like the cold seawind breeze, the black tide rises

Eyes may have been on them but so be it. He was positive something else would happen to make their attention and gossip stray from the affection that Amare could no longer hold back. He stepped back into Ulysses' s personal space, planting a soft kiss upon the Lord's lips, holding it for a few beats before needing to pull away. Any more time spent and there wouldn't have been able to break away. Not without leading to a sensual show right there in that corner.

The kiss he receives is sweet, reminiscing of his wife, even. It lingers for too little, the memory of warmth, the taste of lips that leave longing so fresh on his mind.

Unthinking he holds him by the arm, keeping him in place right next to him. His warmth permeating, his scent lingering. Close enough to pull into another kiss but he restrains himself.

"That is a promise I will be happy to make." He reaches for his hand, takes it to his lips in a gesture far more polite than he's been all day. This kiss lingers, as does his hand before he steps away.

as ulysses’s hands pried his thighs apart, aurelius arched a brow—amused. then a small shiver ran through him at the first kiss, tender and tantalizing, before the first touch came. hands that handled his coins now grasped his cock, and fuck, it made his length pulse within ulysses’s strong fingers.

the cartography of kisses mapped out by the other’s lips soon came to an end, at the perfect destination. the lips tugged at him, teased him, and aurelius let out an audible chuckle, his permission coming in the form of a touch of encouragement to the other's head. his cock responded in kind as well by leaking a pearl down the other’s finger.

deft fingers held him, but it was his tongue and his mouth that brought amusement to the king, the permission as arousing as the hand guiding his head. greedy as he was, before he took a taste he leaned back to lick the leaking tip of his cock, tasting it like nectar before what he'd been craving was so kindly offered to him. an honor not many had, he knew.

"you have a way of making a man ravenous, my king." he whispered hoarsely, knowing as well as his king did that no cuisine valtolian or otherwise could compare to the meal he was about to have. it would be ridiculous even to try.

he pressed more kisses to his skin, to strong thighs, to the space beneath his balls that lead down to the ring of muscles exposed by the open legs of the king. to have him like this, for him, it made all the blood fill ulysses' cock and little of it be left for his head.

"thank you, your grace." he whispered, nipping at one of his cheeks before thumbs spread them apart, lips then tongue tracing his most private spot as a kiss was pressed softly against his entrance. that was all the restraint he had, for soon his tongue lapped at the muscles, caressing the wrinkles of his skin like a starving man. lathering it in saliva as he savored the taste of his friend, his king. he was bold enough to press in his tongue, to gently coax and test the resistance of his ring, to get a proper taste of him. he would do more, should his king allow, but he did not press. the desire to be inside him was only desire, and he had so many of those, so much hunger to sate.

“You’d think a man of your position would have an excess of self-control.” He answered back, his tone as close to playful as it’d get in present company. “But you’re forgiven this time. Just so long as the… payoff comes sooner or later.” He flexed the thigh that was being held. The Lord Commander made sure to keep in shape worthy of his station even if it’d been years since his last proper battle. “You know how much I enjoy seeing results.”

His chuckle was, in a way, an admission. "It does run out eventually. Around the right people." His hand drifted higher, caressing slowly but certain. "Isn't anticipation the best part, dear friend? To want, eagerly for that... payoff."

He felt the thigh flexing under his fingers, felt it stoke the fire building within him. Pulling him in deeper, but he was not certain this was his sign to stop, or to press further. He chuckled, looking for clues as he breathed in his scent, let go of his thigh only to guide Robin's hand to his own, close enough to feel his rising interest in the events.

"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.

"Oh but I don't have to say it, do I?" He smirks like a snarl, circling around each other like they are readying an attack. Orion's tentacles stretch all over his house and he knows it will need to be handled sometime, but not today, not now. He knows he has support, he knows he has the loyalty of the crown, of his people, perhaps it is why he hesitates to take any action. Perhaps he is too sentimental to break apart his father's house. "Everyone but you seems to know it well... it is you, brother, and only you who needs a reminder."

