As Deathwalker first entered the palace, it seemed that he was looking at a large medieval type dining room. A rather impressive sight, expensive looking shields and swords mounted to the walls provided the room with a very costly form of decoration. Dark silk draped from floor to ceiling around the huge windows, which of course true to the over indulgent nature of this place, were forged out of faceted crystal and pure unrefined silver. This was a scene Deathwalker had never before been privy to, having by no means been friendly with any Members of Leviathan house at any time in his long life.  So his curiosity was high even aside from casting alertly to locate the two young men---or boys, he supposed at this point.  Walker's sense of time had been honed to a fine point from other Seekings; the taste of the very air told him something of *When* he had been taken.   Indeed this would have been a thief's paradise in any world or time.  Some would have died for only one treasure that lay within the confines of these rooms and something told the Demon at least a few had. What better way to weed out the greedy vultures from the honest believers than to lay millions worth of treasure right in their lap and wait to see who would risk the wrath of the gods for the promise of wealth? There were so many paintings, most of them thought to be no longer in existence and yet they graced the walls of this place in great numbers. It had long been known that Lee had a particular lust for beauty and that he often lavished himself within its embrace, almost to the point of being considered an extremist in this particular area.  "Tasteless glutton," was Walker's thought in fact.  The demon too loved beauty, but he felt that such an excess rather overwhelmed the senses and destroyed most of the pleasure to be had from it. Still, he was here to observe De and Rhion if possible, not to feel superior to a posturing vampire.  The only lighting in the room spilled from dark midnight blue candles sprinkled strategically throughout the room and a large roaring fireplace in the corner. Night had fallen hours ago giving the firelight room a gothic kind of atmosphere.   It wasn't hard to tell that this dining hall could have easily seated a great many more people and it currently did if rumors were correct, but tonight only the most important visiting guests and the pinnacle members of Leviathan house were in attendance, so the guest list was narrowed down to only about twenty. Not a small crowd by any means but far less grandiose than the usual Leviathan dinner party. The guests were seated as they entered by servants in white silver trimmed serving uniforms that resembled something one might see in a costly brothel, hip hugging waist lines and half vests that left the stomach bare seemed to be the order of the day. Little notice was taken of the servants beyond the occasional request for direction or drink, a bit unusual in a Shyle home but obviously the order of things in this one. The table was a large decorative piece of cherry wood, varnished so deeply that it appeared to be a rich natural crimson, kinda the same shade of vampirc blood when it was spilled on the battlefield. The chairs were each carved out of a single block of wood that matched the table and they were immeasurably intricate in design.  Angels, demons and creatures from mythology ran rampant among the twist and curl of individual designs. No two chairs were alike, a true mastery of dark gothic art and each one inlayed with enough gems to feed any given country of many years to come.  It was a truly needless indulgence by sensible standardsno, he had better stop thinking "sensibly" like a demon, and remember he was in a vampire's hold if only in spirit! Walker relaxed both his own ego and his expectations, and let the impressions and the knowledge of the crowd pour into his like incense smoke.  Thus receptive, he soon found what he sought. Antonio and Rhion were seated together at what would soon be Lee's right. It was a place of considerable honor, not only would they be close enough to attempt assassination of him but also of his chosen heir, "Damian" or Daniel Ma'kale Leviathan, only ten years old and obviously extremely vulnerable to attack at such a tender age.  Or at least that was the general idea behind the seating arrangement. Damian had entered the room, a small non-threatening boy who was nearly as delicate as the girl who graced his slender arm. His dark ebony hair was pulled back into a half ponytail, which trailed downward over his slender back into a somewhat delicate looking braid. The tail had been expertly weaved with dark silks and black diamonds that screamed of royal ridiculousness, it certainly wasn't an indulgence that would have been practiced by many in this day and age. Nor would a boy of Damian's tender age appreciate the time and effort it took to weave the needless decorations into his ebony locks. The tattoo on his face, which would fade in time, plainly marked him a member of House Leviathan, the twist and curl of black ink under his right eye was almost devastatingly harsh against his much too smooth ivory skin and yet it lent a certain quantity of dark exotic beauty to his already flawless appearance, in a few years he'd be even more stunning than he was now. There would be no awkward in-between stage for this child, he was the rare kind who had owned beauty from the very beginning of life and would forever be in possession of it. He wore a simple pair of black silk pants that fit loosely but not to the point of being too big on him. The shirt was a kind of elegant close fitting tunic that resembled sparring wear of the day except for the fact that it had a foreign style neckline, which came up on to the throat, much too high and sort of split into a square right at the base of his neck, making it look strangely comfortable despite the fact it was intended as formal wear.  