(Yes please!)
Sabbas spent the rest of the ball either talking with others or dancing. Sometimes he switched from English to French, but rarely spoke in his mother tongue. He actually spoke with an advisor named Lord Chamberlain who actually is the father of the noble lady he met with earlier; her name is Alice. In the last hour or so, Sabbas spent the rest of the ball with her until they decided to leave and go to his chambers.
(alright!)
Edward was among the last to leave the ball, going back to his own chambers alone. There, a servant assisted in undressing him and then redressing him into his nightclothes, and he lay in his massive bed, in the dark, dropping off to sleep rather quickly.
It took a few days before Edward was able to fit Sabbas into his schedule, but when he did, an invitation was brought to the Spaniard's quarters.
Saludos, Sir Valiente,
You have been cordially invited to meet with His Majesty Edward VII, King of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Colonies, for tea at 1 o'clock this afternoon. Please respond promptly with your message of whether you choose to accept or decline this invitation.
It was a simple message, and at the bottom was stamped with Edward's royal seal.
One of the king's servants rushed through the doors into his quarters. Sabbas was at one end of the room with a rapier in his right hand while one his own servants was on the other side with another. Fencing is one of his favorite pastimes, yet alas, when he came to Great Britain, he could not find a partner so he made his servant his partner for now.
Still with his rapier in his hand, he used the tip of it to open the letter. Panting, he mumbled, "Bueno…Finalmente…Finalmente" His servant rushed over to take his rapier as he sat down to write a response.
Greetings, Your Majesty,
Thank you for your invitation. I shall graciously accept it. Please do send word if our meeting has canceled or moved to a later date.
Yours cordially,
Sir Valiente
Once he made the insignia in the wax with his ring, he handed the letter over to the messenger. "Thank you, my good man. Be well," He said. The man nodded before leaving the quarters. Sabbas sat back in the chair, he looked over at his servant, "I suppose it is time for us to get me into some elegant clothing now….Might as well…"
Edward received the message and nodded very slightly, glad to have the response. It meant that this would work. They would have this meeting together. His plan for it involved mainly getting to know each other, and not too much politics or religion. If the two topics did come up, then that was fine, and Edward would handle that as it came. Otherwise, he would prefer not to touch on those topics quite yet. They were bound to be, well, full of tension, and he didn't want to start that up yet.
Excitement coursed through him to the point in that he decided to go back to fencing rather than getting ready right away. He only sparred with the confused servant for a few minutes before actually getting ready. The color of his nobleman's jacket is still red, even though it is a lighter shade. While servants helped him get ready, he thought of things he could and couldn't say. There is the obvious, his true background, any mentions of Catholicism or the Moors, and strong use of blunt or other inappropriate manner of commenting. Sabbas is fine; after all, conversing with higher powers is what he has done since day one.
Ten minutes before the meeting time, Edward headed to the sitting room. One of the servants would guide Sabbas there, and Edward would be there first. He was, after all, the one who had invited Sabbas. It was only polite that Edward be there first. So he was, and he waited. There was tea, and some scones, though he did not yet pour himself any. He would wait until Sabbas arrived. In the meantime, he read through some papers, leaning on his elbow and sighing faintly.
By the time he had finished getting ready, there was a knock on the door. The same thrill in his heart had returned. He thanked the servants who had helped them then joined the king's who was escorting him over to the meeting. Thankfully there wasn't much worry compared to last time, but he still experienced some nerves. His stroll slowed down as they got closer. Sabbas grinned at the sight of his Majesty. He bowed, "Good afternoon, Your Majesty. Thank you for meeting with me. It is wonderful to see you again."
Edward set his letters aside when he heard Sabbas approaching, greeting the Spaniard with a soft, quick little smile. "Good afternoon, sir Valiente." he greeted. "I trust that you have been well since we last saw each other?" he really did hope that Sabbas had been alright; it would not be well if the Spanish Consul fell ill. Or died. That would be worse, though it was a worst-case scenario that he doubted would happen.
"I am glad that I was able to fit you into my schedule. I tend to be very busy, but happily, I had room to fit you. Please, take a seat." he gestured to the soft, plush seating available. "Would you care for some tea, as well?"
Sabbas stood with his shoulders held back. There was not a smile on his face, although, his expression remained warming as well as sincere. He nodded, "Of course, and I hope that you have been doing well the same, Your Majesty." Ambling over to the seat, he bowed his head in thanks then sat down. "No worries, my king, I understand. It is not easy being a man such as yourself in a time like this. On the other hand, I am happy that you have time to meet with me."
A gentle sigh quietly slipped through his lips. He glanced back at King Edward. "Yes, please. It would not make sense to not have tea on a lovely day such as this after all."
Edward nodded a bit, and a servant stepped forward, filled the teacups, set down a small pitcher of cream and a little container with sugar, then bowed and left. Edward poured some cream into his own tea, then added a bit of sugar. Satisfied with that, he picked up his teacup and the saucer, taking a sip.
