orionxs

[orionxs]

He thought the whole thing was awfully pretentious. Sure, everyone loved the brutal fighting, the blood and sand, but how the argonians made the whole event into... some sort of fair? To Orion, it took out of the nature of the colosseum, lessening the fights. He thought it was, somehow, disrespectful to the fighters that the people would turn here in order to make a buck.

Still, stupidly, he walked around the market, half disgusted, half interested. While he was bitter, there wasn't many opportunities like this, to see what happened in other kingdoms. While he felt like he was forever stuck in Medes, he had the opportunity to now look across the ocean.

That wasn't enough to convince the disgusted half to behave.

"This all looks very nice," he says, hands moving slowly through the fabrics, curious. "Where is this from?" His the disgust-interest scale was heavily influenced by the exoticness...

For: Open Where: Outside the colosseum Callum was the furthest one could get from a fighter. He in his youth spent most of his days inside sketching away and now that he was older actually making the clothing he sketched. So to some it was shocking when he jumped on the invitation to go to an event based on physical power. To those close to him this was the chance he never got at the dove concord to announce his business. It had been a bit of a fight working out how to get a business permit for this but now he was in the open air market. Not the front can center but off to the side where most of nobles made their way to watch the fights. His stall adorned with as much as he could bring the focus of this one was scales and strong hides. "If you don't see something you like please ask about customer orders i have a book of designs right here"

[orionxs]

The king smiles and he feels relief. His sense of humor can be difficult, he's aware, and making dirty jokes in front of a king is risky at best. But Aurelius is a man like him, they both come from the same place. He sees more similarities than differences. He laughs at the coincidence of their interests, and doesn't push further it. Not now anyway.

He considers the question for a moment, weighting in on the answer; he won't lie to his king, but he sees no problem in misrepresenting the truth. "Here... in Sollia? Yes. He was the one who invited me." He drinks from his chalice and doesn't continue. The second part of the conversation would go like: Here, in your chambers? No, and he'd have a stroke if he found out. While he'd love to say that out loud, it would be terribly unpolite, so instead he just smiles down his chalice. "My brother is a very kind man," he says, not an ounce of honesty in his words.

He hovers next to a chair, but doesn't sit down until he's told to do so. "He would probably give you a far more interesting answer than whores or something like that. And he'd chastize me for that too..."

the rift between the two brothers was no secret to him. aurelius, in fact, made it his dear mission to know the inner workings of his comrades and their lives as a way of ensuring their reliability. his pirate days had taught him that men could be trusted, but not to a complete extent. greed could blacken any heart if it was potent enough. it certainly had caught onto his — but he knew how to keep it in check, mostly.

 orion’s joke stole him from his thoughts. he cracked a smile, chuckling lowly. “that can be arranged, if you are not merely jesting.” aurelius poured the wine into two chalices, before turning around to hand the other his. the sollian wine gleamed like liquid gold.

“where is my dear master of coins?” he asked casually, nursing his drink as his gaze settled upon the other. the other was a younger image of ulysses, really. handsome and youthful, not yet fully weathered by salt. “does your brother know you are here, lord blacktyde?”

[orionxs]

He knew that he was right. No one in this party was interested in learning anything about anyone else, they were just glad to talk and talk and not listen. What he had realized a while ago was that in events like this, what was being said was far less important than who was saying it, and he had made a point to find himself surrounded by interesting (and powerful) people all the time... "Then I shall not do that," he promises, crossing over his heart. "I'll want to hear it from you instead."

But dodging a question is too unpolite so he answers before the silence grows too thick: "It's quite a beautiful party," he says, because he has to. "Is it like this in..." he motions with his head, trying to fish where Blackwood is from.

Frey eyed the other man as he spoke. Trying to recall if he met much of anyone from Medes. Frey didn't think so. Frey nods his head and smirks every so slightly. "Would help in a social situation like this. Although, I suppose, a lot of these people love to talk about themselves regardless. So you can always just let them do the talking."

Lord Blackwood took the other man's hands and couldn't help the way his lips quirked up in a more genuine look of amusement on his normally impassive face. "Well the pleasure is all mine, Orion of Blacktyde." Frey says with a smirk. "Have you been enjoying the festivities?"

[orionxs]

"That's a beautiful way to put it, my lord," he nods a little, uncomfortable, and drinks from his chalice.

