Ilsandra glowered at Azier from across the table as she took in a long drawl of blood from a sea serpent. A pity really, for some gorgeous sea creature to be gobbled by an actual goblin of a woman.
"Your face is going to get stuck like that if you keep it that way, princess." Azier tossed out after he had his own share of blood from the same creature draped around the table.
They hadn't even cut the long thing - just tore the scales off in multiple places for their fangs to pierce through, each one of them taking a drawl of delicious plasma at a time so that they could all fill their bellies equally. The shimmering blues of the long serpent were beautiful, and suddenly he realized where Ilsandra got the dyes for her clothing, because he noted how much the colors matched.
"I will look at you however I'd like, thank you." She replied curtly.
"I don't think he is the one you should be upset at, Ilsandra - but I also want to say this as respectfully as possible; you are not my mother and you are not my caretaker. I am old enough to make my own choices, and I choose to belong to Azier. You should understand why, too." Azrianna spoke up after dabbing her mouth with a red napkin.
"I don't need a lecture at the dinner table. I get it - you're foolish and are putting your faith into someone who is known to take nothing seriously or sacred," the red head retorted with anger.
"Then stop staring at him like that - and get the chip off of your shoulder," Amyra butted in and gave the captain her own stare down.
"Are you all really in his charms already? This is ridiculous! Am I the only one here with a functional brain!?"
Zephyra stared towards Ilsandra with a graceful, soft and deadly look of warning.
"I'm sorry, Zephyra..."
"I will acknowledge your apology," the cold warrior replied, and then leaned in to take another long drawl of blood for herself.
"May I ask exactly what it is I did to you personally that has you treating me so poorly? You're being far too critical towards me. We've never met, so I think I deserve some kind of explaination, or at least a fucking hint here," Azier sighed and leaned back into the chair that was giving his back some well needed support.
"I owe you nothing, Alhazier." Ilsandra scowled and looked away from him with distaste in her eyes.
"I will make a note of that, Sandra." He served back a name she apparently didn't like since she was going to continue to use the one he hated.
Zephyra cleared her throat and spoke in a very intimidating, low tone. "I would suggest that you both stop speaking to one another right now. It is making dinner unpleasant."
"I agree. This is just ridiculous. Can we have a meal in peace?" Evyra asked with distaste and hadn't even touched her portion of the meal because the whole atmosphere had ruined her appetite.
"Fine by me. I'll finish my portion and go, then. It makes me physically sick to have to smell him." The stubborn Captain agreed coldly and took one more long drawl of blood. She wiped her face, stood and stuck one middle finger up to Azier that she kept erected and directed towards him as he walked out.
"Hey, that's not fair - I can't do that!" The Prince shouted at her indignantly.
She slammed the door to the dining room in response and ignored him.
There was an awkward silence after the loud crack rang out briefly.
"I'm sorry about that, ladies. I should have had a better hold on myself," he apologized graciously and offered a bow. However, his true intentions were just to make Ilsandra look even worse as he took the high road....okay and maybe to make Azrianna feel a little better, as she had stilled once that violent exit finished.
"Don't apologize on her behalf, please. You did nothing wrong." Zephyra responded candidly. "Her anger is misplaced."
"Yeah, any chance one of you can tell me about that?"
There was a collection of 'no's' around the table as well as solemn looks and shaky heads.
"Azier...." Evyra started awkwardly. "I think it best if you ask who we are instead of why we are here. We're closer to you than you know. I was the first bride to your brother, Julian before Azrael had him tied to a stake and left him for sunrise."
Sera wasn't slow in adding in, "-me, too. I was newly married to him when Azrael forced both of us to watch him die." She let out a shattered breath and looked towards the ground in pain.
"....Oh...." the prince let out as it all dawned on him - they must have all been previous brides of his deceased brothers.
He wasn't sure what to say next as he ran his eyes around the room to each of their faces to look for any sign of anger or resentment - but all that was there were empty expressions of loss and loneliness.
"I was Aetir's wife. He was a good man, and treated me well. Although I cannot say we were in love, we respected one another very much," Zephyra stated softly and then closed her eyes as though to ruminate on memories.
"I am sure you can guess who my husband had been..." Amyra started slowly and looked at Azier's two red eyes with her orange ones whose hues were destroyed by the blue glasses that covered them.
"Tobias, of course...that's why you sounded so terrible when you told me. I'm so sorry, Amyra." Azier offered to her earnestly and with two kind eyes full of remorse and pity.
"I was betrothed to Xander," Azrianna nearly whispered out with sadness. "He was fond of you, and often wrote wonderful words of praise about you when we corresponded through raven. We were not able to meet in person, sadly. I hope that does not ruin our union..."
"Not at all, my beautiful rose," Azier ressured her with a nod since he could not put his hand on hers.
"By my own determination, Ilsandra must have been married to Dagon. Hah, that makes sense. I imagine they were happy together," Azier tried to see if he had guessed right based on the expressions on their faces, but no one seemed to confirm or deny anything.
"You will have to ask her for her story, Azier." Zephyra directed gently.
"I don't think I'll be asking her any time soon, but thank you for the advice, Zephyra." He said genuinely towards her and once more nodded, as he had nothing else to gesture with (and it sucked).
"Whose turn is it to do dishes, then?" Evyra asked suddenly in hopes to steer the conversation elsewhere.
"It's mine," Amyra replied sullenly.
"Oh good," the curly haired amazon said with relief. "I thought it was my turn."
"Your turn is tomorrow, Evy. You're free after dinner." Zephyra noted out towards her, the second in command ever ready to guide her 'sisters' appropriately.
"Azier, would you accompany me to my room after dinner? I want to talk you about something," Azrianna asked and looked into his gaze with an expression that read 'it's important'.
"Of course, my sweet. I am yours to command," he replied suavely and leaned over to peck her temple.
To say the faces of the other women were twinged with jealousy and desire would be an understatement. His brothers must have been so soft towards them that it left them yearning for his company. He couldn't blame them, and he also wanted to be available to them as well - so instead of ignoring their silent pleas he merely offered the same to the others as tenderly as possible.
"I am at your service as well, ladies. I have limited limbs, but I think you'll find that I can offer other things - like an ear or a semi-shoulder."
Azrianna seemed to blush a little at his words, but she must have understood well enough that no male vampire could ever be tied to just one woman, because she said nothing and instead nodded at his words in agreement.
"My sisters, I assure you he does have many talents to offer. Should you need him, please do wait until I have had my talk with him."
Zephyra gave a long, sagely nod and seemed to relax for the first time this evening as she spoke, "of course dear Azrianna. We respect your wish."
With Ilsandra gone, and the atmosphere restored, their dinner became far more succulent and delicious than it had - and the chatter turned to sharing jokes and childhood stories rather than arguing about whose fault was what.
To Azier, the saddest part about the whole moment though was that he hadn't cared that Ilsandra departed, and so her walk-out and entire huffiness had been for nothing other than showing her ill temper.
She seemed like the one who enjoyed be chased and swooned over, but Azier wasn't one who gave run after girls who fled from him. No, he hated a chase. It was boring. It wasn't a challenge, more like an insult to his company, and it wasn't his style.
No, no, no. Azier liked to hunt his prey - and the only thing he ever went after were those who were looking for him in the first place. Otherwise, there was no point in trying to catch something that didn't want to be yours anyway. It was worthless when he had other women whose hearts were waiting to be pierced with the arrows of love.