icecoldbitchbird

[icecoldbitchbird]

“You did,” Andrealphus agreed with a sharpness to his words, that intense look in his eyes that lingered when he was about to dismantle someone’s argument within the council meetings. The peacock had heard the ‘intelligent’ part, it simply grew insignificant when mentioned alongside his beauty. “You suggested that his majesty was swayed to listen more amiably to my words not entirely on account of their merit but partially my physical appearance — but I am pleased to see that you merely misspoke. An intentional suggestion that Satan’s judgement is based on his wandering eye and not sharp intellect would be unforgivable.” Andrealphus framed his complaint as a defence of Satan, but in reality? he was pissed off because his intelligence was being downplayed by attributing even a slither of his success to his pretty face. Well, and there was something unidentifiable and anger inside his chest due to the nature of Sitri suggesting that the king might be attracted to him.

The peacocks slender arms tightened across his chest as he stared off defensively towards the other prince, whose growing annoyance was palpable. “I do not believe that you are an adversary, Sitri,” the words were simple but as sincere as Andrealphus could muster. Look, he did not trust easily, but Sitri was easy to talk to.

Andrealphus just blinked cluelessly as his fellow prince seemed to bristle at something he had said, rising from his seat and bidding him a brisk farewell. “Thank you for giving me the pleasure of your company. I look forward to seeing you at the council,” the words slipped from his beak almost as though on autopilot despite the clear confusion in his turquoise eyes. What had he said that had caused such offence? The bird attempted to think back through all of his comments in order to try and determine what the tigger had been. It was useful to know — Sitri had seemed infallible and yet, something had clearly ruffled his feathers. Interesting~ It was a shame he had no fucking clue what he’d said.

Andrealphus gazed across to the woman that Sitri had snapped at earlier, as their eyes met he sent of his perfectly practiced yet insincere smiles, “Please forgive my friend,” he noted, as he stood up from his seat, brushing a stray speck of dust from his pristine robe, “…enjoy your date.” With that, the peacock swept gracefully from the room.

Andrealphus simply reached across the table to sip his ice-cold tea in order to try and stop the rant that was brewing inside his chest. The prince, with his carefree and rebellious attitude, was entirely missing the point. The concern wasn’t about any single person. It was about the way that rumours would infiltrate their entire community. — scandalised whispers in the courtroom, giggling gossip shared at parties, prying eyes following him in public. “No one, I suppose,” he muttered out the words dismissively, keeping his thoughts to himself.

The mask of ice-cold indifference morphed into something mildly offended as the prince suggested he was needing to be treated gentle, like some fawn that might be spooked by too loud a noise. “I assure you, I’m a little harder to scare than that.” The words were accompanied with a subtle roll of his eyes.

Andrealphus’ shot a narrow-eyed glare towards the prince as he seemed to insinuate that Satan had taken a specific interest in him — why was he making it sound romantic? that was so beyond preposterous. A scoff escaped his beak as he folded his arms tight across his chest, clearly defensive. “That’s fucking ridiculous,” he hissed out before letting a bitter laugh slip from his beak, “I mean, really? are you even listening to yourself? his infernal majesty did not side with my in the courtroom because he thinks I’m beautiful…and frankly, it’s rather bold to even spout such nonsense. I’m not sure Satan would appreciate someone calling into question his judgement.”

“Marriage?” the disgust was palpable in his repetition of the word, “No. no…Lucifer, no. I’m rather too busy for that.” Too busy and completely disinterested in shacking up with some random woman. “…also, you don’t need to keep telling me how handsome I am. Firstly, I’m aware, and secondly, people might get the wrong idea.”

[icecoldbitchbird]

Andrealphus simply reached across the table to sip his ice-cold tea in order to try and stop the rant that was brewing inside his chest. The prince, with his carefree and rebellious attitude, was entirely missing the point. The concern wasn’t about any single person. It was about the way that rumours would infiltrate their entire community. — scandalised whispers in the courtroom, giggling gossip shared at parties, prying eyes following him in public. “No one, I suppose,” he muttered out the words dismissively, keeping his thoughts to himself.

The mask of ice-cold indifference morphed into something mildly offended as the prince suggested he was needing to be treated gentle, like some fawn that might be spooked by too loud a noise. “I assure you, I’m a little harder to scare than that.” The words were accompanied with a subtle roll of his eyes.

Andrealphus’ shot a narrow-eyed glare towards the prince as he seemed to insinuate that Satan had taken a specific interest in him — why was he making it sound romantic? that was so beyond preposterous. A scoff escaped his beak as he folded his arms tight across his chest, clearly defensive. “That’s fucking ridiculous,” he hissed out before letting a bitter laugh slip from his beak, “I mean, really? are you even listening to yourself? his infernal majesty did not side with my in the courtroom because he thinks I’m beautiful…and frankly, it’s rather bold to even spout such nonsense. I’m not sure Satan would appreciate someone calling into question his judgement.”

“Marriage?” the disgust was palpable in his repetition of the word, “No. no…Lucifer, no. I’m rather too busy for that.” Too busy and completely disinterested in shacking up with some random woman. “…also, you don’t need to keep telling me how handsome I am. Firstly, I’m aware, and secondly, people might get the wrong idea.”

That was the brutal truth — Andrealphus did not have a single friend. The closest thing to a friend that the icy peacock could claim to have was his darling sister. In their sinister plotting, trivial gossiping and vain pampering there was comfort. Stella was, perhaps, the only soul that was ever allowed to see him in an unrestrained and authentic manner. They knew each others flaws, and they knew their shared trauma, yet through their blood-bond they knew they would always be loyal to each other. It was his duty but, more than that, and it was his lifeline. If Andrealphus didn’t have Stella then he would have no one. A life spent in a constant lie.

There was a hostile narrowing of Andrealphus’ turquoise eyes as Sitri began to laugh. There wasn’t anything intentionally funny in what he’d said, so why was the cat laughing so much? For a moment the peacock trailed his mind backward over everything he had said in order to try and find a misstep, but there was nothing. Luckily, Sitri soon enlightened him as to where the joke lay. The tea? Really? Andrealphus rolled his eyes, “That is different. I hardly want to burn my tongue,” As difficult as it might be to grasp, he was very sensitive to heat — his body, including his tongue, ran cold.

At the boisterous laughing and disapproving looks, Andrealphus looked as though he wished he were able to turn invisible. An icy blush crept up his neck and dusted across his cheeks, a hand coming to rest atop his temples — partly to try and soothe his oncoming headache and partly to shield his face. As though the outrageous individual flair of his outfit wouldn’t make it obvious it was him from a mile off. “…there’s really no need to cause a spectacle…” the words slipped from his lips accompanied with a soft huff.