The first thing he realizes is that he should learn from him. Amare has a way of talking, that Orion envies. The worst part is that he can't even place the thing that makes him feel that way; it could be the soft smile, the carefully chosen words, the way to convey message without looking like a fool. Like him. It makes him angry that he doesn't have those soft skills, even if he doesn' t realize it. He wants to escape that room, back to the comfort of his little palace by the sea; it's much safer sailing the dangerous waters of Blacktyde than having a conversation one isn't prepared for.

Sadly, his inaptitue is only highlighted when he presses him: "What does bother you my lord?" he tilts his head to the side, fully unaware that it's not really polite to bring up difficult subjects.

While Orion was looking for someone, it was less in the realm of true love or companionship and more in the area of politics. With his immature and superficial knowledge of politics, Orion was confident that the diplomacy was worked in marriages and not in rooms like this.

"Your lord is very kind," he bows his head a little, "Though I'm not looking, per se. I'm-" how would Amare say 'quite happy in the company of whores' in a polite way? "Waiting for a match that would be more suitable for my seat." Not that he has a seat. Not yet, anyway.

"It's not the distance that bothers me." He doesn't bother elaborating, though. Stating that he felt as if they were in a den of starved wolves would instigate ears that were over listening for any matter to instigate the tensions between the kingdoms.

"I would not say that they don't experience the joy of life. They've just dedicated their culture to other crafts. " His concern of Valtolia's martial might grew out of respect and knowing the strength of their men's dedication to warcraft than jovial dancing on the shore.

"I would never rule out the possibility of finding someone. Or If I can impart my personal experience; the people you're meant to connect with always seem to arrive when you're not actively looking." He rests a hand on Orion's shoulder, grinning cheekily.

"A fine young man like yourself? Someone will succumb to that charm of yours once you decide to engage with it."

[orionxs]

"Why are you mentioning my brother?" he asks, puzzled but above it, annoyed. "This is the worst timing possible for this," he complains, pulling back a little, some of the romance gone. His hands don't leave Aeden's ass, but he is put off. "I might think you're fucking me and thinking of him." He offers, as if he had thought about that before.

While the notion was disturbing, he doubted Aeden would be the first. Being the second son came with perks, yes, but it came, most of all, with the humiliation of being the second son. He had been haunted by that notion his entire life, and perhaps a little paranoid that people always preferred his brother instead of him.

"Leave him be," he says, hands grabbing his ass roughly, trying to rebuild the intimacy destroyed a moment ago; "I'm more than enough for you," he says, and it is part to convince himself of that.

"You are-" and his arms tight closer around him, pulling him hip to hip "But I like when you're not," he wasn't attracted to his brain, even if he knew it was the most interesting part of his anatomy. Maybe he was a lowly lord, easily convince by a pretty piece of ass... "When you're..." he kisses him on the lips, and then the neck, opening his shirt, "Here..." he's crocuhing himself until he has a nipple in his mouth, between his teeth, "all for me..."

He doesn't wait to be told that twice. Quickly, he turns Aeden around, glad that he's leaning back against the fountain in the middle of the glade. His ass is exposed to the night, and Orion works quickly with his trouses, undoing the complicated laces — why the fuck he had to wear these fancy clothes? It was much easier back in Medes... — and pulls his cock out. He rubs the head, spreading the moistness along the shaft and then spits in his own hand, lubing his hand up.

He positions himself, head on the edge of his hole, cock just teasing his entrance. Orion pulls Aeden back, to whisper in his ear: "And remember: whores don't complain. Nor beg me to stop."

Aeden chuckled, Orion was not as mysterious as he'd like to be--at least, not to him, certainly not for his brother from what he knew of their relationship. And yet, he could be as difficult and challenging to navigate as the tides his house was famed for. It made him all the more intriguing, all those secrets, all those thoughts hidden away behind deep eyes and a mouth that savored each kiss like a secret oath.

His face up, neck bared as fingers spread, searched, explored. Fingers scratching at the back of his head as pleasure climbed through his spine. He felt young again, ignoring whatever else was going on in favor of responding to the provocations whispered against his skin. "Do you think I'd enjoy a lord that can't rule? Wouldn't you suggest your brother for that?" He asked, smirk on his lips, even as he hardened further with his attention. With his focus, vanity was a sin he had never been above. His reply was bitten off with a hungry moan as a single finger slid its way inside him, it went in smoothly, eagerly swallowed as he guided Orion into another kiss. "You may treat me however you wish," He whispered, giving him more than he gave most men as he pushed back on his finger while his own hand moved. Orion's cock was a thing of beauty that he still remembered fondly, and for once he did not try to hide away the eagerness he felt to have it back on his hands; inside him, "as long as you remember I am much much more than that."

