Melody shivered as the silence echoed around them. The potion, while still not one she could envision ever using, was ingenious. As she stared determinedly away from him, Melody came to understand that for Ben this potion was the best solution. He needn't worry about her reputation or being unable to afford her lifestyle if she was safely squared away in a typical marriage. For Ben, this was the way for him to retain his freedom and still have easy access to her. She squeezed her eyes shut against the realization. None of this - not even the (expensive, if she had to guess) potion, was for her. Nothing he did was ever going to be solely for her.
She looked back towards him and pocketed the vial. Mister --- would likely never be subjected to its magical influence, but it couldn't hurt to have stored away as a backup plan. Perhaps she could even use it to help aid her futile dream of starting a new life someplace new. There were a few magical communities across the globe that she was researching. Hopefully one of those would be an easy fit. However, to tell Ben of the dream would be useless. He was too scarred by his time in Canada (which, Melody wouldn't deny wasn't the best planned trip) to aid her escape.
Melody wanted to commend him on the potion. She wanted to ask him one last time - beg him really - to marry her himself. She wanted them to end as they did in the shack: sad but with a happy memory. More than anything else, Melody wanted little to do with what came out of her mouth. "If there's nothing else, I think we should head back."
She looked back towards him and pocketed the vial. Mister --- would likely never be subjected to its magical influence, but it couldn't hurt to have stored away as a backup plan. Perhaps she could even use it to help aid her futile dream of starting a new life someplace new. There were a few magical communities across the globe that she was researching. Hopefully one of those would be an easy fit. However, to tell Ben of the dream would be useless. He was too scarred by his time in Canada (which, Melody wouldn't deny wasn't the best planned trip) to aid her escape.
Melody wanted to commend him on the potion. She wanted to ask him one last time - beg him really - to marry her himself. She wanted them to end as they did in the shack: sad but with a happy memory. More than anything else, Melody wanted little to do with what came out of her mouth. "If there's nothing else, I think we should head back."
![[Image: dqAG6wz.png]](https://i.imgur.com/dqAG6wz.png)
beautiful set by mj