[icecoldbitchbird]

It was true that Andrealphus loved attention more than your average bird — however, he only liked attention when it was levelled upon him for a positive reason. Awe-filled gazes that lingered on his exquisitely dressed form? An appreciative stare as he made a flawlessly articulated argument during a debate? Those things were all more than welcome, even if Andrealphus attempted to pretend that he didn’t practically glow at the positive attention. What he didn’t appreciate was being given attention for anything that would get his name thrown around when people were busily gossiping.

The ice-cold peacock clenched his fists into tight balls where they lay in his lap, a sharp look of displeasure set deep onto his features. How could the feline prince so expertly miss the point? Of course no one in their right mind would approach him in public, but to slander him behind his back? that was a different story. “Yes, well, that might be the case, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t unbecoming of a man of your status to be so…” he paused for a moment to find the right word, “…unrestrained,” he huffed out the word as he dared glance momentarily towards the woman he’d successfully silenced before gazing back to Sitri. The cat had moved somewhat closer, voice low in an almost conspiratorial way.

Andrealphus arched an eyebrow delicately upwards as he leant forward slightly to match the cat. “Is that so?~” he hummed out quietly. Believe it or not, he wasn’t arrogant enough to think that anyone thought him truly on the same status as the other princes yet — he wasn’t born into power, and therefore, unfortunately, he’d need to prove his worth. It must be nice to have not a single concern about what others thought about you…to know that they had no power over you. “I have no team, Sitri. You make it sound as though Satan has some sort of vested interest in me. I can assure you he doesn’t…he merely heard the logic in my words. Delivered justice as is befitting of his position,” the words were simple, precise and unfaltering.

That was the brutal truth — Andrealphus did not have a single friend. The closest thing to a friend that the icy peacock could claim to have was his darling sister. In their sinister plotting, trivial gossiping and vain pampering there was comfort. Stella was, perhaps, the only soul that was ever allowed to see him in an unrestrained and authentic manner. They knew each others flaws, and they knew their shared trauma, yet through their blood-bond they knew they would always be loyal to each other. It was his duty but, more than that, and it was his lifeline. If Andrealphus didn’t have Stella then he would have no one. A life spent in a constant lie.

There was a hostile narrowing of Andrealphus’ turquoise eyes as Sitri began to laugh. There wasn’t anything intentionally funny in what he’d said, so why was the cat laughing so much? For a moment the peacock trailed his mind backward over everything he had said in order to try and find a misstep, but there was nothing. Luckily, Sitri soon enlightened him as to where the joke lay. The tea? Really? Andrealphus rolled his eyes, “That is different. I hardly want to burn my tongue,” As difficult as it might be to grasp, he was very sensitive to heat — his body, including his tongue, ran cold.

At the boisterous laughing and disapproving looks, Andrealphus looked as though he wished he were able to turn invisible. An icy blush crept up his neck and dusted across his cheeks, a hand coming to rest atop his temples — partly to try and soothe his oncoming headache and partly to shield his face. As though the outrageous individual flair of his outfit wouldn’t make it obvious it was him from a mile off. “…there’s really no need to cause a spectacle…” the words slipped from his lips accompanied with a soft huff.

[icecoldbitchbird]

That was the brutal truth — Andrealphus did not have a single friend. The closest thing to a friend that the icy peacock could claim to have was his darling sister. In their sinister plotting, trivial gossiping and vain pampering there was comfort. Stella was, perhaps, the only soul that was ever allowed to see him in an unrestrained and authentic manner. They knew each others flaws, and they knew their shared trauma, yet through their blood-bond they knew they would always be loyal to each other. It was his duty but, more than that, and it was his lifeline. If Andrealphus didn’t have Stella then he would have no one. A life spent in a constant lie.

There was a hostile narrowing of Andrealphus’ turquoise eyes as Sitri began to laugh. There wasn’t anything intentionally funny in what he’d said, so why was the cat laughing so much? For a moment the peacock trailed his mind backward over everything he had said in order to try and find a misstep, but there was nothing. Luckily, Sitri soon enlightened him as to where the joke lay. The tea? Really? Andrealphus rolled his eyes, “That is different. I hardly want to burn my tongue,” As difficult as it might be to grasp, he was very sensitive to heat — his body, including his tongue, ran cold.

At the boisterous laughing and disapproving looks, Andrealphus looked as though he wished he were able to turn invisible. An icy blush crept up his neck and dusted across his cheeks, a hand coming to rest atop his temples — partly to try and soothe his oncoming headache and partly to shield his face. As though the outrageous individual flair of his outfit wouldn’t make it obvious it was him from a mile off. “…there’s really no need to cause a spectacle…” the words slipped from his lips accompanied with a soft huff.

Andrealphus sat there with his features schooled into a perfect facade of icy indifference and posture poised and perfect — he was the picture of refinement yet, as the other prince had so correctly stated, there was not an ounce of relaxed ease in his movements. Relaxation was done in the privacy of his own home where a slip of the tongue would not ruin his reputation or cause a stir. It was rather bizarre really, the closest to his authentic, relaxed, self was when he was mid-debate at a council meeting: the sharp look in his eyes and firmness of his voice, the way he could recount facts and figures with ease to back up his argument. There was no greater thrill. “I do not relax in the public eye - so, I suppose, people would be forgiven for thinking me incapable of the act,” he noted simply in response to Sitri’s words — having already lost his cool with the man and accidentally snapped, he felt that a little truth-telling would not go amiss. What did it matter anyway? “…my mother always thought it unbecoming of our station to let loose, especially under the watchful eyes of potential adversaries and allies. Self-control is imperative to avoid social mishaps. A thoughtless comment. An unattractive look. A boisterous laugh. To relax too much is to invite in those things. I…well, I suppose I have taken her words to heart.”

The feline prince was staring at him blankly — was it something that he’d said? Andrealphus ran through his previous comments within his own mind as he searched for anything untoward in what he’d said. There was nothing. Arching an eyebrow delicately, the peacock cleared his throat as though attempting to pull Sitri from whatever mental rabbit hole he’d fallen down. “Ice cubes?” he repeated in utter surprise as the prince finally shared his thoughts. Truly, Andrealphus could never predict what that man was going to say. “No. Do you take baths in boiling water?” he rolled his turquoise eyes a little in accompaniment of his words, “I do not like the water too hot but ice cubes is certainly an exaggeration…the warmth is what soothes the body, after all,”

[icecoldbitchbird]

@prince-sytry

A parcel arrives at the princes estate wrapped in pristine frosty-blue paper and shimmering ribbons. Atop the impeccably wrapped gift there is a little card that reads: ‘To: Prince Sitri. Merry Sinsmas~ From: Andrealphus’ The present contains a leopard print china teacup and a packet of fine rose tea.

