Bowing his head in response, he beamed. The heat still stinging his face. "I try my best, but there are occurrences where my mind cannot catch up with my tongue," Dacian chuckled. "I highly recommend not talking to me right when I wake up, Your Majesty, or when I am sleepy. My…ability to have a way with words…is gone."
Evander nodded. "Of course. I shall not invade your bedchambers without permission, then." He replied, just the barest hint of flirting in his voice as he spoke. He couldn't help it. It was easy, with Dacian, to fall into that gentle flirting. Even if it didn't truly mean anything.
"Well, if you happen to have a good reason to, you may invade my bed chambers anytime," Dacian said, taking a small step closer. His eyes flickered, staring back at the king's. He could not believe what was happening, and yet, he found himself being calm. "I would rather see your face when I wake up instead of someone else's."
His mouth twitched up into a small smile. "Ah, and I yours, ambassador." he returned, knowing it could never happen. The beast's bars were so fragile at night anyways, that the added stress or…excitement of sleeping with someone could make him lose control, and that would be disastrous in so many ways.
Dacian turned his head, trying to hide the blush on his face. The idea of sleeping with someone like King Evander was something that he did not mind. And yet, he know he shouldn't think of it. He is the Sceivanian ambassador after all, but on the other hand, he could not resist the temptation of flirting with the king. "Is that so?" He asked. "I do not believe I am worthy of seeing such a sight when I wake. Being this close to you, seeing you in front of me, and seeing you look back at me is already a great honor I hold dearly."
Evander flushed faintly, rubbing his chin with a hand. "But of course you would be worthy." he replied. "After all, if I were anyone else you would not say such a thing. My crown should not change that." he liked this. This sweet, soft, easy flirting between the two of them, but he knew, he knew that it could not lead to anything.
"And yet, you would still charm me just as you, King Evander do. Crown or not," Dacian added. Gazing down at the roses below, he picked one up. "Nevertheless, how can my gentle hands hold the mighty ones that have held this kingdom together, Your Majesty?" His fingers lightly brushed the flower's petals before carefully removing the thorns and holding it out to the king.
Evander took the flower carefully, looking at Dacian with a soft, calm gaze. "But yet my hands are only one pair of many that held this kingdom together. I may have been the head, but my army was the hands and my navy the feet, my generals and admirals and captains the muscles and tendons that enabled movement. I cannot take all of the credit and neither do I deserve all of it."
That gaze. Dacian was able to resist looking away from those gray eyes staring back at him. It was relaxing and yet alluring at the same time. He said nothing for a few minutes since he had gotten lost in the king's eyes; and despite struggle, he managed to glance away. "Of course, so many of your strong people have contributed. They have you to look up to. You, the face of this magnificent country, Your Majesty. So strong and so mighty; they all take after you, I can see it very well at this moment."
Evander looked down for a moment, a soft smile on his face. "Ah, and how can I resist such flattery, especially from someone so earnest and sincere in it?" He replied. His gaze returned to Dacian, getting lost in traveling over his eyes, his face, before returning, always, back to his eyes. He could not help but wonder if Dacian would still say these things if he knew the truth, knew what Evander was, and sadness flickered into those soft grey eyes, a filter of melancholy over the rest of the emotions there.
Lightly laughing, he gave a simple shrug. "The same way one resists a beautiful sunset or a garden full of flowers," He smiled. Dacian kept staring back as his mind wandered off into thought for a few moments. The possibilities of their flirtation going anywhere have to be zero to none, but why is his heart growing curious? He knows that he shouldn't, and yet, he found himself glancing back at King Evander, quietly sighing to himself.
Evander was not necessarily a short man, but he realized, suddenly, that Dacian was a few inches taller than he was, and broader too. It was odd. He wasn't used to being smaller like that, but it wasn't a bad feeling. He hummed a little bit. "By admiring from afar?" he queried, still holding the rose gently in one hand. "Painting portraits in an effort to immortalize but knowing that a painting can never quite live up to the real, living, breathing thing?"
