"Pooh!" The Queen huffed, "It would be wonderful if you were able to stay..." She lowered her voice, "And if I may assume... I believe you'd also be keen on anything that separated the two of you."

Gwendolyn studied the visitor. He did appear to be a vain man, with the way he wore so many rings on his heavy fingers and the richest clothes. They weren't worn in the confident, cool way that King Aldwin did, where he could still look powerful in clothes that had been used before. It was more in the way that a person, or at least Gwendolyn, could tell he hardly ever wore them. They were stiff in places that used clothes were not stiff in.

She wondered what the King thought of him.

Clementia nodded, her eyes falling and her voice a mere whisper, barely loud enough for the Queen to hear. "He is a decent man, I should feel lucky, at least, that is what my mother said when our engagement was announced. He is kind enough but he doesn't truly care about me, he just wants me to stand there and look pretty. Bennett spends all his money on nice clothes and he only ever wears them once, and expects me to do the same." Clementia supposed that compared to some women, her situation was pretty damn good.

"And all he ever talks about if having children and an heir to his fortune. He is practically obssesed with the idea of perfection. It is very overwhelming at times."

Aldwin smiled and talked to Lord Bennett with the same respect he gave every man he spoke to. This did not seem to be going very well with the Lord though, as he always seemed to be vying for more attention. He was... an okay man. His ideals were definitely not alined Aldwin's, but he'd never met a man that had the same morals and ideas he had anyways.

What did make Aldwin anger, was the way the Lord tended to be looking at every women in the room except his own wife. King Aldwin already knew of the woman's sickeness (though he had a sneaking suspicion that it was faked) and how the man was impatiently waiting for his wife to get better in order to produce an heir. Aldwin could tell that every single thing that came out of the man's mouth about his own life was a lie. Though his city may have been rather prosperous, the man himself was not as good.

Gwendolyn nodded in understanding, "There most definately could have been worse fates... but it does make reality any less bitter. I suppose that I..." Gwendolyn faded off, looking at the King. She shook her head the tinest amount, "Anyways... I hope that someday... in the future... women won't have to think of themselves as lucky with who they are matched with. Maybe one day... we can chose. That would be a blessing, hmmm?"

As for Clementia's situation, Gwendolyn knew it could be worse, but that didn't make it good. Perfection was nonexistant, and it wasn't right for someone to expect everything to be exactly the way they wanted it.

The woman nodded, a smile taking over her face. "Oh that would be absolutely wonderful! I know I wouldn't be able to see it in my lifetime, but I truly hope that in the future, women will be just as every bit equal to man as we truly are." Clementia smiled, she knew she'd never see the day where she could freely be herself, but she was excited nonetheless.

Gwendolyn smiled at the woman beside her, "Yes... that would be nice... we can all only hope."

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i'm not sure how long we want this to go on... what should be the next step?))

Well either Gwendolyn could try and convince them to stay, or they'd leave? Aldwin would end up talking to Gwendolyn and thanking her regardless.

hmmm mb after dinner gwen can ask aldwin if they would be able to come back/ if he would be alright for them to come back in the furture?

bc i think it would be good for them to have to go (so we can give aldwin and gwen time to get to know each other), and gwendolyn could talk to clementia's husband and put in the word that "your wife was a delight to meet.... if possible, i'd adore you both coming back to visit."

That is completely fine by me, Aldwin and Gwen are the main characters after all. Do you wanna start or should I?

could you?

Clementia was being dragged along with her husband as he began to say his goodbyes. Of course, his pretty, sickly wife had to be there as well, he had to show her off obviously. Clementia remained happy and well manner though, no matter how much she hated being thought of as a wife. And an object at that, hardly even a person.

Aldwin was also making the rounds, wishing the people who had came a happy day. He did not keep Gwendolyn close though, as she was her own person and could say goodbye just as easily as he could.