Turning his head, he watched as the servant filled the teacups. A faint grin settled on his face. He bowed his head at the servant, whispering a soft thanks. Sabbas waited until his Majesty took care of his tea before doing the same. He barely put just a pinch of cream into it then followed that with two teaspoons of sugar. Carefully holding the cup and saucer, he blew on the tea then proceeded to drink it. After a few sips, he sat them down. His hands rested neatly on his lap while he kept his gaze at the tea cup. Oddly enough, Sabbas is not much of a tea drinker and really only began to regularly drink it when he arrived to Great Britain.
Edward took a small sip of his tea, looking over at Sabbas for a long moment. "Have you a wife?" he questioned. If Sabbas did have a wife left behind in Spain, Edward could perhaps have her brought here. It was only right. A husband and wife should not be parted. Especially not a young couple, as that would make having children more difficult. Not that Edward had done that yet. Had children, that is. He just…had such a hard time with it.
Lifting his chin up, he glanced over at King Edward. Initially, he titled his head, slightly confused with the question. Briefly, he looked down at his left ring finger; it is bare. "No, Your Majesty," He responded. "Any plans I had of marriage have come to a halt for now." Sabbas was not sure what else to say. Before arriving, he did try to pursue a possible spouse, although everything had changed as history knows it. Perhaps in a year or whenever he may return to Spain. "Maybe one day soon, Your Majesty. Alas those plans had to come to a temporary stop as you can see." He gestured to him and their surroundings.
(I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be busy for a few days so my responses will take awhile. I'll try to respond asap)
(alright, that's fine! Good luck with whatever is going on :)
Edward listened, nodding his head slightly. "Ah, of course." He replied. "I am sure that when your time here is up, you will be able to find a wife." He took another sip of tea, letting the silence hold for a moment. "Would you care to tell me about yourself? After all, my life is rather public knowledge, and I am afraid I do not know much of you." Edward knew he had little to no privacy; it was a miracle his few dalliances with other men had never been witnessed or spoken of, other than six months ago when he had evaded the law. It still plagued him; he was a king, was he above the law? He did not believe so. And yet, had he not used his position and lied in order to escape the rightful punishment? Sure, he had never done the full act of sodomy, but involving himself with another man was enough for execution. He deserved death.
His smile became wider as he bowed his head. "Thank you, Your Majesty." King Francisco had given him the post for a few years given the current state of the tension between the two empires. If all goes well, he'll keep the position and return, but that is far from now. Sabbas picked up his tea cup, but only kept it between his hands. Slightly tilting his head, his gaze had wandered off to the floor for a moment. What could he say about himself? After all, he is a bastard who should not be sitting with the British monarch having tea on such a fine day. And yet, he should for he is so much more than that. Obviously, he cannot tell the king this. Not even his own king knows.
"I believe that I was meant to be someone remembered by history since I could remember. Always seen as a pinnacle of interest from Málaga, my home, to Madrid, and to here. My father taught me to always be strong, to be a man of the world. I was always interested in meeting new people and influencing the world so I studied international diplomacy." He stopped to drink his tea, then sat it down. "I ended up on King Francisco's court because I was Prince Alejandro's fencing partner and his son told His Majesty about me and they both saw something in me. Now, Your Majesty, I do not know what they see in me. I am ambitious. I dance with the buds and thorns. I love loving, though I never share my scars with others. I always feel out of place even at home; I stand out like a black swan. Even surrounded by many, I feel alone. Although, I am a lot of things. Hopefully you, Her Majesty, and all your court find my presence to be pleasant and useful, my king."
Edward listened quietly, though after a moment his brows drew together. "I am afraid I do not understand the phrase, ah…dancing with the buds and thorns? Perhaps it is a saying that you have in Spain, but I am afraid that it is not one that I understand or know." he replied. "But, other than that, I am glad to know more of you. Thank you for telling me all of these things. I like to know about my ambassadors and consuls; it helps with treaties and such to have a more personal knowledge of the men I am working with." the phrase about buds and thorns was the only thing that had confused him. Why was Sabbas dancing with flowers? That did not make any sense. Perhaps he meant that he was a gardener?
The left corner of his lip curved up. His eyes flickered back to what the king's confusion. He hid his lips with the tea cup as he proceeded to then drink from it. Dancing with the buds and thorns; an expression that he came up with himself to describe his rather sensual palette. Sitting the cup down on the saucer, he let his arm drop on top of his lap. "Well, Your Majesty, I will gladly teach you what it means," He grinned. "Dancing with the buds and thorns is an expression about life, you know. Ahhh….One may say that the buds are like the sweet and delicate roses while the thorns are ahh…like firm yet swift swords, you know?"
