i used to rule the world

seas would rise when i gave the word

Did Alexander trust the Hunter's council to fall in line as he expected them to? Perhaps, to some degree, and yet an army could not exist without some level of trust. A commander had to trust his ranks to follow those tactics, to fight in the way they had been trained, in the way he expected them to. And when they didn't, he trained them again...and again....and again. The Dark Hunter's intentions with that overseeing organization was quite near the same. Though the local council had been a thorn in his side, the Hegemon overseas were perfectly within the Macedonian man's control. Still, Alexander said nothing of his own experience with the council, nor did he allow his thoughts to linger there long. It was pointless, he knew. Frost was still too ignorant, too naive, too short-sighted to see the full intricacy of each and every move Alexander made across that metaphorical chessboard of life. One day, maybe he would get a glimpse of it but, for now, he was content to simply leave the warhorse contemplating the warm of that shower and the mystifying 'good' soap he had. After all, such plans and schemes were far better considered in the warmth of that cafe with a cup of some warm beverage and the embrace of a comfortable blanket.

The sight of that cafe was wholly welcomed, even despite the chill that had been chased from his thoroughly damp figure. The moment Frost paused in front of the cobblestone sidewalk of that building, the Macedonian man slide from his back, his hands already going for the keys that secured those locks. His muddied boots were carefully removed on that mat that stood before that heavy door, the Dark Hunter entirely dedicated to ensuring those floors remained as pristine as they were before either man ventured out into the cold rain. His own socks padded across that tile as he plucked a darkly colored towel from the depths of his own personal closet, returning to the bare man that waited outside. Those blue-green eyes remained heavily upon the fellow as Frost saw to the mud that caked his own soles. That threat hardly hard to be spoken for those feet to be cleaned with such meticulous care and, in turn, Alexander moved from that doorway only once he was satisfied with Frost's result. The hunter gestured briefly towards the staircase, allowing Frost that first go at the shower whilst he busied himself with seeing to the rest of those 'chores' that so came with hunting in the rain.

Even despite the Hunter's patience, even Alexander had to admit some level of relief once Frost stepped out of that sauna-like bathroom. Even he could not deny how much he was looking forward to the heat of that shower. In fact, he was looking forward to it enough that the Hunter lingered within the depths of that water for far longer than he might have normally done. His thoughts remained upon that medallion that had prompted Frost's agreement to that arrangement in the first place, much less Alexander's own plans for their future. Everything was slowly falling into place and yet, that amulet had the capability of throwing a wrench into his plans, he knew too little of it to know why it distracted Frost so. A small frown crossed his features as he stepped from the warm embrace of that shower, his blue-green eyes settling upon that coin yet again. Perhaps Alexander would need to do his own research on that amulet. Even so, he picked that coin up within the palm of his hand, pulling those clothes over his figure before the Hunter made his way down towards the cafe.

He stepped behind that counter, plucking a mug from the line up before he began to heat the water required for that cup of tea. His blue-green eyes rose from his work only by the sound of that suddenly sharp tone. That frigid exterior he was presented with now was so starkly different from the man who had shared with him his birth name but hours ago. Was this coin truly worth so much to him to prompt this change? Still, he had made a promise and Alexander had no intent to keep the coin for himself. The Hunter tossed that amulet over the counter only for that sound of metal hitting his table to fill the space. Apparently, that coin wasn't important enough to try to catch. No, it wasn't the coin at all that was so greatly perturbing the war horse, was it? Even so, Alexander was not quite ready yet to reveal his hand. After all, he was still waiting for that paperwork to go through and that title of Commander to be bestowed upon him. The King's tone was decidedly deadpan as he informed Frost that he expected the man to put that plate away afterward, after all, he was already doing laundry to clean those towels coated with mud, much less those bits of the substance within his shower.

His gaze turned back upon his own cup as the Macedonian man dunked that teabag within the heated water. Those snapped words caused his eyebrow to raise as his eyes turned back upwards towards the younger fellow and yet, Alexander hardly gave into that fury. Quite the opposite, the King regarded Frost with a near intense stare as that rebelliousness so reared its head. That challenging tone was one Alexander certainly wouldn't have allowed given any other circumstances and yet, tonight alone, he saw little reason to correct Frost. After all, he had been halfway across the country when he had sentenced Xerxes to death, his war campaign had been more important to him then one fallen King turned prisoner. His lips pressed together in a hard line and yet, his blue-green eyes turned towards that soft glow that radiated from Frost's hand. That was...unexpected. Quite frankly, he found that medallion far more curious than the were-horse's tantrum and yet, even so, he provided that man his full attention as his steed paused, only to storm across the room and out the door, slamming that heavy door with far more force than necessary. Alexander rolled his eyes - children, they were so overdramatic.

The heavy accent of the Frenchman's voice hardly surprised him and yet, Alexander regarded his age-old friend with little more than a scowl. "He's so touchy." He muttered in complaint, entirely disregarding Matteo's insistence that he should have handled Frost with far more care than he had. Truly, he hadn't realized just how much that word of approval had meant to the ivory steed. Had it not been clear enough he had been satisfied? A soft breath left his lips as he made his way towards that chair, this had been the first time he had taken a were-horse as his own, they were far more touchy and far less easily satisfied by a carrot and a nice pat on the neck. It was something he'd have to keep in mind. Those sage words provided by his companion caused his head to shake ever so slightly and yet, Alexander had hardly even taken a glimpse of that faux 'battlefield' upon that game board. Rather, his blue-green eyes turned towards those windows and the dimness outside. "I had no intention of chasing him tonight. I won't offer him false hope." Particularly in this. Rescuing the man from his own enemies was not a matter Alexander took lightly. Still, a soft sigh left the Dark Hunter's lips as his gaze refocused on that board.

His eyebrows furrowed, his blue-green eyes simply surveyed that board as Matteo spoke with a desire to hear of that very battle he had returned from. It was hardly unusual for Alexander to inform his companion of those details of hard-fought victories and yet tonight, it seemed ever he was hardly immune to that moodiness that afflicted his own mount. "You moved the pieces." Those words were blunt as he glanced up at the Frenchman, his lips pressed into a hard line. Did Matteo truly think he wouldn't notice the man's cheating? He wasn't yet drunk enough for it to pass unnoticed. "Cheater." He grumbled before rising from that armchair in a rather abrupt fashion. "I'm going to bed." He announced to his companion, the Dark Hunter hardly had the desire to put up with anything further - no, it was best to just call it a day and start again with tomorrow with all the tom-foolery, paperwork, and general displeasure the world would surely show in retaliation for all his actions tonight. As if any of that would stop him...