every king had a story, of ancient glory,sweetly told

It was Sebastian's admittance that this Romeo and Juliet were surely not superior in their story to the one Dorian and Sebastian held themselves that saw a look almost smug linger upon his ever-youthful features. A look to rival that simper upon his lovers own as Dorian so reached for his hand again to lead him, at last, from the dusted depths of that ruined library that had sat so untouched all these centuries. The outside air was wholly refreshing in the wake of it, if not a little cool, Dorian momentarily thankful for that jacket Matteo had included with his own clothing. The elder Fae perhaps having held some advanced knowledge of the weather this evening. All such idle thoughts however were forgotten in the wake of that bright red car parked within the shadows of the palace itself. This car quite unlike any Dorian had seen before, the ancient Fae so momentarily taken with those sleek lines and shining surface as Matteo explained his countries talent for the crafting of such vehicles. Sebastian so adding a moment later that Italy surely made some of the best. Dorian wholly inclined to feel but a moment pride within that country he ruled. How glorious to know of something Italy made other than pizza! Although of that he was also quite fond. Samantha having so taken the time to introduce him to such a food in those first few days of his arrival within their home city. How far he had come!

It was not until they were nestled within that comfortable leather interior and that car had begun it's journey down that impossibly long driveway that Dorian so finally saw fit to afford Sebastian knowledge of just where they were going this evening, or at least, what his intentions for it were. It displeased him, in truth, not to have afforded his lover earlier knowledge of such intent and yet he hardly desired that his Consort might fret over it in any sense. It was the vampires sudden agreement with his plan however, that so saw that look of surprise flutter across the Fae Kings features. He had not anticipated that Sebastian might both agree with such an idea and too- so declare that they would surely survive one night without those body guards whom had taken to escorting them everywhere of late. Dorian allowing his own simper to trace his lips now in clear delight at this response. The Fae distinctly oblivious to any notion that it was surely largely Sebastian's own faith within himself and his vampiric skills that so saw the man find contentment in that idea. Dorian, for his part, found himself looking entirely forward to all this evening might hold for them. After all, he had seen of Naples only what could be seen from the windows of his palace and that fleeting glimpse that had been offered to them at the airport upon their arrival some time ago. His ever-curious mind was near desperate, in a sense, to see his city as it was now- so far removed from those villages and fields and dirt roads he had once ridden his horse down. Gone were those markets and street sellers and preachers within the streets. His city entirely alive still and yet in an entirely different way to anything he had ever seen.

It was easy then, to rest his hand upon Sebastian's arm and so ensnare them both in that touch of his affinity, concealing them readily from the sight of those crowds that surrounded the car like moths to a flame. Matteo, even as the French Ambassador, held little interest to those crowds whom parted readily to allow him through. Dorian releasing his affinities hold a few minutes later once they were well clear of those cameras, his gaze readily returning to peer out that window in clear wonderment. At least until his hand so brushed against those magazines Matteo had collected that week. It was that wholly ridiculous headline that brought a simper to the Monarch's lips all the same, Dorian passing it to his lover in turn. This idea that Sebastian had been outdone saw one slate-hued eye arc upwards before both his eyes were merely content to roll in the wake of that comment. The vampire so eternally content to butcher several off his own titles, a soft sort of amusement from Matteo somewhere within the front seeing Dorian afford the other Fae a dubious glance before returning his attention to the teasing Sebastian.

"I do not think we need add 'His Royal Hotness' to my list of titles. Although if you are not careful, Mon Cher, I shall make you Lord of Sardina and rescind my own title. Then you shall be the Lord of Sardines, not I."

