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

There was something entirely delightful in so surprising his lover. Silly though it surely was. Ever since that night they had met the Monarch had thoroughly enjoyed teasing his lover with those very ideas and promises of next time. Those very 'next times' once the very thing they had both lived for in every sense. Their very relationship and too, the wedding that had followed only days ago had surely removed but any need to ponder those 'next times' when forever had been promised and yet- Dorian so hardly saw any need not to continue to surprise his lover on occasion. He so enjoyed coaxing Sebastian's curiosity from him and too, that very look upon his husbands face when those surprise were undoubtedly revealed. How it delighted him to delight Sebastian in turn! The Monarch anticipating no less from today's surprise in any sense. In fact, he was hardly prone to fret over such a thing at all when he was utterly assured of how well this very surprise might be received. Some things in life were certain. Sebastian's reaction to this very thing a scenario Dorian was assured off in every sense. Yet still that simper played delicately upon his lips as his chin resting gently atop the vampire head in that easy affection, his arms draped about the mans next in the same affectionate manner as Sebastian queried that half an hour.

"Yes, half an hour. I think that should give me enough time."

Such words were little more then musings and yet wholly designed to further tug at Sebastian's own wonderment of just what might take him a half hour to prepare for. A soft chuckle easily hummed from within his chest at the sigh that befall his companions lips. Sebastian resigning himself to waiting in that downstairs cafe once that church service had been properly observed. That near impish grin continued to linger upon the Fae King's lips as he at last made an effort to finish dressing himself. Dorian unwinding himself from his husbands neck to wander away from the glorious piano (and the glorious vampire at it) and towards that wardrobe in search of appropriate church attire. He reached easily for that simple, white cotton shirt that was slid effortlessly into place and buttoned accordingly. The Fae reaching then for that decidedly bright blue tie. One the man was assured captured that festive easter spirit even if it was perhaps a bit....excitable in every sense. Still, was not Easter so designed to be a celebration? The very return of Christ himself? Did such things not allow him to partake of those slightly less conservative ties? To think, he had been only holiday for barely a week or so and already he was so beginning to cast aside those conservative ideals that were so expected off him! It was a terribly small thing, no more thena coloured tie and yet Dorian was wholly keen to embrace that holiday to its fullest and so abandon that idea of work and politics as Sebastian had so encouraged him too. How addictive this holidaying could be!

Still, it was Sebastian's opinion alone he so sought on that article of clothing. Dorian holding it out toward him to examine as the vampire crossed the room towards him. Sebastian's declaration it was surely passable for church readily seeing the Monarch fix it into place. Dorian, slowly, and with no small amount of practice, having begun to learn to tie his own ties even if it took several attempts before the man achieved just that. A simper of satisfaction readily found his lips in response to his own efforts before that idle comment he would hardly need a tie for Barcelone saw both eyes lift upward in clear surprise. Dorian regarding his lover then as Sebastian saw to his own shirt and a near equally coloured purple tie that so perfectly complimented his own. Dorian unable to prevent the grin such a thing stole to his lips all the same.

"Are we not attending some sort of party? I think it should be terribly improper not to be attired correctly. Will it not be an insult to our host to arrive so...casually? Whose party is it?"

That Dorian had not, in any sense, understood the idea of the very sort of parties Barcelona had was surely decidedly clear in that moment. The Monarch anticipating the very sort of 'party' he had been so attending all his life. The sort that involved gentle music, several meal courses, quiet conversation and a rather dull exchange of pleasantries he had long ago tired of having with people he often hardly knew, nor cared to know and yet custom dictated from him every time. That any other sort of party existed was utterly unknown to the man altogether. His fingers so finished straightening his own shirt then before he moved to locate his shoes and secure them into place, along with that black jacket which was placed with equal care upon his figure. It was only once Sebastian too had deemed himself presentable and so seen to adding several more layers to the Monarch own outfit that the pair made their was downstairs to that lobby, several footman hurrying to open those doors for them and allow them to step out and into Stockholm itself.

The city, even shrouded in darkness, was all but bustling. Dorian quite unable to remember the last time they had been awake at such an hour during the 'day'. The Monarch's features once more brightened by that same grin that seemed near permanently in place. His gloved fingers interwove easily with Sebastian's own as they made their way down that sidewalk. Dorian paused several times along the way at those various store fronts to examine those items within the windows or to point out the architecture of the buildings, the Monarch leading them easily into Central Square then, the light dusting of snow upon the ground crunching between their shoes and the black and white cobblestones. Dorian paused once more beside a rather giant statue of a man upon a horse that decorated that square, his hand reaching for the nose of the horse as if the creature was quite real and so required some gesture of affection. The Fae turned toward his lover then.