The shirt rode low on his hips and was accented by a midnight blue sash that he had draped around his slender waist. Once it was tied off the remnants of the material hung well past his knees. Rhion studied the approaching boy with a curious intensity that his elder brother seemed to find odd if the slightly drawn brow was any indication. Walker remembered this one, Antonio Jelonas Carlonday, chosen prince of House Rouge and son of the founder of Whimsica, Coma'Rear, a very respectable man worthy enough to be called brother to the Shyle a millennia ago. He had been a dark and powerful figure in history that converted to pacifism for the love of a White Council woman named Cassandra. From that day on, no one could make heads nor tails of this former warlord/god who had once upon a time ruled worlds and earned the title of "Living god" in his own right. What made him even more confusing to most (but not to Walker) was that he had abruptly stepped down from his station about twenty years ago to allow his middle-born son Antonio to rule in his place. Unheard of really, for one to gain a throne without death being a factor but the well thought out move was enough to convince the masses that House Carlonday was harmless.  No truly powerful ruler would simply hand over a throne to a mere boy; the idea of doing such a thing was ridiculous! Or so most of Immortalkind believed. Walker and the Carlonday prince had spoken once years before he'd reached kinghood. It had not been long after the war of kin-lee when Antonio had approached the twelve tribes about securing demon teachers for his band of outcasts. Most of the demons had found it hilarious, figuring former servants and slaves to the dark houses would be impossible to train but the coin had changed their minds---and later the children they were training had. So much so in fact that the Carlondays had gained a place on the Shyle's informal "to be reckoned with" list. If war between the light and dark were ever to break out into a bloody conflict instead of this political game of treaties and negotiations, then the demon tribes knew which house held the real power, just not what side the odd little band of social misfits would come down on. Antonio's younger brother Rhion was slightly big for his twelve years, not unattractive but definitely in one of those stages where a dusting of freckles and a slight awkwardness with his own growth somewhat overshadowed the fine features and the true beauty of intelligent, amber-gold eyes.  He was also uncomfortable in formal clothing and it showed.  But when Damian entered the room, strangely enough, Rhion forgot to be so self-conscious. Where did this interest come from? "Damn, he's prettier than she is!" the young boy remarked, and not that quietly.  Antonio winced slightly even though his real amusement showed.  Rhion needed to get out more, that was a definite.  And he also needed lessons on how to modulate his strong, husky voice; it carried far too well, even in a whisper. But Antonio obviously couldn't be angry with Rhion; there had been no scorn in his remark.  More like admiring wonder, with just a dusting of envy.  Like many adolescents who went through a puppyish stage, Rhion was certain that he was horribly unattractive and would remain so forever.  Children always seemed to think that "now" would last an eternity, both the good and the bad of it. Antonio watched as Damian slid a guarded glance in Rhion's direction perhaps having heard the remark. However if that had been the reason he didn't look offended by it in the least, more like mildly curious about the one who'd spoken. His gaze didn't linger for a moment longer than was necessary to assess who had spoken and where they were seated before he'd turned his attention back to his child bride and escorted her halfheartedly to her seat. He attentively pulled out her chair and waited more patiently than any ten year old should have been capable of for her to get settled before he carefully shoved her chair in. The girl cast him an appreciative glance and he bowed slightly at the waist before he started to turn back to his own seat. About that time his personal teacher, Mystic, came forward and whispered something to De that made the boy frown deeply before turning back to the girl and taking her hand for a quick peck--- it had definitely been a forced kiss and for a moment Damian's expression had twisted into the same childlike disgust that male children everywhere shared before discovering the joys of the opposite sex. Walker had about half expected him to raise his arm and wipe his mouth on his sleeve, he really did look that disgusted, however he did no such thing, instead he just flashed Mystic a somewhat annoyed glance as if to say "There! I did it, are you happy now?" before taking a seat opposite Rhion his eyes fixed stubbornly on his empty plate in defiance instead of on the act of socializing, as it should have been. His expression remained sulky for a few minutes before he seemed to gather himself and sit up straighter. He flashed another quick look toward Rhion and seemed to jolt outwardly when his eyes met Antonio's little brother's quite by accident.  