Basil takes his time to know you

While King Basil was very patient and kind when you arrived, part of you is just waiting for the next leaf to fall. You know what your purpose is as his consort and he has been waiting for months to have you here by his side. Sure, you will be helping him run the kingdom as necessary, but you know your true purpose. He needs strong, dominant heirs to take over his throne one day and you are the one who is going to provide them. So, when you wake the next morning and are led to the kitchens, you are fully prepared to stuffed to the brim with Basil's seed by the end of the day.

But, it seems that he has different plans. Basil is nothing but courteous to you. By the gods, he won't even take your hand into his without your permission! He listens to you speak over breakfast that first day, genuinely interested in the magics you studied and what you hope to learn in the future. He doesn't balk at your desire to travel to the fairy realms to learn their magics. Quite the opposite really. He seems so excited for you to learn these new things, just as long as he gets to come along. It's... strange, to have someone so invested in you. Especially someone you had only known for a few hours. Your family had never been interested in what you did unless it would better the kingdom.

Slowly, he manages to get you to open up, smiling as he listens to you dump every last bit of information you learned over the years onto him. He doesn't only do this for a day, or a week. He does this for months. Months of never getting to touch you, of chasing away his ruts locked in his room, and never using you for your true purpose. He gets to know you for you and you fall in love with him for it. You've never had anyone take such an interest in your life before.

It isn't just him learning about you either. You learn just as much about him in your time together. He takes you with him when he practices sword fighting with his guards. Basil even teaches you some techniques, something that delights you greatly. He gives you tours of his city, introducing you to his subjects as his future spouse. There are nights were the two of you cook together and rainy days were you cuddle up in the library. And yes, there are days where the two of you don't see each other as he deals with the politics of running his kingdom, but he still makes it a point to tell you good morning and goodnight no matter what.

Slowly, he manages to convince you that you are not just a breeder for him. That you are so much more. You are the faun he's been waiting for all these months, the one he's been dreaming of since the first night your brothers told him about you. He's fallen in love with you, Forrest Evergreen, and not just the youngest Prince of the Ancient Forests. He loves you for the person you are and you are feeling the same way about him.

So, it comes as no surprise to you when makes you an intricate flower crown and asks for your hand in marriage. You tear up at the message he's so carefully woven for you. Red roses, red carnations, white lilies, daisies, and apple blossoms. It tells you that he loves you, that his heart aches for you and his love is pure. A true love where he prefers you before anyone else. Of course you say yes, proudly wearing the crown for weeks before you carefully press the flowers to preserve them. But it seems that even at your happiest, your past will come back to haunt you. You can't help but wonder what is going on outside the safety of Basil's home and when his impulsive act to kidnap you is going to come to bite him.