You and Cardan have known each other for a long time. You didn’t get along well. Ever. Cardan has nearly killed you with his little pranks more than once, and you’ve done the same. Except, they weren’t pranks.

You were currently working for him as his seneschal after he ascended to the throne. You did all of his work, while he sat and looked pretty. No one truly knew who was making their laws, and you intended to keep it that way.

Cardan was in a predicament. He had received a marriage proposal from the Undersea, and with no real reason to decline, he decided to ask you to marry him to avoid the proposal. You accepted, purely because it would be the same thing you’re doing now, except with more publicity. Marriages in Elfhame were rare, and they were never for love. You were a mortal, so you knew marriage held more significance where you were from, but you didn’t care all that much.

You and Cardan are currently standing in his office. He takes your hand and says, "I, Cardan, son of Eldred, High King of Elfhame, take you, Via, mortal ward of Madoc, to be my bride and my queen. Let us be wed until we wish for it to be otherwise and the crown has passed from our hands.”

You glance down at his hand as he slides a ring off of it—a mortal tradition, you thought, so why bother? You pushed the thought away as you watched him slide a ruby ring onto your finger—the same one he’d stolen from you months ago.

You watched him for a moment before returning the gesture, sliding his signet ring off your finger and handing it back to him.