His Royal Majesty

Dorian Ellington-Aragona

The King of Italy

How very glorious it was to attempt to picture his lover in his younger, human days when that very room had so surely been filled with the dignitaries and lords and ladies of the time! Just how Sebastian might have looked, just how he might have dressed and too that company he might have kept so tugged the very curiosity to the forefront of the Monarch's mind. It was almost fascinating, truly, to consider that Sebastian had once stood in that very room they now sat within in a different age and time and place within history. Dorian, in that moment, so envisioning all the ways in which he might surely have strived to capture the Englishman's attention had he too lived within such an era and their paths destined to cross far earlier in life then they had. To simply summon Sebastian to his own quarters in the aftermath of that party would surely have been the most efficient. That very thought so allowing that decidedly new idea to flutter within the depths of his mind, Dorian so uttering those very considerations before allowing his gaze to momentarily search that room to assure they were alone. The Fae King shifted but slightly upon his seat, his lips pressed to his lovers cheek before allowing those sweet kisses to trail lightly down the vampires neck. That near cautionary utterance of his own name so prompted that warm grin his features. Dorian chuckling softly as he lent back within his seat once more, his bright silver gaze so regarding his lover with a ready and impish delight.

"I think, perhaps, I have found the one place in which even I cannot distract you."

That very nervousness, he knew, still afflicted his husband here and now. The Queen so having a habit of affording Sebastian a truly serious demeanor and striking rigidness the vampire so often lacked and yet, despite he gentle teasing of his lover, Dorian so hardly desired to bring about any displeasure from Her Majesty in turn. It would be strikingly poor, after all, for the King of Italy to be caught engaging with his husband upon the Palace sofa. Dorian for now, so musing aloud those further ideas he had surely contemplated for a time in which they were not so engaged with that Royal business. That near infamous 'next time' so passing his lips as Sebastian suggested he might yet have enjoyed being summoned to the King of Italy's quarters. How very intriguing an idea it was! The Monarch as sure to continue to consider that idea as Sebastian was sure to remain distracted by it. Dorian so settled further back within the couch then, his gaze continuing to survey that opulent room in all its finery. The Monarch near incapable of not continuing to compare it to their own palace. England so undoubtedly holding a talent for grandeur Dorian had simply failed to anticipate even despite Sebastian's sincere efforts those weeks before to explain all such things to him. It was foolish, surely and yet England was such a wet, grey place. The very weather in some fashion perhaps having placed within Dorians mind a picture of a more conservative, drab decor. That Palace anything but. Indeed it's very luxury so reminded him, to an extent, of Sebastian's own homes. Those estates nothing short of comfortable and warm despite the ever persistent rain outside. None of those buildings ever inclined to be cold much as Buckingham too prevailed in that comfortable temperature.

It was that near glorious golden piano, however, that so captured the Monarch's interest then. That gorgeous holden hue as captivating as always to the Fae King. Dorian so unable to ignore its splendour. Sebastian declaration that he had, in fact, once played at that very piano itself only further seemed to delight the Italian. His mind once more inclined to picture his lover taking up that very seat before it within his human years. How lovely that music had surely sounded from such an instrument as that! His husbands explanation of that piano, its type and make and decided rarity, only further seeming to inspire Dorian's curiosity. Surely they might yet be able to acquire something so fine? Even in a damaged condition. After all, Matteo would surely not begrduge helping them to restore it. Pianos were, Dorians suspected, a good deal easier to restore then people after all. Thatsoft breath and gentle shake of his husbands head however were followed by that insistence that such pianos were terribly difficult to find and that most, outside of those given to the royal houses, had not been decorated in gold at all. Dorian frowned again at that very information.

"Were any given to the royal house of Italy? I might yet possess such a piano. I have a great deal of things from my family stored within the-"

How readily such words were cut short upon his lips. Dorian glancing toward his lover once more. The monarch remembering decidedly well that evening they had discovered those books and too, that other well aged piano so forgotten within the depths of his Palace. Sebastian having been positively distraught over Dorians own lacking 'love' forsuch inanimate objects. The Fae King so hurriedly allowing such a sentence to falter least his lover question him to deeply upon that storage space. Dorian making every effort to abruptly rectify that sentence.

"It is all frequently attended by servents."

That those very objects had visitors might, in some fashion, appease Sebastian's curious fear over their lacking social health. Dorian so instead content to change that subject to the manner of the golden piano once more and his continued adoration of it, along with how utterly striking it would be to see Sebastian seated at such an instrument. This very notion, it seemed, enticing his lover in turn as the vampire insisted that it might yet be possible to commission one made for them. Dorian unable to prevent the grin that found his lips, his excitement at that prospect wholly palpable.

"Could you? I should adore such a thing!"

