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

Sebastian's attempts to explain just exactly what a 'nark' was so readily prompted a frown to the Monarch's features. Dorian, in response to that obscure criticism, afforded his father a decidedly critical look and yet, as Matteo was want to do, the Frenchman seemed wholly inclined to ignore him in favour of continuing that verbal tirade with Aiden. Dorian, as always, found himself in veritable awe of his younger sibling. Aiden feared nothing. At least- not when it came to their Father. So much of his siblings' childhood was a veritable mystery to him and yet, from what pieces of that puzzle he did know, Matteo had played a significant role. How was it then that Aiden seemed so capable of standing up to the Frenchman? The pair often acting more akin to best friends then Father and Son- those roles constantly shifting in a way Dorian found himself greatly intrigued by. In the very least, however, the Monarch found himself rather...satisfied to see someone take Matteo on. Alexander usually the only one with either the authority or bravery to do so. That shouting match, however, had so unfortunately detracted much of the attention away from Mira. The poor woman afforded a decidedly unfavourable introduction to their family in the wake of it. Dorian, as both manner and custom dictated, was quick to attempt to engage her in polite, civil conversation- even if he was forced to raise his own voice above his sibling and Father and their bickering. The pair were given to pause long enough for Matteo to command Sebastian to bring them something far stronger than tea or coffee. Such nerve! Dorian's chastisement, however, was veritably ignored once more. Sebastian and his eternal good nature (along with the vampire fear of his Father in law) prompted his husband to see to those drinks all at once.

The Monarch's attention returned to Mira then as the young woman attempted to answer some of his own questions in turn. It was...baffling, in every sense, that Aiden had not even so much as mentioned Mira when the pair had been courting, or dating, as Sebastian put it, for two years. Two years! Such a thing was near unheard of! Let alone proper! At least- not to Dorian's mind. For a man to carry on with a woman for two years without any formal commitment toward her and her family was the height of social discourse. Frankly it was a miracle Mira's father had not beaten down Matteo's door to demand the Frenchman have his son afford Mira the respect of an engagement after such a length of time! Heavens but people would talk, or at least, they might have done, once. Dorian so veritably caught between the past and modern ages. That manner of courting and dating and engagement had changed so terribly much! In his own time it would have been veritable scandal for Aiden and Mira to continue on with no proposal of marriage. A woman expected certain things after a time. Had Mira not asked Aiden of them? Did Aiden not understand such custom? Sebastian and himself had become engaged after that very two years that was customary and yet Aiden had not even so much as mentioned the woman. Perhaps it was a Were thing. Yet....how little any such thoughts did to soothe that veritable hurt that struck at the Monarch's chest. Did Aiden not trust him enough to tell him of such a thing? Worse than that, his sibling had veritably lied to him when he'd asked those significant others in the man's life. Perhaps.....he simply did not understand those modern relationships. The Monarch;s very words nothing short of veiled in that moment. Sebastian alone, perhaps, perceiving that layered meaning within them as Mira insisted that, in the very least, they all knew one another now.

Dorian shifted across that room then to settle within his own seat, that space left beside him for Sebastian as Matteo and Aiden finalled seemed to achieve some measure of peace with one another. The pair seated to either side of Mira whom, perhaps boldly, rested between them both. That momentary interlude of silence was broken only by his Father's attempts to light a fire. Dorian, this time, unable to keep that stark look of surprise from his features before commenting he had hardly seen Matteo do that before. Aiden, in turn, appeared equally taken aback. Dorian's query of how long the elder fae had been capable of commanding fire was met with one of the man's notoriously cryptic responses that only further prompted Dorian's curiosity/ Not fire? His silver gaze shifted back to those warm, dancing flames to eye them near critically then. They appeared to be fire and yet.....how subtle that sense of power within them was. Perhaps Matteo was right. Perhaps they were not merely flames. Aiden further queried that talent before Sebastian returned with those drinks. Aiden and Matteo were handed those tumblers first before the vampire passed Dorian his own glass of that wine he adored so much.