The provocation wen't unanswered, it was not true, even if he did live a life of luxury and many, many carnal pleasures at the castle, with the king himself at times. He would never let Orion dream of that, however, even if perhaps that might dissuade him of attempting any more serious rebellion against his brother.

only when the noble let out a choke, did aurelius release his hold, chuckling at his master of coin. “wine, coin, and lovers,” aurelius drawled. “what is mine is what is yours, ulysses.” after all, ulysses hadn’t let a single coin of his gone to waste since his appointment as chamberlain. what him and lord blacktyde shared, was also a singular greed, one that reared its head quite soon. 

aurelius’s eyes flickered with a new interest as both lips and hands lavished his cock in attention. but soon, all thought utterly abandoned him with the introduction of ulysses’s lips, kissing his own in a manner that spoke of desire, that burned of want. aurelius’s hands moved to cup the back of the head, pulling the man closer. the kiss deepened, overtook whatever ministrations of the noble. he tasted salt on the other’s mouth with wild delight. 

then aurelius pushed the other back, not as a form of rejection, but as an invitation to approach for more. “you are dismissed,” he told the noble, watched him scamper off. right as the door closed behind him, aurelius grinned at ulysses before he laid backwards, slumping over his royal bed, luxuriant with all forms of silken sheets.

it was only sweetened when, once pulled back the king dismissed the noble, sating the greed growing across his stomach and chest and making himself purely ulysses' for the night. his cock hard and standing at full attention between them as the king laid down was proof enough of how excited this made him.

he wished there was a painter who could be trusted with this sight, so that he may gaze upon it after they were done. the king displayed, naked and ready to be spoiled by him. ulysses grinned, approaching the bed slowly, hand moving towards the kings legs, prying them open just a tad so that he could bend down to kiss his calf, let his tongue guide him up, feeling strong muscles as he tasted the delicious salt in his skin.

"have i disappointed you before?" he asked, one hand finding the hard cock that was now neglected, while his lips took their time making their way up, delaying themselves in his thigh, kisses and bites pressed on the skin the closer he got to his crotch. the king's smell filling his nose and making him all the more ready to give him all the pleasure they had learned to give each other over the years. "you just lay there for now, and i'll take good care of you. as i always have."

Instead, his lips quirked into... something. He rarely smiled in public. His posture remained as poised as ever, but there was the barest shift—just enough to lean ever so slightly into the warmth at his side. His hand resting on the table traced an idle circle along the rim, as though entirely at ease, as though he hadn’t noticed a thing. But Ulysses would know better.

He hummed low, indulgent, just for him. His gaze flicked toward the gathered nobles (who were carrying on the conversation without them for the moment) then back, his dark eyes glinting with quiet amusement. He'd have to trust Ulysses to set the stage well. He was rather good at that.

Robin let the moment linger, let the weight of it settle between them, before tilting his head just enough to brush his words close to Ulysses' ear. "Go on then," he mused, the barest whisper of a smile on his lips. "Make it enticing."

His hand rose higher, as if he couldn't help himself. A chuckle, felt more than heard against Robin's neck, a clearing of his throat as he looked towards the nobles around them as if remembering their presence and taking a drink slowly. They made no move to include them back in conversation but he saw careful eyes on them, which only pleased him more.

"I think they have moved on without us, my dear lord," He whispered loud enough to be heard this time, "I hope you'll forgive me for robbing your attention and company." A careful squeeze of the muscles on his thigh, unnecessary at this point but well... "It seems I cannot help myself."

His gaze remained intimately locked, as were their bodies blatantly, suggesting that the exchange between the two men was far from casual. Thank the gods they were tucked away from the main sea of eyes. Only those who purposely sought them out would track the duo interlocked in their corner.

"If I didn't think highly of you, I wouldn't be fighting off the urge to tear every piece of fabric off of your being right now." He remarks bluntly. Although he had to also share his viewpoints in Lord Blacktyde's widower status. Amare sighed, letting his breath roll against the other's lips and jaw.

