How...ungainly that woman was in her attempts to climb upon his back! Darius' head angled backward to afford Harley a near disapproving look at her flailing as she attempted to half slide, half scramble onto his spine. Her slender fenanine figure slipping upon that short, silken black fur without either a saddle or his Fae master to cling too. The very glare and short words he was reward with promptly coaxed that snort from within himself. Darius turning then to afford her some semblance of privacy to continue with her attempts. Harley's fingers, at last, interwoven within the thick locks of his mane, the woman managed to grasp a firm hold before at last balancing herself neatly upon his back. For a cat- she did not seem to possess the natural balance of her species. How unfortunate. Harley shifted about for several moments as if testing her balance. The woman promptly proclaiming that very feet to have been 'easy' as Darius merely allowed one eye to lift but slightly upwards in an unseen and yet no less dubious look. Harley, in the very least, seemed to have found some sort of balance as her fingers scratched at his withers. A pleasant gesture. Darius quite assured he approved of it and yet he had little intention of remaining in that bedroom and with that dog any longer as his affinity moved to embrace them both. The war horse and the young woman abruptly disappearing from that room only to appear within the very depths of a...forest.

That new space in which they found themselves was nothing short of an abundance of green. Towering trees rose from the ground all around them, their canopies so wide and vast that only the barest shafts of sunlight penetrated that thickened greenery to bathe the ground below in a beautiful, dappled light that seemed to afford that forest an air of mystery all its own. The earth beneath the stallions hooves was damp with morning dew, his footfalls near silent on that leaf litter as Darius moved to guide them along a well worn trail that seemed to take them deeper and deeper into that forest. How he adored the scents of that forest. The air itself so tainted with that rich scent of fresh soil and trees. The forest teeming with life even if so much of it remained hidden. The distant sound of the babbling of a creek drew that stallions ears forward. Darius having done this trail a million times over with Matteo and yet he took his time all the same to allow his newest companion to eye those towering trees and moss covered boulders that surrounded them in the sweet quietude of the space. The very joy Harley in turn seemed to take within that trail ride prompting a sweet simper to her lips as she queried what this place was. Darius merely allowed his head to lift in response, a soft whicker parting his lips. Harley, he knew, would hardly understand his reply and yet for now he was assured it hardly mattered.

The black Barb smoothly eased himself down a small slope and into that creek then, his hooves splashed lightly through the crystal clear water that ran fresh and cold throughout the entirety of those miles and miles and miles of forest. The sound itself surprisingly soothing. Darius' hooves soon met that solid earth again, the stallion moving up a small rise then only to be met with a boundary fence, those French warnings for trespassing painted loudly upon it and yet how little fences meant to him. Teleportation gripped the pair once more. Darius and Harley appeared neatly upon the other side of that fence then to continue up that small hill and toward the tree line where that forest ended and those glorious fields of wildflowers, bathed in sunlight and blue sky, seemed to spread before them. A glorious grassy sea that seemed to move and sway like a living ocean in that faint, warm breeze that carried with it the scent of those flowers and sweet sunlight. Harley would adore it, surely. That gentle touch of her hand agianst his neck only further assured the stallion of his plan in this as he continued that slow, steady walk forward and into the field, that grass rising nearly to his own knees.

The sudden sound of a bicycle bell prompted Darius' own head to turn, those small, neat ears pricked sharply forward and yet he had become used to those guests that roamed about the public areas of the estate on certain days of the week. The stallion paid them little heed. Darius oblivious to the notion that Harley had become only further confused by that cycling couple as they smiled, waved and rode happily past to continue following that path that circled around the fields and toward the fountain garden. It was that sheer feeling of delight and ready eagerness to show Harley his creation that saw the stallion break into that sudden trot. His companion, rather unfortunately, caught entirely off guard by that change in place. How she bounced about up there! Her legs clung near frantically to his sides, Darius ceasing that pace only at the near frantic shout of his name, an exasperated snrt leaving him then as he finally slowed back to a walk. His destination now within sight all the same, that singular tree and the blanket spread beneath it. Darius easily allowed his knees to bend then, the stallion lowering himself to the ground to allow Harley's feet to rest upon it and the woman to swing from his back. Harley all but collapsing into a heap opposite him before asking whether or not he had done this.