He obviously hadn't expected him to still be watching but upon realizing that his gaze had never left him since he'd entered the room Damian shifted a bit nervously, obviously trying to muster up a smile but being unsuccessful at it. Rhion didn't offer the boy any mercy or perhaps he was so intent in looking at him that he honestly hadn't realized Damian was now looking back---whatever the reason neither of them looked away. They just seemed to focus that much more keenly on one another, as though they were the only two individuals in the room. For a few strange moments both boys just gaped openly at one another. Rhion finally managed a somewhat nervous smile that broke whatever spell the two were under and it was returned in equal measure by the Leviathan prince who suddenly seemed much more at ease than he had a few minutes before. "You must be Rhion, I'm---" De had stood; extended his hand over the top of the large table in the most formal gesture that Walker had ever seen in someone that age.  The boy wasn't well trained, he was a natural politician and for a moment the demon wondered where *this* boy had slipped off to? Had seven years truly changed him so much? "Yeh, you're Damian, I know."  Rhion had answered, friendly enough. In fact more friendly than his brother had ever seen him in a formal gathering.  Antonio's thoughts and impressions were starting to bleed through, a connection Walker hadn't planned on but was decidedly satisfied with nevertheless, better perhaps than sharing Rhion or De's. He wasn't against spying but a less personal approach seemed---safer somehow. Rhion stood long enough to reach across the table and take De's hand in greeting, which had been a somewhat difficult process considering that these were both children and they were stretching over a somewhat large table. "I've heard lots of good things about your house, it has quite a diplomatic reputation. Do you plan to follow in your brother's footsteps?" Rhion stared at Damian, started to laugh heartily.  Then made the first semi-political move Antonio had ever seen from the boy.  He glanced at Antonio, then at De.  Seeming to take in the astonished upset of the people around them as a side issue. "Hell, no! I'm not quite good enough for that.  Am I, Antonio?"  His voice gently coaxed Antonio to acknowledge De and shield his blunder.  A blunder someone like De normally would never have made, greeting Rhion before the head of his house. Antonio found Rhion's protective move both charming and unsettling.  He had always been a kind boy.  But just where the hell had he gotten the idea that the Leviathan heir needed shielding from anything? He chose a middle ground, laughing slightly.  "He's a bit modest, Prince Damian.  In fact he has the brains and skill to handle most responsible posts already.  He merely chooses not to take the responsibility.  Thus showing his intelligence, I suppose." Rhion grinned, flashing him a grateful look.  "May follow in my brother's footsteps after all.  After a thousand years or so." "When you get done playing," Antonio suggested dryly, and Rhion coughed, then grinned charmingly.  But not at Antonio; at Damian. The Prince was smiling back, genuinely pleased, as his eyes shifted momentarily between Rhion and Antonio as though he were trying to work out some puzzle. "I---is it okay, if I go down to the stables and look at your horses?  I've heard no one can rival the Leviathan mounts.  After dinner, of course, I mean, not now!"  Rhion blushed, suddenly aware that all the fairly important personages at this dinner had been more or less waiting on his and Damian's words for the past five minutes. De smiled but before answering cast a glance over his shoulder toward his teacher, who nodded his approval readily. It was obvious to Antonio that the Prince's mentor had been amused at their little exchange even if few others in the room had been. "Of course," De said as he turned back to Rhion. "It would be my pleasure, in fact. Possibly we can go riding?" "Husband," The girl's soft voice accompanied her hand as she reached up and tugged meekly on Damian's sleeve and for a moment the boy seemed honestly surprised that she'd spoken to him. Then as carefully and as he had done earlier with Rhion she slid a smooth glance toward the door where Lee stood draped observantly under the archway. The Vampire King stirred then, like a large cat just woken from a nap and De's smile faded entirely, and was replaced with that finely attuned imperial mask that Walker had observed so often in the elder Damian. He used it like a shield to protect himself from whatever threatened him.  