It was almost pleasant, in a sense, to have another admit that they so worried for his well being. Even if such worry was surely hardly needed when no visions off his impending death had made themselves known. It had been a long time, a terribly long time, since any other being had sought to mention their care for him. Alexander, he knew, surely fretted over him on occasion. Dorian he suspected did equally so and yet, strange though it was, the Frenchman took a satisfaction of sorts in the notion Aiden still cared distinctly for what might happen to him. His adopted son still needing him in a fashion the others did not. Ah, but how aged he had become to enjoy that simply feeling of being needed. Still, there was little in this world that Matteo had ever truly kept from Aiden, the fae affording him that knowledge of his reinstatement into the army beneath Alexander not to prompt his worry- but rather to share that singular change in his own life and to explain his surely increased presence in the city Aiden called home over the next few months in the least. His silvered gaze drifted from those quietly grazing cattle and back to the man beside him as Aiden mused upon the idea that befriending this man from his visions was perhaps the best course of action. Matteo allowing that simper to find his lips once more as his fingers drummed against the wood of the fence railing.

"Ah, that should be easy enough I am a delight!"

He well anticipated the roll of eyes and ready sigh he was sure to receive at such a comment and yet for all his jest upon that very notion he could so hardly deny that in this Aiden was right. He would need to identify that Hunter quickly and perhaps endear himself to the man with near the same speed. He alone posed a threat to the Frenchman's continued existence upon this earth and though surely he had lived far longer than his fair share of years already he was quite assured he intended to continue to live still. He would need to make Alexander aware of the man as well, once he had found him. If only so Alexander could identify just what that power was, exactly, that was so preventing his own clarity of vision. After all, a man who could not be clearly seen upon the battlefield could so result in the rest off his visions over that Hunter Unit becoming askew. Such idle thoughts however, were dismissed in the wake of Aiden's offer of sanctuary within that ark. Those accented words wholly genuine then.

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

He would make a point, perhaps, to spend a handful of nights at that Ark itself if only for the enjoyment he took from Aiden's company and too the very knowledge that his adoptive son would need him once again when that woman returned. Matteo so refusing to utter but any mention of such to Aiden now. Not this week. For just one week of the man's life he so intended to remove him from that very world that had been his torment for so very long and afford him that life he had so always deserved to have. Matteo shifted easily away from that fence then, leading the way past those bustling stables and and the river that ran beside them and indeed framed much off his vast estate. It was curious, truly, that look that seemed to have taken up residence upon the WereKing's features. Aiden appearing near....baffled by that farm that surrounded him. The Ancient Fae so hardly requiring any knowledge of the future to know just what appeared to be causing that look of shock upon his son's features. Had Aiden truly never considered just what his job was in all those years he had known him? That amusement at that very expression that adorned the boys features so prompted his own and yet upon this Matteo said nothing, at least not for now. The pair of men strolling past that family of geese only to be readily hissed at by that overprotective parent. That very sound, it seemed, prompting Aiden to return his own growl in a fashion ao animalistic it saw Matteo query upon it in turn. The hispanic man insisting the goose was a threat. Gods but he had raised a City Boy!

"I will keep you informed."

He offered simply, that amusement lacing his words all the same as he led the way to that white shed and those very machines he so desired to show his young charge. Matteo reached easily for that shed door, his hands gripping that handle before sliding that door aside to reveal that vast array of trail bikes within. That grin that seemed to find Aiden's features in turn perhaps the most appealing part of that vacation. Ha! But he had known he could do it. Still, on this, the Frenchman made no comment in turn. His hands reaching instead to toss the Panther that pair of gloves before sliding his own in place. Herbert, having only just reached the pair, seemed to find that idea of a ride equally as appealing. That short-legged dog yapping excitedly as he raced about their heels with little to no knowledge that he would hardly be able to keep pace with them, Matteo attempting to shoo him all the same. That very challenge of sorts seemed to prompt that competitiveness within Aiden all at once, Matteo throwing his own leg over that bike as it roared into life. That sound of Aiden's own bike joining that cacophony of sound prompting the Fae to glance towards him once more, yet another grin seeming to have found its way to the man's features. Hmm. He was on a roll today, perhaps. Still- he so hardly intended to let the younger man win if he could so help it.

