(sorry for the wait!)
He shook his head faintly. "Quite alright, ambassador. I was nearly finished." a half-lie; he could have gone on longer, but he did not overly mind his prayer time being cut short. "And, as for the glass and my eyes, while I appreciate the flattery, you must forgive me for not accepting it. I only meant that this chapel is mine to use, not in any way made for me. It is made for the Lord above, and any beauty in it is his. Never mine." the Lord brought goodness to this place. It was Edward's presence that sullied it, Edward's sins that destroyed it's beauty and curdled it. Even now he felt that he was tainting the place, not when he could hardly look at Sabbas without his mind wandering to things it should not.
(It's okay! No worries!)
"Oh….My apologies regardless," He nodded. Is he some sort of interruption otherwise? Sabbas was only able to wonder. The whole time he listened to the king speak, he let his eyes linger. They looked up and down. He tried to look into those gorgeous eyes, but the king's only did so once every now and then or so. Why isn't he looking? The man is the king, he can look into a Spanish-Moorish bastard's face or God if he wanted to. He can stare back or look somewhere else, but he's stiff.
Sabbas sighed while rolling his shoulders back. His chest slightly puffed out. Gradually, he began to stroll down a pew in front of the king. His hand glided on top. "Well God has certainly bestowed the beauty and fortitude he has created onto you. He knew you would be king, would be the head of the church and this chapel…." He smiled. Setting his hand on the edge of the pew, he leaned a little forward towards His Majesty.
"To be chosen by God to rule a great empire…To be one of the world's most powerful men…it is amazing. You, Your Majesty, are amazing and I have been fascinated even while still on Spanish soil. And by God, I can assure you that I am at this moment standing in this chapel with you right now."
Edward swallowed faintly as the Spaniard came closer, and he closed his eyes for only a moment, needing that second to collect himself. His guard had dropped while he was praying and now…now what could he do? Sabbas was close, and while the way he was talking certainly could not truly mean anyhting…it was a lot to think of. His throat seemed dry, and his heart was beating too quickly, and they were in a church. "Ambassador, I…" he took a deep breath, gaze moving to Sabbas for a long moment. "I do not deserve your fascination. I…only do my best by the country that God has seen fit to give me. It is nothing to deserve your amazement and fascination. Any man worth his salt would do the same." would do more. Any man worth his salt would have produced an heir by now but he could not even think about lying in bed with his wife. His beautiful wife, who had never breathed a word of complaint about his lack. He did not deserve her. He did not deserve this kingdom. Not when he was so flawed and horribly sinful.
Sabbas smiled following with a simple head bow. "I am glad that the Lord has done so, because I am not sure how I would feel if I hadn't been blessed by Your Majesty's presence." His lips kept still, parted open waiting for words to flow freely. Usually he has prepared dialouge, yet anytime he let's his gaze linger on the king, he loses it all. By of what means is he trying to say?
His eyes squinted. A man worth his salt, is that an English phrase? Wouldn't King Edward be worth much more? Wouldn't he be able to do much more with his worth? He is the king of the British empire for God's sake.
Standing up straight, he rolled his shoulders back. The adjustment of his posture led him to get a glimpse of the king once again. Not for his own pleasures, maybe. He let his hand drag on the side of the pew as he made his way over to the one the king stood in.
"Forgive me if I am coming off as being too frank, but, is Your Majesty alright? Your Majesty seems to be unwell or….distressed for a lack of a better term. Is there anything I can do?"
"I am quite alright." Edward replied, a touch hastily. "Please, do not worry about that." he was unsure how to politely usher Sabbas from the chapel. Yet, here he stood, polluting this perfect place with his sinful mind and sinful heart. "Ambassador Valiente, please do not worry about me." he was fine. He was only worried and concerned and already feeling tense about this. His time of prayer was meant to help him relax, meant to help him calm, and it had, but he had dropped his guard while admitting everything to the Lord, and this was not a situation he knew how to deal with.
His jaw tensed. Forcing words back down his throat, he looked down into the other pew. Is he really worrying for His Majesty? Or did his eyes just pick up on the way the king's eyes were shadowed with thoughts of possible pondering and nerves? Observing the monarch which is not the one he has to swear his devoted loyalty to isn't something he should be doing. But, he wouldn't mind it if he could. Just not as an ambassador or a political actor.