Perhaps that was the appeal of it, how for all both their ambitions, their secrets and plotting, the things he whispered into his ear, the things he hid and gathered on Medes, on the Blacktydes, his very age... in these private moments, they were just men reveling in each other; he could be Orion's whore if he so wished, he could be anything, as long as their bodies were put aflame with pleasure and desire. And that... well, they did that very well. "So go on my dear, show me what the lord of Blacktyde does to a whore." His whisper was hot against his ear, mixed with moans that drowned out anything else. He would allow no interruptions, not anymore. After all, just one finger could hardly satisfy him for long.

[orionxs]

He thinks for a moment, trying to think if they were on the same page. He doubts it. The prince has a refined taste, for luxurious things, while Orion is a lord, but used to the sea, to fishing himself, to carving out the insides of fish with onoe hand while holding his bottle of rum on the other. He is, perhaps, these very excessive men the prince seems to diss. "Maybe we do," he nods, somewhat mysteriously, but still agreeable. Perhaps things were different at the capital than they were in Blacktyde. Maybe Orion wasn't meant to be rubbing shoulders with courtiers; he much preferred the pirates and the stories told around the fireplace as the night crept up on them.

He smiles at the compliment that was thrown his way, nods and raises as a glass, as if he was drinking to their own health. Orion takes the win and doesn't dare to say anything more on that. As for why he was there, he muses at the question for a while; should he lie? Should he play up the role he had in their country? "I don't know, your highness," he decides for the casually competent clueless lord, "I'm here at the invitation from my brother, of course; I think he feels like I'm a good representation of our humble island back home."

"if only our vistas and dancers could be enough to stave off the appetites of these other kingdoms." argentus cast a wide gaze throughout the crowd, on either side of orion. "eating and drinking, hand over fist. not that we don't do the same, but. there's at least some level of moderation, before more physical activity." lean fish and the bounty of what islands had enough land to farm on left most bellies calm enough for vigorous dance, among other things.

to the compliment -- not to himself, but to the men of their homeland -- he felt it wiser to nod along. "may we both continue to be prime examples." not completely modest, yet not selfish, either, as he gave a slight and tilted nod. "what is it you're seeking, coming here with the rest of the congregation? something I might help you find? even if it's not of myself, I'd like to think I know enough others to narrow a search."

[orionxs]

He didn't know the king enough, which made him tread carefully around him. He was a man that trusted his brother and was a stranger to him. Around the medesi courtiers, Orion was his most polite and subservient self, a simple lord regent, waiting patiently for his brother's return. "Of course, of course," he nods along, and it takes a moment for him to register that Aurelius is inviting him out of the party. He jumps at the opportunity gladly, both relieved to put an end at the social waltzing, as the royal put himself, and get closer to the king. It's only a win from him.

He doesn't think twice, and maybe that's the problem. Ulysses is competent and capable, but Orion... Orion is the charming one. The one who will say the most unpolite thing just at the right time to break the tension of the room, carving a place for himself. That's why he cracks a smile: "...Whores, your majesty." He can't really say smuggled old argonian whiskey. Not out in the open, anyway, and not without raising some eyebrows. "But sollian wine will do."

aurelius chuckled. such a bold question, but not one unexpected of a blacktyde. both ulysses and orion were major points of interest for him, heirs to a place that had fascinated him since he was a mere boy enthralled by the ocean’s call. the alliance between house myre and house blacktyde was a prized one. 

however, the alliance between him and ulysses? much more prized. that did not mean he was dismissive of the lord regent; if anything, it made him more curious. “the party is the party. a political dance that must be waltzed out.” aurelius looked around. “but my feet tire. even a king must have some rest, correct?” he cracked a smile to the other, then nodded towards a nearby door. 

moving to open it, aurelius welcomed orion into his rest chambers.

“what is your poison, lord blacktyde? sollian wine? local brews?”

[orionxs]

"Your throne?" he raises his eyesbrow, as if he is genuinely surprised by the notion. "I am very sorry, brother, but I think power may have gone to your head..." Blacktyde was all they had, yes, but they both knew that the throne was bigger than the two of them. Merely a symbol for their family power. The seat didn't mean nothing, and neither did the title. And at the moment, Orion was the one who yeilded its power.