"Time does alleviate loss; the time requires varies from soul to soul. Trust me. I can understand mourning lost love." Amare's loss had not been a victim of mortality, but manipulations of the court. Yet over the years, he had learned to press on, letting go of what would have been to focus on what was.

"We deserve to enjoy our lives, yes. You also deserve to be properly cared for, Ulysses. When your heart is ready to open and accept that." Their lips and noses grazed. The heat between them spiked and Amare was thankful of the robes draped over him to hide his own steadily swelling cock, though the Master of Coin could certain feel tge throbbing pushed against his upper thigh.

There was an opportunity to truly light the ball ablaze in throwing away all caution in favor of finally giving in right then and there, but restraint was something the Prince-Lord of Meropa had taken years to master.

"This is not the time or place to truly begin enjoying each other."

"Perhaps then you should think less of me." He whispered, their breaths mingling, the heat of his body making it difficult to deny what was already clear to both of them. As well as to certain members of the court.

The mention of loss was whirlpool straight out of Blacktyde, it threatened to drag him under, to swallow and leave him under the sea, just as it almost had back then. He did not want to speak of that. Not now, maybe not ever, much better to think of Amare's body, his heat, his perfume, the way their beards rubbed against each other most entincingly, a promise of what it would feel like...

He felt the hardness against his leg, let it rub across his own. Lips grazing, testing, tempting. He wanted to mark Amare, so that it'd be known he was, in a way, spoken for. He would not mention the suitors he'd been responsible for scaring away, no need for that if they were stupid enough to give up so easily.

Even with those words, he pressed him further against the wall, against himself. Lips brushing together once more. "If you say so, my prince." He said slowly, and then even slower released his hold on the other's body. Though there was still little space between them, Amare was freer than ever to slip away, to make themselves presentable again if he so wished.

“Forgiveness?” he echoed, his tone as smooth and giving away just a little of his genuine curiosity. “You wound me, Ulysses. Surely you know by now I treasure your company too much to grow tired of it.” A pause, just long enough for those watching to wonder. Then, with the smallest tilt of his head, he turned briefly to the noblemen still in their periphery, "And have you all seen this smile? The stuff of dreams."

His grin is towards the nobles, but his eyes are stuck on his fellow medesi. He lets conversation carry on, calculated glance telling Robin there was more to it than a simple exchange of praise, valid as it might be.

As the nobles distract themselves he leans closer enough to whisper, "I am trying to sweeten a deal with one of our dear friends," He said, hand slowly but surely moving towards him, with familiarity that he wasn't completely sure was there. "I believe you, my friend, are the key for it. I am merely trying to make it all more... enticing."

His hand closed around his friend's thigh, subtle enough to be ignored, bold enough to be noticed by the right eyes.

"If you wish for me to cease move your leg, I shall find an excuse." He added as he pretended to look behind their back before meeting his eyes again. "Though in any event, we can slip away in a moment; if you do not wish to bask on the extra attention I've brought you." His wolfish smile had been described as charming, though if it would work on Robin remained to be seen.

"if that is what you seek, lord blacktyde," with only the gentlest and amusing tone of admonishment, "then I pray for the noble you find to be reading the same charts. to think you're riding one tide, only to be left in the wake?" argentus shook his head, grinning. "there are crueler fates, but those often involve steel." he gestured towards the ball. "shall we get to the dance? I'd hate to keep you from your hunt."

"i hope..." he ponders on his words, hand on a strong arm, "that such a fate has not befallen you, though you are yet young and full of good options."

he laughed in response, easy and large as he held the prince's arm, pulling it into his own and making himself smaller to better lead him, or be led, as it were. "there is no hunt, sweet prince. people who want you find you, and you dance or you don't with them, but i've found there is hardly the need or even desire for a hunt," he winks at him, leaning down to whisper on his ear as they walk towards the ball "at least not unless the 'prey' is especially... sweet." it would be rather unwise, to let himself linger on thoughts of the prince. yet the talking and the dancing, and the teasing. ulysses would not mind more of such honesty, of the fresh pleasure of seeing a new side to someone.