That teasing grin danced readily upon his lips then, that soft chuckle rising within his throat at the wholly empty threat and yet in this Dorian remained content to rise to his lovers challenge. That car so pulled to a stop a moment later, Dorian sliding from within it only to find a baseball cap and a pair of lens-less glasses placed upon him. The other Fae afforded an entirely blank look before making some effort to explain this was his somewhat poor effort at a disguise- Dorian finding he lacked faith in it. Matteo's request that Sebastian not ruin his car was met with the vampires simple assurance he would buy him another, the Frenchman pausing to assure them he had seen the future of this evening all the same and that it hardly ended in disaster, that roll of Sebastian's eyes met with but a curious look from Dorian himself before the vampire saw fit to call after the other Fae that trust was surely not a bad thing to have. Matteo's own features shifted to an ever-familiar impish grin as his figure faded from view. Yes it is. It is good of you to trust me with your piano. It was Dorian's turn now to so shake his head at the curiosity that was both his companions, the man settling into that passenger seat beside his lover now before so inquiring as to whether Sebastian truly did know how to piolet the car, the Fae so realising for perhaps the first time that he had hardly thought to ask prior to this moment and yet Sebastian had so settled in that driver's seat with veritable ease. That rather unsightly hat was plucked from his head a moment later, replaced with Sebastian's own far less gaudy one, any further thoughts upon hats however was dismissed in the wake of this mention of early cars and salt flats. That look of inquisitiveness so fluttering across his features a moment.

"What are these Salt Flats?"

He inquired then, beginning to unfold that map Matteo had provided in search of the markers the other man had placed upon it, allowing Dorian to follow that path to their desired location. How pleasing it was to see Sebastian so wholly delighted about something, Dorian entirely inclined to wonder why the vampire did not drive more often if such a thing brought him pleasure and yet for now his attention remained upon that map. The Fae slid his glasses further up his nose as if he had worn them all his life before pointing forward as he smoothed out that map within his lap and the car pulled away from the curb beneath that vampires guidance. Modern maps were distinctly unique from those within his own time, the paper beset with so many lines and in all different colours! How one was to ever know where they were going remained to be seen, Dorian scowling slightly at it before declaring they need turn left at the end of the street and continue on that road for some ways yet.

"There is some sort of...spherical thing we are about to drive into. I have no idea what it is but we need go about it and then to the right on one of the lines that appears to be shooting from it."

That this was perhaps not the most efficient description of a four lane major roundabout remained to be seen. Dorian hardly aware of either the name for such a thing nor how to accurately describe as to which exit they need take. Sebastian's first attempt merely declared to be wrong, forcing them to hurriedly pull back onto that circle, much to the displeasure of surrounding traffic, the pair having done an entire loop of the roundabout before Dorian so suddenly pointed to the road they needed with truly little warning. This new road, fortunately, a rather straight and open highway that led almost directly to just that place the Monarch desired to go. It was only now, with little need for direction, that Dorian so returned his attention to the windows and those city lights that all but glittered before them. There were some buildings that he was wholly assured were the same, at least in part, and yet the very vast majority of that city was new, his excitement in this surely palpable. It was very near an hour's drive to that location upon the map, Dorian content to regale Sebastian with just what had changed and too how that city had once looked when this very road had been but a dirt track pressed flat beneath horses hooves and bandits had once lingered in those trees hoping to pilfer a passing merchant. It had been a dangerous road once. Sellswords having made their living by escorting travellers along it.

"It is just up here it seems, to the right and then left- no, no right, sorry, yes this is it. Command the car to halt somewhere here. This is the Piazza della Scala, have you been here before?"

It was to a truly large plaza the Monarch had so directed them, those trees that surrounded it done in those fairy lights for the Italian Christmas that was but a day away, the square filled with people merely enjoying those lights else passing through. Those street musicians so filling that air with music as Dorian led the way to the centre of the plaza and that truly enormous monument in the centre of it. It was a curious thing to behold, the stone carved to appear as four young men, each with their names inscribed beneath them, one standing at each corner of a large stone pillar atop which stood that life-sized stone statue of Leonardo Da Vinci, that inscription below so declaring him to have lived in Milan for some years and that he was friend and guest of many, honoured throughout. Yet it was hardly those carvings of his students at his feet, nor those inscriptions, nor even that dreadful robe he appeared to be wearing that so seemed to strike that look of shock upon the Monarch's features as he stood at the base of it. This the first time in so many centuries Dorian had seen his once-companion.

"Bastian, he is so....old. He has a beard! Is this truly what he looked like?"

dorian aragona