❝ There was no sin he would not commit for the right price ❞

Tea, how fucking cute.

He had chuckled when he heard. Tea parties? Really? How adorable. He had hoped that this guy would be a bit more fun then just... Arrange a tea party. But here he was, about to have tea with someone who was engaged to his niece. Well perhaps he shouldn't be too surprised. A lot of higher families enjoyed tea. He just wasn't one of them. Tea was fine, but why bother when wine could also do the trick? Alcoholic? Well yes, but high functioning was part of it too. He just thought it was all too adorable to not say no to the little boy. Oh he was a big man now, wasn't he. About to have tea with the uncle. Heh. Oh yea he had to be serious about this or he wouldn't hear the end of it from dear old brother Edward. If he messed with this boy he was sure the man would have a stern word with him. Well, he only really played around with it for fun. There were no actual mall intentions. No, family was safe from those kind of matters.

He had gotten dressed in a nice dark suit, made sure he looked his best. But honestly when did he not look his best? His shoes were polished perfectly and his hair was done nicely. Even if it was just for an adorable little tea party, he would still put in the effort to look good. Because well, why else did you have a face? Got to show the world what you had, no? Show it off a bit more before age took it all away. Well, in his case age had simply put more flavour on his appearance. Men in general aged like fine wine. Although some... Not so much, he did atleast. Just like how he wasn't greying yet, he was truly blessed with a body and face that kept up with his time. Young for his age, as some would say.

He entered the room with a bright smile on his face as one of his maidens took place besides the door. Matthew looked over the room and spotted the boy right away. Dark hair, fair skin and looking like he was about to shit himself. The tall man chuckled for a moment as he stepped forward. "My, my, why... It's so nice to meet you sir Pyrrhos," He held out his hand as his face displayed a bright and charming smile once more. "Thank you so much for inviting me over for tea," He nodded. "A splendid idea really, I have been looking forward to it all day," Well.. KInda, he was looking forward to actually getting a good laugh out of this one. His hazel eyes focused on the others gaze, keeping eye contact with him as he waited for his response. He wanted to see how much spirit this one had. How easily did he break under pressure? Would he bend? Snap? Oh please let him cry, that would be so funny.

❝ There was no sin he would not commit for the right price ❞

All he knew about the boy is that he lost his family. It was just him now, if he was not mistaken, and he lived by something his parents had left him. It told him a lot that the boy didn't even change anything. He didn't have the courage, let alone the power to change it. He had nothing to his name beside what his dead relatives had given him. And where others would feel for the young man, all he could do was laugh at it. People like him weren't meant for anything great. Usually sitting aside and taking a backseat. He could never, it sounded like a boring existence. But If that was the thing the Pyrrhos boy wanted, then so be it. He wasn't his son or blood. The only real reason he was here was because he was engaged to Alison. If it wasn't for that he would have never taken note of the boy. Who could blame him? There was nothing peculiar about this guy.

Average, boring, nerd perhaps. The way he spoke, shook his hand quite poorly and just used his tone... Was this a joke? Well, if this was what Edward wanted, then so be it. He wasn't gonna question his brothers decisions. It was one of the things he didn't care about anymore. When he was younger he would be so jealous of the power his brother had. But those days were from a long past gone by. He had come to respect the man, a little bit. He had done well with Alison and Ashmoor and that's all that mattered.

He nodded as he returned the handshake, using more of his own strength behind it as he did. He held the others gaze as he let go and took a seat like the man had suggested. He smiled brightly, looking around the room as he lifted his hands a bit in a small gesture. "I must say, lovely little place you have here. Why, it's quite cozy," He chuckled. "My daughter would love it here I'm sure," He shook his head slowly as he looked over the place once more, before letting his hazel eyes rest on the boy. He was a looker, that much was for sure. He wondered if he had any character behind all... That. A pretty face was nothing if you had nothing in ya.