"Ah, my favourite! Thank you, Bastian."

Sebastian settled beside him after handing Mira her own glass then. The young woman speaking of her family momentarily before offering that wine a curious look- only to state that she could hardly remember the last time she had tasted any! Dorian's gaze shifted from Mira to Aiden and back once more. The entire Ark, it seemed, lacked wine entirely.

"Why on earth have you never offered her wine, Aiden?"
This, it seemed, was a perplexing manner the Monarch found himself incapable of relenting upon. His sibling had taken Mira to dinner before hadn't he? Was that not something every couple did? Dorian's head shook lightly in some effort to remove that barrage of curiosities from it. The Monarch instead focused upon the notion that Mira was a wolf. A species far different from his siblings own panther. That curiosity, once more, got the better of the Fae entirely. Dorian unable to hide that very want to see such an animal as that. Mira, fortunately, appeared wholly willing to oblige him. The woman insisting she was hardly as 'scary' as tetradore before bumping his leg playfully.

"The scariest thing I have ever seen my brother do is to confidently wear jeans from three seasons ago."

That simper tugged at Dorian's own lips then. How rare it was for the Moanrch;s to jest in that fashion and yet, even despite that night, he could hardly prevent the chuckle that rose to his throat all the same. Aiden, after all, seemed to have as little intrigue in clothes as Dorian had in most sport. It was that very notion that Were's might be trapped like animals that seemed to return that sober mood to the conversation however. Aiden's own response was nothing short of sharp before indicating that Dark Hunters had been the cause of it. Hunters....like Alexander.

"Can Alex do nothing about it? I've never heard of this before. I shall start a Royal Commission into it if I have too."

Was such a thing as this a problem in merely this city, or cities all over the world? How very oblivious the Fae King so often was to the...horrors of the world. So much, after all, had been shielded from him. Matteo was quick to shift that subject once more. The Frenchman seemed eager to accept Mira into their family as Dorian allowed a warm simper to find his lips in response. Yet, if Mira was to be a part of their family, did she not deserve that title of girlfriend that Matteo had bestowed upon her and Aiden still seemed near...conflicted over? It was, perhaps, somewhat...pointed of him to ask that very thing and yet Dorian saw little harm in prompting his brother to offer Mira a title that, frankly, he quite suspected the woman both expected and deserved all at once! Dorian, however, so hardly anticipated Aiden to merely prompt that very question to Mira right then and there. The Monarch, for the upthenth time that evening, inclined to feel his eyes life upward. Dorian afforded Sebastian a look of momentary disbelief before his attention returned to Mira. Matteo, for his part, appeared nothing short of pleased with himself. That room fell entirely silent then as Mira seemed to consider that proposal. The poor woman veritably forced to endure the weight of all their gazes before she finally admitted that....she did desire such a thing. That labels looked good upon Aiden and herself. Another simper found Dorian's Lips then.

"Well, we are all, I think, very pleased to meet Aiden's girlfriend at last."

That gentle, playful amusement tainted his words once more before Dorian lifted that drink to his lips again. Those decidedly pleasant flavours were nothing short of tempting upon his tongue. How terribly expensive that wine was and yet....how he adored drinking it. That very moment surely deserving of such wine even if, Dorian suspected, that couple had a great deal more to talk about. Perhaps something....good had come from that evening that had otherwise been....disastrous. That very disaster in turn was still weighing near heavily on the Monarch's mind. After all, his sibling and Mira were both veritably...homeless.

"Aiden?"

Dorian paused only long enough to assure his siblings attention rested upon him before he spoke once more.

"Did you want me to alert the authorities in regards to your ship sinking? The Crown has access to a number of law enforcement agencies if you think they might be of use. Unless you prefer to...handle this yourself?"

Aiden, as Mira had said, was a....man inclined to keep his business to himself. Dorian was willing to offer those services all the same.

dorian ellington-aragona