"You are the heir, yes, but.. What is the saying? A man who needs to say he is a king-" and he doesn't finish it, because he doesn't have to. They've heard that how many times before? He couldn't even count. And if Ulysses wants to rub his birthright on his face, Orion will take; not gracefully, not silently, and not politely. Removing him from the regent position would be a scandal, unless Ulysses he was coming back for it. And he doubted his brother would want to leave the court out of spite. "Once again, our people are in safe hands," he raises his hands, as if it show caluses from working hard — which he doesn't have — "And you do not need to worry, brother. No one thinks you abandoned us for a life of luxuries and carnal pleasures at the royal court." No one did think that, not that Orion didn't try to implant that.

"Our name," he corrected his brother. He wasn't keen on sharing their profits, but he'd love to socialize their losses. "Which is to your best interest, as well as mine, to keep things floating smoothly. Not that I plan on doing anything... rash." That was also the truth. But the gap between what he planned to do and what ended up happening was getting larger these days. "How about we both agree to behave?" he says, like there's two of them getting reprimanded now, "At least for one night, let's... pretend, right?"

"Yes," He said, slowly, with eyes boring deeply into his brother in a way that said his tone was understood and not appreciated. He almost wanted to remind him who the lord of Blacktyde was, and that his role could be stripped of him if he acted out of turn. Which... so far, he had not, much of a headache he might be for Ulysses. "I am sure you have."

"I was no more seduced by the luxuries than you have by my throne," His tone, and his grin was sharp, there had been no changes except perhaps a refinement in his voice, his movements, bolder fabrics, less open conversations, you had to use different weapons at court than you did at home, or in the open sea. "Do you have any real concerns or are you here to throw senseless words my way? I do not have time for this, the king relies on me to keep our homeland strong, and I've made sure to leave Blacktyde stronger and richer than it's ever been, any difficulties it might face will fall back on you, lord regent."

He regretted it, buying into his taunts. Like small boys, with fake swords, how long until Orion cried and he had to deal with that as well? He sighed, ignoring his glare, his opinions, wishing he had the strength of mind to ignore him.

A grunt of annoyance made it out, a deep sigh. "Yes yes, it will be your name in all those fine lords mouths if you do. So beware, though," He pauses, "you know how to be discreet when you want, don't you?" Otherwise others would see the slithering seasnake before it sunk its teeth into them, more whispers would make it from back home to him.

[orionxs]

If the kid didn't like him at his table, it was a mystery to him, because he couldn't read anything in his face. Orion, on the other hand, was an open book: he was playing more comfort than he really felt, pretending to be at home at this court when it could have not been further from the truth.

"Ah, a lord," he says, only a hint of mockery in his tone. "I should have studied my houses better, don't you think?" he's pointing at himself first and foremost; but the fact that Frey is hit by accident by the comment is not unplanned.

"Orion of Blacktyde. Medes." He was right: they had never met before; Orion never really made an effort to branch out of his island, he was too busy stuck in internal disputes — mainly caused by him in the first place... "Pleasure to meet you," he offers a hand to him.

It's not often that Frey is taken by surprise, but when someone takes a seat at his table without hardly any hesitation that he noticed? It definitely took Frey by surprise. Not that you'd be able to tell by his impassive face. "Hm?" Frey asked as he gestured around at the empty chairs. "I am clearly the life of the party." The sarcasm was in his voice, though there was no smile or smirk. Almost impossible to tell if it was just a jest or truth.

"Frey Blackwood of the Blackwood Castle of Bergia. How about yourself?" Frey asked as he tilted his head. A hint of curiosity slipping onto his face as he tilted his head and regarded the other man carefully. "You do not look familiar to me."

[orionxs]

He smirked at Aeden and his sharp and clever tongue. "Do not ask questions you do not want to know the answer to." Orion didn't have an answer to that, but Aeden didn't have to know that. Their relationship had always been hidden away, secretive and furtive, like kisses on a maze. He preferred that way. And he would not give him any more information than necessary, because he knew how dangerous was to trust that mage. He was better off on his knees with his mouth full, and then on his merry way back to the continent. Orion had already learned that lesson.