[icecoldbitchbird]

“a gift…? for me?” he eyed the present suspiciously for a moment before slowly peeling back the paper. The look in his eyes brightened from something cold and analytical to what could only be described as genuine-looking appreciation. “Oh my. It seems you pay a lot of attention, Sitri.” It ticked so many boxes: a face mask with peppermint and an ice-theme. Andrealphus adored penguins. It would almost be unnerving how perfect the gift was, if he wasn’t so touched by it. “Merry Sinsmas, Sitri…and thank you for the kind gift. I will be sure to make good use of it~”

@icecoldbitchbird

Merry Sinsmas!!!

[icecoldbitchbird]

Andrealphus sat there with his features schooled into a perfect facade of icy indifference and posture poised and perfect — he was the picture of refinement yet, as the other prince had so correctly stated, there was not an ounce of relaxed ease in his movements. Relaxation was done in the privacy of his own home where a slip of the tongue would not ruin his reputation or cause a stir. It was rather bizarre really, the closest to his authentic, relaxed, self was when he was mid-debate at a council meeting: the sharp look in his eyes and firmness of his voice, the way he could recount facts and figures with ease to back up his argument. There was no greater thrill. “I do not relax in the public eye - so, I suppose, people would be forgiven for thinking me incapable of the act,” he noted simply in response to Sitri’s words — having already lost his cool with the man and accidentally snapped, he felt that a little truth-telling would not go amiss. What did it matter anyway? “…my mother always thought it unbecoming of our station to let loose, especially under the watchful eyes of potential adversaries and allies. Self-control is imperative to avoid social mishaps. A thoughtless comment. An unattractive look. A boisterous laugh. To relax too much is to invite in those things. I…well, I suppose I have taken her words to heart.”

The feline prince was staring at him blankly — was it something that he’d said? Andrealphus ran through his previous comments within his own mind as he searched for anything untoward in what he’d said. There was nothing. Arching an eyebrow delicately, the peacock cleared his throat as though attempting to pull Sitri from whatever mental rabbit hole he’d fallen down. “Ice cubes?” he repeated in utter surprise as the prince finally shared his thoughts. Truly, Andrealphus could never predict what that man was going to say. “No. Do you take baths in boiling water?” he rolled his turquoise eyes a little in accompaniment of his words, “I do not like the water too hot but ice cubes is certainly an exaggeration…the warmth is what soothes the body, after all,”

The ice prince was almost impressed at how swiftly Sitri expertly deflected his, entirely logical, criticism into those that so routinely found themselves offended by his words. “Ah, I see,” the words slipped from his lips with ease, “…the solution is to merely embrace honesty.” Andrealphus found honesty and truthfulness to be tools that he so rarely needed to utilise in his day-to-day life. People so rarely wanted to hear the truth. A pretty lie, especially one that was convenient, was far more appealing, so why bother forcing honesty? Hm, well, he supposed it was the feline’s job.

Andrealphus internally delighted as finally, for the first time in their little meeting, that smug grin was replaced by a frown. It was just ridiculous that, after all of his perfectly constructed insults, the thing that’d conjured the look was him dismissing the Prince’s silly ‘scream into the void’ suggestion. The man truly was an enigma.

“I can’t say I have,” came his composed response, “but do enlighten me.”

Oh. Wow. The sceptical, and downright judgemental, look on the peacock’s sharp features morphed into something almost wistful. The picture that Sitri had painted was an attractive one. Andrealphus had spent his entire life suppressing both his emotions and his powers. He had practiced an unshakable level of control that was to be the standard expected of him by his family. There was a silent yearning inside him for that kind of unrestrained freedom. The peacock folded his arms loosely across his chest, feigning an indifference as he brought his shoulders into a shrug. “I suppose that doesn’t sound entirely ridiculous,” he conceded.

[icecoldbitchbird]

The delighted purr in the feline’s voice as he spoke of the chaotic, disaster-prone, nature of truthfulness certainly didn’t foster any sense of trust within Andrealphus — it seemed to him that the old cat was merely keen on toying with people and had set his sights upon him because of his aversion to telling the truth. They were opposites in nearly every way: the peacock revelled in routine and order and loved nothing more than a perfectly constructed lie. Sitri was a disastrous and truth-driven whirlwind of chaos. “Words are important, be they truth or lie,” he commented airily, “both have their merit when used in the right context.” Andrealphus, after all, wasn’t against telling the truth — so long as it benefitted him in some way.

The peacock was ready to roll his turquoise eyes and dismiss the Prince’s words when he found himself caught on one word that’d slipped from those grinning lips. ‘Handsome’ — the word was merely uttered as a ridiculous term of endearment. Friendly and familiar in a manner that was foreign to Andrealphus. He simply nodded his head ever-so-slightly and brought his teacup to his beak in order to take a long sip of the tea. “…perhaps I will,” he muttered with ease, not entirely dismissing what he had originally thought of as a ridiculous idea. However, the next comment earned a scowl from the ice prince. “I do relax, you know? I read books, take long baths, do face masks, take myself shopping,” he listened all of the various relaxing endeavours he undertook, counting them on his gloved fingers as he went. “You speak of me as though I am incapable of relaxation.”

The ice prince was almost impressed at how swiftly Sitri expertly deflected his, entirely logical, criticism into those that so routinely found themselves offended by his words. “Ah, I see,” the words slipped from his lips with ease, “…the solution is to merely embrace honesty.” Andrealphus found honesty and truthfulness to be tools that he so rarely needed to utilise in his day-to-day life. People so rarely wanted to hear the truth. A pretty lie, especially one that was convenient, was far more appealing, so why bother forcing honesty? Hm, well, he supposed it was the feline’s job.

Andrealphus internally delighted as finally, for the first time in their little meeting, that smug grin was replaced by a frown. It was just ridiculous that, after all of his perfectly constructed insults, the thing that’d conjured the look was him dismissing the Prince’s silly ‘scream into the void’ suggestion. The man truly was an enigma.

“I can’t say I have,” came his composed response, “but do enlighten me.”

Oh. Wow. The sceptical, and downright judgemental, look on the peacock’s sharp features morphed into something almost wistful. The picture that Sitri had painted was an attractive one. Andrealphus had spent his entire life suppressing both his emotions and his powers. He had practiced an unshakable level of control that was to be the standard expected of him by his family. There was a silent yearning inside him for that kind of unrestrained freedom. The peacock folded his arms loosely across his chest, feigning an indifference as he brought his shoulders into a shrug. “I suppose that doesn’t sound entirely ridiculous,” he conceded.