The stallions head swung up and down rapidly in that clear nod, Darius evidently pleased with himself as he pressed that bucket of apples toward her allowing with that freshly cut hay he was assured no mare could resist. The woman insisting this was not the sort of grass she was used to as Darius merely allowed his dark gaze to shift from the hay and back to the woman in clear confusion. SUch a joke, it seemed, lost upon the equine as he internally chastised himself for his choice in that lucerne. In the very least she seemed to like that apple and yet she appeared so confused. Did she not realise that he ...oh no.

................................

Ah, but how very confused he had been by that vision that had all but invaded his thoughts that very morning! Matteo wholly content to ponder those images that had danced before his eyes for several moments before the meaning behind them became clear. How very bold of his steed to seek to win Harley's affections and yet, ah, he surely admired a man with the courage to try. For several hours the Frenchman had merely allowed the equine to carry out his plan. Harley, after all, would come to no harm in Darius' care and while he had not, perhaps, so intended to have the woman to visit his home, the near ancient Fae saw little need to prevent the raven haired beauty so knowing just where he lived. It had been nothing short of amusing to watch the pair make their way through his forest and fields only to arrive at that singular tree for that picnic so thoughtful planned out. Yet how readily confused Harley had become in those moments that followed. Matteo near content to allow the horse to continue if only to see how long it might surely take that young woman to realise she was upon a date she had neither agreed to nor understood she had taken part within. Still- such a thing was perhaps a little ...unfair to the woman. Matteo inclined to rescue both his steed and his femanine companion from one another as he so at last allowed his own teleportation to embrace his form, the man appearing neatly within the lower boughs of that tree to peer down upon the happy couple, his own form reclined smoothly atop that branch as if he found nothing but comfort in its embrace.

How quickly Harley seemed to whirl about at the sound of his voice. The woman insisting that she did not desire hay at all. That bold, determined nature that so never seemed to fail her only further coaxed a simper of amusement to the Frenchmans lips as he eyed the pair below him. A soft chuckle humming smoothly within his throat. Darius appeared nothing short of displeased and yet, surely, the stallion had known such romance was perhaps.....destined to fail. Matteo's silver gaze shifted from his mount and towards Harley once more, the dark haired woman content to eye him with a narrow-eyed suspicion that so many seemed inclined to afford him. How early in the morning it surely was within her timezone and yet how very ...appealing she looked all at once.Matteo, in that moment, entirely inclined to regret that very game they had failed to finish within Risques own bedroom those nights ago. That feel of her smooth, warm skin beneath his fingers so hardly forgotten. How unfortunate those clothes had been so very ...in the way. Harley's sudden insistence he required a bell, however, so readily seemed to coax the Frenchmans thoughts to that present moment once more as that warm laughter left his lips more readily now.

"Ah, Mon Cherie, perhaps it is you whom should best learn to use a bell, no? After all, it is you whom is trespassing upon my field- and my forest for that manner. You did not even come to the front door first."

One eye rose ever so slightly, the Frenchman near daring the woman to argue with such sound logic. Harley, he suspected, having little to no idea where she was at all. Such things however so hardly seemed to bother the fiery woman. Harley, he had come to learn, the very sort of being inclined to merely embrace near any situation she was given. A distinctly rare trait among modern women and one the Frenchman found he much admired- and took amusement within all at once. Harley's sudden demand as to why he was here only further that warm simper upon his lips, Matteo wholly content to allow his shoulders to lift within a shrug, one leg shifting to dangle lackadaisically down from that tree branch as if he spent no small amount of time within such positions.

"I have come to retrieve my horse, unless you would rather continue your date with him. Perhaps you will have a, how you say, roll in the hay once you are done with lunch, hmm?"

