The invitation had been a success, the deliberate slow amble of movement towards Alucard was appreciated. It gave him ample time to lay his eyes on the prize he was about to secure, the way his shirt fell open a smidge more than before, the fall hair over his shoulders. He allowed his hand to be guided, giving no resistance against the efforts of Caoilfhionn. Alucard did not care about how he would be perceived as he dropped his gaze to where sharp teeth were pulling the fruit from his fingers. The lips that curtained them quirking up in amusement at their own ministrations.

The weight in his lap felt comfortable, the prince did not adjust his position at all, letting the captive creature crawl over him however he liked. He had enough power to order Faelin to rip the lithe thing from his lap if he tried any funny business, after all the guard was standing right there.

Alucard raised his eyebrows as he watched Caoilfhionn twist himself backwards to retrieve something from the nearby table, his hand idly finding its way to rest upon the crease of where the mage’s thigh met his hip. Holding him with a secure firmness, enough to announce his presence there but not enough to pin him down.

He betrayed Caoilfhionn’s form in order to peer at the chocolate he held daintily between his fingers, holding it just between them. The soft push of arms around his neck were background noise as Alucard watched the man take the cherry between his teeth and leaned forwards. He was going to question just what this tradition was, but surprisingly the other man had made contact first.

Alucard only allowed a hint of his surprise to come through as a flexed grip on Caoilfhionn before he all but grinned into the kiss. There was a subtle crack and then the taste of marinated cherry flooded into his mouth, mixing with Caoilfhionn’s unique flavour. A quiet groan produced from the back of his throat as the prince allowed his eyes to close momentarily.

The touch was fleeting, soon enough they withdrew and the prince opened his eyes to see the most divine sight of the mage sweeping his lips free of the red liquid.

He ran his own tongue along his teeth in order to clear it of any remaining diluted red colour before smiling back at him. He allowed Caoilfhionn to slide from his lap, the grip on him loosening completely to give him the permission. It was then, when the mage was busying himself with collecting himself another drink, that Alucard spotted the prying eyes of the guard. Faelin was staring at them intently, as though he were entranced. He was closer than before, he noticed, but it was obvious why. The chain around Caoilfhionn’s neck had pulled him in closer to the action, it made devious cogs in the prince’s brain begin to turn.

“And what of these traditions you speak of, have you experienced them yourself? If that is the case, then I believe I need to be shown just what they entail.” Alucard mused, dragging his eyes away from the guard to land upon the mage once again. Not only did he get a prize here, he had a captive audience.

The entire interaction had been moving too quickly for Faelin’s liking, the drop in their voices and the implications being spoken without words were swirling around the room like a noxious perfume. On top of that, the scent of Caoilfhionn had taken a rise in its strength, the bath oils on his skin no longer powerful enough to mask that sweet scent from his nose anymore.

Even if the chain that connected them had not tugged him closer when Caoilfhionn clambered on top of the prince, Faelin was sure he would have stepped closer of his own accord. Watching the way the mage moved with a poised practice, toying with his partner until descending upon him with passion he had most certainly not expected.

Mere hours ago this man was fighting tooth and nail to not be here, but here he was melting into the arms of his captor. Faelin couldn’t understand the reasoning, perhaps Caoilfhionn had lost all hope of escape and truly took Faelin’s words from earlier to heart. If that were the case, it was working. It was working almost too well as Faelin felt some sort of odd pull at the base of his sternum, a churning within him that reasoned with him that this was wrong. So very wrong. Not in the way his brain thought, that the mage should not be so pliant with his captors, but that he should not be with another person at all. Which was an odd thought to have, but at the moment, Faelin wasn’t trying to process all of that.

When cool eyes lifted to catch him staring, Faelin couldn’t help the mild panic that rose up his throat. He tried to conceal his interest by straightening his back and clearing his throat. Turning his head away from the scene, attempting to hide the tiniest rise of heat that had come up his neck.

