His tongue skirted almost hesitantly across his bottom lip as a near poignant silence filled the room between the royal couple. There was, undoubtedly, a part of him that was so distinctly used to running away from those romantic emotional conflicts. It was the same part of him that yearned for the distance England might provide away from this very evening and yet...that notable despondency within his husband's voice, a sadness that he had caused, demanded the Englishman face his discomfort if only to ease his soulmate's burden. How...distinctly conflicting those two sides were, leaving the Prince quiet for far longer than necessary before he finally insisted he was not that angry with his Monarch for the King's decisions tonight. That reassurance, however, hardly seemed to lessen the palpable tension within the room - between them. Slowly, his lips parted, his voice was almost carefully controlled as he softly attempted to inform Dorian of how important William was to him. Sebastian, after all, had never had a single soul remain consistent within his world in the entirety of his afterlife. There was no fae court that had been at his side for hundreds of years, no immortal father who had checked in on him on the occasion, there had been no one for him...it was a fact that Sebastian was certain his husband had forgotten.

Dorian was his entire world, he was everything Sebastian had...and everything he would ever have. Was it so wrong to want more than that? The Italian Prince knew the answer to that query only seconds after the selfish thought filled his mind. It hardly mattered anyways, of course. After all, William clearly had little desire to see him after informing him of exactly how much Sebastian had failed him and Dorian....well...Dorian had made his thoughts on the English Dark Hunter decidedly clear. His husband, however, was not nearly as inclined to entertain the idea of all the things Sebastian believed he should have done. How well he knew there was reason within the Monarch's statements. Reasoning his analytical mind could so easily grasp onto - even if a part of him argued with it all the same. A notable frown crossed the vampire's lips, the navy hue of his gaze somehow cast off to some distant place even as he stared at the carpet underfoot. "I should have known." Those words were but a whisper on his lips, Sebastian steadfast in what he deemed a fact regardless of how illogical it sounded. He was silent for several lingering moments longer before his head shook ever so slightly.

The deep indigo of his irises finally turned towards his King as Sebastian strove to address the far more pressing and, in his mind, important matter. Prince Phillip's death might have been an inconvenience but it was an event of distinct importance to the English crown - the very crown Sebastian had served for the majority of his life. How he refused not to be present, to show solidarity to the widow that had been his Queen for so very long. His explanation, along with his commitment to the majority of their prior engagements, was met with little more than a heavy breath upon the fae King's lips. Sebastian, however, remained still, his navy eyes alone followed Dorian as the fae wandered back towards his haphazardly tilting desk, only to lean heavily upon it. His husband's condolences, however, were answered with only a brief nod - the passing of his Prince was, admittedly, not one to weigh heavily upon his heart beyond his sense of duty...at least not when the events that had transpired within his own household still lingered far too heavily upon his mind. It was Dorian's sudden movement, however, that brought the statuesque vampire's gaze back upwards. How his eyes tended to linger upon the fae with a near predatory sharpness.

Sebastian forced his attention away from his lover as Dorian called for his manservant. Briefly, his irises lifted towards the concerned features of Charles as he all too quickly answered the Monarch's beckoning. How distinctly well the Were knew him - Dorian's emphasis on the beverage he required so certainly not necessary when his manservant could tell by mere glance. He watched as his butler gave him a discerning glance over, if only to ensure his welfare before Charles nodded in understanding. The Were quickly hurried off to see to his employer's needs, leaving the Prince alone, again, with his husband. The striking silver of his lover's gaze turned back towards him, only to insist how well Dorian knew he was anything but fine. Those words of protest had, admittedly, hardly even been considered by the Englishman. After all, he knew with striking clarity just how starving he was, just as he knew the consequences of putting off his hunger. He needed to eat...though he had little desire at the present moment to let his fangs grace the flesh of his lover's skin. Rather, Sebastian remained silent, his gaze merely turned from the fae as he considered, for perhaps the first time, exactly what his aura informed his lover of.

It hardly took long, however, before Sebastian could hear Charles' footsteps in the hallway outside. Dorian took that sweet glass of crimson liquid, the scent near calling to Sebastian, only to close the door firmly behind him. How the vampire's navy irises seemed to follow that glass as Dorian brought it to him. Carefully, Sebastian reached out to accept the glass, drawing it close to his nose if only to savor the delicious scent. The vampire required distinctly little coaxing to bring the glass to his lips, his lover near but entirely tuned out now that the smell of blood demanded his attention. The very taste of it upon tongue told him both whom the blood had come from and how old it was, though Sebastian was hardly in a position to be particular. He was quick to drain the glass in its entirety, his tongue brushed across his lips only once it was empty and while it had served to dilute that hunger, a part of him still yearned for more. He pushed such thoughts aside for now, however, the Englishman far capable of focusing his attention on more than the siren song of his husband's blood. The empty glass was placed delicately upon the window sill beside him as his gaze fluttered towards the Italian Monarch across the room.

Dorian wasted little time in ensuring that his thoughts on the matter of William's existence in their home were heard. Sebastian had, admittedly, not considered how...acceptable it was to employ the English Dark Hunter beyond his desire to have the man close. He had little intention of betraying his marital vows and, perhaps foolishly, he had thought that would be enough. His lover's insistence that William was an 'unusual circumstance', however, caused the uncharacteristic frown upon his features to deepen - only for his Monarch to continue to insist how terribly inappropriate it was to have the very man who had just stabbed him be alone with him for hours at a time! "I offered him the position before he stabbed me...or told me his feelings." The vampire insisted, his English lit so unusually cool. Those very words only seemed to bring a soft sigh to the fae's lips as Dorian's head shook ever so slightly. That pause was temporary before his husband continued, only to inquire if he would allow WIlliam within the depths of their home were the roles reversed.

How...utterly unfair such a question was! Dorian knew how distinctly possessive his very species was. How...territorial that Sebastian was in turn! His lover could not hope to understand those instinctual predatory needs! Oh, but how Sebastian knew not to argue that. Rather, after several moments of contemplated silence, the vampire's head dipped ever so slightly. "I understand. I'm sorry. It will not happen again."

Sebastian Ellington-Aragona

His Royal Highness, Prince of Italy