[icecoldbitchbird]

The ice prince was almost impressed at how swiftly Sitri expertly deflected his, entirely logical, criticism into those that so routinely found themselves offended by his words. “Ah, I see,” the words slipped from his lips with ease, “…the solution is to merely embrace honesty.” Andrealphus found honesty and truthfulness to be tools that he so rarely needed to utilise in his day-to-day life. People so rarely wanted to hear the truth. A pretty lie, especially one that was convenient, was far more appealing, so why bother forcing honesty? Hm, well, he supposed it was the feline’s job.

Andrealphus internally delighted as finally, for the first time in their little meeting, that smug grin was replaced by a frown. It was just ridiculous that, after all of his perfectly constructed insults, the thing that’d conjured the look was him dismissing the Prince’s silly ‘scream into the void’ suggestion. The man truly was an enigma.

“I can’t say I have,” came his composed response, “but do enlighten me.”

Oh. Wow. The sceptical, and downright judgemental, look on the peacock’s sharp features morphed into something almost wistful. The picture that Sitri had painted was an attractive one. Andrealphus had spent his entire life suppressing both his emotions and his powers. He had practiced an unshakable level of control that was to be the standard expected of him by his family. There was a silent yearning inside him for that kind of unrestrained freedom. The peacock folded his arms loosely across his chest, feigning an indifference as he brought his shoulders into a shrug. “I suppose that doesn’t sound entirely ridiculous,” he conceded.

Andrealphus could practically feel his tail feathers twitching behind him as he remained sat, stiff and still as a statue, as he attempted to quell the storm that was raging inside of him. As though noticing the frost for the first time, the turquoise glare disappeared into a startled, wide-eyed, look. The peacock pulled his fingers from the table as though he had been burnt — it was unbecoming of a royal to lose their cool so publicly. It was almost as though he could hear his mothers voice chastising him for being so pathetic and weak. She had always told him: the moment you lost your cool, you lost. Andrealphus rested his hands in his lap, clenching them into fists as he steeled himself.

“Come now, Sitri, you’re not an imbecile and neither am I,” he bit back icily, “so please, spare me, you know perfectly well where your insult lay,” The bold man had suggested that he was attracted to his brother-in-law, of all things! Not only was that scandalous on account of him being married to his fucking sister — it was preposterous because they were both men! and all of that was to not even mention the inclusion of that wretched imp in his accusations. Andrealphus did not find the act of Stolas laying with a lower class peasant enticing! It was wrong. An offence to their kind. Did he secretly wish that someone would give him the freaky, orgasmically mind-numbing, fucking that apparently that big-dicked imp had been giving Stolas? Fuck no. Of course not. That was ridiculous — and frankly, offensive.

“Apology accepted,” he huffed out dismissively with a wave of one of his hands, “perhaps, in future, it would be wise to keep your thoughts inside your head?” he offered the advice as though he were actually attempting to be helpful and not simply haughty. Andrealphus didn’t dignify his later words about Stolas with a response, instead choosing to take a mildly hostile looking sip of his peppermint tea.

The peacock folded his arms tightly across his chest as he levelled a blank look towards Sitri. “Letting off steam…?” he repeated the words as though they were foreign to him, “Tell me, Sitri, precisely how do you propose I do that?” In truth, he was no stranger to down-time. A pleasant night bitching and doing face masks with his sister or perhaps indulging in a movie night of shitty rom-coms wasn’t unheard of, but he was interested to see what the cat considered a good time.

[icecoldbitchbird]

Andrealphus detested that easy grin that seemed stretched permanently across the Prince’s lips. It was arrogant and so infuriatingly smug — like the cat who’d got the cream. He hoped that Sitri had enjoyed his little taste at control because, while utterly flustered by the sheer bold directness of the Prince’s words, he wouldn’t be so easily surprised a second time.

There was an impassive look decorating Andrealphus’ features as he moved to rest his chin on the palm of one of his gloved hands. Despite the look of poised detachment that rested on his face, there was an almost analytical look lingering in his bright, blue, eyes — he was assessing Sitri, attempting to unravel the puzzle of a man that’d so successfully managed to crack a facade that he’d spent endless years perfecting. “If I may be so bold, Sitri, if you find yourself being told to shut up so frequently…” he traced patterns idly in the thin layer of frost that’d rested atop the table, while maintaining eye contact with the cat, “…perhaps you may be the problem.” The answer was simple: just learn when to shut the fuck up.

The peacock struggled not to scowl at the list of suggestions that were offered to him. The beaches of Envy? He detested the heat and would sooner die than get sand in his feathers. Parties in Gluttony? They were boisterous affairs with too much cheap alcohol and far too many lower class riff-raff. Dinner at Ozzies? They had a strict ‘couples only’ policy. “I enjoy shopping,” he conceded after a moment, shrugging his slender shoulders loosely and brushing a speck of dust from the fur of his robe. A scowl then fixed itself firmly onto his features, his attention squarely on the bastard sat across from him. “Excuse me?” he arched one of his eyebrows in challenge, hating how the ‘beautiful silhouette’ comment made him feel a little flustered — better to repress that and focus on being offended. “Screaming into the void? That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard all day.”

Andrealphus could practically feel his tail feathers twitching behind him as he remained sat, stiff and still as a statue, as he attempted to quell the storm that was raging inside of him. As though noticing the frost for the first time, the turquoise glare disappeared into a startled, wide-eyed, look. The peacock pulled his fingers from the table as though he had been burnt — it was unbecoming of a royal to lose their cool so publicly. It was almost as though he could hear his mothers voice chastising him for being so pathetic and weak. She had always told him: the moment you lost your cool, you lost. Andrealphus rested his hands in his lap, clenching them into fists as he steeled himself.

“Come now, Sitri, you’re not an imbecile and neither am I,” he bit back icily, “so please, spare me, you know perfectly well where your insult lay,” The bold man had suggested that he was attracted to his brother-in-law, of all things! Not only was that scandalous on account of him being married to his fucking sister — it was preposterous because they were both men! and all of that was to not even mention the inclusion of that wretched imp in his accusations. Andrealphus did not find the act of Stolas laying with a lower class peasant enticing! It was wrong. An offence to their kind. Did he secretly wish that someone would give him the freaky, orgasmically mind-numbing, fucking that apparently that big-dicked imp had been giving Stolas? Fuck no. Of course not. That was ridiculous — and frankly, offensive.

“Apology accepted,” he huffed out dismissively with a wave of one of his hands, “perhaps, in future, it would be wise to keep your thoughts inside your head?” he offered the advice as though he were actually attempting to be helpful and not simply haughty. Andrealphus didn’t dignify his later words about Stolas with a response, instead choosing to take a mildly hostile looking sip of his peppermint tea.