The raise of an eyebrow was the only expression Alucard graced in reaction to hearing Caoilfhionn’s lack of interest with previous attempts at this so-called tradition. He almost had a half a mind to think that the mage had concocted a faux tradition in a far away land with the simple goal of achieving an excuse to continue kissing the prince. If that were the case, Alucard could hardly blame the man, he was disgustingly beautiful, who would not want to romance a man such as himself.

He stayed quiet as he listened to the entire string of thoughts put into words from Caoilfhionn, considering his next move, he wasn’t truly listening to what the other man was saying. He was far too busy planning his next move, especially now that he had noticed the vague interest of his captive guard. He wasn’t one to sully himself with those on his personal guard, however that did not stop him from observing what was so clear on the high guard’s face. The fleeting notion about Faelin’s blood rose to the forefront of his brain, perhaps this mage smelt rather divine and he wanted to devour him more than bed him, then again perhaps he wanted to do both.

Alucard waited until Caoilfhionn had contorted his neck to peer over his shoulder at Faelin, the in that moment of broken eye contact, the prince moved forwards and closed what little distance there was left between them. He had hiked both of his legs up onto the chaise, knees digging into the plush cushions. One hand gripped the back of the chair near where the mage was residing, the other had found its home on the arm of the chair behind Caoilfhionn, almost pinning the other man in place. He wasn’t touching him yet, but he was tantalisingly close.

“I would ask what made them so uninteresting to you,” He hummed casually despite being within centimeters of his face. “But it does not matter. They will be forgotten after you’ve had a true taste of me.” With that, Alucard closed the distance and pushed himself over Caoilfhionn, connecting their lips once again. He could eat him whole, there was a temptation to keep the calmness of their previous kiss, but he had been given rather obvious permission. There was no need to be timid anymore.

Faelin stole a glance back towards them, only to see Caoilfhionn staring back up at him with his glossy eyes that looked as though they held entire universes inside of them. The treatment he had been given before his presentation to the King had made his hair shimmer in the low light of the fire in a way that endless swirling patterns of red shades danced across the strands. He found himself turning slightly to stare back at the mage, his own eyes wide entrancement before something clicked back into place inside him.

Why was he thinking these things? This was the little feral creature that had tried to maim him, broken Treech’s arm and very almost escaped their grasp. He was just another magical creature the King wanted to add to his menagerie. Except this one was calling to him like a siren at sea, coaxing him into his embrace and Faelin found himself sick to his stomach at the feeling. Or perhaps he was nauseous because now Alucard had pressed himself up close and came down upon Caoilfhionn with a new found vigor.

Was it his pull towards the mage that made his stomach turn or the display he was bearing witness to? Either way, Faelin was unsure of what to do with himself. He had not been dismissed so he remained standing there, uncomfortably close to the action, the chain looped around his wrist. The golden link shifted and waved as Caoilfhionn moved, the sensation made the skin around his wrist where the metal sat sear with heat.

He remained locked into place, his hands planted firmly on the chaise, he did not let his hands wander to the softer touch of the man underneath him. It did bring a wave of satisfaction over him as Caoilfhionn bent to his will so easily, it was always so gratifying when his nightly escapades indulged him so readily. Alucard was rather enjoying himself when he felt a pressure on his sternum, a clear call for truce, which he obliged. He was feeling generous today.

Beneath him, as his eyes opened to a view most pleasant, he watched Caoilfhionn recover from their amorous venture with a smug glint in his eyes. The mage was talking now, more than he was before, which may be because of his incredible seduction or because of the wine this thin creature had just thrown down his gullet. He would wager that it was the latter, considering the flush over his skin that wasn’t simply from their kiss.

As the hand lifted to press against his cheek, Alucard obliged with the request and let some of the weight of his head fall into the open palm, squishing his face ever so slightly. Alucard felt a witty remark die on his tongue as a thumb brushed over his lips, distracting him, his gaze fell to the hand before slowly trailing back up to meet Caoilfhionn’s eyes squarely.

“I think the red would look divine over the rest of me too.” He countered, but he was met with more forwardness, the graze of red hair against the side of his jaw as Caoilfhionn leaned in close. He could smell the sweetness on his skin from the bath oils, he carried the scent of a garden, fresh and clean.