How readily those teasing words found his lips! Matteo wholly content to twist those words into a veritable innuendo. One that seemed to afford Darius little pleasure as the stallion's ears layered further backward. Ah, how very much trouble that horse was in! Yet, for now perhaps, Matteo was more then willing to allow him to have those final few moments with his 'date'. The Frenchman so eyeing Harley with amusnet once more.

"As for our last conversation you may have to remind me off it, I think perhaps I have forgotten it."

How little he had forgotten of their last encounter and yet how amused he was to...rile that woman, if only just a little. That veritable challenge entirely good natured all the same as Harley, so at last, seemed to realise her veritable predicament. Darius, in turn, appearing near sheepish as that truth was revealed. His secret 'date' so having been spoiled. Harley was quick to assure that stallion that this was the nicest date she had ever so unknowingly been on, the equine taking no small amount of pleasure in such praise as Harley reached for an apple then. Matteo, once more, content to watch the pair below him before Harley so insisted his own lack of participation was nothing short of impolite- if not contributing to Darius' veritable performance anxiety. Another chuckle of amusement falling from his lips.

"Ah, Mon Cherie, do you know, I have well over one hundred mares, real and Were alike and Darius is yet to give me even one foal? I think perhaps he struggles more than we know in some things, eh?"

Matteo's gaze so shifted near pointedly to the stallion then, a ready squeal of outrage erupting from the horse in return as such a suggestion! Darius' tail lashed at his flanks, the horse affording Harley near apologetic glance before abruptly rising to his feet. Matteo so presented with another look of ear pinned displeasure before that stallion abruptly disappeared once more in a clear and distinct huff of irritation that seemed only to provoke the near ancient Fae's amunset once more. Later, he would seek out that war horse for a discussion on his ideas of...romance. For now however, it would surely be a most ...unfortunate thing to leave his guest without company. Matteo's own toned figure abruptly disappeared from that tree branch, the Frenchman so appearing opposite Harley then and upon that blanket, his own jean-clad legs folded beneath him, the man appearing near boyish in that moment as he leaned back atop that blanket and Harley tossed that bitten apple back into the bucket with the insistence she did not desire to be deported. Matteo's own head shook softly.

"Oui, we are not in Kansas. We are in Chambord, France. In my Southern field to be exact. This is ...my home."

The Frenchman so allowed one hand to lift then to gesture to that field and the forest behind it. How rarely he allowed....anyone to see his home, much less to visit it. The Fae a distinctly private being when it came to those places and people he cared for the most. So many years of life, in turn, having left the Frenchman with far more than one enemy whom might so desire to know just where he chose to live and yet, even within the vast depths of that future he saw little need for concern when it came to Harley. The young women, he knew, would keep that secret of his home if only because she valued that trust near as much as himself in turn. How fw beings there were left in the world whom he so found he trusted so entirely. Harley, perhaps, deserving of that very thing. After all, beneath her bravado, her spitfire nature and sharp tongue how assured he was of the distcintly.....kind being that existed. A kindness that had persisted even despite those things she had suffered. That ...was a truly rare being indeed. Matteo so finding that simper again as he regarded her. The Frenchman reached to pluck that bitten apple from the bucket that Harley had tossed back

"I suppose I will not deport you. Although ..."

He bite smoothly into that red surface, the sweet taste of that fruit nothing short of appealing as he seemed to contemplate those very thoughts. A near impish look so finding his features as his silver gaze met the striking violet of Harleys own.

"....you did not pay the entry fee as the public does to tour the gardens and grounds of my home. You shall need to find some other way to repay me for this. I shall think of something."

A final warm chuckle so rose within the Frenchmans throat, the man so tossing that apple back toward Harley then, Matteo finding himself near curious as to whether or not she might manage to catch it before he moved to slowly rise to his feet once more- one hand held out toward the young woman then to help her to her own feet in turn. That offered hand so becoming a near frequent gesture between the pair.

"You have not failed to take my hand yet, Mon Cherie. Perhaps you can be brave one more time. I think, today, there is no need to speak of vampires or bars or things better left behind in that city. For one day, I think, since you are here already, we might take a break from such things. Would you like to see my home?"

c'est dur d'être un dieu.