Now getting back at the tea party. Making small talk and all that, he hated it. Socializing was something he adored, but... When it came to an empty character like the man in front of him... What could he even do to tick him off? For now he held his tongue, as he had many things to say but all could come in due to. For now, he had to remain calm, for now he had to behave. "But enough about interior design..." he said with a chuckle. He nodded, tilting his head a bit. "I was surprised to get your invite, in a good way of course," His smile widened. "Seeing as I assumed you were more the reserved type. A very pleasant surprise indeed," He leaned a bit forward, letting his gaze of the boy as he looked over the interior once more. He looked over the colors slowly as his eye finally settled on a singular table. Oh. How peculiar. "Actually," he nodded towards the table. "I think some red would look lovely over there. I suggest roses or carnations..." Passion... Love.... Did the man even share any of that for his niece or was he only really in it for the deal?

❝ There was no sin he would not commit for the right price ❞

Faolan was the type of guy that Matthew could never see as a man. He was a mere boy in his eyes. And for that reason alone he knew that he would never feel any respect towards him. He had nothing to prove for all his years on this earth. All but a pretty face. No personality, no achievements. Let it be shyness or for the fact that he was perhaps somewhat sheltered, all these factors could have played a role in who he was today. The man would be lying if he wasn't somewhat intrigued by the fact that this hollow kid would become part of the Winter family. One day he would be duke and that, to him, was one of the best jokes ever produced by this land. How would Ashmoor rely on only their duchess? Because, let's be honest, they weren't gonna get anything from their duke. Alison was a fine young woman. She would be able to do things on her own. But he couldn't shake the feeling that that was also quite a cruel fate. To put something so degrading next to her... Was it in a poor attempt to make her look even better? It could be. He wouldn't put it past her mother to think about it like that. A rose would always look way more grand then mere weed anyway. It didn't matter if it was already wilting anyway, a rose was a rose until the end of her days.

Some of his words weren't answered. Perhaps because the boy wasn't as talkative as he had hoped he would be. Matthew wasn't even trying his best to be intimidating and yet he couldn't even bring out a mere comment on all he said? A nod perhaps. Anything. He smiled when he realized that the other must feel like he was on some sort of thin ice. How cute that he would think that, but only a fool would play like that. It kind of offended him that he thought of him in such a simple minded way. But a lot of people did anyway. They always thought the worst of him because he was scary, because of rumours. Laughable to think that they were already a step ahead when in reality, there was no game to be played. Oh well. He could always look on with joy as they played on with the supposed mind chess they had in mind. Cute. But if he was being completely honest, it was also a tad boring. Why did no-one truly give him a run for his money? Why was all so predictable?

The boy went on to talk about flowers. A humming sound left the lips of the Winter as his eyes went back to the other. White chrysanthemums were a symbol of loyalty, happiness and all those sappy things. Blooming flowers near the more colder months of greenwilt, he often believed that they were more tied to the death then books told. In a period of the year where cold was once more getting a grip on the realm, you would think that its flower would have a similar fate written to it, but alas. Now blue tulips were something that weren't all natural, the reason why they were so rare. He didn't like them, but Cecilia had always loved those kind of special flowers. "Those are some fine choices too, very calming colors," Soothing to the eye, but it didn't have a pop to it. To him a lot of flowers should have something to them. That's why red was his favorite color. It always stood out, regardless of what was happening around it.

His eyes went over the way the boy decided to sit, almost as if he was preparing for an interview or examination. Matthew tilted his head somewhat, a soft smile curling on his lips. "Was there any specific reason for your invitation, if you don't mind me asking," Meeting him, meeting all the Winters, must be part of a list that was made up for him. He was however, intrigued to know why a tea party had been chosen for him. And more importantly why here, secluded, no people around them. Wouldn't it be easier if other people were here? Distraction for him and some breathing space for the boy. Yet he had chosen to meet a lion face to face. Why and what fore. Only a fool would do such things. And well, he had hoped that the empty husk of a boy would at least have some brain. Perhaps he was wrong about that too.