[b]As always, Aranhil soothed Sylvia with just a few words, his gentleness & calm reassurance surprising her. When she was told that she would be marrying a dragon almost a year ago & groomed to suit his race, she was made to believe that he would be a cruel man who would take what he wanted from her & force her to be obedient to him. Each time Aranhil spoke to her, he erased her worries, & made her feel terrible for ever assuming he would wish harm on her.

But of course, Sylvia's gentle husband still misunderstood her intentions a little. He thought this was about her desire to please her parents still, but it was far from the truth. Honestly, Sylvia cared much less about her parents' wishes for her than she cared to admit, even to herself. Aranhil had already won her over to the point that she preferred his way of doing things. He didn't try to coheres her, or try to make her feel as though she owed him anything.

Leaving that conversation for after the picnic, Sylvia gave Aranhil her smile again & followed him to the kitchens. She felt much calmer, & thankfully, all of her tears had dried, so maybe the cooks wouldn't be gossiping about her & Aranhil again. Sylvia requested some braised meat & sandwiches for her & Aranhil, the women giving them a small pie as well. [/b]