Lucius thought a moment and cracked a smile. "Very well," he said. "I wish that I'm in love with you." Nothing happened, not even the sensation of an irritation in the eye common to stone wishes.
"It's some kind of trick," said Jon.
"Some kind of trick for something I couldn't have predicted? Oh, I see. I could have predicted it with this stone. Well, how about this. I wish you'd know if I'm in love with you."
Jon knew it at that point. Lucius was. The wish before didn't have any effect because it was wishing for something that was already true. Jon wasn't sure if this meant his plan was a success or not; it meant that Lucius wouldn't just kill him, but it was also obvious that this man didn't exactly think of love in the same way as people who lived a more wholesome life did. This was a more possessive kind of love, a belief that someone he desires should naturally be his.
"Now," said Lucius, "let's get down to business. You're my lovely fiancee, and you're going to be my lovely wife. We're going to be a family, you and me and our children. When I'm king of the world, you'll be queen. Though I don't want you getting the wrong impression from that. Anyway, now that I took your offer, we can handle the offer before that."
"The offer before that?" said Jon.
"Oh, don't play dumb, Jonnie. You said that if I sent Nora away, you'd obey me, give me what I want, and have all the babies I want." The brief expression of fright on Jon's face was enough for him to know that Jon hadn't been completely sincere. "I could make you keep that promise, you know. Using this rock. But I'm going to be lenient."
"I was telling the truth!" objected Jon.
"Everything you said was the truth?" asked Lucius.
Jon had no choice but to answer "yes". Answering the opposite way could have been very dangerous. Not that this was devoid of peril either. "Everything I told you was 100% truth."
"Good," he said. "Then you really can't object when I wish for even a little bit of what you said you were going to do anyway."
"You're going to force me to obey you and nobody would ever want that! Promise or no promise!"
"Getting feisty, now, Jonnie? You should be more obedient, but right now I'll just leave it to you to learn that, not make a wish. Now here's what I will wish for. First of all, you're going to find me, and no other men, attractive and sexually desirable. Furthermore, you can't cheat on me; as long as we are married, you can't have sex with anyone except me."
"You did that before. You know what I think about it."
"No, I didn't." He smiled. "I'm considering your complaints. I didn't say 'very' desirable this time. Are you overwhelmed with lust and not in control of yourself when you think of a pretty girl? Of course not. I'm just making it easier on you. You can fantasize about me, and this will ensue that sex with me is a pleasant experience for you." He slightly raised his voice and continued his wish: "Next, you'll give birth to my children at least twice. And you and I will raise them together, of course with me getting the last word, and you will have enough motherly instinct that this won't be total torment for you."
"Is that it?"
"Almost. You'll never hurt me. Jonnie. And when we're married we will share a bed as husband and wife normally do. Now I wish for all that." This wish did go off.
Jon had to look away and then he realized that Lucius was actually quite attractive. The thought of sex with any other man was still repulsive, but Lucius somehow brought up completely different feelings. Jon tried to push the thoughts away and concentrate on thoughts of escape, but he realized that it would be impossible to escape and still raise children with Lucius.
"Now do be a dear wife and get in the wedding dress. The priest is waiting."