The peacock folded his arms tightly across his chest as he levelled a blank look towards Sitri. “Letting off steam…?” he repeated the words as though they were foreign to him, “Tell me, Sitri, precisely how do you propose I do that?” In truth, he was no stranger to down-time. A pleasant night bitching and doing face masks with his sister or perhaps indulging in a movie night of shitty rom-coms wasn’t unheard of, but he was interested to see what the cat considered a good time.

[icecoldbitchbird]

Andrealphus could practically feel his tail feathers twitching behind him as he remained sat, stiff and still as a statue, as he attempted to quell the storm that was raging inside of him. As though noticing the frost for the first time, the turquoise glare disappeared into a startled, wide-eyed, look. The peacock pulled his fingers from the table as though he had been burnt — it was unbecoming of a royal to lose their cool so publicly. It was almost as though he could hear his mothers voice chastising him for being so pathetic and weak. She had always told him: the moment you lost your cool, you lost. Andrealphus rested his hands in his lap, clenching them into fists as he steeled himself.

“Come now, Sitri, you’re not an imbecile and neither am I,” he bit back icily, “so please, spare me, you know perfectly well where your insult lay,” The bold man had suggested that he was attracted to his brother-in-law, of all things! Not only was that scandalous on account of him being married to his fucking sister — it was preposterous because they were both men! and all of that was to not even mention the inclusion of that wretched imp in his accusations. Andrealphus did not find the act of Stolas laying with a lower class peasant enticing! It was wrong. An offence to their kind. Did he secretly wish that someone would give him the freaky, orgasmically mind-numbing, fucking that apparently that big-dicked imp had been giving Stolas? Fuck no. Of course not. That was ridiculous — and frankly, offensive.

“Apology accepted,” he huffed out dismissively with a wave of one of his hands, “perhaps, in future, it would be wise to keep your thoughts inside your head?” he offered the advice as though he were actually attempting to be helpful and not simply haughty. Andrealphus didn’t dignify his later words about Stolas with a response, instead choosing to take a mildly hostile looking sip of his peppermint tea.

The peacock folded his arms tightly across his chest as he levelled a blank look towards Sitri. “Letting off steam…?” he repeated the words as though they were foreign to him, “Tell me, Sitri, precisely how do you propose I do that?” In truth, he was no stranger to down-time. A pleasant night bitching and doing face masks with his sister or perhaps indulging in a movie night of shitty rom-coms wasn’t unheard of, but he was interested to see what the cat considered a good time.

The icy peacock eyed the other demon silently for a moment, quirking one of his eyebrows delicately upwards as he took in the brash honesty and lazy demeanour. Fine. If the kitten wished for a little honesty then he would truly be an ungracious guest for not indulging~ Andrealphus wasn’t against the idea…well, certainly now that he knew the Prince was of no real threat to him. “Tried?” he echoed the words with a haughty scoff, “I rather think I succeeded…that little twitch in your ears, the way your amusement faded from your face…you recovered quickly but, my dear, I fear you wear your heart a little too plainly on your sleeve.”

A fashion show? That was what the feline thought was more important than an emergency trial. Andrealphus attempted to dismiss the matter with a roll of his turquoise eyes, but admittedly, he was intrigued. He had always had a deep appreciation for fashion — keeping tabs on trends and spending far too much time and money in high-end boutiques. “Is that so?” he found himself humming out in mild interest, “…I suppose I trust your judgement on such matters, you do have an impeccable sense of style,” he admitted with ease as he gazed across at the ensemble that the Prince had dressed himself in for their meeting. Andrealphus could admit that he looked good —even if only to himself.

“Perhaps I did mention his misdeeds a touch too frequently…but, you see, in spite of what my reputation might have you believe, I am not made of ice. I hurt much like anyone else, and it’s a rather sore subject,” he stated with a sense of faux-melancholy dripping from his words, “I find it incredibly difficult, even with the best will in the world, to keep his wretched deeds from my mind. — one can hardly judge a man for resenting a great harm done to his darling sister~”

[icecoldbitchbird]

“I’m capable of a very many things,” Andrealphus shrugged his shoulders gracefully, painting a pristine smile onto his beak as he gazed over the top of his teacup, settling his eyes on Sitri. In truth, Sitri knew next to nothing about him. A little bluntness was the mere tip of the iceberg when it came to things about the ice prince that would shock and stun his fellow prince. The obnoxious yawn that the cat let out caused Andrealphus to physically roll his turquoise eyes. What an ungracious, arrogant, arse. The peacock had parted his beak to craft a scathing response when, suddenly, his throat closed up in horror as the Sitri insinuated that he thought Andrealphus was gay — and that his fascination with Stolas and that imp’s relationship had nothing to do with his sister.

Andrealphus gripped the edge of the table tightly with his gloved fingertips, a barely concealed anger simmering within his piercing stare. He barely noticed the shimmering frost that had began to creep across the table — lost within a mental storm of his own creation. Thoughts, panicked and outraged, swarmed his mind. Mingling with memories of gazing wistfully across ballroom halls at Stolas when they were younger, of nights spent hot and bothered at thoughts of his ridiculous lovers tryst that that imp. The peacock barely understood or acknowledged any of those feelings, so there was no fucking way some arrogant arse could know.

“I did not come here to be insulted,” the words were forced from his tightly clenched jaw, “…I am beginning to think that, perhaps, your invitation to meet was not delivered with the goodwill I had originally presumed.” That is to say, it seemed like the fucker had invited him to tea merely to insult him and make him as uncomfortable as possible. Andrealphus was no longer a lowly marquis, if he wished to storm out of this cafe and never entertain the thought of meeting with the wretched cat again? Well, nothing was stopping him. They were equals. “If you think for a moment that I will sit here obediently and tolerate blatant disrespect, then evidently you haven’t been paying attention, your majesty,” he echoed the cats earlier use of the title when apologising for his ridiculous yawn.

The icy peacock eyed the other demon silently for a moment, quirking one of his eyebrows delicately upwards as he took in the brash honesty and lazy demeanour. Fine. If the kitten wished for a little honesty then he would truly be an ungracious guest for not indulging~ Andrealphus wasn’t against the idea…well, certainly now that he knew the Prince was of no real threat to him. “Tried?” he echoed the words with a haughty scoff, “I rather think I succeeded…that little twitch in your ears, the way your amusement faded from your face…you recovered quickly but, my dear, I fear you wear your heart a little too plainly on your sleeve.”

A fashion show? That was what the feline thought was more important than an emergency trial. Andrealphus attempted to dismiss the matter with a roll of his turquoise eyes, but admittedly, he was intrigued. He had always had a deep appreciation for fashion — keeping tabs on trends and spending far too much time and money in high-end boutiques. “Is that so?” he found himself humming out in mild interest, “…I suppose I trust your judgement on such matters, you do have an impeccable sense of style,” he admitted with ease as he gazed across at the ensemble that the Prince had dressed himself in for their meeting. Andrealphus could admit that he looked good —even if only to himself.

