i used to rule the world
seas would rise when i gave the word
A faintly audible exhale left Alexander's lips as he conceded to the likelihood of a rather unpleasant conversation with his own faux daughter. He knew well just how...pretentious the Duchess could be and yet, perhaps he was as much to blame for her demeanor. Royalty, after all, had a way of creating within them both a haughtiness, even if Alexander's own was concealed behind layers of patience, tolerance, and war-hardened perseverance. Alexis, however, was all too quick to refute the very idea, the woman insisting that
this was something she needed to do. Admittedly, Alexander knew she was right and yet, to know the two were bickering only to do nothing was hardly in his nature.
"As you wish." He responded softly after a moment of consideration. The Macedonian King was, admittedly, uncertain that winning his daughter over was within Alexis' capability - the divide between the two was far too great. Perhaps, he might ask Matteo of the pair's future, tomorrow, if only to handle it far more...deftly. That mental note lingered in the back of his mind as Alexander turned his attention towards the lamb in front of him, the tender meat was nothing short of succulent as it all but fell off the bone, the very flavor quite exactly as the Dark Hunter expected it to be. A small simper fluttered across his features at that soft moan upon Alexis' lips.
"I'm glad you like it." Alexander was hardly prepared for that conversation to shift towards his childhood. Admittedly, he hadn't considered so long within his past in a great many years. He hardly even considered providing Alexis with names, much less any further details on them. After all, they had been his family for a mere twenty years - the 'family' he had now had been at his side for hundreds, if not near thousands of years. His gaze shifted towards her as Alex inquired after her own siblings. That small shake of her head, accompanied with that pointed stare towards her food, however, informed Alexander well in advance of just how...challenging this topic clearly was. His eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly as Alexis spoke of the death of her mother - the woman seemingly blaming herself for such a thing. It was, however, the mention of her
father that caused all the pieces to fall into place and yet...for all the harm the man had done to her...Alexander found himself almost...
understanding him. After all, losing Hephaestion had led to his own brush with death, much less his demand to ensure his entire army grieved with him.
"Grief has a way of destroying men...not that it excuses anything he did to you. I am sorry for what you suffered for it, Alexis. You hardly deserved all that he put you through."