"Do you want me to say yes?" he asks, brushing his nose against his jawline, hands spreading his ass, finger searching for his hole, "Does that turn you on?" he wasn't above lying for his benefit. Aeden deserved more than just a fuck. "I thought you preferred me less sentimental, treating you like a common whore in a brothel" he slips a finger inside of him, "Or am I wrong?"

Aeden tries to follow as he pulls away, the taste of Orion's lips lingering like the taste of salt air after his visit to Blacktyde. He had not in fact heard anything, and though he could dare his hand at divination if pressed he was hardly worried about that in the moment. The night air made his naked skin shiver, exposed most eagerly by the lord regent, who stripped him off his clothes as soon as they found a private spot as if they had personally offended him. (Aeden could perhaps admit he took some daring choices in the hopes of attraction someone's eyes, but he wouldn't voice of his own will)

Orion on the other hand, was still clothed, if disheveled by the hands of the mage, a laugh echoing around them as he ignored any other worries. It felt very right to be at the center of Orion's attention once more. "Why my lord," he whispered most seductively, letting him feast on his skin, be it with kisses on his neck or hands on his ass, "is that how you rule Blacktyde? Would you forget your duty for more time of me in your bed, had I stuck around for longer?" He pulled him by the hair, lips meeting again as he kissed him with the same hunger he was held, tired of waiting, of the discretion they held so far. His other hand moved down, to cup a feel of the lord's own ass and keep their bodies glued together, his hardness ample evidence of how just distracted Orion was making him in turn. Very busy indeed, duty peace and war would simply have to wait.

[orionxs]

He wanted to strike a chord and apparently it was successful — not that he needed much. He knew his brother enough to have this as his second nature. "I don't know..." he shrugs off, "But thankfully you have me, brother, to make sure our people have the best of their interests in mind. I can assure you I'm doing exactly what you would," he says, and it's so laced in sarcasm that one might think he was setting intentional fires on their crops.

"I do not think it's out of place to imagine that you have been seduced by the luxuries of the royal court and forgot our humble beginnings and our frequent visitors." A palace by the coast was hardly a humble beginning, but Orion couldn't pretend that their family wasn't the one involved with the piracy across the strait. Their strategic position put them in their map, and over the years, they have fostered that relationship, more or less open. Orion wasn't proud of it, but it seemed that Ulysses preferred to hide it. There was a big difference between the two of them. "I am just afraid the court has changed you, brother," he feigns concern.

He was aware that he had to wear the house colors, yes, and that they had to present a united front for the whole continent, but the fact that Ulysses had a garment for him... that pissed him off. He smiled, cold and his eyes betrayed his annoyance. "Thank you, brother, that's so kind of you." He wants to scream and yell and do more, but he doesn't. "Hey, no promises," he raises his hands in a defensive motion, pretending to be playful.

The most common feeling Orion brought out in him was that, annoyance, a constant reminder of what he ought to do, what he didn't do, what he had to live up to and failed to do. A stark reminder that he had to be on his toes for someone living in his shadow was just waiting for the moment to strike. Not that anyone would ever believe him. He could feel a headache coming, and started to regret his choice to arrange for his brother's attendance.

"Yes, yes," He rolled his eyes, half tempted to raise his voice, "I haven't been at home, surely I was sorely missed by you brother. It may be that some detail slipped me, though I doubt so, after all I've a whole kingdom to look after." He turned to Orion, mask on his hands, smile trained away.

'We are not Bergian, Orion, why would I dress like one when I represent our people?" His smile was as sharp as a dagger, all teeth. "You need to consider what message we are trying to send. The cohesion of the court and of Medes itself. Though for tonight we all don white and gold, everyone is here representing something, someone. You represent me," he reminded him, not unlike how his father had lectured them both, once. Before he fell in the war. "And house Blacktyde. Which is why I did prepare something for you," He pointed towards the wardrobe, half open from when he took his garb. Next to his robes in the colors of his house, adorned with silk and gold and suited to his build was a stray piece of white and gold fabric of the finest craftsmanship, if not as carefully made to suit the wearer as his own. "Make sure there are no scandals for me to clean up when the night is done."

[orionxs]

Part of him believed that the only reason the King was cordial to him was because of the respect he held for his brother — Orion liked to fight the shadow his brother cast, but it was inevitable. Stupidly, he also constantly felt that it was the only reason they knew who he was. The fact that he reas the regent lord of a major house seemed to not matter for his insecurities. "The honor is all mine, sir," he bows his head slightly.