“Perhaps I did mention his misdeeds a touch too frequently…but, you see, in spite of what my reputation might have you believe, I am not made of ice. I hurt much like anyone else, and it’s a rather sore subject,” he stated with a sense of faux-melancholy dripping from his words, “I find it incredibly difficult, even with the best will in the world, to keep his wretched deeds from my mind. — one can hardly judge a man for resenting a great harm done to his darling sister~”

[icecoldbitchbird]

The icy peacock eyed the other demon silently for a moment, quirking one of his eyebrows delicately upwards as he took in the brash honesty and lazy demeanour. Fine. If the kitten wished for a little honesty then he would truly be an ungracious guest for not indulging~ Andrealphus wasn’t against the idea…well, certainly now that he knew the Prince was of no real threat to him. “Tried?” he echoed the words with a haughty scoff, “I rather think I succeeded…that little twitch in your ears, the way your amusement faded from your face…you recovered quickly but, my dear, I fear you wear your heart a little too plainly on your sleeve.”

A fashion show? That was what the feline thought was more important than an emergency trial. Andrealphus attempted to dismiss the matter with a roll of his turquoise eyes, but admittedly, he was intrigued. He had always had a deep appreciation for fashion — keeping tabs on trends and spending far too much time and money in high-end boutiques. “Is that so?” he found himself humming out in mild interest, “…I suppose I trust your judgement on such matters, you do have an impeccable sense of style,” he admitted with ease as he gazed across at the ensemble that the Prince had dressed himself in for their meeting. Andrealphus could admit that he looked good —even if only to himself.

“Perhaps I did mention his misdeeds a touch too frequently…but, you see, in spite of what my reputation might have you believe, I am not made of ice. I hurt much like anyone else, and it’s a rather sore subject,” he stated with a sense of faux-melancholy dripping from his words, “I find it incredibly difficult, even with the best will in the world, to keep his wretched deeds from my mind. — one can hardly judge a man for resenting a great harm done to his darling sister~”

Andrealphus allowed his glowing gaze to trail up and down the feline form of the Prince — his eyes settled for a moment on the snowflakes that were sewn in fine embroidery across his sweater. Very seasonally appropriate~ The light pink of the knitted wool complimented the warm glow of the Prince’s eyes. Sitri had always been exceptionally handsome; whether it was his fine coat of fur, impeccable fashion sense or suave demeanour was anyone’s guess.

The ice-cold peacock seemed to puff out his chest subtly in pride as his outfit was complimented. It was an exceptionally well put-together outfit. Andrealphus had taken a generous amount of time preening before the mirror, applying his subtle yet alluring makeup and selecting the clothing and jewels to adorn himself with — it was always nice to have his hard work and natural beauty appreciated. “Very well, Sitri,” he hummed out lowly, testing the name on his tongue.

As a small serving imp scurried over, Andrealphus ordered himself a peppermint tea and fruit scones. Turning his fully attention back to Sitri, he marvelled at how relaxed the Prince looked all slouched and carefree. The peacock arched one of his eyebrows, a mask of surprise and utter innocence flickering onto his features, despite the pride in his chest at the compliment. He had done a marvellous job at outsmarting that horny owl~ “I fear you are mistaken, I did not bring a prince down to his knees, Sitri,” the peacock stated with an air of faux-concern in his voice, “rather, the prince brought himself down.”

In the motions of acting, as he so often was, Andrealphus shook his head side to side in a disappointed motion at the sheer memory of the trial. Making a low, tutting sound in the back of his beak. “I could hardly believe my ears when my sister’s wretch of a husband burst into the courtroom and announced his guilt to everyone present.” That was the truth. Andrealphus had been shocked, and absolutely delighted, by Stolas’ appearance. Fearful of Sitri’s powers, the ice prince was already attempting to grow accustomed to telling manipulative truths to suit his deception. It was a difficult skill, so he figured practicing right from the get-go would be wise~ Afer all, he had utterly no clue how the mans powers worked.

[icecoldbitchbird]

“Oh my, you had matters to attend to that were more important than a trial regarding theft of an artefact of unspeakably potent infernal magic? A theft that was carried out by a trigger-happy imp that’d been using it to traverse the mortal realm completely unsanctioned and without due disguise? A trial called by Satan himself? Attended by the entire Goetic court along with the deadly sins themselves?” the words slipped effortlessly from his lips as he leant forward slightly, weaving his gloved fingertips together and resting his chin atop them as he gazed expectantly over towards the Prince. “My, my. Sitri. I hadn’t realised how dire your role was. What important matter did you have to put on hold? I’m thoroughly intrigued. Do tell~” Andrealphus was finding it increasingly difficult to play nice with the kitty-cat, detesting his specific brand of self-importance mixed with ignorance and idiocy.

At the mention of that pompous parrot, the ice prince felt his eyebrows knitting together to form a look of displeasure. Of course the pair were amicable — both of them were idiot princes who knew nothing about proper etiquette and decorum. A match made in Hell, some might say. “Cute is certainly a word that one could use,” Andrealphus would sooner settle on irritating, infuriating or downright insufferable.

Andrealphus tapped a gloved finger on the table idly, an outlet for his rising irritation. Why was it that, in spite of the Prince whining about how his words had hurt, he was laughing and grinning? Moron. The icy peacock hoped that the cutting words had stung. They were supposed to hurt. “My apologies~” he hummed out mildly, “It was never my intention to offend,” Lies. The words had been perfectly picked, a calculated move that sought to undermine Sitri while being easily dismissed as a mere slip of the tongue. That was how a Goetia was supposed to insult someone. Skillfully. Tactfully. Honestly, Sitri ought to thank him for giving him such a decent show of how he ought to behave.

“Did you fall asleep during the trial? or did you simply struggle to follow the proceedings?” Hm, okay, that was a little blunt. The icy words had slipped from his lips before he really had the ability to temper the fire of his irritation into something less…rude. Oh well. It was too late to retract his words now. A slow breath, misty with it’s iciness, slipped from his beak as he sat back in his seat, “…while morally questionable, fucking an imp is not a criminal act…although, I really think it ought to be…” he added the last part in a mere muttering to himself, “The grimoire, my dear. The grimoire was the issue.” Fuck! It was like talking to Stella.

Well, at least this meeting had confirmed to Andrealphus that his new-found prince status would keep him safe from Prince Sitri’s powers. The meeting wasn’t a complete waste of time.

Andrealphus allowed his glowing gaze to trail up and down the feline form of the Prince — his eyes settled for a moment on the snowflakes that were sewn in fine embroidery across his sweater. Very seasonally appropriate~ The light pink of the knitted wool complimented the warm glow of the Prince’s eyes. Sitri had always been exceptionally handsome; whether it was his fine coat of fur, impeccable fashion sense or suave demeanour was anyone’s guess.

