Husband?
What husband?
John looked around, then asked a devastating question under Nason's eagerly expectant gaze.
"I didn't see anyone when I came in. Where's your husband?"
Nason: "..."
Habakak: "..."
The elves: "..."
After all this, you still can't tell?
"Ahem." Nason coughed twice, tugged at John's sleeve, and whispered, "It's you."
"Me?" John paused. "I don't remember getting married."
Nason could only say, "Have you forgotten our deal?"
Of course John remembered. He had come for the most precious thing in Alfheim.
Nason said tactfully, "In Alfheim, nothing is more important or precious than the queen."
John: "..." You're playing word games with me, aren't you?
He looked at the queen and said calmly, "I'm sorry, but I don't have feelings for you."
Simple and direct.
It was something his head of house, Snape, could never learn in three lifetimes.
Queen Freya smiled and shook her head. "This is magic's choice, Wizard King."
"That doesn't make it my choice." John remained unmoved.
Something was off about the atmosphere.
The elves exchanged glances.
They had come to witness the new king their queen had chosen, who was also Alfheim's savior.
But the situation now seemed very wrong.
John said calmly, "Nothing can dictate my choices."
Queen Freya paused, her smile gradually fading.
In its place came seriousness. With a forthrightness Daphne could never learn in her lifetime, she asked, "Not even love?"
"You've submitted to magic, Queen Freya." John calmly met those eyes that differed from Daphne's. "Don't let magic dictate your feelings. That would be far too weak."
No one had expected John to be so blunt and bold.
Even the wise Queen Freya fell silent at his words.
"You think I made my choice because of magic?"
"Because I can't think of anything about me worth falling