The strong smell of the cooked meat and hot soup hits the couple as they entered. It was a feast for His Excellency, his lord Darien as he had today only returned from the eastern province of Stallard.

Seren turned to look at his lord, their first morning together as a betrothed couple  had gone.. better than he expected, 

Considering the rumors about him being in a relationship are true.

Seren presses his lips together and turns away. They had to be. 

His mismatched gaze then travels across the large table of empty seats before they meet Callisto’s ocean gaze. The young man, a few years older, was sitting beside his husband, Orlando who was holding their baby.

Callisto gives him a warm smile. 

“He’s gorgeous.. Orlando is quite lucky.”

Seren returns it without hesitation while Darien raises a brow.

“Already so familiar with them.”

Callisto had confirmed his suspicions last night when his baby, Isabelle, got a little fussy. Orlando had gone to pick Darien up on the ports so the topic arose. Seren had only nodded, it was the most appropriate while Emerson, his young nephew grumbled and hugged his shoulders and Matilda, his niece rubbed his back. He wishes to have such children of his own too, even through the fact that they snuck out without their mother knowing.

They finally reached the head of the table. Darien’s gaze flicked towards the empty seats. His brother’s widow and children are still not here. Useles–

“My lord, can we sit?”

Seren was standing before his seat which was next to Darien’s.

Darien lets out a sharp exhale and scrapes his chair on the wooden floor before sitting down. He watches Orlando from the corner of his eyes, who suddenly stands up and pulls Seren’s chair for him.

Seren gives Orlando a tight smile before he sits down, his mismatched gaze then turns toward his fiance, his cheeks red.

“How embarrassing.. But at least we are at home not at some ball.”

Darien doesn’t even glance at him, now eating his lamb while reading the Daily-Courant. Seren tries to bury the nausea deep as he is met with the life-less face of the small cooked lamb in the plate of his lord. The blood is decorating the plate, leaves from its habitat placed on its sides as if that would make the murder better.  

He turns away immediately, reaching for the glass of water. He takes small sips even as the image stays burned in his mind.

His own meal was sitting right before him. At the very least the cooks knew him, what he would eat or not. His plate was dressed with a huge steaming cottage cheese and mushroom pie with cheesy garlic bread as a side-dish since they didn’t believe meals with meat would be fulfilling.

A small smile came to his face but he was unaware of the frown souring his lord’s face.

“Do they intend to starve him?”

“Where is the meat?”

Seren looks up at Darien and frowns, Isabelle whines softly against Orlando’s chest, her big blue eyes looking at him. But he cannot look at her or else his anger would evaporate.

“I don’t eat meat.”

“How ridiculous.” Darien scoffed, leaning in, “You don’t eat meat?”

“Why is he being like this..?”

“No..”

Darien opens his mouth but is immediately interrupted by the doors opening. It is Joseph's widow and those… brats. He clenches his jaw and stands up, everyone’s gaze follows him.

“Do you have no honor, you insolent wi-!”

Seren’s eyes widened and he tugs Darien’s sleeve who pointed glances at the children’s direction. Darien gritted his teeth before sitting down but he didn't even spare the woman a glance. 

“Why would he insult Lady Ophelia? She was his brother’s wife.”

Cedric, the oldest, remains silent while Matilda holds his arm. Her gaze is turned away, not wanting to look at her uncle nor her mother.

Ophelia then walks over to the table, sitting one seat away from Darien, in front of Orlando. Seren would’ve sat there if his late brother-in-law was still alive. The children follow her. First Cedric, then Matilda, then Lousie and lastly Emerson.

“He should know better on when to raise his voice and when to not.”

They ate quietly, the only sound were occasional coos of Isabelle and the clinking of utensils.

The newspaper lies forgotten on the floor, servants didn’t dare to approach it.

Darien’s eyes flicker through the hall with a scowl on his face, the porcelain fork in his tight grip while Seren eats.

Callisto sighed quietly, his eyes going from Seren to Darien.

“I had told him to not get a child with Darien..”

He gently nudges his husband, glancing at the Duke. Orlando was drinking his red wine while holding his baby girl, raising a brow.