The fact that he used it against his own father spoke volumes. "Making formidable ties early, I see." The entire room turned toward Lee when he spoke, all the men in the room rising to their feet while the women momentarily dropped their gazes to the floor and slaves knelt subserviently. It was apparent to anyone with half a brain that he'd been listening to the boy's conversation at least long enough to find some small bit of approval in his son's methods. "There is no one finer than a Carlonday to forge an alliance with, my son. You'll do well if you remember that." The leader of the black council sounded positively pleasant but from Damian's still anxious stance it might not have been as approving as Antonio (or Walker) had first thought. "You should let him ride Widowmaker, his speed and agility is unparalleled." The prince relaxed suddenly, but not because of anything Lee had said. It seemed more like a long practiced move, something he'd managed to achieve after much trial and error. "I'll do that my lord King, it's very kind of you to offer your own mount." "And for children to play with even." The slightly teasing tone came from the one they called Fallenangel, an elder member of Leviathan house who was well known for his sharp tongue and outwardly hard shell. Walker knew this man by reputation, and the viciousness of that reputation rivaled even that of some of the hellborn demons he'd known.  The historical fact was, that before Damian came along, having been born under all the right astrological signs, this man had been House Leviathan's chosen heir. It must have bitten him hard to be thrown over for a child? But if he was still nurturing a grudge it didn't show, nor would it till he rival lay dead in his burial chamber. That was the way of vampires; sneaky and underhanded till the end. "Kindness isn't an issue here, my son. As I've said before, formidable ties are good business for us all. And the rest of you would do well to remember that these children are both future kings---getting on either of their bad sides could prove poor judgment indeed." Fallenangel simply nodded, but whether it was in agreement or not was still up for debate. He could have simply been mindful of arguing Lee's interpretation of their state of affairs in front of foreign company. What was hinted at in public was often argued vigorously in privet. The dethroned heir settled back into his chair, his eyes resting firmly on Damian and Rhion. The information Lee conveyed was candid, but it wasn't a command, he wouldn't force their loyalties. In the end, stand or fall, Damian had to carve out his own path among his brothers. It was the Vampire way. Your greatest allies and your worst enemies tended to share the same blood as you. It had been that way for generations, and it wasn't likely to change for generations to come. The wisp of insight from Lee surprised Walker. He hadn't expected the man to be so damned smooth. Nor had he expected to find him to be intelligentcold and calculating---certainly. But truly intelligent, never! It made him pull back and steer himself away from the vampire king. He had no desire whatsoever to relate to that one, for if he found some worth there it would upset him thoroughly. Sometimes, it was better not to understand your enemy. Not because he wasn't worth understanding, but because of what that understanding might mean. Some people you had to be able to hate just because 'hating' was sometimes practical.  Lee turned his attention on the current leader of Carlonday house. "Antonio, its good to have you here again, it's been a while since you last visited and I was starting to worry we may have offended you." Lee was suddenly blazing with charm as honest and pure as the driven snow as he took both of Antonio's arms, clasping them firmly just below the elbows in a warriors greeting. "No, I've just been busy. You know how it is in the public eye." "Do I ever. Are your mates and children in good health?" "Very well, and yours?" "It's been a good year, I was gifted with twin boys not so long ago Devin, and Kie-Lynn---and of course we also have Alexi who just had his promising ceremony, he's just passed his first year." Lee smiled happily as he imparted the news. "Now, introduce me to your little brother. I haven't met this one before but I've heard lots of promising things I assure you." Rhion managed to tone down his "Oh, shit!" expression with a fair amount of smoothness, though he still appeared a little owl-eyed at so suddenly being the center of attention. But Lee seemed all friendliness, and the boy relaxed somewhat as Antonio smiled at him and spoke.  "Promising indeed, this one's got the making of scholar and warrior both if he'd put his mind to it.  And occasionally he does."  Antonio's voice was teasing as Rhion tossed him a reproachful look.  "Rhion, Lee is one of my oldest friends and allies; it is a pleasure to me to finally present you to him, little brother." "Er, a pleasure, sir," Rhion intoned stiffly, then stalled, obviously searching for something else to say and coming up short.  He looked embarrassed and uncomfortable; not of Lee, but of the social situation.  He had none of De's smoothness, Antonio thought resignedly.  And of course since Antonio had cautioned him to be careful around Lee, this for Rhion had translated into a tied tongue.  Lee studied him with an amazingly tolerant smile.  "So.  You like horses, do you?  You have one of your own I trust?" "Oh, yes---well, they seem to like me too, I guess.  I have a grey, Moonwalker, raised him from a colt.  Everyone told me he'd be no good, never have any wind or speed---he was kind of a runt you see----even my dumb brother said so!"  