<i>Dramatic.</i><br/><br/>Ryland raised an eyebrow, challenging. "This from a man who starts massive wars with anyone in reach of his armies he doesn't like?"<br/><br/>Kethaias turned away from him, and then started to shuffle through his papers. Since he seemed to have lost interest in the bird, Ryland leaned over and gently shut the wings again to protect the delicate contraption. And since it was now in the king's care, Ryland supposed the man could practice as he wished. His part of this act was over, and he could go and have fun or regroup for another attempt at winning the bet.<br/><br/><i>You</i>, Kethaias said.<br/><br/>There was a little warm flush in his chest, the curl of a smile. "Me?" he said.<br/><br/><i>Well. Your hand, anyway.</i><br/><br/>"My hand," Ryland said, with a small chuckle. "You don't need my hand to sleep with me, sir." And then when Kethaias only looked at him, the smile dropped suddenly. "You're perfectly serious."<br/><br/>The little flush vanished, replaced with the grip of fear like a tightly drawn noose. He hadn't even known the rope was being slipped over his head.<br/><br/>"I beg your pardon," he said. He pushed himself off from the table he'd been leaning on. "No. I refuse. There are some things which are done decently, sir, and my hand is not something to be won as a prize in a<i>bet</i>."<br/><br/>Marriage! That was something he'd considered having to do at some point in his life, but probably not unless he wanted it. There were six royal children, for goddess' sake. Surely they'd go through the other five before ever handing over the youngest. Besides, his father doted on him, and it was generally known that Ryland was not a force to be tamed.<br/><br/>And marriage<i>to this man</i>. Ryland tried to imagine being taken so far away from the country and people he loved, to a place where a husband ran out for months and years on end to fight wars Ryland cared absolutely nothing about--and probably required Ryland to be<i>faithful</i>as well. Star's light. He'd either kill himself or murder the king within a fortnight, if the man could even be bothered to be in his presence that long and not in some stupid battle.<br/><br/>"You don't even know me. My siblings are infinitely more suitable, anyway. Ask anyone. And<i>you don't smile.</i>We would make each other miserable, I assure you. You had better set your mind to something else, because I won't have you."