The Sun Also Rises

He was strikingly unaware of the intensity of emotion those words seemed to inspire within his lover as he offered them. That desire to take up Sebastian's name as much for his own satisfaction as it was the vampires. After all, he knew readily of the importance of family to his consort. Sebastian, he suspected, was very much in death what he had been in life when it came to those familial ties- such not at all unusual for the times in which the man had been born. That family name was critical in every sense of the word. That Sebastian had no less than three was perhaps something of a conundrum and yet the more he had been given to consider it the more the Monarch had quite decided it would be nothing short of indecent to ask the man to remove one or two of them when it would be for no more than the aesthetics of how it might sound. To remove a name was very near akin to the removal of history and Dorian could so hardly bare to ask his lover for that. The solution having made itself strikingly clear in that moment. Dorian wholly content to merely add his own name to that collection, crafting a new name that might be just for them, no matter how long and yet one that retained those past familial connections. After all, for Sebastian, just as for himself, that name was very near all that truly existed to tie either of them to those families whom had long since passed away. Although, truly, how much Dorian desired to remain connected to Ferdinand in any sense was perhaps debatable. If that Italian King had not attempted to conceal the truth of Dorian's parentage then he surely would not have been afforded that name at all.

How curious it was, the very way fate might be given to work, Ferdinand's very pride so refusing to allow the world to know Dorian was not his own son. The King styling him with that Aragona name without any true realisation that his very crown would one day fall to him in turn- that name affording him the right to rule despite his questionable parentage. For all he disliked of that Aragona title it would be distinctly foolish off him not to admit to all it had given him, nor for his own certain fondness off it, in a way, that royal name one he hoped Sebastian too might consider taking. The Monarch unable to prevent that slight flutter of nervousness that found him at that suggestion. It would be decidedly unusual for the very Prince of Italy not to bear that royal name and yet Dorian could hardly force it upon him if he chose otherwise. His silver gaze lifted to meet that striking blue of the other man's own in those moments that followed that declaration that the words he had offered in France had been entirely true. Dorian so desiring to bring to that marriage rather than take away. The Monarch rather fond of the idea of taking his soon-to-be husbands name in the traditional way, in joining that family so officially and affording Sebastian nothing short of the same in turn.

He had hardly anticipated the wealth of emotion that suddenly seemed to linger upon his lovers features, that near glassy look to his eyes momentarily afflicting Dorian with that simple worry, as illogical as it was, that perhaps Sebastian hated the idea entirely. The man given very little chance to contemplate it further before the vampire reached for him. Dorian tugged gently and yet firmly against him before Sebastian's face buried into his neck as if to hide that emotion from him and the world at large. Dorian quite unable to prevent how the simple innocence of such a gesture might tug at his heart. His simple love of the man very near seeming to blossom all over again! Yet, he hardly choice to voice those observations, not now, not when it might very well distress his lover to know he had seen how very close to tears the vampire had looked. Dorian instead leaning readily into that embrace. His own worry having all but fled in the wake of that assurance it would be an honour to join their names. That grin adorning his features brightly now as Sebastian's words near tickled the sensitive skin of his neck. That question wholly rhetorical, he knew and yet that soft chuckle found him all the same. Dorian offering it that answer. After all, it had been his lovers very promise of that skill beneath the sheets that had led him to the man to begin with. That singular one night stand that had become so very much more.

It was easy then, to simply allow his head to rest against his lovers own with that subtle affection, his hand affording the other mans that gentle squeeze of singular reassurance as he did. Dorian commenting readily that he was rather assured he had been equally lucky in finding Sebastian. It had taken him near six hundred years to find the man! Dorian assured he would not trade even a single moment of that time they had spent together since. That very prospect of forever lingering before them with the very promise of more. The Fae King relaxing easily within his lovers arms then. The sound of Maxwell's overzealous chewing of that shoe prompting another soft chuckle from his lips before offering that assurance that Maxwell Ellington-Brownlow-Cust-Aragona was an equally suitable name. If not a little grand for such a small puppy. Sebastian's mention of a lack of tags big enough to support such a name seeing that simper tug at his lips again.

"I shall take this up as a challenge."

He uttered softly, those notes of amusement clear within those uttered tones. Dorian contemplating then how small one might print those letters on a name tag to make it fit before another idea of sorts seemed to find him. Would it not be better to inform Sebastian of the very last of those surprises here and now? With that very query of their names solved, an arguably far more significant issue, that mention of Montpellier and just whom it belonged to would surely not prompt quite so very much stress, would it? Dorian debating that very thing before his lovers name fell from his lips, drawing the vampire's attention away from his thoughts and to himself. The Fae querying as to whether or not the man had ever heard of that French City. Dorian near pleasantly surprised to find he had. Sebastian hardly proceeding to offer any distaste for it in turn as the Monarch's head nodded softly.

"Yes, it is the eighth largest city in France, just a little inland from the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the only cities in all France without any Roman or Greek heritage. It is famed for its architecture and yet also it's modernity- several of Frances most significant universities are close by and it is a popular city with scholars. Also with Italians."

He could hardly help that soft smile that found him all the same, Dorian quite content to assure Sebastian of those positive features of the city and too those things he thought might intrigue the man in one way or another. Dorian debating on whether that large water storage tank it was famous for was worth mentioning and yet, he supposed, such a thing might not truly appeal to Sebastian to hear off. Amusement at that very consideration finding him then before he continued. Dorian so approaching the importance of the city rather obtusely if only to slowly inform Sebastian off just what might be bestowed upon him.

"Montpellier, though it is in France, falls under the realm of that which I own. It was inherited from my Mother you see, not Ferdinand. It has been without a true Lord or Lady for some years now. Even though I own it, it is a city that falls under Regola per matrimonio, that is, how you say, 'ruled by marriage'."

That Sebastian was, perhaps, too young to understand quite what that meant had not truly occurred to him until that moment. The idea that certain lands, while under rule of any King or Queen, only fell fully under their jurisdiction upon marriage was perhaps a foreign idea- if only because it was so terribly ancient. Montpellier one of those few cities that was traditionally gifted, along with that title, to whomever he married. The city having lacked a true Lord or Lady for some five hundred years for this simple stipulation. Dorian continuing then in some effort to explain.

"This means that the title of Lord or Lady of Montpellier is not one I can really take for myself. It is a gifted title that falls to whomever I marry. It has been that way for centuries. It is part of Italian law and it is tradition. Your becoming my husband, along with Prince of Italy, also makes you the rightful Lord of Montpellier."

Dorian paused in that moment, allowing Sebastian to fully comprehend just what he was being told in that he so stood to inherit a city simply through that act of marriage. Dorian inclined to offer him a near sheepish grin then.

"I quite thought I should tell you I was gifting you a city sooner rather than later. Although you do not have to accept it if you should truly not desire to, Mon Cher."

Dorian Aragona