Rhion gave Antonio a mocking look, so totally brought out of his shell by Lee's remark it was both funny and charming.  The handsome man Rhion would become in the future was suddenly apparent, however fleetingly.  His golden eyes were dancing, and he'd straightened up to his full height, tall for a twelve year old.  Usually in formal clothing he tried to shrink in on himself, like a turtle seeking to escape notice by hiding in its shell.  "And you know what?" Lee looked near to laughing; he gave Antonio an amused look.  "I presume you made Antonio eat his words?" "I kicked his butt!" Rhion crowed.  "Raced him and won by an easy head----well, on his second best horse, but still!" "Good boy, something tells me you'll go far, in whatever it is that you decide to do." Lee smiled broadly and patted Rhion on the shoulder just before casting a glance over his shoulder at Damian who was still standing, only now he had his arms folded in front of him dutifully as he looked on." You should let my son escort you on a tour of the grounds. I think we could waive his lessons for at least one afternoon---I think the break would do him good." "I'd like that." Rhion confirmed wholeheartedly. "De?" Lee's simple question wasn't answered instantly making Antonio realize that generally Damian wasn't given a choice in such matters. Of course Rhion probably hadn't noticed the smaller boy's momentary pause, they were just kids after all---even if Rhion was brighter than most in Antonio's opinion, that didn't mean he'd gotten to that dreadful place in life where he analyzed every crumb of detail for the story behind it. "I'd be happy to show him around, lord father." "Well then, it's settled. Mystic can make the arrangements." The teacher stepped forward slightly and bowed at the waist in acknowledgement but said nothing out loud.  "Now let's get this dinner started before we all starve to death, I trust you enjoy at least some of the same foods as your brother?" "We share a few tastes." Rhion informed Lee with a smile as he watched Damian slide into his seat and fold his hands in his lap as if he didn't plan to touch a thing at the table. "In sweets mostly," Antonio chimed in teasingly. "He hadn't yet developed his more sophisticated tastes." The low rumble in the room gradually climbed several decibels as people shuffled into their seats for a very informal meal. The clatter of glasses as they were raised to be filled was accompanied by the sounds of food being uncovered or freshly delivered from the kitchens by the many servants of House Leviathan. The small blond pixy-girl who was serving Rhion's drink smiled bashfully at him as she reached past his arm to collect his glass. Once she'd filled it with drink she took a drink from the glass testing it for poison, which had been attempted on occasion in the past---something Rhion was undoubtedly unaware of due to his immediate frown.  The girl blushed slightly before setting the glass down in its original spot and wiping its rim where her lips had touched. Then she turned to repeat this act with Antonio's drink and looked directly at Rhion as if to say, "See, all part of what I do." her eyes remained on Rhion's for several more seconds before she looked away entirely and moved further down the table performing her duties unwaveringly. Somewhat to Antonio's amusement, Rhion eyed the glass of wine with unaccustomed disapproval, even going so far as to suspiciously sniff the contents.  "Rhion, it's been tasted; for the love of heaven what's wrong now?' Rhion studied him in astonishment. "Damn, Antonio!  What do you think?  The stuff must be gawd-awful if they have to have someone taste it beforehand to make sure it's drinkable!  And if the wine's so bad, what must the food be like?" Rhion was truly aggravated; he was a boy who enjoyed a good meal.  "I thought you said that Lee's table was famed far and----uh."  His brother's innocent remarks trailed off as he suddenly realized that the whole room was listening to his overloud whisper including his host. The poor boy turned a shade of red that was truly astounding; he might not have much polish, but he hated hurting people's feelings. Lee had held his amusement for as long as possible before laughing outright at Rhion's misunderstanding.  "My boy, you needn't worry about the food. I assure you you'll find no finer assortment of indulgences anywhere."  The father of vampires allowed his laughter to fade into a warm smile as he studied Antonio's little brother with renewed interest. "We've had some assassination attempts through the use of poison, the girl was simply ensuring your safety my young Carlonday prince." Rhion appeared more baffled than ever at this explanation.  "Who'd want to poison me?" "Well, no one that I could think of right off hand." Lee admitted with a slight tilt of his head that made him look absurdly regal. "However, you might not have been the target---and you certainly wouldn't have been the first person to be poisoned by a would-be assassin by mistake." "You mean if there had been poison she would've died? That's a horrible job!" Rhion blurted it out sounding honestly astounded. "I mean! Well, it wouldn't---" "No, it's not the most sought after of occupations, this I'll have to admit. But insuring the safety of a somewhat dangerous myth isn't always an easy job." Lee allowed his gaze to waver slightly as his words trailed off thoughtfully, perhaps realizing he'd said too much to one far too young to grasp it fully. "Myth?" Rhion's ventured a hesitant question despite his severely reddened cheeks. "He means, me." Damian spoke piercingly as he caught Rhion's eye. "They'd have the immortal people believe that I am a god even when they do not---I am a myth to be exploited strategically, you see? All because I had the misfortune of being born on the blood moon during an eclipse!" He paused then and turned to look almost accusingly at his father. "Apparently it's a ruse that has worked a little too well in their favor in the past few months." The dark haired prince left the statement hang like a true politician as he planted the seeds of awareness among those sitting at the table. A few looked surprised, including Fallenangel whose frown was quickly and efficiently tucked away behind the rim of a wine glass. Was the man so out of the loop that they did not even discuss assassination attempts of their royal heir with him? "You've had attempts on Damian's life?" Antonio took hold of the question that no one else in the room; except for maybe Rhion would have asked.  Right now though Rhion was staring at Damian, working through his speech in amazement.  Not that it was beyond his grasp, but he obviously hadn't expected such a polished set of remarks from the younger boy.  Antonio rather worried about what Rhion's comments would be, though, once the content rather than the very grown-up delivery of the speech got through to him. Lee studied De for a few long moments before he spoke again. "Indeed, we've had---four---serious attempts in six months." Damian focused his gaze on Antonio this time as he spoke, making it quite clear that he was slightly bitter about the events they were speaking of. "The last nearly killed me. I took two arrows to the chest while on excursion." "Someone shot you?" Rhion had blurted out his shocked question before Antonio could have even hoped to silence him. De only nodded as he reached for his glass of wine and took a big swallow trying not to focus on anyone except for maybe Rhion who was sitting straight across from him. "The arrows were poisoned tipped." Lee was sounding a little edgy as he shared such information his eyes drifting toward Fallenangel as though he suspected him of doing the deed. "He should have died, but it seems he's quite remarkable even in this respect." "And who has focused such attempts on one who is not even a man yet?" Antonio's words hung for several long uncomfortable seconds before Lee let his eyes drift away from the fallen heir and shrugged dismissively. "The assassin was killed and we could find no co-conspirators. It would be best if we discussed this in private, Antonio---children rarely understand the need for discretion in such matters." Antonio had looked toward Fallenangel, his eyes raking demandingly over the castoff prince. Ever so slightly the vampire shook his head, as if secretly voicing his denial of the accusation. Walker believed him, as did Antonio but it was obvious that Lee did not and that in and of itself could have been a death sentence. "Very well, drinks tonight then?" "Amber will escort you to my private rooms---we can discuss it over entertainment?" "Agreed." Instead of blurting out some opinion, Rhion had turned to his meal.  Antonio would have been relieved, except the boy was frowning slightly.  The food was excellent; usually he would have been praising it.  Although shy in company, Rhion forgot his bashfulness quickly, simply because his generous enthusiasm about life was so much stronger than any worry about what others thought of him. He apparently felt Antonio's eye on him, and looked up with an attempt to smile.  "Good food, delicious!  Uh----could we maybe go see the stable after dinner?  I mean, while you and Lord Leviathan are, um, talking?  I could wait till morning if it's more polite----I mean convenient," he added, glancing at both Damian and Lee as if unsure of which one he should look to for permission here.  "I mean, if you're tired----your life seems pretty damn busy to me, and not much fun either if you're getting shot at and poisoned on top of----um, all that other stuff!  Maybe you'd rather rest a little after you eat."  He eyed the small prince uncertainly. "Tonight seems as good a time as any, with your permission of course, lord father?" Damian's expression softened considerably as he addressed his father this time and Antonio couldn't help but notice how precisely this ten year old child mimicked the actions of his father. "I see no reason to forbid it, so long as the both of you are well behaved and steer clear of any obvious trouble." Lee was trying hard it seemed to steer them both toward a smoother path but apparently Damian wasn't ready for that just yet. He adjusted his seating and crossed his arms over his chest as he spoke "You say that as though Mystic and Slade won't be three paces behind us all evening." It was the young princes turn to look and sound aggravated. "It's for your own good, young one and you know it." There was a moment then, when Lee became something other than the harsh, bloodthirsty king of legend, he became a father. It was fleeting glimmer of what could have been and it rested on a knife-edge of fury but it was there. "Undeniably, like so many other things in this life." For a moment you could have cut the tension in the room with a knife, the royal-blood in attendance seemed to hold their breath, waiting to see where these words would take them. Fallenangel, though fairly quiet this evening was paying especially close attention to everyone and everything. Suddenly Damian bowed his head slightly and smiled in much the same fashion that Lee had been smiling all evening. "I apologize, lord father. I shouldn't have said that, it was uncalled for in well-bred company." Lee continued to stare at the boy for a few brief minutes, his expression unreadable but finally he nodded agreeably, his eyes somewhat softer than they had been before.  