Enzo nodded as he sipped, his eyes once again wandering over the theater. He hardly understood what passed for reasoning among the Houses these days himself. They'd been so quick to cast Pavus down, yet had no plan to truly rid themselves of so called traitors. They... no. Enzo stopped himself, with some effort. Wallowing would do him no good right now. Not with Tiberius finally returned to him. A friend. A true friend. He couldn't let his ire with the other Houses ruin this.
"Did you now?" Enzo turned slightly in his seat at the mention of the Tilanis. His cousin had grown close with them. Pavus and Tilani stood head and shoulders above the rest there for a brief time. They confused their peers with their calls for reform. But as quick as they rose, they collapsed. "Odd is a good word." In all truth, there had not been much communication at all between Pavus and Tilani since Dorian's disgrace. At least, not so far as he knew. It was entirely possible his father had reached out and kept it from him. But Enzo doubted it. Hadrian couldn't distance himself faster from Dorian's reforms once he'd seized control. Not that it had helped any.
It took a moment for his own musings to fade and for Tiberius' next words to sink in. This left him mouth slightly agape and brown furrowed, drawing in a breath. "Ti... I'm..." Enzo set his glass down on a small table beside him and looked his friend in the eyes. He was... what? Sorry? Lukios was many things, but a warm, caring man he was not. Enzo knew how much Tiberius had worked to live up to his grandfather's expectations. Whatever he was feeling now, it was nothing so simple as grief.
The lights of the theater were suddenly extinguished. Leaving his words unfinished, Enzo's hand sought the other's in the dark, squeezed gently, then retreated. Whatever agenda Enzo was meant to pursue -in his role as informant or even in restoring the honor of his House- this knowledge would play no part in it.
As the opening overture wound down to a quieter section, he leaned over. "May I say, it is an honor to host you tonight, Magister." he said, smiling.
"Did you now?" Enzo turned slightly in his seat at the mention of the Tilanis. His cousin had grown close with them. Pavus and Tilani stood head and shoulders above the rest there for a brief time. They confused their peers with their calls for reform. But as quick as they rose, they collapsed. "Odd is a good word." In all truth, there had not been much communication at all between Pavus and Tilani since Dorian's disgrace. At least, not so far as he knew. It was entirely possible his father had reached out and kept it from him. But Enzo doubted it. Hadrian couldn't distance himself faster from Dorian's reforms once he'd seized control. Not that it had helped any.
It took a moment for his own musings to fade and for Tiberius' next words to sink in. This left him mouth slightly agape and brown furrowed, drawing in a breath. "Ti... I'm..." Enzo set his glass down on a small table beside him and looked his friend in the eyes. He was... what? Sorry? Lukios was many things, but a warm, caring man he was not. Enzo knew how much Tiberius had worked to live up to his grandfather's expectations. Whatever he was feeling now, it was nothing so simple as grief.
The lights of the theater were suddenly extinguished. Leaving his words unfinished, Enzo's hand sought the other's in the dark, squeezed gently, then retreated. Whatever agenda Enzo was meant to pursue -in his role as informant or even in restoring the honor of his House- this knowledge would play no part in it.
As the opening overture wound down to a quieter section, he leaned over. "May I say, it is an honor to host you tonight, Magister." he said, smiling.
05-16-2024, 03:24 PM
