Alessio took a few steps back, unbothered by Silvan's aversion to him, he had drunk the other's blood after all. "How do you feel? You seemed a little bit out of it."
Silvan sat up, all the muddiness gone out of his eyes, his sea green gaze sharp. "I'm fine now." He said shortly, his voice cold.
Alessio nodded and walked all the way to the window seat where Silvan had chosen prior, sitting on the chair that had remained unoccupied.
He had thought that he had made some progress with Silvan, and maybe he had, but regardless of whether he had been prepared for it, it had to be quite a lot for a Prince to let himself be bitten by a Vampire.
Alessio propped his head against a hand, and stared out the window into the gardens below. Today, he didn't quite feel like making an effort to salvage what was left of his friendship with Silvan.
Maybe as the weeks passed, the melancholy too would pass. After all, it had only been roughly two weeks since he had learned of Eleanor's death.
He wasn't quite looking at anything, lost in thought as a cool breeze blew in, further dislodging his loosening hair.
Silvan pulled his hand away and stared at his bloodied fingers, struck with a maddening urge to lick his fingertips, to find out what he tasted like… what Alessio had tasted when he bit him.
He had never understood humans willing to offer their blood to Vampires. He was surprised to find out that despite how dangerously sharp Vampire teeth were, getting bit… it didn't hurt…
Instead it… His thoughts trailed off, and he resolutely pushed out the thoughts from his mind. There would no longer be a reason for him to offer his blood to a Vampire, so there was no reason to revisit how being bitten had made him feel.
He ignored the bite on his neck, the two puncture holes were small, the blood already congealing, and instead focused on Alessio.
Alessio being quiet and keeping his distance was out of character for the chatty Vampire, it took him back to the night before, and once again, he was worried that he had done something to offend the other.
He didn't entertain the thought this time, rising to his feet to get a napkin to clean up the blood. His clothes were all white, it would be impossible to ignore if the vivid red blood got on them.
"Do we have to return?" He asked flatly, far from eager to do that.
Alessio turned around with a questioning look in his eyes, "What did you say?"
"Do we have to return?" Silvan repeated patiently, if he could avoid the aftermath of the wedding, he would.
Alessio thought about it, it usually wasn't done but exceptions could certainly be made for Silvan. "You will have to show your face at the after party," He said gingerly.
"That's fine," Silvan was quick to concede, it was already a lot that he could get to leave now. He doubted the wedding was even over, as a High Priest, he was once again marveled at how lax Vampires were.
"Can you make your way back?" Alessio asked to be polite.
"I can." Silvan replied, already heading to the side door that Queen Nadia had brought them through.
Alessio resumed his sky-watching through the window, if Silvan's response had been otherwise, he would have arranged for a maid to guide him back to his room.
It was clear that the human Prince needed some space, and he was perfectly fine with that at the moment.
Alessio rose to his feet as well, but he didn't head after Silvan, instead, he dematerialized to the gardens, intending to sunbathe among the flowers.
-+-
King Rolfe rose to his feet with a strained expression after Alessio and Silvan slipped away. Other Vampires rose to their feet as well, so it wasn't so strange an action.
"Should they be leaving?" He asked with a frown, something seemed off-putting about the way Silvan was led out.
He was also worried about his son, Silvan couldn't be taking it too well that he had been bitten by a Vampire.
Nadia was just as worried for a different reason but she better hid her expression, "The ceremony is done, they can leave if they want to."
Rolfe found it difficult to sit back down, the grand hall had become rowdy, Vampires mingling and discussing the wedding that had just happened, as well as catching up on various topics with old friends who had come to the capital solely for the wedding.
"Can I see him?" He slowly lowered himself back to the golden bench to ask Nadia. He doubted Silvan would be pleased to see him, but his thoughts would keep racing if he didn't.
Nadia rose right to her feet with a benevolent smile, "Of course," She agreed easily, "Come with me. They most likely left right after the proceedings were completed to avoid the crowd of people eager to congratulate them in person," She spoke as she led the way through the grand hall, easily cutting through the crowd.
"Alessio isn't a fan of crowds," Nadia went on, doing her best to ease the heart of the worried human King.
It worked, Rolfe relaxing gradually. He had thought the very worst, "Silvan is no better, perhaps they will get along."
Nadia opened the door to the side room, her smile never fading. "Perhaps…" She agreed, trailing off at the sight of the empty room. "It seems like we have just missed them."
Rolfe's expression turned grim once more, "What does that mean? Where could they have gone?"
Nadia swayed into the empty side room to look out the open window, "Considering how last night went, I'd say that Silvan wanted to return to his rooms, and Alessio was kind enough to take him."
"Oh," Rolfe deflated, he needed to stop jumping to conclusions. Silvan knew how to take care of himself, he needed to find another way to deal with his guilt.
"I could take you to his room if you like," Nadia was quick to offer, her eyes narrowing out the window as her sharp sight caught her second son laying on her orange marigolds.
"There's no need for that," Rolfe smiled slowly, the expression looked tired. "I had better return and receive the well wishes in Silvan's place. Thank you… and please take care of my son."
Nadia quietly watched King Rolfe trudge back to the grand hall. It would have been so easy for them to put an end to all talks of a treaty marriage and spare the King and his family grief but doing that would be insulting all the sacrifices the human King had made.
Nadia would be happy to care for Silvan like he were her own son, unlike her actual blood and bone, he wouldn't desecrate her precious flowers.