Why? Why, damn you, you bloody amazing ...

She couldn't stand him up in that. Not with the hundreds of eyes watching, of her own people who stood and sat in that hall with her reminiscent of a throne room. Him, taking a bloody knee to her and, in not so many words, offering a kind of fealty. Yes, perhaps not to her directly but to the Lily itself.

Oh he was clever. And he was deadly charming. That cocky gleam in his eye that she saw when no one was looking, that might not have even been intentional.

Shinsou was her 'prisoner'. Her hostage held for the chaos that was the battle over Corone. He was partly owned by the Gilded Lily, and in offering his sword he was not only cementing that idea into the minds of the world but also - well, proving himself. Confirming he was still a man of honour, willing subjecting himself to the principles and the ideals of the Gilded Lily. Principles that Philomel herself was entirely subject too as well. She was simply the figurehead of the beautiful world that the women long to create - the primary instigator.

She took the sword and stared at him with wide eyes as she slipped out of her chair, paused and then offered it back. Her heart pounded. Her breath quickened. And her loins ...

I had sworn off you, she groaned to herself. Stop it, you terrible man. I am trying to fall out of love with you. Not back in ...

Maybe you never fell out of love, chittered a voice in the back of her head. Over by the wall the golden eyes and white tipped tail of Veridian peered out from under a large chestnut cabinet.

Oh shut up, she growled as she sat back into her chair. Her throne. Grumpily, she gestured to someone and another chair was soon being dragged up to be beside hers. It was smaller, and less ornate, usually reserved for her daughter but then Celandine was away still. Being shown the world by her governness Gosling, and kept away from all of this terror.

"Sit, if you will," Philomel sighed softly, looking to Shinsou. She nodded to various groups around the room and bit by bit they began to go back to their conversations.

Vaeron moved closer, dragging up his own stool to perch within earshot. Seconds passed as the room returned to some form of normality, the words now said, the ceremony now inacted.

Still, she stared at the man who had stolen her heart. Again. "So. That was ... Not what I was expecting," she muttered when they could speak once more in realtive privacy.

"Now you've surprised me ... Well," she made a face. "I can surprise you back. Tomorrow morning I'm leaving to go scout the area for Arius. And I'm not taking you with me."