The nail in the coffin was the delicate touch of their lips, in combination with the challenge, Alucard valiantly accepted it. He accepted it by dipping back down towards Caoilfhionn, neatly avoiding his jaw and deciding that the neck was an appropriate place to start his ministrations. He was there for less there for less than a handful of seconds, but he lifted his icy gaze up. Through his pale lashes, he could see Faelin looking down at him, a salacious smile pressed into Caoilfhionn’s skin as he watched the guard squirm.

After a particularly encouraging sound from his partner, Alucard lifted his head but moved a hand to pin Caoilfhionn’s shoulder against the chaise. He held out his other hand, demanding something from Faelin, it took the guard a moment to react. But he simply looked confused by his request.

“The chain.” He demanded, shaking his hand a little to emphasize his point. There was a retort from the guard, which Alucard ignored, his eyebrows knitting together and his nose wrinkled at the disobedience. “Give it to me.” The moment the chain was placed in his open hand, he seized it and used the same hand to snap a pointed gesture towards the door.

“Out.” He ordered. This time, it did not take Faelin long to make his exit. Only when he heard the gentle thud of the door closing behind him, did Alucard look back down at Caoilfhionn. His expression shifted from annoyance to one soft and inviting.

“My apologies. The guard dog does misbehave on occasion.” With that, the prince dipped back down to his less than royal duty of capturing the mage in his embrace.

The way the prince had looked up at him made his nervous system go into a frenzy, he didn’t know what to do or what to even look at. He wanted to grip Alucard and toss him away from Caoilfhionn, but why? The swirling of sweetness in the room was becoming stronger, breaking through the bath oils they had used on Caoilfhionn. The stronger it grew, the more effort Faelin had to put into keeping his muscles from twitching.

Faelin frowned at the request, looking between the open palm and the prince’s expectant face. He did not want to leave them alone, and it most certainly wasn’t because he wanted to keep the prince safe from danger, he wanted to stop this display but felt rather hopeless in that endeavour.

“Your Highness, I apologise for speaking out of term but I-” His voice was cut off by another harshly barbed demand, this time he unfurled the chain from around his wrist. Dropping it into Alucard’s waiting hand, only now did Faelin note the clammy feeling in his own palms.

Now he stood with his back to the wall beside Alucard’s door. Listening. Listening to the soft noises coming from within and he could not leave his post until he set eyes upon the mage once again. He had expected to be relieved by another night guard, but he was supposed to summon one. Which was impossible because he was no longer chained to Caoilfhionn, the prisoner he wasn’t supposed to be away from. Stuck in his mess, Faelin tried to close his eyes and ignore any input from his senses for as long as he possibly could. Unable to confront what might be going on in that room now that he had departed.

He enjoyed his position for a moment longer, but the seeping flavour of wine from Caoilfhionn’s mouth was enough of an indication of his current state. As tempting as the proposal was, Alucard was no fool, he would not have rumours flying around the palace about how he had come upon the mage in a disoriented state and taken advantage of him. Not at all, he was not a fool. Carefully, as though he were trying to not spook and animal, Alucard retreated from the kiss and peered down at Caoilfhionn, feeling the finger run down his chest through the layers of fabric. He offered a smile, but there was an almost pitiful element to it.

“My plans..” He echoed, peeling himself away from the mage, the chain still caught between his fingers. His feet gracefully met the ground and he sauntered around the side of the chaise, pausing when he stood behind Caoilfhionn’s head. Leaning over him, he twirled the chain between his forefinger and thumb as in contemplating his next move, as though it had not already been decided upon.

“I plan to sleep.” Alucard stated casually, dipping to ensnare the chain around a small metal bolt in the ground. His father had it installed with plans for exactly this. There was one beside the fire, one in the bed chambers and one in the bathing chambers. So that Alucard could keep a close eye on his new partner.