Sabbas could not remove the smile. It stayed regardless of how much he wanted it to go. Even as he bowed his head in thanks, it remained. Oh Lord have mercy, why is it staying? "My pleasure, Your Majesty. That is an intelligent move on your part; a little detail to make you a great monarch. I am happy to have the time to sit down with you and talk, it is wonderful if I may say."
(fgkbdh poor innocent Edward–)
Edward still didn't quite understand the metaphor, but he figured that that was alright. It meant something to Sabbas, and that was all he really needed to know about it, was it not? He took a small sip of his tea, and nodded slightly. "Of course." he gave the consul a quick smile. "I am happy to have the time as well. It is well that I was able to fit you in to my schedule; it seems to always be full these days. My advisors ever find more ways to fill my days." and attempt to fill his nights. Some pressured him to sleep with his queen more often; others said to find a mistress. Others said both. It was confusing. He did not want a mistress, but then, he did not want his wife, either.
(zsafjhsafj, Sabbas really is quite something)
Sabbas stared back at King Edward, trying to figure out whether or not the monarch was confused or contemplating. Maybe both, it is typical of a king to do such a thing. Although, he knows very well it does have to do with his words. It is amusing when one thinks about it. He bit down on the inside of his lips. Pushing the saucer and cup away, he reclined into the chair with his hands folded above the right knee. His feet were pointed towards the king. Eventually he titled his head while listening, taking in the features of the monarch's grin. "Oh, that is but a shame." His lips pursed as he gave a solemn nod. "Your advisors should let you relax properly and enjoy your days and nights alike. They will burn you out like a candle wick, but I digress. I am only your consul after all, Your Majesty. In a way, I am your Spanish advisor. Let us enjoy this time now and think of it as an opportunity to relax."
(love how we somehow ended up with Edward being this innocent, inexperienced person, and Sabbas just,,,, not lmao)
Edward shrugged his shoulders a little bit. "I must take care of my country, and I cannot take care of it well if I am not doing my duties." he replied. "I do get days to rest and enjoy, it is only that I am so often busy that my days tend to be filled no matter what." he kept his gaze resting calmly on Sabbas, watching the Spaniard with a slightly contemplative look in his eyes. "This will be a good time to relax, though." provided, of course, that Sabbas had not been sent as an assassin. It had been known to happen. Send an assassin in the guise of a consul or ambassador, and when they had a meeting alone…the assassin would strike. The thought made Edward sit a little straighter, though he didn't otherwise show any outward signs of this idea.
(Yeah, I was planning for Sabbas to be a bit sensual but he just took his own course lmao; he lowkey chaotic now. I love the dynamic tho)
The loyalty of His Majesty to his nation is quite impressive. It does not seem as if the monarch is more so for himself rather than the empire as he initially assumed. Perhaps he is more prejudice than he thought. Fascinated by the king's words, he sat forward a little, resting his index finger on his lip; he did end up recling in the chair though. "Yes! We should, Your Majesty, but only if you allow and desire it so. It is sunny and the day is good, why not enjoy?"
Sabbas remained relaxed even as he watched the king sit up. The question as to why the sudden adjustment did pass his mind, although he didn't think much about it. He just kept smiling back at His Majesty, regardless of the possibility that the monarch was thinking he might be an assassin. Clearly he doesn't know so here he is grinning for fun.
"Are you interested in fencing, Your Majesty?" He asked. "Does Her Majesty fence as well?"
(lol yeah he is. I love it too!)
Edward nodded a bit. At the question about fencing, he thought for a moment. "I am, yes, though Marie does not." he was a touch confused as to why Sabbas thought the queen fenced. Women did not generally fight. Not with swords, in any case. Perhaps crossbows, but even then it was not a very feminine weapon. Women did not fight; they stayed safe whilst the men did the fighting.
If it is not his diplomatic duties, power, or his favorite nightly activities that were on his mind, then fencing would be the next thing. Along with power, the sport is very important to his family, even the women enjoyed watching it or even secretly practiced it. Now of course, he really cannot say that to the king; it is certainly different here than in Málaga. Sabbas nodded, "Splendid. While I am not sure if you have a partner or not for it, I would be glad to have the honor to fence with Your Majesty. It is quite the activity for men like us."
He hesitated for a moment, cocking his head as he studied Sabbas. He was slightly worried that fencing with Sabbas could have political repercussions; after all, if the Spanish ambassador were to beat the English monarch…would that not be taken as a sign that the Spanish government was more powerful than that of the English? And that could have far-reaching consequences, whether or not it was true. "Perhaps." he finally said.
The sport could provide a great opportunity to impress King Edward, that is what he hopes. A sport both parties enjoy that can help bring the two empires together. There is diplomacy in fair competition after all. Although, he is not sure if he is better at fencing or if the king is. Even so, Sabbas should let the king win, especially if others watch. "In my opinion, it is an opportunity for diplomacy to flourish, even in it being a highly active and competitive sport," He stated. "Your Majesty appears to be a good fencer, if I may say. We do not have to if you so wish, my king, it is alright."