She knows what's coming as soon as he opens his mouth. She turns to face him, the man she loves. He's not looking his best, still too gaunt, too pale, too thin for her liking. But there's a life behind his eyes that makes her excited where she might have once spooked and fled. Vex laughs.

"I'll only ask you the one time if you're sure, darling," she says, mostly teasing. She wants no one else, and she doesn't think anyone else would be a worthy match for a man like Percy. A keen eye, such as one right before her face and with the help of spectacles, might see the faintest twinge of pink on her cheeks and the tips of her ears.