The ice-cold peacock seemed to puff out his chest subtly in pride as his outfit was complimented. It was an exceptionally well put-together outfit. Andrealphus had taken a generous amount of time preening before the mirror, applying his subtle yet alluring makeup and selecting the clothing and jewels to adorn himself with — it was always nice to have his hard work and natural beauty appreciated. “Very well, Sitri,” he hummed out lowly, testing the name on his tongue.

As a small serving imp scurried over, Andrealphus ordered himself a peppermint tea and fruit scones. Turning his fully attention back to Sitri, he marvelled at how relaxed the Prince looked all slouched and carefree. The peacock arched one of his eyebrows, a mask of surprise and utter innocence flickering onto his features, despite the pride in his chest at the compliment. He had done a marvellous job at outsmarting that horny owl~ “I fear you are mistaken, I did not bring a prince down to his knees, Sitri,” the peacock stated with an air of faux-concern in his voice, “rather, the prince brought himself down.”

In the motions of acting, as he so often was, Andrealphus shook his head side to side in a disappointed motion at the sheer memory of the trial. Making a low, tutting sound in the back of his beak. “I could hardly believe my ears when my sister’s wretch of a husband burst into the courtroom and announced his guilt to everyone present.” That was the truth. Andrealphus had been shocked, and absolutely delighted, by Stolas’ appearance. Fearful of Sitri’s powers, the ice prince was already attempting to grow accustomed to telling manipulative truths to suit his deception. It was a difficult skill, so he figured practicing right from the get-go would be wise~ Afer all, he had utterly no clue how the mans powers worked.

[icecoldbitchbird]

Through whispers of interaction between the pair at social gatherings, Andrealphus had already suspected that the kitten was an imbecile. All of these ridiculous, yet outrageously bold, words merely served to prove that Sitri had absolutely no tact. Goetic demons usually masked unattractive thoughts behind falsely sweet words. The rules of engagement involved dancing expertly around offending, offering faux-smiles and a light tone while seeping passive aggression into your words and actions. It was clear that such subtleties were completely lost on their bold little leopard prince — how sad. It seemed that being a Prince truly didn’t give you everything.

“Sitri, my dear, I think we both know the court, and I, have far more important matters to see to,” he hummed out idly as plucked a scone from his plate and took a bite. It really was delectable. All crumbly sweetness that melted in his mouth. At least the food was pleasant, even if the company left a lot to be desired.

Hm, okay. Shit. Sitri really had caught him there. Riding the high of his victory, the usually measured peacock had temporarily lost control of himself during the trial and, perhaps, some of his true feelings were broadcast to all of the Goetia in the crowd. “I was disappointed,” he agreed boldly, “A century seems such a small punishment for such an egregious crime, would you not agree? After all, beyond the sheer illegality of his actions, he’s made a mockery of our kind amongst all of the lesser demons,” Control was established under an agreement between the oppressed and oppressors. The little imps rallying behind Stolas’ fuck toy imp were an issue that was steadily brewing — he didn’t believe that they couldn’t be quashed with relative ease, but still, a rebellion may well be on the horizon thanks to Stolas.

“I suspect I shall have no issue interpreting the star charts,” he agreed with a simple shrug of his slender shoulders. It wasn’t exactly difficult considering his unparalleled intellect and domain of geometry. A thin, perfectly manufactured, smile stretched delicately onto Andrealphus’ lips as he sent a turquoise gaze across at Sitri. “There is no shame in that. An understanding of complex matters such as astronomy is not suited to us all. We all have our own pursuits…I’m sure your domain of…” he paused for a moment in order to look thoughtfully upwards, “…Oh dear, what was it again? lies? desires?…well, anyhow, I’m sure it has it own complexities and merits.”

Andrealphus allowed his glowing gaze to trail up and down the feline form of the Prince — his eyes settled for a moment on the snowflakes that were sewn in fine embroidery across his sweater. Very seasonally appropriate~ The light pink of the knitted wool complimented the warm glow of the Prince’s eyes. Sitri had always been exceptionally handsome; whether it was his fine coat of fur, impeccable fashion sense or suave demeanour was anyone’s guess.

The ice-cold peacock seemed to puff out his chest subtly in pride as his outfit was complimented. It was an exceptionally well put-together outfit. Andrealphus had taken a generous amount of time preening before the mirror, applying his subtle yet alluring makeup and selecting the clothing and jewels to adorn himself with — it was always nice to have his hard work and natural beauty appreciated. “Very well, Sitri,” he hummed out lowly, testing the name on his tongue.

As a small serving imp scurried over, Andrealphus ordered himself a peppermint tea and fruit scones. Turning his fully attention back to Sitri, he marvelled at how relaxed the Prince looked all slouched and carefree. The peacock arched one of his eyebrows, a mask of surprise and utter innocence flickering onto his features, despite the pride in his chest at the compliment. He had done a marvellous job at outsmarting that horny owl~ “I fear you are mistaken, I did not bring a prince down to his knees, Sitri,” the peacock stated with an air of faux-concern in his voice, “rather, the prince brought himself down.”

In the motions of acting, as he so often was, Andrealphus shook his head side to side in a disappointed motion at the sheer memory of the trial. Making a low, tutting sound in the back of his beak. “I could hardly believe my ears when my sister’s wretch of a husband burst into the courtroom and announced his guilt to everyone present.” That was the truth. Andrealphus had been shocked, and absolutely delighted, by Stolas’ appearance. Fearful of Sitri’s powers, the ice prince was already attempting to grow accustomed to telling manipulative truths to suit his deception. It was a difficult skill, so he figured practicing right from the get-go would be wise~ Afer all, he had utterly no clue how the mans powers worked.

[icecoldbitchbird]

Andrealphus watched absent-mindedly as a little runt of an imp brought over a pot of tea served in a white porcelain teapot alongside a fruit scone, already prepared with jam and cream, laid out appetisingly. The peacock allowed his gaze to sweep across to the feline as satisfying sound of the tea spilling into the teacup met his ears — he reached a gloved hand out to the cup, running a finger across the delicate rim and using his ice powers to chill the tea to a suitable level, bringing it to his beak and taking a slow sip. The tea was brewed to perfection, as usual. The soft peppermint flavour pleasant as it lingered on his tongue.

The peacock bristled at the dismissive words that were tossed carelessly in his direction. A man with an expansive ego, and the talent to back it up, he didn’t much appreciate being spoken down to in such a manner — still, that pompous pussy-cat was attempting very obviously to get a rise out of him. The blundering fool would soon learn that it took a great deal more tact to manipulate someone of Andrealphus’ intellect. Instead of growing visibly irate, an icy poker-face settled onto his features. “Careful, Sitri. That is an awfully serious accusation to level against a fellow Prince,” the words were mild-manner yet firm, and delivered with a thin smile that did not reach his turquoise eyes.