“You may sleep here, Caoilfhionn. I expect you will be collected before I wake in the morning. Goodnight.” The chain chimed as it connected with itself and secured Caoilfhionn to the floor. Alucard let a fine hand move to brush aside a lock of the mage’s hair from his forehead before humming to himself and taking his leave, walking directly for the bed chambers. He planned to sleep, slip free of his day clothes and greet slumber with open arms, just as he had told Caoilfhionn.

Meanwhile, Faelin stood outside the door and thanks to his lovely hearing he could listen to the conversation and when Alucard had announced he would be sleeping, he felt a wash with relief. He would not have to listen to the terrible event that could have played out, that didn’t help that he had heard all the rest of it.

Disgruntled, Faelin furrowed his brow and squared off his stance, leaning back against the wall beside the door. He did his best to remain upright, but as the hours dwindled, he found himself needing to sit down. Greeting the cool stone with a soft sigh, positioned still beside the door, this was an okay idea. To rest his limbs but still remain at his post even if he was supposed to be dismissed before now, it was a great idea until exhaustion began to pull on his eyelids and draw them closed.

He remained outside Alucard’s towering chambers for the entire night, crumpled beside the door with his head hanging and resting on his forearms that were supported by his knees. Nothing awoke him, the deepness of his sleep so strong, he needed rest but was not granted a lick of it these past few days. Even now, this attempt at recovery would only force an ache into his muscles from the awkward angles and cold temperatures.

The last few days had been arduous at best. The constant supervision was taking a toll on his will to live, it was as though he had been demoted from head of the guard to a babysitter. Whilst he watched others take over his usual duties he had to watch in vague discomfort as Alucard continued to court and peacock around his captive fiance. It was embarrassing to have to stand there and watch as Alucard drew his hand along Caoilfhionn’s jaw, or guided him elsewhere, away from the guard’s prying eyes. Faelin was so completely done with this new role of his that he had tried in the past day to feign a further illness to escape, but it did not work and he was sent straight back.

The poison in him had waned well, there was still a soreness in his body that Faelin knew was attributed to it, but there were barely any gross signs of his condition. Aside from the tiniest indication of a purplish hue in his sclera, which would clear up within the next few days. He had time to rest, thank the heavens, it allowed him to not feel so out of touch with himself. That being said, when the announcement came from the prince himself that he was going to be setting sail for a neighbouring kingdom, all Faelin could think about was how much more time he was going to have to commit to Caoilfhionn.

This mission had turned into a life consuming task that he absolutely did not sign up for. Alas, Faelin stood beside Caoilfhionn, the chain still linking the two of them together as the mage was not yet trusted. Before them a caravan of carriages and wagons dolled up and ready to take the prince away. Alucard was distracted, he was leaning down towards Caoilfhionn’s extended arm and pressing a demure kiss to the raised knuckles of his hand. Faelin glanced down at the action, unable to stop the creasing of his eyebrows as he saw the expressions on both of their faces.

He supposed that outwardly he looked like a disgruntled guard with no amusement for the concept of love or courting. Which he hoped he was, but there was a growing writhing mass of something in his chest that was threatening to disrupt the royal proceedings. He kept it tamed, deep within himself.

Alucard raised himself and let Caoilfhionn take back his hand, flashing a smooth smile to the mage. “I expect that when I return you will be in as lovely a condition as you are now.” Alucard’s compliment to his betrothed was also aimed to the guard at his side, which was confirmed with the side long look that he received from the prince. Faelin gave a nod of his head in acknowledgement of the less obviously spoken command. The prince expected him to keep Caoilfhionn away from trouble, unharmed and keep him within the estate. It sounded simple, but unfortunately with his experience with this mage, it seemed highly unlikely that he would be successful.

Within minutes Alucard has climbed his way into the waiting carriage and vanished down the path towards the borders of the estate. Leaving Faelin standing beside Caoilfhionn in stoic silence, his fur shawl drawn tight around his broad shoulders. He waited a moment longer as the caravan began a little dot in the distance before turning abruptly, in turn tugging Caoilfhionn along with him.

“His Highness left you a task to be completed.” Faelin stated bluntly, beginning to drag them both back into the confines of the castle walls.