It’s an old tale from way back when—

It was a marriage of arrangement, two royal families joining together. It was also a marriage of love, though. He was smitten with her—he promised that everything would be made beautiful just for her. What Aidon did not realize, though, is that his wife had promised her ailing mother that she, as the eldest of her kingdom, would continue to oversee the kingdom for six months out of every year.

His six months with her in Adahl'en were short-lived. But he managed, as a good husband should. After years of doing this, though, as her mother continued to hold her to this promise... well, he started fights over her leaving. And during one such fight, the time for her to leave for Sil'tarem. She left, and he was pissed. Not because his wife left, per se, but because she refused to put him first for once.

Spite quickly turned to rage... a quiet, brooding rage that would never be quenched.

Hey, little songbird, give me a song...

By the time the Rowan's joined Elgar'nan's cause, their marriage was quickly deteriorating. Aidon had bought a slave-girl during his wife's absence, after she left him during a fight. She never put him first, and that hurt him in every way possible because he loved Sefoni. But he was not important enough to her... So he'd buy someone who'd be more important to him than she was.

This slave was held on a pedestal, beautiful and perfect. And yet, Aidon never cheated on his wife. But he would imply he had; this slave received only kind words, gentle touches from him when his entire purpose under Elgar'nan was to destroy the spirits of newly acquired slaves to ensure they serve their master appropriately. You see, Aidon is the man that branded, tattooed, burned the slaves Elgar'nan gathered.

He destroyed their souls, their spirits, and ensured there was little fight left. Behind him, his wife was the gentle hand to these slaves, further indoctrinating them to their master.

So for a lowly slave to earn the right to be called 'perfect' by such a harsh man... Well, he had his reasons.

Songbird versus rattlesnake—

Aidon witnessed his wife's disdain at the fact his treasured slave-girl had their last name. He watched with amusement as she asked a question—did he marry her? No. But he wished to mark her from the Evanuris' slaves, as she was a pet and not a slave. She was special. Perfect. He enjoyed watching his wife's face as she processed her feelings on this matter. He refused to remove the girl's surname.

From this moment, Sefoni interacted with the slave-girl, leaving emotional scars but never anything physical, for she knew her husband would use the physical prowess that she witnessed him using on Elgar'nan's slaves with her. The slave-girl was joint property due to their marriage status, and was instructed to obey either master or mistress. However, Aidon left rules in place for the girl's protections.

He never slept with her, but he was quite amused to threaten to do so.

Oh, my aching heart...

Somewhere deep in this blackened heart, is a man who desperately loved his wife and did not want her to leave his side. They were wed because they cared for one another but distance has... made them less than desirable to one another. Now that Aidon and Sefoni are awake in the modern age, serving Elgar'nan's plans, only time will tell.

Will they learn to love one another again?
Will they even try?