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"I suppose I could stop asking you questions about the gardens." A knowing, smug look briefly flashes in Will's eyes as he looks up to the Snake. "You don't seem to know a lot about them." The faintest of smiles crosses his face as he turns his reflection back to the water. He wonders how shallow it is, what creatures lurk in the depths, how many species it holds. So many questions for the gardeners once he finally gets the chance to meet them.
Kaz made a face at Will, rolling his eyes. "I don't need to know a lot about them. I just enjoy them, rather than asking so many questions." he retorted, stepping forward to stand beside Will as the human stared into the depths of the pond. To tell the truth, it likely was not very deep. Deep enough for large-ish fish, sure, but nothing too massive. That would be dangerous.
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"I'll marvel at the pond another day," Will announces, standing from the shore. Briefly, he compares his own height to Kazimir's before dismissing the thought and turning his gaze back towards the palace. His stomach lightly groans, much to Will's embarrassment. "Lunch?" He tilts his head down the path.
"Brunch, rather." Kazimir replied, beginning to head down the pathway already. "As we did not eat lunch, at your insistence, darling." he gave Will a teasing expression, before turning ahead again and leading WIll through the winding, weaving pathways that took up the gardens. Some of them were the tamed, graveled things that you could find in any pathway, but others were more dirt and beaten grass, more magical and soft looking.
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Not even bothering to retort, Will nods and follows Kazimir back to the castle on the various paths. He pauses occasionally to marvel at a peculiar mushroom before jogging to catch up with the Snake. "I hope there aren't any Fae delicacies that'll inplode my stomach." He means it mostly as a deadpan jest, but there is some true concern lacing the sentence.
Kaz blinked at the comment, turning to squint at Will. "I…had not thought of that, but there are." he replied. "I will keep an eye on what you're eating. I would rather you not die." he said, mouth quirking faintly. "At least, not yet." he continued to move through the pathways, frowning just a little bit as they walked together.
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"Yes, I've only had this life for twenty-three years. I'd like to have it a while longer," Will responds with a deadpan tone. It's… true. In some lives Will's elven or fae, already living a few hundred years before running into the Snake. He's… so young and the truth really just hits him as the two of them approach the garden doors leading into the maze of a castle.
Kaz nodded a little bit, and opened the doors to the palace. "Brunch." he said, shaking his head just a little bit and leading Will through the large, winding halls. They passed servants every now and again, and sometimes even people who were clearly nobility of some kind. All gave Kaz deference and a wide berth, and all peered curiously at Will, glances quick and surreptitious for the most part, though there were a few that openly gawked and stared at the human walking beside the emperor.
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Will, of course, notices the glances and looks and gawks, but he pays them no mind. None of the odd stares trouble him. "Brunch," he agrees quietly, holding eye contact with a passing noble, just to see the reaction. The two of them enter a nearby dining room, much smaller than what Will assumes is the main one. It already smells of food.
This was a private dining room that Kaz and Marie both used, though she was not in the room currently. "Take a seat." Kaz said, gesturing to the table and seating himself at the head. There was already food out, most of it hot and ready to be eaten as soon as they were ready to do so. Kaz studied it for a moment, then dished himself up some food.
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Will raises his eyebrows as he takes a seat towards the end of the table next to Kazimir. An empty plate sits in front of him and a vast buffet awaits. He takes a small spoonful of what looks like eggs (fluffier than he could ever imagine) and a large piece of well-buttered toast. It crunches softly as he bites into it, eyes already searching for a lavender tea.
Kaz watched Will for a moment, then turned his attention to his food with a soft hum. He was quiet as he ate, eyes flickering around the room just a little bit as the two ate together in a relatively peaceful silence. They sat like that for a little while, soft and quiet, until the door opened and a woman walked in. Marie. Kaz's wife. Her gaze found Will very quickly, and her lips pulled tight, but she didn't say anything as she sat down and began to eat.
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For a moment, Will's mind buffers as he racks his brain for any memory on the woman. Marie! His mind eventually supplies when the scowl returns to her face. He tucks his lips betweem his teeth and nods an awkward sort of half smile. Will's attention then returns to Kazimir, an urge in his stomach to start a conversation. As he opens his mouth, he decides better of it and closes his teeth with a click.
Marie's gaze found Will again when he clicked his teeth, and she scowled, but didn't say anything to him. Her eyes moved to Kaz, still scowling as she did so. She was not at all happy with Will's presence at the table, and she did not make a secret about that as she continued to eat.