He turned back to the table and more lighthearted conversation, leaving De to his food and his drink for the remainder of the dinner. It was a kindness perhaps; the only brand a man like Lee could muster in his position. Or the only one he thought he could muster. Apparently image was very important to Lee, as it was to every immortal, but the Vampire King seemed to have a special relationship with his. It irked Walker in a way that few things ever had. Choosing to bolster your own image over the well being of your own child! As if suddenly realizing that maybe he'd drawn more attention to himself than was comfortable, Rhion was quiet and even subdued for the remainder of the meal.  He spoke only when his brother made some comment to him, mainly attended to his plate.  The adults at least seemed to forget the boys' remarks pretty quickly, and chattered on about their own interests.  The light, witty conversation soon began to bore Rhion, since he knew little of the places or persons the diners were gossiping about.  He risked sneaking a couple of looks at Damian, wishing to hell that this boring shit was over and they could go visit the horses!  De didn't seem to be eating much, but he only looked up from his plate once, a quick guarded glance that happened to meet Rhion's.  The older boy couldn't help grinning at him; that cautiously shifty look seemed so funny on a ten year old! De didn't smile back, though his mouth twitched a little.  He dropped his eyes to his plate and pushed food around.  But Rhion had the definite feeling that De's impatience matched his own.  Huh, here came dessert at last, flavored ices shaped like swans and dragons, and a cake baked in the form of the Leviathan crest.  Many of the guests oohed and ahhhed predictably, causing Lee to look as smug as if he'd donned a chef's hat himself earlier and supervised their creation, Rhion thought cynically.  He wondered idly if he could persuade the Carlonday's head cook to try something like that.  Probably not; the man would be appalled at the frippery if anything.  He was far more concerned with how food tasted than how decorative it was, though he could ice a cake with the best of them if ordered to do it.  And since Rhion was in the process of blackmailing the fellow into teaching him to cook---far from a normal pastime for a noble-born boy!---he didn't want to irritate him by any suggestions that might be deemed idiotic. As he'd suspected, more effort had been spent on sculpting the sweets  than making them delicious, though they were far from inedible.  Rhion stoically devoured a portion and a half of the slightly over-sweet cake, reminding himself to pack a bundle of the chocolates and frosted fruits that graced Antonio's room when he and Damian went riding.  The less ostentatious goodies were far better than this fancy stuff.  He knew, he'd already sampled! And the plain fact was, Damian just didn't seem to eat enough to be healthy.  Of course he was a vampire---?  But even Lee seemed to be enjoying his food!  Face it, Rhion was curious as hell about the younger boy.  Aside from wondering about the vampire lifestyle, after what he'd seen earlier this afternoon he hadn't really even expected the prince to make dinner at all. Finally the sweets were decimated into unrecognizable lumps and the dinner guests finished their liquor-laced coffees and began to push back from the table and voice their compliments and good-byes.  Of course all that would happen would be that they'd go back to their rooms where they could burp a little in comfort, then change clothes and sally forth to more entertainment or as in Antonio's case to visit privately and talk of more delicate subjects.  Rhion gave Damian one last peek as he and Antonio slowly bowed their way out of dinner.  He got a head tilt and a faint smile, enough to confirm that they were indeed "on" for later.  Very well, he'd wait for Damian and his bodyguards to come to Antonio's rooms and collect him.  Damn but this place was full of rules!Even though he'd much prefer to just head to the stables, he knew that would be considered far from proper in this nest of vampires. "You did well, if a bit too honest for your own good," Antonio remarked casually as they made their way to the luxurious rooms set aside for the Carlonday visitors.  "But Lee seemed to like you, little brother.  You see, friendly relations aren't so difficult after all!" "He seemed to like me more than he likes his own son," Rhion observed shortly.  "I didn't find it really charming!" His brother was quiet for a space, until they reached the door of their rooms and entered the plush apartments.  