"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.

"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.

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..."

"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.

it appeared the two agreed on some topics, which was pleasant enough. "I have ears, and I'm no cabin boy hiding behind my father's coat. not any longer, at least." he'd respect the length of time the lord blacktyde would've known him. "I think it's important to know what important men of my realm are looking for. my position is well connected. and if it be in my power, or influence, to aid in making new connections? then that's all the better, for all of us."

not removing himself from the board, but reiterating that the table was full of other pieces. should the good lord blacktyde begin seeking in earnest.

"no, i can see that you are clearly not a young innocent thing anymore, my prince, and if you wish then we can speak frankly. even of such matters." his glance is mirthful, and knowing as it bores into the prince. not as someone looks at a young man rising into his station, but one of respect for the man the prince has and is becoming. he finds it rather important to not treat like overgrown children people who might... should anything happen in this case, rule the land.

aurelius  moaned  low  around  the  aged  sweetness  of  the  vintage  ulysses  had  procured  for  them  both.  the  wine  and  the  pleasure  together  …  it  was  quite  the  experience,  quite  the  luxury.  his  hand  returned  the  caresses  and  touches  to  lord  blacktyde’s  shoulder,  all  as  his  head  lulled  back  in  a  moment  of  bliss.  the  mouth,  the  wine,  the  warmth  of  ulysses’s  skin  …  “you  spoil  me,”  he  chuckled  out  loud,  before  the  words  lilted  into  a  groan  as  ulysses  guided  the  other’s  mouth  to  take  more  of  him. 

then  he  felt  ulysses  himself  draw  closer,  suckling  him  onto  the  neck  that  he  bore  openly  for  his  chamberlain.  forehead  met  forehead,  eyes  met  eyes,  ulysses’  irises  as  enticing  and  deep  as  the  waters  before  blacktyde  tide.  “i  owe  you  much  thanks.  thanks  to  you,  and  my  lord  commander,  medesi’s  wealth  rises.”  a  low,  warm  chuckle.  then  an  arch  of  his  brow,  summoned  by  the  light  brush  to  his  shapely  ass  and  slick  cock. 

“are  you  not  satisfied  with  our  guest?”  aurelius  asked,  smoothing  a  hand  down  the  curls  of  the  noble  before  guiding  his  head  forth,  feeding  him  more  of  ulysses’  length.  he  smirked  when  he  heard  a  choked  sound.  “we  could  share  him.  it’s  been  a  while  since  we  did  that,  hm,  my  dear  friend?”

his forehead creased, eyes closed breaking contact with the king's if only for a second as he let out a low growl. fucking into their guest's mouth, but thinking only of the king. "i should enjoy it, dearly, as i've enjoyed all we've shared." he grinned, opening his eyes again as the lord chocked on his cock. this was fine, and fun, and a common activity for them. surely a treat to see the king take someone apart with his help, to share of the same pleasure, sometimes the same hole as his king. two powerful men, doing some of what they did best.

"And you," he countered smoothly, jutting his chin toward the goblet in Ulysses' hand, "how much of that is actually meant for drinking, and how much for decoration?" His lips quirked into a wry smile. He let the moment settle between them, the unspoken camaraderie of men who knew each other too well. Then, with a graceful shift of his posture, Robin returned his attention to the gathering, including Ulysses as effortlessly as the turn of a card. "Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to a man who could charm a coin from your purse before you’d even noticed it was missing.- and would have it better invested than you could imagine before the next dawn"

He chuckled, a real one for a change and raised his glass before taking a long sip of it. "That's a secret I may never reveal, apologies." It was easy to fall into a routine, into a push and pull with someone who knew him well. And it was refreshing to be among his own, among someone he could let his guard down even if a little.

"You flatter me so, my friend. I'm afraid you make me sound more powerful and interesting than I am," He nodded at the noblemen gathered, "but that is your way, I am sure your new friends can attest already to your charm, and generosity. Never rewarded enough." He took a spot next to him, hand lingering on his shoulder.