“What..?”

Orlando whispers, leaning down slightly.

“Say something..”

Callisto whispers back, taking Isabelle away from him. Orlando frowned, glancing at Darien.

“Brother.”

Darien’s gaze shifts to his brother. He was young, like Seren. Only 22 and had a child with the boy he had not accepted.

“What?”

Orlando feels a familiar hand over his knees. He just has the best husband, doesn’t he? Yet he cannot look back, not when he’s spoken to his older brother.

“You have just returned, this is a feast! We must not sully it with old grudges!”

He gives his brother a wide smile and everyone, including Seren, is now looking at Darien. Waiting. Eager, scared, resigned.

Darien grips his fork tighter and Callisto calls a maid close before passing Isabelle to her.

“You brat, why are you giving my niece away to a wretch?”

Callisto stiffens at the name, grabbing Orlando’s hand from underneath the table. Seren can see Cedric’s expression twist. Callisto turns to face his brother-in-law, a neutral expression on his face.

“It is time for her rest, Your Grace.”

Darien rolls his eyes, staring at the girl in that trembling woman’s hands. Ugh, they act like he’s a monster.

“Rest? She sleeps all day!”

“She’s one month old, Uncle. Of course she will sleep all day.”

Louise rolls her eyes, leaning back on her chair while running a hand through her long open black hair.

“This  little..!”

Darien sighs, running a hand through his own brown hair. He doesn’t know why, but long hair must be tied. His mother said so, and before it, his grandfather did.

“Tie your hair first.”

“Why?”

“Because it is tradition. Even your older brother and uncle’s hair is tied up.”

Callisto’s hand instinctively goes to his platinum blond hair which was bound up with a hair stick. Cedric’s jet black hair was in a low braid, secured without a hair tie.

Louise opens her mouth– most likely to argue but her older sister, Matilda gathers his hair and ties it with a tie. A spare one that Cedric had given her.

“Sister–!”

“Silence. Don’t act like you won’t just open it after supper.”

Darien’s words make Louise grumble something under her breath, but she doesn’t speak after.

Seren’s lips twitch, she is so small yet so brave. A bit like Orlando.. even though he’s older than him. Isabelle was now playing in the maid's arms, a bit remarkable considering how loud her cousin’s voice is.

Darien noticed the line of Seren’s sight and gestured to the maid to hand Callito his daughter.

“The family will eat together.”

Callisto frowns but takes her without another word, planting a kiss on her forehead.

Seren smiles at them before looking down at his pie, the steam isn’t hitting his face now. He didn’t mind though as he tore a piece of the stuffed veggie pie before dipping it in the cheese sauce. His eyes then traveled to his soon-to-be husband who was chewing without a single noise.

Darien feels Seren’s gaze on him and looks up, the boy quickly averts his gaze with a frown. He has returned today and yet his own fiance won’t look at him at dinner. How rubbish.

Darien cuts the lamb’s leg open before he does it again and again until four identical pieces are there, oozing in blood. Darien has loved the taste of blood, just like his father. Animal blood was mandatory in their diet.

He takes a bite with his fork, glancing at the empty seat beside Callisto. Cristine, he hardly ever sees her.

Darien clenched his jaw and stabbed one of the leg pieces with his fork, the blood splattering on him yet no one but Seren looked up. Wide eyes.

The blood dripped down the table cloth and Seren turned his face away immediately. Yet, when he looked around the table, all he saw of his family’s plates were animals.

He had seen the corpses before but he now feels the bile rise. Abigale, the maid that was holding Isabelle before refills his glass with water. Seren gives her a smile, wiping away the cold sweat of his forehead with all the grace he could muster in those trembling hands before squashing the disgust down with cool water.

His own plate was unfinished. He didn't have the appetite—yet he had to finish. Otherwise, he'd look like a child. 

So he eats. Cutting a piece from his fork and chewing on it.

The cold pie, once rich and tasty, now becomes flat and flavorless.

 But at least it won’t go to waste.

Author's note: Today's chapter was shorter, but I hope that isn't a problem. Also feel free to give criticism, unlike Seren, I'm not defensive!