It can't be helped, Jessica thinks as she watches him pat the space next to him, the pretentiousness radiating from him almost suffocating, this behavior bred into him, a trait of the original; Cleon I. For a moment she remains standing before him, lingering as she allows her mind to wander, though just briefly — she wonders if having a proper a maternal figure could have nurtured that patronizing arrogance out of him, making him different than his predecessors, and as a result could it also be bred out of their child?

You're getting ahead of yourself, Jessica, she scolds herself with a voice that reminds her of the Reverend Mother.

Closing the distance that remained between them, Jessica lowers herself onto the chaise next to him, close enough he can feel the heat from whatever part of her body is closest to him, but still respectable for his boundaries as Empire and the imperial aura that he wears.

"I am an avid reader, Empire." A genuine smile spreads across her freckled features as she smooths out the sheer fabric of her dress over her legs. "Recently, there was an essay published by Streeling University about the effect aesthetics has on the soul. Do you enjoy art, Empire?"