"I wouldn't necessarily call it 'worrying', my dear king," He said, "A king is still a man and can have people who care about him deeply. Consider me one of them." Sabbas realized that his hand was reaching out towards His Majesty, and forced it to return to his side. He breathed, "How could I be worried about Your Majesty? You have strong fortitude, will power. I believe in you, my dear king."
He watched as Sabbas reached out, then dropped his hand again, and cleared his throat quietly, shaking his head for just a moment. "I…well, thank you for the kind words, ambassador." he finally said, taking a faint, shifting step, gaze flickering to the oak doors for a moment. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were polluting this place. That he was polluting this place. The ambassador was not at all at fault for the way Edward's heart twisted up what was good and replaced it with evil. This was the Lord's home, good and pure, and he dirtied it with every moment they were here. He could almost feel the angels and the saints on the stained glass windows watching him, could almost see the judgement in the eyes of the statues, could read the disgust in their praying, folded hands.
"My pleasure, Your Majesty," He smiled. It bore thin, yet his eyes shined in their wide capacity. A weight hung in his heart, swinging back and forth the more he stared at King Edward. It halted. Everything stopped and his hand began to shake. Ah his confidence and swagger must be making this interaction rather tense.
He did waltz into the king's chapel; him, being a Catholic. Their respective views on religion also include insights on drinking and wine. He could perhaps offer rioja as an apology. On the other hand, if there is one thing that Sabbas has learned from his uncle, the Spanish court, and France, it's that wine can get to any man's heart and mind; quite literally.
Yet he can tell that His Majesty is simply not any man. Quite the contrary as a matter of fact. What is terrible is how he has a role to maintain. Sabbas cannot run up to him or gently touch his hand or act on impulse or anything. If only he were an English man or if King Edward was a Spanish prince….
He ran his fingers through his hair. The way his mind wraps himself in thoughts is dangerous. Every calculated move poses a threat, but with Sabbas, there is something more dangerous than his mind. "Am I a bother, Your Majesty? Would you prefer if I leave right this instance? I know you are uncomfortable because of me and my presence. Is this true?"
"No, no, of course not. I have only been…weighed down by my thoughts and my heart as of late." the best way he knew to put this. "That is all. It is not a fault nor concern of yours." he took a small step along the row, gaze moving towards the doors again. "If we are going to talk further, however, I would prefer if we moved outside." at least if they moved outside, he would feel less like his presence defiled a holy place. He would never be clean, but it was harder to pretend to be when he was here, in this place.
The king's voice was fighting with the sounds of Sabbas's heart rapidly beating. He bit down on his bottom lip. Fool, he should have never ask such things. This isn't what a man of power should be doing, listening to what his heart has to say rather than his mind. Can he even consider himself to be a man of power in the first place?
"Outside…." His eyes took a glimpse around the chapel. It is quite the place to have a conversation. Sometimes Prince Alejandro and him would have conversations while sitting in a pew or his uncle would be talking to someone in the church. It's quiet though. Very peaceful yet there has to be something leading to King Edward to have a preference of talking somewhere else.
Briskly, he walked out of the pew aisle. Just as he approached the door, his hand grasped the handle. "Well, Your Majesty, if that is what you wish…." The door creaked as he pulled the handle down then opened it. "After you, my dear king."
(sjhfbd for some reason I read "briskly" as "Britishly" lmao)
(also I love how Sabbas is like "i routinely talk to my potential gay lovers in chapels" and Edward is like "if we stay in here one second longer i will Physically Combust" lmao)
Edward watched as Sabbas moved away, nodding slightly and following him, then going through the door. The sky was clouded, the way it almost always was here in England. It was what Edward was used to, really, and it felt like home. Weather like this always did. To be fair, that was because it was home. How could it feel like anything else? He paused once he had stepped outside, waiting for Sabbas to join him outside of teh chapel. He glanced up at it, eyes traveling up the architecture. It still felt strange, to stand in its shadow with these feelings curdled in his chest.
(Lmao I love their energies)
Never did he expect the weather to be so gloomy; perhaps he shouldn't have taken the sun at home for granted. It always makes him feel sluggish and wine doesn't cheer him up. Oh how he misses the Costa del Sol. His eyes drifted, watching as the king passed by. A loud thump pounded in his chest. Maybe he does not have to worry much about the lack of sun from the clouds above. Maybe…..just maybe.
