[Nikolai enjoys it perhaps a little too much, briefly pretending that his only obstacle to marriage is that he hasn't found the right girl yet. It's certainly preferable to the reality of it. That he has a secret, a literal inner demon, that would send any woman with two wits to rub together running in the opposite direction. That he cannot wait for love, because time is running out. That marriage can only be a political game for him, and he has no choice but to play.
His eyes are back on Konoha.]
You think so?
[He looks as though the idea has never occurred to him. Of course, his potential bride's dowry was yet another factor in Zoya's calculations as she gathered her list of candidates. It was the reason she kept pushing him toward Hiram Schenck's oh-so-eligible daughters. Having a father-in-law on Kerch's Merchant Council would be a huge boon to a debt-laden king.]
Do you think I might impress a wealthy merchant's daughter? [A grin, as if enjoying a private joke.] A duke's daughter? A princess?
no subject
His eyes are back on Konoha.]
You think so?
[He looks as though the idea has never occurred to him. Of course, his potential bride's dowry was yet another factor in Zoya's calculations as she gathered her list of candidates. It was the reason she kept pushing him toward Hiram Schenck's oh-so-eligible daughters. Having a father-in-law on Kerch's Merchant Council would be a huge boon to a debt-laden king.]
Do you think I might impress a wealthy merchant's daughter? [A grin, as if enjoying a private joke.] A duke's daughter? A princess?