[35 years] [human] [male] [king of fordaemdur] [no romantic involvement] ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
- aaliyah's concerns about being friendly with him, although unspoken, were not unbeknownst to ronan. although he would have been grateful to her for taking the time to distract and help him home regardless, he was even more so grateful to her, considering the risk that she accepted in doing so. of course, more than the additional gratitude, he felt poorly about putting her in a position where she had to accept risk at all, but even as king, there was only so much even in his own realm over which he had control.
the corners of ronan's mouth twitched down slightly at the thought, but he was quick to realize that the small frown could easily be misinterpreted, so he did what he could to replace it with a small smile instead. the feat became a little easier when alliyah wished him well, which ronan recognized as something very narcissistic in himself, and which in turn made the feat more difficult again, but he held on to the happy, or at least neutral, expression as best as he could.
"it was nice to talk with you too," he said. he hoped to convey the sincerity in his words by meeting her gaze for a moment before abiding by her gestured invitation for him to walk ahead of her and into the castle. once inside the grandiose, high-ceilinged entrance hall, he turned to look at aaliyah again. "thank you," he said, deliberately not specifying for what because there were many things: for showing him the way out of the situation he had been in with bennet and the observing townsfolk, for walking him home and telling about herself and her family along the way, and on the whole, for treating him like the sensitive and flawed human being he was.