The Sun Also Rises

He had hardly anticipated that his efforts to exercise that rambunctious puppy might somehow turn in to that leisurely sort of stroll with his newfound companion. Dorian finding the young blonde with the striking eyes to be a refreshing sort of being in every sense of the word. She didn't want to ask him about his policies or his government, she didn't want to query him on how many guests were to be at his wedding or chastise his appearance or ask for his autograph or take his photograph to sell to the highest bidder while prying into his private like that had somehow become fair game for any and every news outlet in the world those past few months. She was pleasant and enjoyable, sweet and demure and so very reminiscent of the way women had once been within his own time that he found himself near inclined to her simple pleasantness and natural good-nature. Why on earth more women, more people in general, could not be as she was he hardly knew and yet for now the Monarch hardly sought to question it. Rather he was inclined to simply enjoy her company. Dorian making some effort to describe that Aquarium to her, his excitement surely palpable, the ancient Fae rather clearly enchanted by that place. Dorian entirely prone to going from one interest to another with great delight. The amount of books Sebastian had bought him on the ocean and dinosaurs and planes and any other fancy was nearly exorbitant. The only books Dorian refused to read were those that detailed the nature of Space. The man hardly willing to accept that solar system in any sense. It terrified him, his ancient mind- so accepting of all those new things- simply could not accept this. At least not yet. The aquarium it seemed, the veritable limit of what he deemed safe.

"It is on the Eastern side, you really must go."

He rose easily from that seat then, Maxwell placed beside him to bounce along between them like an over-excited child, Dorian inquiring after just what the pretty young woman might chose to do for work within that city. The Fae still finding it bizarre that women worked at all. The role of a woman, to his knowledge, had always been that of Wife and Mother- the notion of work for a female almost laughable and yet how that world had changed on him! Still, he supposed, he could hardly deny the sense behind it. Samantha had enjoyed her work. Beylani perhaps much the same. She was a charming woman, at least to his thought, surely should would have no issue in finding work? It was that mention of the Inner Sanctum cafe however that saw his own silver gaze lift upward, that warm simper tracing his lips then.

"Alexander, the man who owns that café, is my Godfather. I go there often myself. Don't be too taken aback by his....nature. He is not nearly as terrifying as he appears. He is merely very, how you say, dry? He does not like nonsense."

He paused briefly, his attention shifted back to Beylani then as if to assure himself he had gotten that word right. English was hardly his first language after all even despite how fluent he had become in speaking it. The occasional word still tripping him up as it did now and yet, if his young companion desired to seek out Alexander for a job then the least he could do was to prepare her for meeting the often gruff Hunter. Alexander so having a habit of making others feel as if they were an annoyance even when he surely hardly meant too (although perhaps he did). Alexander near as curious a being as Dorian's own Father. Perhaps it was no surprise that the two men were so terribly close. That assurance from Beylani that she did, in truth, desire to be a photographer however saw that ready grin return to his features then. That idea she need make a name for herself first perhaps prompting a thought of sorts within the man.

"Oh no, Im quite inclined to babbling myself when given the chance. I should have liked to be an artist myself once. I like painting. It was sadly not possible for me, at least, not as something to do full time but I see little reason why you could not pursue it. I might have an idea of sorts to assist you in getting your name out there a little, I shall tell you about it when we reach our destination."

There was something near impish in that grin then. The Fae King near famous for his 'ideas' in every sense of the word. Dorian continued to lead the way through that park then- the man quickly averting his gaze from her in those moments that followed. The sheer brightness of her aura almost startling to him and yet- at the risk of so alarming her the man merely chose to bypass it. His thoughts captivated instead by that drinking fountain. The Monarch near reluctant to let Beylani approach it for fear of what it might do. Dorian growing noticeably tense as the woman pressed the button to let that water spit from it. Oh. Was that truly all it did? What a perfectly odd object to put in a park! Dorian not at all assured he approved of it even despite the young woman's assurance and several of his own attempts to see how it worked. He would tell Sebastian about this tonight. His head shook almost slightly once more then, the man content to turn across that field of grass with that particular place in mind, that bright young woman keeping pace beside him. Her very nature prompting that query on her relationship status as it were. After all, surely such a woman had a suitor! Perhaps several of them. That warm blush to her cheeks was hardly missed by the Fae, that soft chortle rising within his own throat once more and yet he said nothing off it least her embarrass her. Ah, but he had forgotten how easy it was to bring that colour to a woman's cheeks! Dorian near surprised to learn of that lack of men to woo her.

"I am sure you will find someone, you are very comely."

That no one had used the word 'comely' in two hundred years hardly occurred to him, Dorian offering that compliment all the same if only because it was entirely true. Men in his day would near have fallen over themselves to find a woman with hair and eyes like hers. What on earth men wanted nowadays he had no idea at all. Dorian looking back down to that woman then as they crossed the small rise, that path he desired appearing before them now as he led her down the other side and onto it. That tree lined groove lingering ahead.

"If you find yourself alone any evening in the next week or so you would be most welcome to come to tea at my house. If you'd like anyway. It would be nice to have a guest that didn't want to discuss politics with me."

That grin continued to linger upon his lips then, that invitation easily offered though whether she accepted or not was left entirely to her own choice. Sebastian and himself, truly, rarely entertaining at all- the pair of men notoriously private with very few ever invited into that lavish mansion they called home and yet- Dorian found Beylani entirely likeable. Surely it couldn't hurt for Sebastian and himself to have one more friend? The Fae King paused at the beginning of those trees then.

"Here we are, you can walk all the way through here if you want, it goes all the way to the far gate. Is this the sort of thing you like to take pictures off?"

His hand lifted briefly to gesture to those trees that spread out before them, lining that earthen path on either side, their leaves a mixture of faded green and gold and earth brown and red that littered the path below and crafted nothing short of a glorious picture that travelled near as far as the eye could see to that far gate. Dorian allowing the woman several moments to appreciate that view before he offered that very idea of sorts he had mentioned.

"If you would like some assistance in having your name a little more well-known in the photography world I would be happy to help you, as I suggested before. You are welcome to take a photograph of me, if you would like and I will even sign a release form for you. Most of the magazines here will pay you rather a lot of money for any picture of myself I fear, let alone a good one and it may help you achieve a few free-lance jobs."

He paused once more, allowing the woman to consider that offer, that warm grin upon his features still. She had hardly seemed to recognise him and truly it had been a rather grand relief. The young woman perhaps still unsure of just who he was and yet the moment she took but even one of those pictures to any of the magazines in the city she would surely be made aware of his position in life. Truly he rather hoped it would not dissuade her from desiring to have afternoon tea with him.

"Is there anywhere you might like Maxwell and I to stand?"

Dorian Aragona