"Ravel," he said quietly as she adjusted one of the brooches, "does Her Majesty do this often? The gifts, the attention to detail?"
Ravel paused, considering. "Her Majesty is... selective about where she directs her attention. But when she does choose to invest in someone, she's remarkably thorough."
"Invest," Larus repeated. "That's an interesting word choice."
"Her Majesty thinks in terms of investments and returns," Ravel said frankly. "She doesn't waste resources on things—or people—that don't provide value. The fact that she's investing this much in you..."
She didn't finish the sentence, but she didn't need to.
Larus understood.
He mattered to her. Maybe not romantically, maybe not emotionally, but 'strategically'. 'Practically'. In a way that meant she'd protect him, support him, give him the tools he needed to succeed.
And honestly? That felt more valuable than empty romantic gestures.
"There," Ravel said, stepping back. "Perfect. Take a look."