It was as good for him to be there as it was for the king. No one wanted to seem weak in an event like this and Orion was glad to be filling up the rows of medesi on the event. An united front. "Of course, yes," no one can really say no to a king, even if they wanted. But he too was desperate to run away from it, to anywhere. "Does the party bore you, your majesty? I thought you might be used to things like this."

aurelius  stood  tall.  resplendent.  like  a  figurehead  carved  from  gold,  he  did  not  waver  under  the  tides  of  politics  and  civility,  no  matter  how  overwhelming  they  sometimes  proved  to  be. 

but  secretly,  he  had  been  longing  for  a  drink.  much  of  the  day  was  spent  in  polite  conversations,  circles  upon  circles  of  sweet,  glided  words,  that  he  can  almost  feel  the  honey  thick  at  the  back  of  his  throat.  so  when  a  familiar  face  approached  him,  aurelius  found  his  opportunity. 

“lord  blacktyde,”  he  greeted  with  a  smile,  nodding  his  acknowledgment  at  the  other.  kin  of  his  council. he had heard a few rumors about the brothers.  “it  is  an  honor  to  have  you  alongside  me.  numbers  are  a  very  good  image  for  any  royal  court.”  he  chuckled.  “are  you  thirsty?  may  i  interest  you  in  a  drink?  i  was  just  about  to  retire  to  my  chambers  for  a  glass.”

[orionxs]

He relaxes, just a little, because he has been well received. "Well," And before he can answer that, he tests the water: "Does it bother you?" What he really feels doesn't really matter; he wants to charm Amare, he wants to befriend the powerful people from his country, and the easiest way to do that is to agree with what they have to say. Whatever they have to say.

Elegant is not what he'd call the things that happened back at home, but then again, they would never aspire to that in the first place. "They're far more fun, though, don't you think?" He much rather the loud music and dancing than the courting and muttering around people that happened here. "Maybe we are the only ones who feel the joy of being alive..." he wasn't philosophical in any context, but maybe when missing home, he got close to that sentimentalism.

He smiles and shakes his head, playing down, "Why you say that? Is it that obvious?" He was quite lonely in Valtolia, yes, but he didn't expect that to be written all over his face. "There's no one here for me..."

"Good evening, Orion." Amare greeted with a nod and a broad grin of pride to see another Medesi noble who had accompanied them to the concord.

"That we are a long ways. Does that bother you?" He asks with a raised brow. The Prince-Lord of Meropa had spent his youth sailing the seas in expanding trade and briefly within naval conflicts during the war. A week for honoring the treaty between the kingdoms was nothing in comparison to months and years spent on native and foreign waters.

"Quite elegant. It's not quite like the celebrations we have. I still applaud their efforts." He chuckled. The ball was far more tame in comparison to the Medesi carnivals held throughout the calendar right before storm season. A change of pace but no complaints at all. His silent stress remained on any potential political scandals to break out among all five royal courts present.

"If you are not enjoying yourself, we'll, hopefully that'll change. Who knows, you may find someone that will make it difficult for you to leave." He smirked.

[orionxs]

"That's-" and then he pauses, for a long moment, trying to untangle what is that supposed to mean. When he thinks about it, it's quite obvious yes — there's no reason the prince would be talking about anyone else other than his own family — so he tries to save face, smiling, trying to force out some confidence he doesn't currently has. "...a wise way to put it." He decides on a middle ground; not disagreeing, not closing off that door either.

He almost felt embarassed by being called out like that, even if the prince was agreeing with him. Unfortunately, he was very proud of his home, maybe to a fault. "Of course..." he nods, playing into the game, "And yet, if I may say, we don't need much effort at all..." and while it may see he was being facetious trying to seduce the prince, he was just honest: "There's beauty in our lands that can speak for itself." And then he smirks, unsure if this is crossing the line or not: "And there's beauty in our men as well."

even with all his efforts towards excellence in many fields, there remained one that he was decidedly unpracticed in:

putting himself out there.

those who would find him, would indeed find him charming, or at least polite. but he wasn't approaching others at random, or singing his own praises to the halls that would hear. argentus wanted to, at least, pretend that his deeds could speak for him. his accolades, his rewards, his titles obtained new and old.

"one of the princes is having an acceptable time," argentus teased back. still noble and proper, but playing within the bounds of it. offering ease, should orion of blacktyde be amenable to receive it. "but the halls, the palace, the grounds. it's been breathtaking." in that much, he could be honest.