Closing the door, he let go of the handle. Sabbas brushed off his shoulders then ran his fingers through his hair. He walked over to His Majesty, making sure he kept a little distance between them. Tilting his chin up, he glanced at their surroundings and the architecture. "Ahh fresh air," He smiled, "It is lovely out here."
(same)
Edward looked over at Sabbas, shrugging a shoulder slightly. "I suppose that that is…subjective. I like it, but, for me, it is home. I am quite used to this. You are not." he replied slowly, shaking his head for a moment. "Spain is a sunny place, yes? Not a rainy place like my England." much as he worried about failing his country, England was his. It had been since he was very young, and would be until he died.
Keeping his hands in front of them, he clasped them together. His gaze met the king's. While His Majesty is correct, Sabbas wasn't sure if he should (or could even) confine in monarch about such a little detail. He smiled at the thought of home. The feeling of missing it is in him, yet he doesn't want to encourage it further. On the other hand, it all is part of his duty, yes?
"It would be safe to say that is sunny most of the time," He assured. Especially in Málaga; the sun would rise before dawn and then set in time for the stars shining above. The view from his balcony is beautiful. Sabbas sighed, "Every now and then it rains, yet I never imagined it to rain as much as it does here….Still sun or not, it is lovely here."
Edward nodded. "Of course. Spain sounds lovely, though it is a different beauty from England's." he replied, smiling slightly as his eyes moved around the outdoor space near them, tracing up the edge of the chapel beside them. "It is lovely here." he agreed. "Though it's weather is not the only lovely thing about it." nor the only ugly thing. England had its troubles; any country did, though Edward would not be exposing those troubles to Sabbas.
"It is indeed, although I wish you were able to see it all. I have yet to see it all," He sighed. Sabbas bit his bottom lip. For moment, he looked up to the gray cloudy sky. "No it is not the only one." With his chin parallel to the ground, his eyes took a glimpse at King Edward. The movement was so natural, so rudimentary. And yet, they glistened a little, just before he looked down at the ground. "England has its many beauties, that I can assure you, Your Majesty."
Edward smiled softly, glancing around the nature around them. "Yes. We have been blessed by the Lord." his eyes moved to the chapel now, still feeling its shadow looming over them, casting long fingers over them in a grasp that would not go away, even once he and Sabbas had left to go elsewhere.
Sabbas was not able to look down at the ground for long. It is as if his eyes had some kind of pull to King Edward. A light shined in his eyes. Were they reflecting His Majesty's smile? His heart shivered, yet he felt the ground being made of clouds. "Surely he has blessed you with such a face as yours…" The instance those words left his mouth, he went back to looking down at the ground. He bowed his head, "My apologies, Your Majesty. I am not sure what came over me…"
Edward inhaled faintly at Sabbas's words, hands coming up to twist the signet ring around his finger, gaze moving quickly about as if to search for an eavesdropper. "I…" how could he respond? The words could be innocent. Must be innocent. Surely Spain would not send an ambassador who was impure the way Edward was. Surely no country would pick such a person as their ambassador. Not when Edward felt terrible enough as a king. No country would pick someone like him to represent them in foreign matters. Sabbas's words must only have been flattery. Could not be anything else. "We can forget that you ever spoke them, Ambassador, if you wish."
The matter of fact is, Sabbas knew he was a man of sin since day one. His "special interests towards certain people" was just added on to his bastard nature. Eventually it became something second nature thanks to a few, but he was always in a place where it is normal to hide it. Now he is in a place where it is not normal and it is even more worse to hide it. And somehow his other behaviors are more acceptable, even in England.
Is he sure he isn't intoxicated? No, the last time he drank wine was yesterday afternoon which so isn't like him at all. What in God's name is going on anyways? But he meant every single word. Oh yes. He would never lie about such a thing; he'd swear on his father, his real father.
His Adam's apple bobbed. "I believe that it is a matter up to you, Your Majesty," He pointed out. Lifting his chin, he glimpsed over towards the king for a second. "I do not possess such ability or power to do so, I'm afraid. I can never forget anything nor anyone."
"I believe you are mistaken, ambassador. I do not have the privilege of forgetting anything." the words skirted the very edge of…something. Propriety? He wasn't sure. Nevertheless, they felt wrong from his lips. "Least of all compliments from– well, from ambassadors." it had been a far too close a call. What was wrong with him today? He glanced skyward, silently praying for strength and fortitude, for the devil was strong today indeed. "But, in light of your embarrassment on the matter, I suppose I can pretend that I never heard it."