Then he turned to Rhion and studied the boy with affectionate interest.  "You like the young Leviathan, I think.  That's good.  That's like you, to want to fix his life.  But this isn't the place for one of your rescue attempts, Rhion.  You need to be careful, as I've said.  Lee is my friend, and this isn't the schoolyard!" Rhion blinked.  "Are you saying Lee's just another bully, only more well-connected?" Antonio chuckled, though it seemed a bit forced and a hair surprised.  "Damian is in line for kingship, and that's a heavy thing, among vampires.  Their training is---different than ours, it's not entirely meant to teach or hone skills.  It's also a testing of who's worthy.  It's a hard thing to explain, really." Rhion eyed him, fingers working on the collar he'd found way too tight all evening.  "In other words, I'm too young to understand.  Or I'm better off not knowing." "Bitterness isn't usual to you, little brother."  Antonio's voice was gently chiding. "Oh, I'll probably get better at it in time, given more politics to study." Rhion suddenly looked up from his involvement with the collar, gave Antonio a rueful grin.  "I'm sorry!  I didn't mean to insult your friend when I don't know a damn thing about the situation.  There's something about stuff like this that makes me grumpy, and you knew it when you brought me here!  But I'll live I guess.  And I'll try my best not to embarrass you." "Thank you for that!"  Antonio grinned at the boy, not even bothering to hide his relief.  Rhion was an amiable, sunny child on the whole, but when he got his teeth in something that offended his sense of fair play he could turn grim and almost threatening.  Odd thought to be having about a twelve year old, but Antonio already knew his brother would grow up to be someone remarkable.  And despite his dislike for rubbing elbows with important people, Antonio fancied he'd become rather good at it.  He seemed to have the knack of getting along with nearly everyone, and not through any politician's tricks---he just liked people and was honestly interested in everyone.  Not a usual trait, nor a useless one.  Though it could become tricky when he decided to champion someone, he always seemed to choose those with the most formidable enemies.  Almost a sixth sense, his brother thought humorously. "I gotta get this perfume off me and get ready for our ride.  Can I use the bath first, Antonio?  My hair stinks like fucking calla lilies, from the stuff they washed it in for dinner!" "Go ahead, I want to do a little reading anyway first.  Lee's libraries are excellent."  Antonio was already seated, nose heading for a book.  "Remember to hold off on so much swearing in front of Damian, his bodyguards listen to everything and it might not go over well." Antonio's voice was a little absent as he was already beginning to plumb into something he hadn't yet read or indeed ever seen a copy of in their part of the world.  Rhion felt safe in snorting softly.  "Vampires!  They go around sucking blood and then object to a little a little swearing?  Screw 'em." "Yes, yes," Antonio agreed from the depths of his book.  "Vampires have their own lifestyle; just learn about it and don't make too many abrupt remarks until we're home, that's all I ask." "I'm already learning," Rhion stated ominously, thinking of the training session he'd witnessed earlier in the day.  But now all he got from his brother was a distracted murmur, and he gave up and went to wash the sweet oil out of his abused hair and unpack his riding leathers.  It might actually be worth putting up with vampires and their generally tightassed attitude, to ride the beauties in their stables!  No one denied that vamps owned horses that were beautiful and fast beyond belief.  "Probably just as a status thing," Rhion muttered to himself as he hurried on his way after his bath.  "They don't really care for the horses, beyond their looks and how they can use them.  Just like their prince---what a fuck-up it all is!  I hate vampires!" "So do I, little one!" Walker breathed, and then he jerked awake. After recovering from the shock and disorientation that followed moving from one time to another, Walker closed his eyes and just lay dormant for awhile, sorting out his impressions. Rhion and Damian had met as children. Something had happened.  Something important, or at least significant. Otherwise, there would be no reason for Damian to remember nothing of it. Walker could travel the roads of time and space, but there was another part to his curse.  He could read people's thoughts and feelings---demons, humans, angels, it didn't seem to matter. If he cared for someone---even a little---that person's mind, heart, and memories opened to him even more. Oh, not all of it by any means.  Just those things barely hidden beneath the surface.  For anything deeper, he had to dig a little, and usually he didn't bother.  He had enough to deal with fending off all the random knowledge of those around him!  He fought to be cold, in fact, when every particle of his being insisted that he know and feel. He could not shut out the knowledge that Damian and Rhion had met in younger days.  That somehow, it had been important. And that for some reason Rhion remembered, and Damian did not.  ~Feed The Authors~ ~Home~

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