If he was surprised that she had already considered his question he did not show it in the usual way. Instead he finally turned away from the view of the Oerwoud to look at Sohalia directly, his gaze calm and considering at the revelation she imparted. As always, he did not answer immediately but instead turned her own questions around in his head for a time before giving voice to his thoughts. "Hmm. I have had three co-rulers since becoming King in Torchline." He tilted his head at his young friend, one corner of his mouth quirking in wry amusement. "And each had a different style of ruling. Maeve and I consulted each other, but ruled separately. Land and sea." Each to their own people and duties, though they worked together on regional quests for the benefit of Torchline.
The Tidebreaker's expression shifted, tightening momentarily as if in pain. "Harper and I were friends. Long before he offered to help me rule. I held a vote, to find a human co-ruler after Maeve... left. He was chosen by the landfolk to lead them." Though he certainly had Hadama's support, the vote had been fair and overwhelmingly - though not unanimously - in the Stalwart's favor. "We worked closely together. Talked almost daily, about the issues in our region. We did not always agree, but we respected each other, and found compromises through communication."
Another pause, and he let the weight of Harper's disappearance fade to the background of his thoughts, the quiet ache in his heart a lingering memory of his missing friend. His unfocused gaze returned to Soh's eyes as he tilted his head in acknowledgment of the question she had actually asked. "Now, with Flora? It works very well. But our start was... rocky." The word was chosen delicately, though the gleam of humor in emerald eyes belied how mild it was. "She wanted to rule. Very much so. And I did not... hmm. I did not think she was ready, at first," he admitted slowly. "But she convinced me to give her a chance. And I have not regretted it." Indeed, he could not be more proud of Torchline's Queen and all that she had done for their region. "We are not as close as Harper and I were. But we talk to each other, about our priorities for Torchline. Our dreams for it. And the difficulties it faces, and how to overcome them." He saw no path to co-rulership that did not begin and end with clear communication. Whether that co-rulership was a romantic partnership like Halo's Wardens or a platonic one mattered less than the trust that underlay it and the willingness to share ideas and compromise.
The Tidebreaker's expression shifted, tightening momentarily as if in pain. "Harper and I were friends. Long before he offered to help me rule. I held a vote, to find a human co-ruler after Maeve... left. He was chosen by the landfolk to lead them." Though he certainly had Hadama's support, the vote had been fair and overwhelmingly - though not unanimously - in the Stalwart's favor. "We worked closely together. Talked almost daily, about the issues in our region. We did not always agree, but we respected each other, and found compromises through communication."
Another pause, and he let the weight of Harper's disappearance fade to the background of his thoughts, the quiet ache in his heart a lingering memory of his missing friend. His unfocused gaze returned to Soh's eyes as he tilted his head in acknowledgment of the question she had actually asked. "Now, with Flora? It works very well. But our start was... rocky." The word was chosen delicately, though the gleam of humor in emerald eyes belied how mild it was. "She wanted to rule. Very much so. And I did not... hmm. I did not think she was ready, at first," he admitted slowly. "But she convinced me to give her a chance. And I have not regretted it." Indeed, he could not be more proud of Torchline's Queen and all that she had done for their region. "We are not as close as Harper and I were. But we talk to each other, about our priorities for Torchline. Our dreams for it. And the difficulties it faces, and how to overcome them." He saw no path to co-rulership that did not begin and end with clear communication. Whether that co-rulership was a romantic partnership like Halo's Wardens or a platonic one mattered less than the trust that underlay it and the willingness to share ideas and compromise.
