"I'm going to marry Verona Vernhardt."
The reaction was instant.
Rion was in the middle of a sip and stopped. He let out a violent, strangled spray of liquid, coughing so hard he nearly fell out of the armchair. Across the room, Zachren's grip failed him. A heavy stack of highly confidential reports slipped from his fingers and hit the floor with a disorganized, thunderous thud, scattering like snow in a gale.
Elric finally looked up, his expression one of bored amusement. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "What is with the reaction? You both look like you've seen a ghost. Or perhaps you've finally lost your wits."
"Repeat..." Rion wheezed, pounding his fist against his chest as he gasped for air. "Repeat... exactly... what you just said."
Elric sighed, the sound long and suffering. "It is a tragedy, truly. You are both in the prime of your lives, yet your hearing is already failing you."
