Julian's face flushed a deep, angry crimson, his silver hair catching the light as his jaw clenched. "A training yard? You think you can treat a royal consort like a horse to be exercised?! I am telling you that I will act like your husband, Elara. I will walk these halls, I will sit at your table, and I will find my way into your space whether your guards like it or not."
"If you attempt to violate the physical boundaries of this palace," Elara replied, her vacant eyes reflecting his furious expression without a single hint of warmth, "the security detail will execute the containment protocol. Your status as a husband is a legal fiction designed for public consumption. Do not confuse the performance with the reality."
