you were the answer to my dreams

His fingers graced over the surface of that gilded coin, all too intrigued by that face imprinted upon the surface. It was the first time he'd truly held such a thing, his own voice commenting on such as his bright blue eyes stared at that glistening coin, even despite all those years it'd spent down here, unseen by the world. Carefully, he returned that coin to the pile, his attention instead drifting with the ever inquisitive voice of his lover. "Hm?" He inquired, his attention turned towards the King, all too aware of that glimpse of concern that crossed his lover's features. Sebastian's shoulders rose in an offhanded shrug, "Of course, gloves were very fashionable in my age, though there was specific etiquette to be observed with such attire. They could not be worn indoors, for example." He started, hardly needing to voice, he was sure, the simple fact that most business transactions went on indoors rather than out. More often than not, the vampire had been forced to merely endure the touch of that silver and the pain it brought during those transactions, when not accompanied by his manservant. That touch of silver from those dining utensils had too been yet another test of his grit during those dinner parties he was invited to attend or, even further so, that his own wife had insisted on hosting. It was the memories of such that had brought little more than a weak simper upon his features as he glanced but momentarily towards the King, "I endured, as it was. As long as silver does not touch my skin, I am fine, Ma Bichette." It was an effort of reassurance through how effective it was remained to be seen.

Rather, Sebastian turned his efforts and Dorian's attention instead to the stacks of neatly lined gold bars, his own knowledge of the history of such financial change was simply due to his own experience. The vampire had not only watched but too been apart of that shift away from gold and to plastic and figurative numbers on a screen. It hardly held the same glory, seeing a simple number in comparison to the true coinage, of that even Sebastian couldn't deny as he made a point to explain that shift. He reached into his own pocket, pulling out that sleek black card he so often utilized, letting his lover take it from him with the same trust in which Dorian had showed him this very place. It was only as that explanation came to an end that Sebastian inquired as to if his lover understood his attempts to explain not only that modern currency he utilized but too how his own treasury was still of remarkable value within the present age, perhaps even more so then it had been within the King's own century of birth. It was, he supposed, hardly surprising that Dorian wished to open one of these bank accounts and yet, it was the mention of a more modern advisor that saw the vampire hesitate.

A small frown graced his features, his eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly at the possibility of another new soul within the King's life. It was perhaps no secret that Sebastian was altogether protective of his lover, more so than he usually allowed himself to be. More often than not, he struggled to subdue those sensations and yet, somehow they seemed to blaze out of control when he least anticipated it. Still, he knew well he could scarcely be the only wealth of information for the man - after all, there was likely going to be matters of the state in which Sebastian himself could not help in. Slowly, he nodded ever so slightly, his lips parted before uttering softly, "Please be careful who you choose, my love..." His voice trailed off, even though he knew it was nearly just as pointless to caution the King. After all, even in the past, souls were just as willing to take advantage of a situation as this as they were in the present. Still, it was not his role to fill, even as the vampire's gaze shifted back towards those halls of gold with a glimpse of concern. He cleared his throat, instead focusing upon the one inquiry his lover had inquired of him, "Usually, you go to a bank in order to open an account, though they might willing, for you, to come here instead." After all, banks were often willing to go out of their way with the promise of doing business with individuals of particular wealth.

It was the shift of movement at his side that drew his gaze back towards the King, ever inquisitive as the man moved towards that bookshelf that had gone unstudied in the far corner of the room. A small glimpse of curiousness crossed his features as he watched those slender fingers brush over the spines of those books before selecting two in particular. His eyebrows furrowed as Dorian turned towards him only to present him with the leather bound book. His own voice was nearly breathless as he softly uttered the King's name, his hands brushing delicately against the surface, all too aware of the true value of what he held. Those notebooks were invaluable, their worth hardly even measurable and yet, truly they were altogether fascinating to the vampire, even as he uttered that they belonged far better in a museum then in his own hand. His gaze shifted towards his lover as the King so began to speak of donating far more to those places then just the books the vampire held in his hand.

It was the mention of that marble statue that saw the vampire's gaze flutter towards where the King gestured, his eyebrows furrowed at the sight of that figure encased in stone. For a moment, Sebastian stepped towards that likeness of his lover's father, simply observing it before glancing backwards towards his lover, "I don't think that's a terrible idea..." He stated, offering Dorian a small simper in the process. His gaze drifted back down towards the books in his hands as his beloved suggested he keep them for the given moment before gesturing upwards towards the path in which they had come. Sebastian scare saw a reason to linger upon those rows of gold, instead following his lover back through that heavily guarded tunnel. He observed with astute interest the reception room and the formal dining room that vastly dwarfed his own. The sheer number of individuals served there entirely daunting to the vampire and yet, he said little of it as they moved from one room to the next, pausing instead in that glorious vastness of the palace's ballroom.

Sebastian's eyes immediately trailed upwards, taken in the magnificence of those delicate hanging chandeliers, even though their lights were nonexistent in the soft glow of that pale moon streaming from the long windows that adorned the walls. Even in it's state of disuse, there was a beauty to it that the vampire could not deny. It was only at the abashed tone of Dorian's voice that saw the vampire's gaze focus upon those decorated walls, his eyebrows furrowing he observed the golden candelabras that had somehow been fastened towards to the wallpapers. "I'm surprised you didn't burn down the entire castle...lighting the walls like this..." He muttered, a quiet pointed look provided towards the King in that moment before he admitted after a further moment of consideration, "Still, I would have liked to have seen this when it was at it's full glory, I imagine it was breathtaking. When was the last time you danced in here, Mon Cher?" Sebastian inquired, his gaze turning back towards the King, after all, Dorian had so assisted in baptizing much of Belton in a fashion it had not nor, he was assured, ever would have been. Surely, he could imprint his own sort of presence even in the gloriousness of the Palace of Caserta.

Sebastian Ellington