Basil looked at Colette pouting. Sometimes he liked it, when it was playful. But when it was like this, he hated it. He wriggled his way out from under Colette to stand, sighing heavily.
For several pregnant moments, he was silent, standing there in his
paisley shorts and his white a-shirt. He had his arms folded over his chest and was tapping his fingers on his clavicle, a habit he often engaged in when he was lost in his thoughts, but not something Jezabelle had ever fully experienced thanks to him usually being invisible.
It'd look a bit foolish if it weren't for the serious nature to the conversation.
Once he'd collected his thoughts, he spoke.
"No, it's not about the spooning.
You're wrong, Jezabelle, that I treat Colette like a princess.
Princesses are little girls, or at best the female companion to a patriarch. They are inherently designed not to lead, either by age or circumstance."
Basil coaxed Colette gently to come to him. Once they were both standing Basil towered over Colette's night-withered frame, but not for long.
Steeling his nerves, Basil gave Colette's hand a quick squeeze before dropping to genuflect. He hesitated in this position for several moments before moving into a seiza sitting position. Again he paused, reaching out with his other hand to take her by the arm, using both his hands to brush his face against her forearm lovingly. After another quick peck, he let go of her, and leant forward to kiss her feet before resting his forehead on the floor near them in prostrate.
And there he sat, waiting for Jezabelle to put together the implications for herself. He kept his eyes closed as he continued to speak. He didn't want to see Jezabelle's face.
"By design or accident, Colette Astrid Madeleine Rosenhof has found herself in the unique position of being my Queen. Something she has consented to and is adamant to pursue. Perhaps even more so than myself, given her enthusiasm to share with everyone she meets about it.
But despite her enthusiasm and my telling her she is worthy and that she will figure out what works for her in time, she doesn't believe she is up to the task.
She believes you can help her somehow."