(Edward, feeling normal human emotions towards an attractive man: dear lord help me satan tempts me)
(whereas Sabbas…he goes a little more like "yeah let's do it")
First off it was King Edward acting strange in the chapel and now he is the one acting strange. Not only that but he just being a complete fool in front of one of the men that he shouldn't be. And how can he forget this? Sabbas only can forget anything over wine and dancing. Dancing, yes that's what he will call it for now.
Embarrassment, that is one way to put it. "Thank you, Your Majesty." Would he truly take back his words? No, not really. It is despicable how such a man is beautiful and he cannot utter a single word. How utterly despicable for God to put him in such a position.
"May I ask you a rather foolish question? One in which we both may remember or forget for the better then?"
(I feel like Sabbas is about to risk it all. The unhinged Sabbas energy is there)
Edward's brows gathered faintly, but he nodded slightly in response to Sabbas's words. "You may ask, Ambassador Valiente." he replied, curious as to what Sabbas could be about to ask him. What question did the ambassador consider a foolish one to be forgotten or remembered? He ran a hand through his hair, golden waves glinting faintly in the muted, cloudy lighting as it caught what little sun filtered through the clouds.
Do I frighten you? Does my apperance make you uncomfortable? They floated around in his head just waiting to rush out of his mouth. And it was going to happen. It was until he glimpsed at King Edward, watching as he brushed his hair with his hand. Suddenly another question appeared. What do I have to do so I can ran my own hand through your hair as we lay together?
Sabbas gulped. "Would you care to join me in having red wine from Spain in my chambers?" That is what he finally asked. In the following moments after, his mind uttered every single curse in his native tongue to himself. What has gotten into him today?
Edward considered the request for a long moment, trying to think what else he had going on that day, but he could not think of anything that needed to happen soon. Could not think of a single thing that could stop him from accepting Sabbas's invitation. He swallowed, taking a deep breath, and then responded. "I believe I may accept this invitation, ambassador." he replied, lips twitching into a soft, quick little smile.
It is completely normal to invite others (including monarchs) over for wine. On the other hand, Sabbas had no clue where that thought came from. The nerves left him stiff, not even considering the option of looking at the king. "¿Qué?" Did King Edward really just an invitation that he made on the whim?
"Oh…." Sabbas cleared his throat. "Wonderful. Wonderful….Would you like to go now, Your Majesty?" He has no clue what he is doing. No forethought has gone into this. No plans have been made. He is just letting his heart do all the decision making.
Edward took a deep breath, and nodded slightly. "Yes. Unless you have a reason not to?" he asked, raising his eyebrows faintly and studying Sabbas. Perhaps he should not have accepted the other man's invitation, but…he did not really see a reason not to. After all, this would help him get to know Sabbas better, which could help to improve relations between England and Spain.
Sabbas shook his head. "No reason at all, Your Majesty," He assured, giving a beam. "I just had to think which wine would be the best. There are many wonderful ones from Spain." He gave himself time to take a slow exhale. This is fine. Everything will be fine. "Please follow me, Your Majesty." He began to walk off in the direction which he came from before.
Edward followed Sabbas after a moment, moving quietly behind the ambassador. He knew how to get to Sabbas's quarters, of course, but he was not going to lead the way there. It would be rude to do so. The quarters were the Spaniard's, after all, and there was no reason for Edward to lead Sabbas there. He did wonder, not for the first time and certainly not the last, why he had accepted this invitation.
So many thoughts ran through his head. There isn't anything he can pair with the wine for this time of day. He really is inviting the king to his quarters out onbthe whim for wine due to his heart being sent for a panic. A random meeting with an attractive man; it's not like he has experienced that before.
Sabbas opened both doors then waited for Kong Edward to enter first. Afterwards, he walked in and shut the doors behind him. The quarters were decorated just like home. Every corner flourished with elegance of Spaniard and Moorish roots. There were portraits and paintings of famiky members and the Spanish royal family all around. Even his desk is riddled with papers, scrolls, and the letters from the king.
"Have you ever had wine from Spain, Your Majesty?" He asked while taking out two glasses from a compartment in a chest. Then he pulled out a green bottle of wine. "It is one of the best in the world."
