Lucien looked at Minna, surprised. "I was set into this arranged marriage by my family as well, although they gave me the option to refuse it. Truly, I wanted to marry a daughter of Tallon for the connections and influence it would bring me, but I also envisioned a marriage which would bring me a family, and the beauty of a female in my household. I didn't imagine you would have magic, though. I'm glad that you do, make no mistake, although that isn't the greatest asset you have in my eyes."
Lucien looked at Minna, and decided to be careful. "I could not neglect such a beautiful female as yourself, my love, no matter how many other wives I take. I promise you that you will be the first in my heart, my mind, my house, my bed, and our sons will be my highest heirs. Looking at you, I can see that we will make some beautiful daughters as well, all of which shall live in the highest comfort. I will see to it personally that you and all other females of the household are kept comfortable, safe, and healthy. It will be a safe, private world, a good place in which to raise children, a safe harbor from the harshness of the world, and you will be in charge of this private sphere, being held above all other females in the palace. While I will not neglect the needs of my other wives when I get them, I will make sure that you are my top priority. How does that sound, my love?"
Freedom was much harder to come by for Minna. If she accepted position as the top wife, she would be in charge of all the females and children in the palace, but this would also entail her staying around more often. Would a female mage want to spend much of her days lying around on beds and couches? Did her taste for luxury and pleasure exceed that for her love of adventure? And what about the kids? When she started laying eggs and hatching offspring, would this make her more sedentary? Could a compromise be reached?
Most female dracons would jump for joy at such an offer. A typical female of Minna's kind would gladly and literally hop into bed with her noble husband and produce as many children as she could in her long life, and would revel in being the head female of the clan. Some noble females were the subject of myth and legends, tales which spoke of exotic mistresses dressed in elaborate jewels and silks, while keeping their forms visible to all. Minna had doubtlessly heard of these myths, although her opinion on them was unknown to Lucien. Would she want to become a mistress of jewels, or was that just another name for an ornamented, objectified female whose reward for obedience was to look pretty for her husband?
Then, there was the biological factor. Dracon females were famous for their strong urges to mate and bear young. Being the head wife was a very good way to insure that she could be physically... satisfied. There were also the results of such unions to consider; the hatchlings. Vaeri had been a prolific mother, despite almost never knowing who the father was. Surely, much of Minna's life would be defined as a mother, in addition to her role as consort to Lucien. What kind of a life would her sons and daughters have? The latter was easy to see, but the former was unclear. Of course, there was only one way to find out; she could not see her children grow up until she had some, and now, she would finally get that chance.
