"Excuse me for a moment," Luka's cold voice caught the attention of the table again. Unlike earlier when he left the castle, his hair was neatly tied back again, the tips lightly brushing his broad shoulders, his cravat done meticulously.
"Don't stay away too long," Alessio tossed casually to him, "We might start drinking without you…"
Luka's hopes that had been raised by the first half of Alessio's words were heartlessly dashed to the marble floors as he concluded his sentence. Alessio immediately turning to give Silvan his undivided attention twisted the blade in his cut and filled it with brine.
His coldly handsome face didn't show any of his thoughts but Crown Prince Elio calmly glanced at him anyway, his black eyes piercing.
Luka pretended not to see the look the Crown Prince gave him, striding away from the table.
"Will you really be drinking?" Alessio quietly asked Silvan, he would rather not have his drinking ban extended.
Silvan's smile disappeared as quickly as it came, "Why? Worried Queen Nadia will completely have you not drink anything with alcohol in it anymore?"
Alessio retreated like a turtle, self-conscious at having his thoughts laid bare. "Not quite," He mumbled, wondering if Silvan would continue to be this perceptive and disarming. "I'm only worried about you, it's my responsibility to look after you."
Silvan's cool gaze swept over the servants that brought jugs and bottles of wine. "I'm sure you are." He murmured dryly.
Even if Alessio hadn't intervened, Silvan wouldn't have let himself be goaded into a drinking competition. It was a vulgar waste of his time.
He was curious at Luka's complete aversion to him, he knew the Vampire noble held Alessio in high regard but going as far as to enforce a monopoly on him was indeed strange.
He glanced up at the same time that Luka returned to the table, the Vampire's dark stare was a physical weight, it piqued Silvan's curiosity all the more.
"I really mean that," Alessio defended his honor, reaching for a goblet filled by a neatly dressed servant next to him.
Silvan ignored Luka's probing stare, riveted on Alessio emptying the goblet. His throat tingled like he also drank the wine, the effects of his soothing bath fading.
He reached for a goblet as well, he intended to have just one, and then he would stick to non-alcoholic wine to better fit in.
He glanced at his brother who had been in a quiet conversation with the interesting Vampire the entire evening. Alexander was adept at drinking so he would probably stick to the alcoholic wine.
His stormy gaze returned to Alessio by his side despite himself. Knowing Alessio, the Vampire would most likely drink till his blood ran sweet like wine…
The thought made Silvan feel parched suddenly, lifting the goblet to his lips to soothe it. The wine was sweet, and only dried his mouth further.
He reached for another goblet, of non-alcoholic wine this time and took a sip. He paused as he did, it tasted sweeter and lighter but his tongue now felt like a desert.
Silvan's blue-green gaze shot across the table to find Luka staring at him with red diamonds for eyes. The Vampire was slouched in his seat, a goblet of wine held to his mouth.
If alcohol didn't make Silvan feel even more thirsty, he wouldn't have noticed that there weren't any non-alcoholic wines on the table. He looked away to Alessio was was already on his third glass, placing the goblet back on the table without drinking anymore.
Instead, he reached for water, feeling it soothe his parched mouth.
"You're not drinking, brother?" Alessio asked Elio, a harmless smile on his face.
Elio's reciprocal smile held secrets, "I don't want Luna drinking at all, so I'll not drink as well to encourage her."
Luna's red lips were turned down but she didn't argue, aware of how quickly they had to leave the table at the welcome dinner. She couldn't even have pressed grapes, at least not at tonight celebrations.
Cielo Bianci on the other hand was sipping on a goblet of 'pressed grapes' content to remain in the background and occasionally have a conversation with Prince Alexander.
He decided that after his goblet of wine, he would retire to his rooms. It had been an incredibly long and tasking day. So he might have drunk a bit hastily, emptying the goblet quickly.
Alessio noticed this, he was a bit more than passing acquaintances with Cielo Bianci. He was an important member of the court, and his sister was marrying into the Royal family soon, they had quite a bit in common.
"Do you like the pressed grapes?" He struck up a conversation, trying to play host. "Don't hold back, drink as much as you like." He encouraged.
Alessio knew how timid Cielo Bianci was, the Vampire had practically gulped down the wine but afterward, he looked a bit antsy like he would like another but couldn't bring himself to drink more.
Cielo could scarcely hide his dismay, he had been waiting for the perfect lull in the conversation to take his leave but Prince Alessio had trapped him with his kindness.
"J-Just one more," He stumbled over his words, "Then I'll have to take my leave, my apologies."
Alessio looked understanding, "I hope you enjoyed the celebrations even a little bit."
Cielo hastily put another goblet to his moistened lips, he would enjoy himself when he was far from this table. As he drank down a second goblet, he nearly choked, not from his haste but from Luka's frigid gaze settling on him.
"T-Thank you all so kindly," Cielo shot to his feet, "May the alliance be prosperous," He mumbled as he hurried off.
Biancis were revered custodians, they were truly special Vampires who kept themselves pure by subsisting solely on Vampire blood. Vampire blood was scarcely nutritious and although there was an endless line of Vampires eager to offer blood to the Biancis, they tended to lack proper nutrients.
It was why they were so frail and pale. They had however, evolved to survive and their quality of life was no different from a normal Vampire but there were a handful of downsides.
Getting drunk off a sip of wine was one of them. Cielo hardly drank wine or pressed grapes, preferring floral teas.
So drinking two goblets of pressed grapes in such a short time was a first for him, only unfortunately, it wasn't pressed grapes at all..