There was a satisfaction of sorts to be taken from seeing that age-old rosary find its place about Aiden's own neck. Those darkened beads once more called upon to act as a beacon of hope in the fashion they had once done for him so many centuries ago. Even if their new owner so lacked a steadfast belief in the religion they represented or the presence of God in all things. A part of Matteo was near curious on just where his adoptive sons thoughts on religion lay and yet- here and now was hardly the time for such a discussion in any sense. No part of the ancient fae at all inclined to blame Aiden for his lack of belief. Not after the life he had lived. Such a life would shake the fortitude of any man. Let alone one whom had been no more than a child. Even now, so many years later, the Frenchman could hardly prevent that near ache the loss of Aidens childhood brought even him to remember. Some wounds it seemed, were poorly inclined to heal- for either of them. Aiden, for his part, seemed to understand the very significance of that gift. The young man at last given something he might keep without fear that vampiric woman might take it away. Those very beads a gift from father to son for several generations now. Matteo unable to prevent the warm simper that found his lips in so seeing them passed to another who would surely have use for them. The Fae so hardly having anticipated that sudden query on just how they had brought him hope.

That very query so prompted that small frown to his features. Matteo contemplating those words for several moments and indeed the best way in which to present them to the far younger man whom rested before him. For all those tales he told of war, for all those grand battles he spoke off with a certain lightheartedness and flare for the dramatics there was, in truth, truly little to be celebrated upon the battlefield. His early career amongest Clovis' forces had been a desperate bid to keep his own family alive in the wake of his Fathers death- a bid that had near cost him his own life on countless occasions, along with that threat it had posed to his very sanity in the wake of that death and destruction he had seen. Death, no matter its cause, effected a man. Those deaths brought about by his own hand had been all but carved into his soul in a fashion he knew Aiden would understand decidedly well. Especially when those deaths were of innocents. Matteo so hardly ashamed to admit the truth of those early years, his own fear, that guilt that gnawed at his heart like a ravenous beast in the night or the manner in which his own stress had seen his powers become steadily more and more out of control. He had spoken often of Alexander's summoning him to his tent that day. How readily he had believed the age old Hunter meant to kill him! Yet he had walked towards him all the same, a part of him, perhaps, having been ready to accept that very death if only to escape the life that tormented him. If it had not been for Alexander he surely would have died- whether on the battlefield or at the hands of those supposed comrades whom would surely had sold him out sooner or later to those vampires whom prowled the edges of any battlefield so drawn to the sent of blood. Aristocrats, many of them, and yet no amount of fine breeding or standing in society had stopped those vampiric men and women from descending like animals on the dead and dying every night to drain what was left of their blood. How terrible an end he might have met without Alex's interference.

Yet, before the Hunter, there had existed those very beads. Simple and decidedly plain as they were- they had survived more battles than most men ever saw. They held no definable magic nor carried any true monetary value and yet....how many times had they saved him in turn? If only for what they represented. That very knowledge that someone, somewhere, had cared whether or not he might live or die had, some nights, been the very reason for his continued existence. How readily they had reminded him of the family he was so keeping alive with the money he sent and too- the knowledge they were waiting for him to come home. The Frenchman offering those very words in turn if only for the notion he knew Aiden would well understand. Sometimes- one only needed to be reminded they had purpose.They had meaning. They would be missed and that they had reason to exist. That very gift so saying what his words had not. That Aiden was so surely never far from his thoughts and that, in all the world, someone cared for him. Perhaps now he would not forget it. How precious that gift of hope could be. Aiden himself remaining silent for several moments before uttering that agreement. Matteo's head simply nodding in that ready understanding off all that might be unsaid before he sought to free them both of those more emotive topics and fixate upon that chocolate tart that so surely needed attention.

That singular candle was readily blown out, Aiden commenting upon the sheer flamboyance of that very tart only for Matteo to insist that this was a veritable example of his restraint rather than his exuberance. Had he been given free reign for that very creation he would surely have sought to adorn it in at least thirty one of those candles in turn even if he queried the veritable practicality of such a thing. Aiden very near echoing his internal thoughts aloud in that moment as that ready laughter fell from the panther along with that suggestion there was surely not enough room, let alone a way to light so many without near melting that tart in turn. The Frenchman content to afford his companion a near indignant look without any admittance he had considered near the same thing.

"Ah, but your very belief I cannot do such a thing will only inspire me further. Next year I shall present you with a birthday tart with thirty two lit candles, do not think I won't. I will find a way....somehow."