“I do not believe in luck,” he then announced as he brought his teacup to his lips and took a slow, measured, sip. Andrealphus stared directly back into the Prince’s eyes, “To me, existence is like geometry. It is a series of perfectly constructed shapes and calculations that amount to cosmic balance. That is to say: nothing happens by accident. If I have benefitted from Stolas’ downfall then it has happened because it was always meant to be…” there was a gentle clink as he settle his cup down once more.

Andrealphus allowed his glowing gaze to trail up and down the feline form of the Prince — his eyes settled for a moment on the snowflakes that were sewn in fine embroidery across his sweater. Very seasonally appropriate~ The light pink of the knitted wool complimented the warm glow of the Prince’s eyes. Sitri had always been exceptionally handsome; whether it was his fine coat of fur, impeccable fashion sense or suave demeanour was anyone’s guess.

The ice-cold peacock seemed to puff out his chest subtly in pride as his outfit was complimented. It was an exceptionally well put-together outfit. Andrealphus had taken a generous amount of time preening before the mirror, applying his subtle yet alluring makeup and selecting the clothing and jewels to adorn himself with — it was always nice to have his hard work and natural beauty appreciated. “Very well, Sitri,” he hummed out lowly, testing the name on his tongue.

As a small serving imp scurried over, Andrealphus ordered himself a peppermint tea and fruit scones. Turning his fully attention back to Sitri, he marvelled at how relaxed the Prince looked all slouched and carefree. The peacock arched one of his eyebrows, a mask of surprise and utter innocence flickering onto his features, despite the pride in his chest at the compliment. He had done a marvellous job at outsmarting that horny owl~ “I fear you are mistaken, I did not bring a prince down to his knees, Sitri,” the peacock stated with an air of faux-concern in his voice, “rather, the prince brought himself down.”

In the motions of acting, as he so often was, Andrealphus shook his head side to side in a disappointed motion at the sheer memory of the trial. Making a low, tutting sound in the back of his beak. “I could hardly believe my ears when my sister’s wretch of a husband burst into the courtroom and announced his guilt to everyone present.” That was the truth. Andrealphus had been shocked, and absolutely delighted, by Stolas’ appearance. Fearful of Sitri’s powers, the ice prince was already attempting to grow accustomed to telling manipulative truths to suit his deception. It was a difficult skill, so he figured practicing right from the get-go would be wise~ Afer all, he had utterly no clue how the mans powers worked.

[icecoldbitchbird]

Andrealphus allowed his glowing gaze to trail up and down the feline form of the Prince — his eyes settled for a moment on the snowflakes that were sewn in fine embroidery across his sweater. Very seasonally appropriate~ The light pink of the knitted wool complimented the warm glow of the Prince’s eyes. Sitri had always been exceptionally handsome; whether it was his fine coat of fur, impeccable fashion sense or suave demeanour was anyone’s guess.

The ice-cold peacock seemed to puff out his chest subtly in pride as his outfit was complimented. It was an exceptionally well put-together outfit. Andrealphus had taken a generous amount of time preening before the mirror, applying his subtle yet alluring makeup and selecting the clothing and jewels to adorn himself with — it was always nice to have his hard work and natural beauty appreciated. “Very well, Sitri,” he hummed out lowly, testing the name on his tongue.

As a small serving imp scurried over, Andrealphus ordered himself a peppermint tea and fruit scones. Turning his fully attention back to Sitri, he marvelled at how relaxed the Prince looked all slouched and carefree. The peacock arched one of his eyebrows, a mask of surprise and utter innocence flickering onto his features, despite the pride in his chest at the compliment. He had done a marvellous job at outsmarting that horny owl~ “I fear you are mistaken, I did not bring a prince down to his knees, Sitri,” the peacock stated with an air of faux-concern in his voice, “rather, the prince brought himself down.”

In the motions of acting, as he so often was, Andrealphus shook his head side to side in a disappointed motion at the sheer memory of the trial. Making a low, tutting sound in the back of his beak. “I could hardly believe my ears when my sister’s wretch of a husband burst into the courtroom and announced his guilt to everyone present.” That was the truth. Andrealphus had been shocked, and absolutely delighted, by Stolas’ appearance. Fearful of Sitri’s powers, the ice prince was already attempting to grow accustomed to telling manipulative truths to suit his deception. It was a difficult skill, so he figured practicing right from the get-go would be wise~ Afer all, he had utterly no clue how the mans powers worked.

♡ Starter for my lovely friend @prince-sytry ♡

The ice-cold peacock had eyed the invitation wearily as he raised an ornate silver letter opener, slicing the edge of the envelope with a clean and precise cut. Unfurling the letter and allowing the calculating gaze of his turquoise eyes to scan across the cursive writing. Suddenly, the, frankly absurdly garish, snowy leopard-print paper that had decorated the accompanying gift began to make sense. Prince Sitri. The revelation didn’t lessen Andrealphus’ wariness any — you see, while the scribed words were a sweet message of welcome and a plea to get to know him better, the Goetic Prince had always left Andrealphus a little…well, ‘on edge’, for want of a better term. After all, the refined Prince had his domain within deception and desire. A demon with the ability to evoke truthfulness and force desire was a rather frightening proposition for a man who lied as easily as he breathed and was attempting — very successfully mind you — to pretend he didn’t desire men. Still, to decline would not only be frightfully rude but also highly foolish. What was that old saying? ‘Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.’ Prince Sitri was the kind of man that Andrealphus would benefit from befriending — so, without delay, he kindly accepted the invitation.

Andrealphus arrived at their designated meeting place not a moment too soon or a second too late. Precise, as always. The peacock was outfitted in a fine white cloak that shimmered slightly in the ruby-hue of the mid-day glow almost as though made from woven-together snowflakes. The richest cup was a fine establishment reserved for only the elite. As Andrealphus glided gracefully past the glass doors, opened hastily by a pair of imps, he was hit by the familiar aroma of fine tea and freshly baked goods. An eager servant led him towards a table at the back of the quaint cafe where he could already see the regal figure of the leopard prince seated. Andrealphus painted a smile onto his beak as he approached, “Your Highness,” he let the formal greeting slip pleasantly from his beak as he bowed slightly in accompaniment of his words. Andrealphus moved to elegantly seat himself on the chair opposite that of the intriguing Prince, his posture rigid and pristine as always, his gloved fingertips lacing together as his hands rested upon the fine tablecloth, “It is a pleasure to be graced with your company, Sitri. I was rather surprised, albeit pleasantly so, by your invitation.”