"ahh, there it is." beaming. "classic medesi pride." not something to shame or hide, but as always, there was a time and a place. "this just means we'll have to put our own efforts into an event for all the kingdoms, later this year." the honorable approach. "--in the name of peace, of course. not at all flaunting or outdoing."

[orionxs]

His relationship with his brother was tense at best, but if he was being honest, Orion didn't make any efforts either. It didn't matter if they liked one another or not, their problems were the ancestral issues of brothers and inheritance. It was bigger and smaller than both of them could ever imagine, so it was better to not waste too much time thinking about that. "Quite a while, though," he disregard's Ulysses's opinion and the facts, "To an extent, yes," he looks through the window, not giving the benefit to be looking at his brother, "I fixed some of the numbers. While you had been lord of Blacktyde for a long time, it seems like you may be losing your sharpness, brother." The shipments as Ulysses suggested were fine, probably; but Orion had to make things his way or else they weren't good enough.

He looks at his brother, without moving from his position on the couch: "Well, by looking at you, one may think that." He wasn't badly dressed, but it wasn't something you'd see at that court. Orion could get away with that — he was just a lowly lord from the islands, probably thought to be nothing more than a brute — but not someone from the King's Council. Ulysses had a reputation to uphold. "I thought you might be wearing Bergian fine silks by now..."

Ulysses made sure an invitation would be invited to his brother, he wanted his presence there--not, he had to admit, for any familial bond but rather that he did not trust him from so far away. Being away from home already granted him liberties Ulysses wished he did not have, being in another kingdom was a whole new level he was not ready to face. No, he needed him close, he needed an eye on him while the concord happened.

Luckily there were oh so many eyes around these parts. He didn't expect to have to handle him as he dressed though.

He sighed in unvoiced exasperation at his interruption, pushing the fabrics of his attire through his legs before fixing it on his waist. It was suited for their land, for the seabreeze and the warm sun. "Good evening, Orion." He said shortly, "Make yourself at home." He gestured in annoyance, as he already had.

"It hasn't been that long," He replied, strapping the vest across his chest, practically bare but looking effortlessly opulent. "I trust my orders for the last shipments were carried out as written?" He turned to face him for a second before finding the mask the king had fashioned for him, a brief smile gracing his lips. A sign best hidden from his brother. "It will make up for the latest expanses on repairs." Was his voice pointed at that? Who could say.

"We can't all be uncaring for how we are perceived in court, dear brother." He finally replied his petulant question, Orion never did like when people saw through him. Not many did. Perhaps that was part of his displeasure with Ulysses since they were boys. "Have you come hear for fashion advice, or is there something else?"

[orionxs]

in the maze, as the attack happens / closed starter for @grayhillaeden

"Did you hear that?" he breaks the kiss, long enough to look around them; there is stillness in the maze, something strange is going on, but he can't put his finger on it. The night smells weird, or maybe he's just missing the smell of sea salt. "Is something going on?" he asks Aeden, but it's unlikely he can answer it either. They spent a good portion of the night walking through the maze trying to find a quiet place so they could be together, and now that they finally had it, he didn't care about what else happened.

"Well, it is not for us to care" he admits, hand still firmly grabbing Aeden's naked ass. They were busy and he remains with the intention of keeping their little private moment. "We have spent a lot of goddamn work to find this place empty, just for the two of us," he kissed his neck, punctuating every word with a kiss, "And I do not care if they are killing someone out there, we are very busy."

[orionxs]

the ball, past sundown / closed starter for @siilverecl

Orion almost assumed Argentus would be the belle of the ball. There were stories about all of his achievements, of his expected ability to do, well, everything, and he was most intrigued by him. However, looking at him up close, one would never see all of that. All he could see was a young boy. Charming, beautiful, yes, but... Maybe Orion shouldn't believe what people in Medes said about the royals.

"Is the prince enjoying the party?" He asks, politely, hesitant; he doesn't feel comfortable addressing royalty but at this sort of event, what is left for him to do? Talk to the servants? No. If he wants to bring honor and pride to his House, he'll step over his fears. "It's a rather beautiful event, isn't it?"

Valtolia had its charm, yes, but to Orion there was nothing like the islands of Medes. He would trade all of these fine clothes and magical marbles or whatever the hell that was, for the scent of salty water and the wind against his face. "I have yet to see what the valtolians have so much to brag about..." he teases, looking for some companionship.