"Did you know the Noble Prizes for Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics are awarded here every year? I shall never stop being amazed at all the things mankind has discovered. The Peace prize is awarded in a different city, in Oslo. Have you been to that city?"

His bright silver gaze turned with curiosity toward Sebastian then. Dorian forever holding an interest in those places his husband had been. His fingers traced a final line along the stone bridle of the horse before the Monarch seemed content to continue on his way. Several passing people afforded them that greeting Sebastian had assured him was 'good morning'. Dorian having spent several of those lazy mornings in bed pondering that phrase book his lover had gifted him. His affinity for languages so assuring the Monarch possessed something of an 'ear' for them all the same. The Fae quick to pick up upon several phrases even if he was hardly fluent. The Swedish people a decidedly polite people in every sense. Many of them so referring to the pair as Your Majesty and Your Highness and yet very few ever sought to approach them. Respecting that personal space in a way even the Italians did not! Dorian near relishing such things. That little church so coming into view but a few moments later. Surprise once more finding the Monarch's features as he paused.

"Is that the entire church? Heaven's but it's terribly small! How will all the people fit?"

That Stockholm's Catholic population was decidedly small had hardly occurred to the Fae. Dorian entirely used to the innumerate amount of Italian catholics that so surrounded even the basilica on such days as critical as Easter Sunday! The man's expression nothing short of baffled as he so eyed that small stream of people being greeted at the door by the priest himself. It was with that near same look of bafflement that Dorian so followed Sebastian toward those stone steps. That tiny church so ornately decorated all at once as they paused before it's wooden doors, the music from that piano already ringing out as the priest afforded them a terribly enthusiastic greeting and several other phrases the Fae hardly understood. Dorian glancing between his husband and the priest as they held that brief conversation. Dorian wholly content to merely nod before the Priest so gestured them inside. Such a tiny church it was! Though hardly sparse in its decoration all the same, those stained glass windows seeming bright even in the darkness as they took their seats in those little wooden pews. The family they had seated themselves beside appearing nothing short of utterly thrilled in every sense, the father so leaning across to shake both their hands with a decided enthusiasm that brought that chuckle of amusement to Dorian's lips all the same.

"Bastian, do you know what is unusual about this city?"

His voice was decidedly quiet in respect for that place they found themselves within and yet he was assured his lover would hear him all the same. The Monarch's language so switching to that italian then if only to assure he might offer no offense to any of those people whom surrounded them.

"Non una volta in questa città nessuno ha fatto commenti sulla nostra condivisione dello stesso sesso. Anche in Italia sento che quelle persone per strada parlano a volte. Questa città è diversa."

(Not once in this city has any being made any comment about our sharing the same gender. Even in Italy I hear those people on the street speak sometimes. This city is different. )

He hardly spoke that Swedish language and yet it was a decidedly easy thing to tell when one was being spoken about in any sense. The people of this city were by far the most accepting of perhaps any city he had ever been within. In fact, it was as if they so hardly seemed concerned with Sebastian and his own union as others so tended to be- even if the Palace, largely, tried to shield his husband and himself from any of the worlds prejudices they both knew existed in every sense. After all, the President of Italy himself had worn black to their wedding citing it as the 'death of the nation'. This city however, seemed decidedly unconcerned and perhaps, in some fashion, such a thing was refreshing.

The sudden shift in that music that so dictated the beginning of that service and the first hymn readily saw the Monarch fall silent then, his fingers, now free of his gloves, remaining entwined in Sebastian's own all the same. Dorian glancing around once more at that small congregation and- how pleasant it was, for once, to have that simple, small group of but a few hundred people. Dorian very near reminded of that christmas service they had attended twice now at Sebastian's Belton home. That simper finding his lips at the thought once more. Those very thoughts inclined to linger on that christmas dinner and presents and night itself. The Monarch hurriedly attempting to bring his thoughts back to the moment at hand before they might stray to the very memories of what else they had enjoyed on several of those nights. Such thoughts, surely, not at all appropriate for church and yet- how easily they strayed! Dorian unable to help that simper that found his lips all the same. His hand softly squeezing his lovers own in that moment.

dorian ellington-aragona