His features frowned all the more as his silvered gaze continued to eye that tart with those very considerations before Aiden took that offered knife to slice a portion for him the Frenchman was assured was significantly larger then he truly needed and yet- he was so hardly about to deny the man his own tart. Matteo's attention shifting instead to that abundance of food that surrounded them in turn. After all, even he, at his age, was not immune to the effects of that use of power. Perhaps that drain upon himself was hardly so significant as Aiden's own- yet that hunger gnawed at him still. The near ancient Fae slicing into that freshly made bread eagerly then before reaching for that meat and cheese and salad in turn to adorn that slice with near as much as it could hold. His sudden request for that pepper prompting his son to hold it towards him- before releasing it at the price of bread. That very chuckle prompted to his own lips as he readily sliced another piece to pass to the panther. The pair returned to their sandwich making then. Matteo content to manage that 'shadow stream' only once he was satisfied with his lunch. Aiden's only lack of knowledge upon that topic prompting that explanation he had managed to gain from his own companion in turn. The idea nothing short of tempting in the least. After all, an entire world of shadow might yet provide Aiden with near....unlimited power. Let alone the very real possibility that no one else would surely be capable of finding him nor commanding him were he within it. That very query on potential life forms within it prompting the Fae to pause in his consumption of that sandwich.

"I don't believe anything could live permanently within the Stream. After all, if it is made of nothing but shadows there exists no possibility for sustained life but- that is not to say something crafted of shadow itself may not live there as you suggest. In truth I believe, and my companion has agreed, that outside of teleportation, our other affinisties- unless they are shadow based- may be sufficiently weakened while we are there in turn. I suggest we consider more conventional weapons just to be safe."

Matteo paused once more to take another bite of that sandwich before reaching for one of those freshly baked cookies. The Fae proceeding to lean back atop that picnic rug then with a laconic ease- as if they discussed no more then the weather rather than that potential for exploring other realms. Yet, if Andras could move between worlds off his own creation and Matteo in turn could teleport to them there was little reason to believe they could not reach this plain in turn. Curious though the idea surely was. The Frenchman so continuing then in those accented tones.

"I believe to that your connection to the shadows will aid you significantly in this place, after all, they are a part of you and I see little reason as to why your teleportation power may not increase there. I also suspect that her reach will be utterly incapable of finding you there. I can see...dark spots, if you will, in both our futures. Spots in which we....exist and yet....it is like trying to see through darkness itself. My future sight is a higher order power, if even I cannot see us in this place, and i truly believe that is where we are, then I do not believe she is powerful enough to reach you there by any means. For what it is worth though- I can see us both again afterwards so we are not fated to die there. I consider that a positive."

That impish grin so found his features once more. Matteo chuckling readily as he finished off that very sandwich only to begin on that cookie. That sun utterly glorious against his all but sodden frame. Gregory would be nothing short of displeased. Aiden's question on just how they would reach that world prompting that contemplative look to his features once more as he took yet another bite of that treat. That red hue tainting his gaze for several moments in turn as he continued to consume that cookie. His gaze near abruptly refocusing on Aiden in turn several seconds later as that silver returned to them in full.

"In truth I have little idea. We must succeed though, because I am assured that is the darkness in my vision and yet....I merely see us....disappearing. How exactly we have done it I can't say. How very curious. We are fated to succeed if nothing else and it appears we are in your city and it has something to do with.....lines? Why are lines important? Something underground? No that hardly seemed right. What does you city have to do with lines? We will work it out."

His head simply shook once more. Some visions were distinctly more....difficult then others to decipher. This one very near akin to a half finished puzzle in which the pieces themselves seemed scattered. In the least, however, it seemed...possible. If only they could work it out. Perhaps when he was less wet and lacking the temptation of another cookie. Matteo reaching for that very treat in turn before reclining again upon that rug.

"I think we have done enough training for today. The afternoon is yours to decide what we do. I will have to make a start on dinner shortly, it has several elements I need to prepare early but your welcome to assist- even though I already foresee you rejecting that idea. You're also welcome to go back into town, look around the farm, hunt in the woods, find those game consoles or merely sleep here in the sun if you desire it. Whatever you want. The choice is yours- struggle though I know it will be for you to decide without my guidance."

That warm simper danced upon his lips once more at that very tease he offered. Another chuckle humming readily within his throat at the amusement off his own comments and yet- how often was Aiden ever truly afforded leisure time without even but a single member off his pack? How often was he given that chance to merely do exactly as he might desire without any other? To merely walk or sleep or read uninterrupted was a true blessing- even if Aiden was yet to discover it. Perhaps, for the first time in a long time, his son might be afforded that chance to find but an afternoon of peace.

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