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Will's eyes unintentionally find Marie's, just for Will to quickly avert them. He stares at Kaz. Then he stares at a teapot. Lavender be damned, Will needs something to do with his mind than bare the silence. Carefully, he pours himself a cup, unsure of what the blend is. With a hesitant sniff, Will looks over to Kaz. "What tea is this?"
Kaz blinked, a touch startled by Will breaking the silence, and looked down at the cup. "Oh. It's…" he trailed off, taking a sniff of it. Then he took a tiny sip, and shook his head quickly. "Not tea that you can have." he said, setting it to the side where Will wouldn't be able to reach anymore.
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Will nods and reaches for another teapot slightly across the table. The handle is warm. This one smells of lavender. He steals Kaz's unused teacup and repours himself a cup of his favorite, non-lethal blend. "Thank you," He mumbles as he takes a sip of the lavender tea. His eyes briefly look over to Marie, unsure of what to think of the Fae queen.
Kaz nodded slightly. "You're welcome." he replied, gaze eventually moving to Marie for a moment. He didn't say anything, though, just went back to eating his food. Marie still seemed quite displeased by all of this, her gaze moving from the confiscated teacup to Will, then to Kaz.
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Will taps his fingers on the teacup and takes another sip. He can feel the queen's eyes on him, but pointedly refuses to meet them. Below the table, Will lightly kicks Kazimir's calf and subtly tilts his head towards Maire. She's staring at him and Will does. Not. Like. It. Plus the silence is heavy and Will's dying to break it.
Kaz blinked at the kick, glancing at Will and then Marie. He sighed faintly, clearing his throat. "Marie, I introduced you to Will already, yes?" he said.
Marie turned her glare to Kaz, arching an eyebrow at him. "Yes. You introduced me to your concubine already." she said, voice frosty and furious.
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Will nods and takes another long sip of his tea. "Fantastic to meet you again," he offers noting that at least her biting words are better than the silence. He looks between the two monarchs as he tries to figure some of his next words. "How long… have you two… been together?" He drawls on his vowels as he treads carefully into this… complicated territory.
Kaz thought for a moment. "Forty two years?" he said. "Approximately, I believe." he glanced at Marie to get confirmation of that timing, and she nodded slightly, though she still seemed furious at all of this.
She scoffed faintly. "Yes. Forty two years." her gaze moved back to WIll, still cold and angry.
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"Forty-two," Will nods at the number. Hell, his mother had been born forty-two years prior. "And how did you meet?" At this point, he doesn't even care about the answers. Without a book or garden to entertain, Will needs at least some sort of background noise. Or at least something to try and break the tension. He looks over to the queen again as he sips from his stolen teacup.
"I married her to secure an alliance with her family." Kaz answered. A beat later, Marie answered as well.
"Political alliance of convenience." she cast Kaz a look, eyes narrowed and clearly not liking something about what he had said.
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All Will can do is nod at the new information. "So there are multiple Fae kingdoms?" He inquires, his interest genuinely piqued. The diplomatic marriages all make sense, Will's seen them before in his storybooks and overheard the brief gossip of nobles.
Marie rolled her eyes, shaking her head faintly at Will's idiocy. Or, at least, what she interpreted as such.
"Yes." Kaz replied. "Ours is the largest now." the smile that pulled at his mouth was sharp and not all too pleasant, his red eyes glittering faintly as he thought about everything that had led to his empire becoming what it was.
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"Congratulations?" Will raises an eyebrow, unsure of really how to tackle Kaz's near devilish joy towards his kingdom. "If you don't mind me, I'm going to the restroom. I'll be back." As he speaks, Will rises from the table and exits the room. He ducks into the first room he sees–which happens to be a broom closet–and shuts the door behind him.
Kaz blinked. "Alright." he replied, watching Will go and then looking over at Marie. "You have been well, I trust?"
"Fine." she snapped, voice still full of barely contained fury. "And this new concubine of yours?"
He took a bite of food. "Will. He will be joining us at mealtimes from now on." he said calmly, taking a sip of his drink as if this news wouldn't piss Marie off even further.
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As soon as he locks himself in the closet, Will screams. It's been a while since he last allowed himself to be loud. Maybe it could help alleviate tension. Maybe he'll just look like a fool all over again. Excusing himself from the closet, Will pops his head into the dining room. "I'm going to be in the library," he informs. No way in hell is he going to sit in the quiet room longer.
Kaz stood quickly when he heard the scream, then realized it didn't mean anything. It wasn't indicative of an attack. Just of frustration. When Will came back, he cleared his throat. "I…alright. I'll come find you later." he said, unaware of the daggers Marie was glaring at him now.
