Dorian AragonaHis Royal Highness

Sebastian's assurance that perhaps they might return to London earlier than anticipated and before that flight to Naples in what Dorian can only presume is a desire find this 'ice skating' is met with a ready nod of agreement. The Monarch entirely content to see anything and everything his lover might offer to show him. Even the simplest of things still entirely capable of ensnaring his imagination before their entrance into that orangery seemed to dismiss any thoughts of ice at all such was the temperature within! How astounding it was to be in such heat, such warmth, when outside was nothing more then chilling cold and frozen earth! Here the plants flourished beneath that light and warmth while those outside so seemed to have died back or, in the least, become buried beneath that thick coating of snow. It was, to Dorian, but another marvel of the modern world, the sort he had never dreamed might exist. The Monarch finding a ready pleasure in his lover having so chosen to bring him here, of all places, on this single day within the sun they might share together. Dorian remains wholly oblivious, in those moments, to that epiphany of sorts that had so occurred within his lover at that overwhelming sense of warmth that afflicted his now living flesh. That very feeling of being 'too warm' so seeming to have convinced the vampire, with some finality, that he was, indeed, very much alive. Dorian himself entirely taken with that veritable jungle he was presented with, his desire to explore further within that building halted only by this sudden mention of 'pear' and his lovers pause at those fruit trees.

The manner in which Sebastian so seemed to test that fruit, one after the other, readily sae Dorians own head tilt but slightly in some vague moment of curiosity. It was, after all, the task of peasants to perform a job so laborious as fruit picking and as such the Monarch had never quite seen it done, at least, not in a fashion that had drawn his intrigue in any sense. The man readily finding anything Sebastian did to be of intrigue. Although, why he proceeded to feel each one the Fae hardly knew, why was one so superior to any other? His ever curious mind so given to consider he was surely searching for something amongst them, the idea of ripeness having not yet quite occurred to the Fae King though indeed his mind lingered desperately close to that realisation as Sebastian at last coaxed a pear from that tree. The mention of his name upon the other mans lips readily sees his gaze shift upward and away from the pear within his hands, a soft 'hmm' upon his lips as he so regarded his companion with a ready intrigue now before just that question he had so avoided elaborating on was uttered into the warmth of that space. The softest of frowns so marks his features then, Dorian assured Sebastian might take such a look for merely contemplation and yet, in truth, the Monarch had hoped in some sense to avoid the 'how' of his affinity if only for the fear Sebastian might take some discourse with it. He remains silent for but a few moments longer, truly considering now, how best to offer Sebastian that explanation in a way the vampire might understand, after all, there were aspects of his affinity he himself did not quite understand in turn and yet the Fae man remained assured he had, in most ways, come to understand his affinity in the least.

"Concentration, yes, it requires much of that though I do not produce anything per say. I think it is best thought of in this fashion. I manipulate that life that already exists. I can give it, take it, move it between myself and others."

He pauses then, watching his companion produce that pocket knife and cut so softly into that pear, the Fae King so curious of this fruit before he finds himself so offered a slice of it now. Dorian reaching out to take it from the vampire, eyeing it was ready intrigue before moving to finish his explanation of just that affinity Sebastian had asked after.

"Once something has truly died I cannot make it live again as it once did, I can only grant it life for a short time, like a bucket with a hole- the water shall keep running from it, I cannot fix the hole that is death but I can keep pouring water in. The blood you had brought your body as close to life as it could and because it was my blood I could manipulate the life within it more easily then were it not, anything extra you needed I gave to you from myself."

He glances briefly upward once more in that moment, hurrying on to continue before Sebastian might have the chance to become afflicted with worry over that which he hardly need worry off.

"You need not worry over me though, I am not mortal, and giving you life from myself does not take from me permanently as it would a human. I am like a, how you say, battery? I recharge. I am not yet capable enough to give you more than these few hours. Yet I think it is wholly possible in time I might give you a whole day. If I can take but a bit of life from each blade of grass, each flower, each tree, even each being we pass- just a little as you do when you feed- then that little quickly becomes a lot and that lot I might merely pass to you in turn. It is a simple transfer of energy really, I just need the practice."

An energy that would only run out when he himself grew tired from using that affinity and yet it was hardly a taxing thing in most cases, at least, not when taken from something other than himself. Dorian assured affording his lover a whole day was entirely possible. The Fae King so paused to assure himself his companion understood before at last biting down and into that pear, that sweet, juicy fruit so seeing his eyes widen suddenly in surprise. Ah, such a taste! The delight upon his features is surely clear, Dorian so holding his hand out for another piece lest Sebastian attempt to eat it all. His thoughts in that moment so considering something else entirely as his gaze draws again to those windows and the sun that streamed through them. How curious it was, that after all these years, he might find himself given to consider that single being whom had, once, meant so very much to him. Dorian, as Sebastian, so rarely ever given to speak of that which had passed and yet in that moment he found such words upon his lips almost unbidden. Some part of himself desiring, in a fashion, to share but this piece of himself with that man he so adored, a smile brought to his lips at the memory of those paintings his friend at once made and how truly terrible they had been and yet too- how Leonardo would have adored to see a building such as this. It is that mention of his boyhood companions full name however that sees a sudden and genuine surprise so afflict him, silver eyes cast suddenly upward.

"Yes! Lenoardo da Vinci. How is it you know his name, Mon Cher?"

It was impossible, surely, that Sebastian too had once known his companion. After all, the vampire was far too young and yet he had somehow known the man's very name! Dorian affording his lover a look truly quizzical in that moment, the Fae so oblivious to just what and who, his boyhood friend had become. It is this query of the Mona Lisa however that sees an entirely different sort of confusion so touch his features, Dorian's head shaking softly now as his silver gaze rested upon his companion still. The Fae King appearing almost pensive once more as he so considered that which he had not dared to think of in all those years if only for that anguish that so seemed to accompany it.

"I do not know of this, Mona Lisa, is she missing her eyebrows too?"

The faintest of simpers so taints his features at just this memory, an almost rueful chuckle so finding its way from his throat before a sigh of sorts so follows it. His gaze drifting but slightly from Sebastian to eye those flourishing plants once more.

"We grew up together, his Father was employed by my own, there was a large gap in age between myself and my nearest sibling and my Mother thought I should have a companion and made it so Leonardo came to spend time in my company each day. We were close in age and grew to be almost as brothers. My own siblings were not....fond of me, but it mattered little to Leonardo. Even as we grew older he was my constant companion, there was little we did not do together. It was he, I think, whom so taught me to love ideas. We were very close until I was near twenty or so and he about twenty three. You see I- well, that is to say we- "

This was, surely, the reason he had so cared not to consider these thoughts in all these years. How foolish it was that something that had occurred but centuries ago might still tug at him with an emotion as raw as it once had been. His silver gaze so returning to Sebastian once more, after all, was this not but what a relationship so entailed, so being able to talk of just these things with one who might listen? His voice so decidedly soft.

"He did what I think is perhaps the most dangerous of things to do, Mon Cher. He loved someone who did not love him back, not in that way at least. I never saw him again after that. He left. C'était de ma faute." (It was my fault.)