"Wait, what?!" Elora cried out and looked at Erik indignantly. "You can't be serious!" she complained, apparently deciding to lay their deception on a little thicker.
"I'm very serious," Erik grumbled without looking away from Zahra, ensuring he relayed his sincerity. Then, he glanced at Elora with a stern frown. "And you're going to settle down. You're my Empress and my beloved, but I'm still the one making these decisions."
Elora glared at him for a moment longer, but then crossed her arms and pouted with a sigh. "Yes, Erik… You know all I do, I do for you."
Her voice dripped with love, obsession, and devotion. These feelings were real, but even then, this whole interaction was just another part of their play. It served to show the Maghreb trio exactly what the relationship between their now-highest rulers was, what they might expect from them in the future, and how they should act with them when alone.