"From afar…." Dacian mouthed while glimpsing down at the rose. Before arriving to Aven, he always stared at the paintings of King Evander in the embassy, truly admiring the king from far away. And he did so even before the king knew of his name. He can recall always having his interest piqued, wanting to see the king in real life and up close. "Admire me at any distance that pleases you, Your Majesty, whether that be far away or right in front me," He responded. "And it is not just paintings that immortalize one, it is also through books and the memories of others. All of them will never be like me seeing you in person right now, but it makes those things better, for they will help maintain the feelings bestowed in me."
Evander nodded a little. "Ah, of course. And you yourself are welcome to admire as well, should you want to." He replied, wondering why he was encouraging this, it was such a bad idea. Such a bad idea to encourage this kind of closeness, especially from an ambassador. Especially with the creature.
Glancing behind the king, he looked at the guard. He was not going to get any closer from where he was. It would probably be even best if he just stopped at this very moment. Flirting with the king is something he shouldn't be doing, let alone enjoying. Flirting with the king of all people! Dacian bowed his head, "I believe I will just admire from afar like I always do. It is all a man like me can do. It already is a wonder to see you in your crown while standing in this garden."
He nodded a little bit, gaze flickering around the garden before returning to Dacian. "Ah, I see. I'm unsure why it's a wonder, considering that I wear my crown most days, and it is not unusual for me to take a walk through my gardens."
"Well, Your Majesty, every time that I see you, it is as if I am seeing you for the first time again," He said, smiling softly. Dacian took a second to clear his throat before speaking again. "And to run into you in the gardens, seeing the sun shine down on you is like a wonder. Even if we run into each other on another day like this, it will still be a wonder to me."
Evander inclined his head at that. "Ah, I see." he replied, considering that for a moment, and giving Dacian a soft smile. "It is quite good to see you in this light as well, ambassador." he shifted the rose in his hands, closing his eyes for just a moment.
Watching as the king smiled at him, he observed as the king's lips softly curved up, how they made his face light up. Oh how they were brighter than the sun. Dacian slowly nodded as he kept beaming. "If I may say, Your Majesty, I never noticed how vibrant your smile is," He breathed. His eyes flickered down at the rose. They took in the details of it, along with the king's hands. He forced himself to turn his head, glancing back down at the rose bush.
Evander flushed very faintly. "Ah, well, thank you again, ambassador." He replied in a soft tone, closing his eyes for just a moment. "I…" He went quiet for a small space of time, opening his eyes and just watching Dacian, observing him.
"Hm?" Dacian stared back at King Evander, not aware of what was happening. Simply, he just stood there and looked at the king, looking into those breathtaking silver eyes. It took him a while to noticed what he was doing before he bowed his head. "Is there something wrong, Your Majesty?" He asked. "Are you alright?"
Evander blinked, taking a deep breath, and nodded slightly. "Of course. I'm fine." He said, adjusting his jacket a little bit with a faint flush on his cheeks. "Perfectly alright."
Glimpsing down at his own jacket, he fixed it too. A few strands of hair fell in front of his eyes. Dacian frowned a little as he tried to tuck them away. He softly sighed then focused back on the king. Quietly, he chuckled to himself for he never expected to see His Majesty blush. "Ah splendid," He nodded. "By the red tint on your face, I was worried that you were having a fever."
Evander stared at him for a moment, resisting the urge to cover his face. To be quite honest, the young king didn't have much experience in the way of…any of this, as so much of his life had been taken up by the war, and prior to that he had been a young teenager, and hadn't done much on the way of flirting or any such thing. "I am perfectly alright." He said again, clearing his throat faintly and looking away.
"Oh I see. That is a relief…" No matter how hard he tried, Dacian struggled with avoiding constantly staring at King Evander and to not be staring somewhere else at the same time. And on top of that, he had some difficulty finding words to say. So he just stood there with his head slightly tilted to the right. It felt as if it was just the two of them there in the gardens. He bit his bottom lip as he lowered his chin to the ground.