How unfortunate that any further wonderings of that piano were so forced to be cast aside. Her Majesty's arrival announced but a few moments later as both men stood to receive her in that dictated custom. Sebastian, he knew, was surely to focus of her Majesty's attentions and yet she was ever gracious on so engaging Dorian first. Those Monarchs greeting one another with ease and simple pleasantries before she directed them both to sit. Dorian had no sooner settled himself upon that sofa once more then Her Majesty proceeded to take up that conversation of England and their intentions to remain within. Sebastian's assurance that they planned only to holiday amongst his estates seeming to satisfy her before she continued with that talk of those sights they must surely see. The elderly woman, by way of her tone alone, so clearly distinctly proud of her country in the fashion Dorian was of his own. Indeed the Fae king was inclined to find her an agreeable sort of woman- though one far sharper and more practised in her words then most. How easily she inquired over those near political matters beneath that viel of simple conversation! Dorian himself equally as practised in that very art and yet for now he afforded little comment upon it. Her Majesty so readily seeking to engage Sebastian then in the wake of Dorian's talk of that University they planned to return to. Her Majesty so presuming Sebastian's educational status with that simple question of which of those two historic universities he had attended. That answers of Cambridge seeming to please her as she poured that tea and continued that conversation with direct ease.

That frown that found Dorian's own features was decidedly brief. The Monarch distinctly used to keeping his own thoughts upon nearly any matter to himself and yet it had become distinctly clear that Her Majesty so feared an Italian influence of the estates that had, historically, belonged to Sebastian's own family and in turn, the English Crown. That sudden question of children was wholly unanticipated and yet, perhaps it should not have been. Sebastian and himself had been married for some time now. Those expectations that clung to any member of any Royal family had firmly begun to press upon them. That matter of children, of an heir to their own throne one that was, seemingly, continually brought up. The world expected it of them, even with their own immortality. Dorian so once having hope the notion of their continued living might quell, if not dispel, that expectation for reproduction from them. Such a hope so rapidly beginning to fade. How very modern the world was in some ideals and how very old fashioned it was in others! Sebastian and himself so having already decided that they had no plans for children for some time yet. Much to the apparent displeasure of the world at large.
Sebastian was nothing short of gracious in his efforts to explain his own limitations in that required reproduction along with that very notion that in the event of both their deaths those estates, rightfully, had been willed to his servants and their lineage. Dorian reached forward in that moment to take his own cup of tea from that gilded tray. The Monarch sipping silently at its contents as Her Majesty seemed to consider Sebastian's words before her own accented lyrics resounded once more. Your servants, are they of British constitution?. It was, evidently, of critical importance that such estates remained British alone. Dorian distinctly displeased with that apparent insinuation that he himself might, somehow, be unfit to care for those estates in the event of Sebastian's death. The Monarch so clearing his own throat then as that tea was placed gently back upon the table. His own words returning to that talk of children. His gaze meeting Sebastian's own before returning to the Queen.

"Sebastian and I have no plans for children any time soon. We are both, you see, fortunate to be blessed with a decided longevity. We are not held by the same time constraints as others when it comes to those manner of starting a family and too, as Sebastian suggested, we have other hurdles to overcome. If, however, we should one day adopt or by some other means start a family we would raise our children to appreciate what both England and Italy had to offer."

Alexander, Matteo and Aiden in turn would surely assure such a child was inclined to appreciate Macedonia, Greece, France and Mexico as well and yet Dorian saw little need to interject those further countries now lest she find distress in one. Her Majesty remained silent for several moments before that nod of her head was given once more. The faintest touch of a simper seeming to find her lips as if somehow either impressed or satisfied with those answers she had established. Very good. She offered simply. There is another manner I should like to discuss in regards to Sebastian if you should find it agreeable? Dorian's own head nodded, urging the elderly woman to continue even despite that wariness of sorts that remained within him. Sebastian, in marrying His Majesty, Dorian, you have forged permanent bonds with the Italian Crown and England's own through association and your own peerage. It has been discussed with parliament that for further aligning the English and Italian crowns and strengthening that bond of friendship between our nations that we would see the return of your Earldom and in celebration of the marriage itself, the return of your Viscount title- so provided His Majesty will permit it in turn. The Queen's head nodded to Dorian once more. Sebastian, as prince of Italy itself, so incapable of taking on those titles without Dorian's own permission. The Monarch so assured he felt Sebastian's very gaze upon him then. How long his lover had desired the return of those very things! Dorian unable to prevent that simper that tugged at his lips even as he so strove to maintain that very decorum.

"Your Majesty is very gracious in her offer. I think I should be both a terrible husband and a terrible King were I deny him such things. I should gladly allow it."

Dorian gaze so shifted to his lover once more, that near impish grin finding his lips then. Dorian so offering those words in that language he knew her Majesty did not speak and yet Sebastian would understand so entirely. How distinctly thrilled he was for his husband in that very moment even if that decorum, for now, so demanded some restraint of that deight.

"Congratulazioni, amore mio." (Congratulations, my love)