheeks felt all tight and worn from the width of her smile. She took a step back and fell into a deep, mocking bow. "You stand before the once-queen of Ebony, Valeriya Valkyrie Xanilov, firstborn daughter of Raisa Xanilov by Ailwyn Xanilov and true heir of the Ebon Throne. " She sucked in a deep breath and rose, recovering from her lengthy (read: ridiculous) title. Her thoughts flashed to Kassander and her chest bloomed with warmth and affection. Perhaps she ought to introduce the two, or had they already met? Valentine had acted kindly towards her, they might make decent friends.
Thoughts of politics were quickly washed away while she awaited his response. The young, wild fae he'd raced up the side of a fucking volcano, the one he'd played dirty with and lost to... She wanted to see the look of it in his eyes.
