Leonard eyed the badge in front of his eyes. A Lotus under his own badge – a dark circle with light emerging from behind him, the sun after an eclipse –, something made by Cora herself with her own hand, just another one of her many talents, the symbol of her future reign by his side as his queen.
"A Lotus flower, Your Majesty," Lord Bryton explained. "Meaning rebirth, purity and enlightenment."
He scoffed.
"I know the meaning of a Lotus flower, Bryton," he pointed out. "It is beautiful. Is it waiting for my approval?"
"Yes, your majesty," his advisor confirmed. "Your bride also chose her motto."
He waited, and the red-haired man cleared his throat before continuing.
"Wise, loyal and kind."
Leonard nodded slowly. His mother had never had an official motto, but he imagined that this would be it if she had lived in the right circumstances, instead of 'Always fighting', and Leo took upon himself to make his words something that would comfort his people.
'I bring peace.'
It was what he wanted for Plaenia. His kingdom had been through a lot, and he wanted what was best for it now.
"It's good," he cleared. "If she wants them, so be it, they have my approval."
His advisor – honestly, Lord Bryton was leaning on the assistant role more than anything else – confirmed, and took the sketch away.
"It is done, sir. Is my assistance needed for anything else?"
"No," he stood up. "And where is my betrothed?"
"With her ladies and Lord Lancaster, the painted."
Leonard nodded and waited as the door was opened.
"Lead the way," he requested.
Bryton confirmed and Leo followed him outside until they reached the queen's chambers. Coraline hadn't moved into them yet, but she and her ladies spent their days there together doing… well… whatever they did there together.
The music and giggles reached his ears before he even stepped into the room, and he held back a grin when he could see them, hiding from the dancing ladies as he stepped aside the door. He could recognise some of them: Rosamund Dudley and Hannah Lancaster. Rosamund was the younger sister of Primrose Dudley, Margaret's own Lady-in-waiting, and Hannah was the sister of Philip Lancaster, a minor Lord who was now his official painter. He was very talented, and Paul had a crush on him – which Leonard thought was probably mutual.
He searched for Cora with his eyes and the music stopped, making him turn to look over the group and seeing the ladies curtsying for him and the music mates bowing, as his position was discovered.
"Don't stop on my account," he spoke, waving a hand and indicating for the musicians to continue to sing and play along. "Please, go on."
The girls exchanged looks but went right back into dancing, and he turned to his side when he saw Coraline walking to him in the same white dress she had been wearing the day she accepted his proposal.
"Your majesty," his bride curtsied. "You're not very good at hiding."
Leonard chuckled, feelings his face warming up a bit.
"I'm a bit big," he agreed.
He swallowed down at looking at her, and Cora blushed, making Leo wonder if she was remembering what had happened the last time they had seen one another, and he could see as her blonde hair had been braided just as before, except that it held a glorious golden strand instead of a silver one.
"I would like to invite you to dine with me tonight," he told her. "And your ladies, of course."
Behind her, the ladies-in-waiting exchanged looks and covered their mouths, giggling. Now that they were officially engaged, Leo wasn't supposed to be alone with her, not explicitly, before their wedding ceremony.
"It would be an honour, Your Majesty."
He nodded, holding his hands behind his back and trying to keep his posture while looking at her.
"I know I've been busy and haven't been giving you the right attention as my guest," he declared. "I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me for that."
Cora shook her head.
"There is nothing to forgive, your majesty," she answered simply. "You're the king, you have duties to perform. As your bride, it is my duty to understand it, and as your wife, it will be my duty to help you."
He swallowed down at the heaviness of her eyes on him, hearing his heart thundering on his chest.
Was he supposed to survive her? He didn't know how.
"Thank you, my lady," he stuttered. "I…"
Coraline waited, and Leonard licked his lips, not knowing what to say.
"Thank you."
He looked around, and finally noticed the place where she'd been sat, and Lord Lancaster bowed to him, stepping back from his canvas, where he had been working on a very realistic picture of Cora he had bought himself.
"Lord Lancaster," he stepped to his side.
"I'm just getting the details, your majesty," he affirmed. "The Lady Coraline is letting me borrow her dress after, so I can paint it with more detail."
Leo confirmed with a nod, staring at the sketch and then looking back at his bride. She was gorgeous. He couldn't wait until he was able to wake up next to her in the mornings and have her anytime he wanted.
"I shall go now," he decided. "I will see you, then?"
"Yes, your majesty," Cora smiled, curtsying again.
Leonard nodded and reached out with a hand, waiting until her delicate pal was over it to close his fingers and slowly kiss her skin, watching as a shiver raised the barely visible little hairs on her arms.
Lovely.
"Until then, goodbye, my lady."