you were the answer to my dreams

It was only the monarch's sharing of that distant past that so provoked the usually guarded vampire to speak of that past that, in this fashion, was entirely similar to that his lover had been so subjected to. He was attempting, in some regard, to show that he indeed understood exactly what it was his companion had experienced, even if his own outcome was quite different than that which Dorian had been subjected too. Still, he hardly anticipated the way in which that idle comment of shared past might so coax his companion to dwell so deeply upon his relationship with his father and the simple fact of life that had been the epicenter of both men's existence. Sebastian hardly saw it necessary to respond to Dorian's tirade. Instead he merely listened with a sort of simple understanding that came from living through such an era, his head bobbing ever so slightly. After all, the vampire himself had remained a bachelor for as long as society would allow him to do so, having fluttered from one woman's affections to the next till his own patriarchal figure had deemed a match that was beneficial for their family line and suitable for that one singular friendship that remained a constant throughout his younger years.

His gaze shifted briefly from his companion as he tossed that pear core, his head shaking ever so slightly in the process. "No, I died before Georgiana and I were wed. I didn't marry my wife till some thirty years after. William never forgave me all the same, he hardly spoke to me after that but, Georgianna adored me." A small shrug crossed his shoulders, though truly it was hardly quite the trade-off Sebastian had wanted at the time. He would never forget the solid way in which William's fist had collided into his jaw at the discovery of their betrothal. Still, such mention of Georgiana and William hardly prompted any sort of lingering emotion within the man, after all, he had refound his childhood companion and now that things had been properly addressed, any sort of sorrow he'd held over the situation had all but evaporated. He'd never cared much of the woman he had once been engaged to and yet, his father had been nothing but firm in this aspect. It was, perhaps, the only silver lining Sebastian had ever found in regards to his death. Such words, however, hardly left his lips before the conversation shifted, providing the Englishman with but another glimpse of those friendships his lover had once crafted. That mention of Michelangelo so brought that warm simper back to Sebastian's features.

Although Sebastian could hardly deny his want to so show his lover the works of his once friends, it was the prospect of that gift that saw the vampire's head so inquisitively tilt to the side, entirely inquisitive of how such talks of ceilings could so prompt such an offering. "A gift?" He inquired, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly and yet, he knew well enough that such inquiry would be left unanswered. Dorian had long since mastered this idea of not only teasing the vampire but also forcing him to wait with but the tiniest notion of what their 'next time' might hold within it. This, he suspected, would be no different. He was hardly surprised then as the topic so shifted quite pointedly towards his own desire for this very greenhouse. Sebastian's gaze slowly shifted towards the opposite side of the greenhouse, offering an explanation of the layout of the Orangery and, in turn, the very thing that had been denied to him for several years. Those flowers were but a tiny thing and yet, it was the first thought that had so crossed his mind when offered all of Belton beneath the light of the sun.

Sebastian was hardly oblivious to that implication that this glimpse of life he was so afforded was very much running out. The notion alone brought a small frown to his lips and yet, he hardly commented on it, instead nodding ever so slightly as he turned to lead the way to the far side of the large hallway. He had only managed to take a few steps when the sound of his name so caused him to glance over his shoulder, "Hm?" He inquired, waiting as Dorian so continued with the realization that made him so immediately hesitate. Still, the question he was presented with brought a soft snort from his nose. "I am Catholic, Ma Bichette." He pointed out, though Sebastian himself had never mentioned the religion his family had so steadfastly abide by, such catholicism was still largely apart of his own era. He hardly hesitated in his steps, however, continuing to lead the way to those flowers that had captured so much of his attention as he so casually continued the conversation with, perhaps, the smallest hint of resentment for his chosen deity within his baritone voice. "God might have very well abandoned me that night but she hardly turned me into a demon, although Hunters would have everyone believe otherwise. Salt, garlic, crosses....churches....holy water..." He started listing off the ridiculous rumors so spread of his species. "They wanted people to believe they held a chance of being safe from us." Sebastian paused, turning perhaps a bit solemn at the truth of the matter before, after a small moment of silence, he continued. "But they arn't. It is only silver and sunlight that harm us."

It was the first time the vampire truly spoke of his kind, and the second time he'd mentioned his own death. Such topics were often things he avoided all together and yet, it had been nearly a year since he'd so met his lover, that red ribbon that so existed between the pair was enough to cause those usually steadfast walls to come tumbling down and his tongue to loosen. The vampire continued with but a small shrug on his shoulders, thankful for the distraction that the plant life provided as those still groves began to blossom with life. Those vines slowly began to climb up the walls and structures with flowers of blue, purple, pale pink and white so widely opened to catch every glimpse of light. Upon the wild appearing flower beds around them grew daisies and poppies of bright orange and yellow. Here, the Orangery had turned into a veritable multitude of colors, their simply presence so coaxing the smallest of simper upon his features as his impossibly bright blue eyes turned slowly towards the King beside him. "Thank you, for this." He muttered softly, that simple glance of the world the way it should be so wholly made the man appreciative al over again.

Sebastian Ellington