He had hardly anticipated that very trick to work as he gestured to that invisible gauge and yet Aiden had continued to fall for just that same game for most of his life. Matteo unable to prevent that chuckle that left his lips as he all but raced away from the other man in that distinct head start. Aiden quick to make that recovery all the same. There was something decidedly satisfying about the roar of those bikes and the sheer openness that surrounded them, encouraging that very speed he knew Aiden would not shy away from. Those unfortunate cattle lumbering out of their paths as the pair raced by. Aiden quick to draw level with him as they sped onto that dead flat gravel drive, the battle for the lead quickly ensuring then. Each time Matteo drew ahead Aiden was quick to reel him in and press his own bike only faster. The Frenchman equally content to press right back in that unspoken challenge of sorts those closed wrought iron gates presented them. Christ but the boy had some spine! That curse fell from his lips as he slammed on the breaks off his own bike, twisting as he did to bring it to a skidding halt a mere fraction before Aiden commanded his own to stop. Matteo's arms were thrown upwards in a defeat he had hardly seen coming. That genuine laughter that fell from him joined by the equally hearty sound of Aiden's own. The frenchman reaching over to shove him all the same, the very gesture only seeming to coax more of that laughter from the boy. Cocky bastard. Still- he quite liked to consider Aiden may well have inherited that very trait from himself. His eyes rolling dramatically at those comments.

"You should treasure the memory of that look, Mon Amie. I don't intend to lose our next game."

There was little save for playful tease in those goading words. Matteo gesturing in the direction of that forest trail as they turned those bikes to run against the fence now. The pace, this time, far slower as they made their way across yet more of those field to ride beside that riverbank. That ran the length of this side off his estate. That very position affording them a view of that truly sprawling farm and gardens. That very glance Matteo afforded the Panther coaxing that chuckle to his lipsa again. That near baffled look once more upon his companions features. The slower pace of the bikes allowing his voice to be heard this time. The French Fae answering that unasked question that seemed to linger upon Aiden's very face.

"Did you truly think I had been the Ambassador of France all my life? Farming is the family business."

Aiden, he suspected had not truly thought about it at all until this very moment and that very realisation seemed to strike him. Until his own Father had received that Lordship farming had been the very life he too had been groomed to lead and perhaps still did, in a fashion. His wealth so simply having grown enough to assure others did near all of that manual labor while he himself merely managed that land in the same way he had learned to do so as a child and yet those skills still remained. That farm, though vastly larger than any his parents had ever owned, had provided a source of income for much off his life. A soldier, in those days, had hardly been paid well. Much of his early life in that army had resulted in a pittance, most of that sent home to his Mother. His meeting with Alexander having changed a great deal off his fortune- in both luck and wealth.

"Did you know, Mon Amie, I was born here? Not in Chambord, no, it did not exist back then of course. I was born about a mile that way in a home made of stone that had only two rooms. The village I was born in does not exist any longer either, France was not even called France back then. It was called Gaul. The Romans called us The Gauls- very creatively. It was quite some time before I became 'French'. My Father was made an ancient sort of version of a Lord for his service to the ruling power at the time, after his death however, my family was forced to return to farming and I was sent to join the army. My Mother and sisters worked the land until I eventually returned."

It was more then he had ever told any other, save for Alexander. Much of that history hardly delved into in any depth and yet he offered it all the same if only by way of explanation for how that farm had come about. The pair reaching the beginning of that forest track then as matteo slowed that bike once more, this time offering that explanation of just what to expect. Aiden eagerly taking up that challenge. A ready simper finding his own lips as he nodded. That bike revved into life once more as Matteo all but sped down that well worn trail. The bike could so hardly reach the speed it could upon the flat. Those narrow, winding trails requiring more care to navigate and yet therein lay half that fun. Still damp from morning dew and a lack of sun reaching between those trees the dirt of that track was almost mud-like in places and yet that surely only added to that challenged. Matteo easily piloted that bike down that first hill, assuring he had enough speed to make that first turn, the bike rocketing around that corner, dirt and mud flying out behind, that track affording him just enough time to straighten up before they hit that first jump- launching him effortlessly into the air. The Fae well aware of Aiden keeping pace behind him, the landing almost jarring and yet that grin on his features hardly faltered. It had been way to long since he had enjoyed this.

He pressed that bike further once more, the rear wheel skidding around that next corner, those rocks and uneven earth requiring no small measure of procesion to navigate before the ground dipped away again, a sizeable hill appearing almost out of nowhere as that bike all but roared up it, several tight turns and another small jump all but launching the pair out onto that river bank. Matteo skidding that bike to a halt once more. Aiden having survived so far in the least. That jump over the river however was nothing short of.....immense in every sense. That riverbank was longer than it was wide, resulting in that need to build up speed along the flat before suddenly turning into that ramp that threatened to launch them several feet into the air- enough speed need to gain length as well as height to land upon the ramp on the other side. Matteo cut the engine off his own bike then as he leant forward on the handlebars, one hand gesturing lightly to that ramp.

"All right, Scoundrel. Your up. You want to get as much speed as you can along the flat, the turn is sharp but you need to hit that ramp straight or your going to crash into the bank on the other side. Believe me it hurts. If you don't have enough speed you'll hit the water. It's fairly deep though. I might have fallen in it before. Brace yourself when you land on the other side and go straight or you'll lose control. Worse comes to worse- teleport yourself off the bike. Let's see what the City Kitty can do."



m a t t e o
it's tough to be a god