"What's your favorite colour?
''None of your business."
Disgruntled, Avery didn't waste time voicing his thoughts. ''How am I supposed to become your lover, if you won't tell me anything!?!?"
"That wasn't an invitation.'
Aethelstan regretted his words, he had hoped it would awaken some late sympathy but alas it wasn't meant to be. The flowers rustled around, his feeling in turmoil noticeable through them.
"It sounded like one, so don't mind me when I respond in kind.''
Before they could continue their battle in words, Valeriana interrupted.
''My men are taking care of your mess, Avery, you owe me one."
"If you had just taken me with you then this wouldn't have happened."
This time it was Aethelstan who defused the brewing fallout.
''Don't mind me but why Valeriana as a name? It's a rather bad cover up.''
Especially since he has a special bond with vampires, the name practically screams it.
He was hesitant to voice his thoughts and the silence meeting him said enough, even Avery didn't know by the spark of curiosity in his eyes
''It isn't''
She continued seeing the interest sparking and for once it wasn't within the duo.
''It's my middle name, few know it, I don't really care for it. I always go by Rosearia, my first name but for things like this my second name does the trick.
Apparently father once loved a vampire, however she died at the end of the war. I'm not so sure, he doesn't speak of it, saying he left it behind as there are no reminders of the love they once had."
Aethelstan noted what she said, the ruler of the human kingdom had a connection in the vampire kingdom, whether dead or alive some strings longer in unknown ways.
Avery had long since turned back to him, bored and uninterested in what the princess said, distasified when the same attitude met him.
''Talking about father, he has---''
\---
"Come here.''
Dawn did so without question , his mind was numb and his heart ached as every second passed. But there was nothing he could do as he settled next to Henry's chair, a hand settling upon his golden hair. Twisting and turning his strands as silence took over the room.
It would've continued where it not for the butler knocking and entering the room.
His eyes lowered even more, defeated, more than should be possible. He was drained. His feelings numbed too rapidly, upon the continuous treatment.
''....ball....soon....''
Henry saw him as a pet, a play thing but the servants didn't even see him as a being. No one bothered with him and it left a deep hurt inside as after sixteen years of friendly contact he could not accept this sudden loneliness.
It was cornering him, forcing him to realise a side of him that he tried so hard to wash away,one that Henry was trying his hardest to unlock if the continous torture was anything to go by.
Yet, right now he was covered in shadows, the light of his golden power, the flicker of candle light nowhere insight. Even though their warmth was the only thing he yearned for, hoped for and tried to please for.
But desperation could only push him so far before it was replaced with something else entirely.
\--
Avery walked in, the ball he and Aethelstan had been invited to weeks ago had surprised them both.
Apparently news of Aethelstan's presence couldn't be kept silent for much longer as someone had been spreading rumours.
Even before the whole fire in the mountains, wich it was now known as.
He didn't care much for that, in his mind he was already searching for his elf, somewhere in the background of the ballroom, avoiding unnecessary attention and with that conversation in a whole.
Avery was however unpleasantly surprised when he not only saw Aethelstan stand right in the middle but in, what even looked like, a close conversation.
The person he was conversing with inched closer with every passing second and only two of those had passed, his hand moving with the clear intention of wrapping it around the elf's waist.
People shrieked in shock and surprise as a sudden bluish flame burst into existence, moving from the entrance to right in beside the two, stopping the hand from venturing further.
The princess who had guessed something like that would happen, just sighed and grabbed the closest glass of bourbon to ease her own annoyance.
''And who is this?''
Avery's question was only directed at Aethelstan, anger pulsing beneath his skin at the unexpected situation.
''I am-''
''I did not ask you mutt!!''
The other, a werewolf with long, wild brown strands, brown eyes and a tall stature of almost 2 meter, didn't mind. Although Avery had hoped to squash him at least in terms of ego.
''He's my ex.''
Valeriana or Rosearia spluttered in her second glass of bourbon as she spied on the conversation. Not really hiding her spying as she exclaimed in shock, she had never guessed he would have something for dogs, smoothly she swiped another glass as she watched closely.
Avery's hands faltered, taking offense at the sudden revelation as the mutt used the opportunity to take his hand back, eyes wide Avery confronted Aethelstan.
"So you don't want to date me but your not above dating a mutt?!!''
''I don't see how it's any of your business.''
''He just doesn't fancy you~~"
The tone was taunting, not helping his rising anger as his eyes went purple.
''Ty, come on.''
The elf said weakly, his facial expression and body language made it more than obvious that the elf couldn't care less and even found it amusing.
After everything he did, even going as far as destroying a mountain for him, the other couldn't care less about him.
Avery didn't know what to feel, he thought the other just didn't have experience in dating guys so was unsure of how to venture further once the elf realised Avery could be a perfect partner. Besides the obvious flaws he had and the fact Aethelstan just didn't seem to realize he would be taken care off.
He had done nothing but stay near the elf, giving whatever he needed and even refraining from killing some civilians.
More than some in fact, the only instance the number of those useless rags mattered was when it worked to his own advantage and that had never been needed in the times he had spent with the elf.
He should be real careful or might just kill that damn mutt.
Fuming, the air sparked, a set of blue eyes carefully keeping a tight watch of everything as he socialized like every other noble around.
\--
It took a whole evening before Avery was forced to meet the king and princess in a private meeting.
It relieved him as the other had been staring with inflamed eyes, mad. More than once a fight had almost broken out, Avery aflamed with need for it.
''You were right to doubt him.''
Having grasped the opportunity, he breathed in the fresh air, wind blowing his hair softly as he was surrounded by flowers. As with every expensive mansion, there were fields upon fields of trees and flowers.
He always liked nature more than humans.
''How so?''
Aethelstan wasn't at all surprised by the sudden closeness of the wolf, from what he had seen previously the other tended to do that.
''He smelled human...at first.'' How..un..expected. ''Upon angering, his smell changed ever so slightly before being covered with a more humanistic smell?
It was all rather systematic.
A way to find out more would be to anger him, even if it happens unconsciously there should still be a significant shift upon losing grasp of his emotions."
Tylor stood in front of him as he ,himself, couldn't help sighing.
''Don't be so against it, it's easy. We both already know what works.
Just seeing you with someone seems to trigger him?
Care to tell me why?''
''He's just delusional.''
''I may not really be your ex but he seems toxic.
You shouldn't accept whatever sort of feelings he has.''
"Wasn't planning on it.''
The wind moved between them, the smell of flowers heavily within as petals waved around them.
Tylor, who was watching, suddenly shifted, hand moving to pick up a strand that flew in front of Aethelstan's face. He didn't stop when soft stormy eyes opened, brimming with sleepiness.
He found it rather....cute.
The bursting wall of fire between them was hardly cute as Tylor jumped away, smelling the shift in air.
''Don't you touch him.''
''What do you think being an ex entails?"
Smooth as the answer came, it only riled up the disturber, flames now higher than the high end, three story mansion.