"...I've never managed to win against him, I'm certain he could drink till his blood ran sweet like wine and still be fine…"
Silvan's grip on his silver knife tightened, "You seem to be great friends with him," He interrupted Alessio, unable to pinpoint what irked him about the other's words.
Alessio thought about it, "We indeed are. He was one of the few undaunted by my standing and closed-off nature. I don't have a lot of friends." He spoke absently, reaching for a bowl of grapes.
Silvan had a feeling that Luka had something to do with that, but he didn't mention it, easing his grip on his silverware. "I don't have any friends." He added to the conversation, keeping it to himself that it was done on purpose.
Alessio turned to Silvan; he could certainly see that, but he didn't want to be rude, so he kept his thoughts to himself. "I do hope we can be friends," He took the leap.
Silvan was the first, human or Vampire that he was going through the trouble to befriend. It was the effort he had intended for Eleanor, he could expend some of that for her grieving brother.
"So do I," Silvan accepted the green branch. Things were going just as well as he hoped, the Royal family clearly meant well for him, but he couldn't say the same about other Vampires. It would do him no good to estrange himself from them.
Alessio was pleasantly surprised by his response, just when he thought that the progress he had made with Silvan had been completely reduced to dust by the bonding bite, the human Prince completely proved him wrong.
"When do you think we should go hunting?" Alessio brought up when their meal was almost over. His tone was more casual now, Silvan was so agreeable he was almost scared that it would change on a dime. "If you enjoy it, we could make it a ritual."
"You sound certain you won't enjoy it," Silvan pointed out.
Alessio shrugged, eating little bites of almost everything laid out on the table. "It's simply too much work, why chase animals around when I can spend the day napping in a field of flowers?"
Silvan thought about it, Kalla's doctrines dictated that all life was worthy. Even domesticated animals should be treated with compassion, as they generously provided sustenance. He had no opinion of his own about hunting, and it seemed he would be making one soon.
Right as their meal came to an end, Queen Nadia seemed to appear out of thin air, approaching the gazebo with a serene smile on her face. "Did you have a nice meal?" She asked, but the question seemed to be directed wholly at Silvan.
"Indeed," Silvan replied, feeling the intensity of Alessio's gaze boring holes into him.
"The afterparty will begin soon," Nadia went on, pretending not to see the signals being shared between them. "I came to retrieve you two so you can get ready."
Silvan rose to his feet when Alessio was practically about to start nudging him in his impatience. "I have a little request to make of you, Your Highness."
Nadia's gaze cooled as she glanced at her son, only to go back to its usual warmth when she looked back at Silvan. "You're welcome to ask anything," She encouraged him.
Silvan easily picked up on her scolding gaze at Alessio. "Your Highness shouldn't misunderstand me…" He said with a slight smile, regardless of her status as a Vampire, it was nice to have someone worry so openly about him, but he had to put her straight about an important matter.
"...No one can make me do what I don't want to," He stated calmly.
Nadia's brows jumped high on her face before she could control her expression, redoing her calculations regarding Silvan's personality. Her smile was easier now, "That is relieving to hear. Let me guess, you want me to lift the alcohol ban off Alessio?"
"Not quite, just for tonight." Silvan corrected her. They had already started to walk towards the castle, Alessio drawing the rear as he silently listened to them speak. "I also think a week without alcohol would be good for him."
"Not you too," Alessio chimed in, his disappointment evident in his voice.
Nadia's laughter rang out like falling petals, she had been a little worried about them after the wedding ceremony, but clearly, her worries were unfounded. "I need to go supervise the preparations," She spoke up, slowing down. "I'll come to your rooms to get you when it's time."
Silvan was beginning to adjust to Vampires vanishing out of sight, so Queen Nadia disappearing mid-step wasn't as startling.
"Mother would have agreed if you asked her to lift the ban," Alessio grumbled as they walked side by side back to their rooms.
"That wasn't our arrangement," Silvan reminded dryly.
Alessio quickly got over his disappointment, "It's all very well. You rarely drink, and if we're to be friends, I have to make some concessions."
The Vampire Prince stopped him in front of his rooms and then offered a slender hand with a slight smile. "To commemorate our recent friendship."
Silvan glanced down at Alessio's hand, reminded of when it had held onto his shoulders that morning. If he focused hard enough, he could still feel the weight and warmth.
He reached out and took Alessio's hand, it was startingly cool against his, his handshake firm, and when he pulled away, it left behind a burning warmth.
"If Mother takes too long to return, I might come keep you company." Alessio said over his shoulder as he drifted to his room.
Silvan went into his room as well, wiping his hands with a hand towel in a bid to get rid of the tingling. Did touching Vampires yield the same result? Every time he came in contact with Alessio, there was an uncomfortable warmth that was eerie for a creature so cold.
He tossed the hand towel to the side, planning to take a bath before the afterparty, perhaps it would wash away all traces of Alessio's touch.