The grounds leading up to the palace sloped gently up to the behemoth of a structure. The stone walls surrounding the grounds felt more like a formality with the dense forest acting as its own barrier to entry. Riccardo often suspected a determined werewolf could scale the walls easily, and that was nothing to say about a vampire's ability to fly over it. Perhaps it was just to keep the animals of the forest away from their orchards, though.

Well kept fruit trees were planted in rows around the grounds. In the harshness of winter, most of them were dormant, and wouldn't bear fruit until spring and the region's short and mild summer hit. For now, the snow had most of the gardens dead, and the palace was living off of the harvests that had been collected in fall.

The dormant gardens and snow covered grounds added a coldness to the scene that had nothing to do with the temperature. And the palace itself didn't help. At four stories tall the structure was made of stone, towering above the trees, but dwarfed by the mountains that made the backdrop to the Tenepri home. It had been designed with defense in mind, the innermost part of it where Riccardo and the rest of his family slept while the parts closest to the borders of the grounds housed their guards, servants, and other members of the household. The stonework was especially strong at the base, and windows were small and narrow and not easily clambered through by anything larger than a cat. The small windows helped with insulating the house as well, though, which Riccardo had always been grateful for.

It was the only home Riccardo had ever known. It was cold and uninviting and the glint of black metal accents shaped into spikes that adorned the roof and added an almost-artistic edge made it look as harsh as the environment it was surrounded by. Despite all of this, Riccardo had fond memories of running through the orchards in summer, of being a child dripping with orange juice from fruit he'd picked right off of the tree, soaring as a bat from the windows to catch the wind, flying Taizong to the mountains and lake which were not as far as they appeared.

Looking at it now, though, with Leon at his back, he could see the harsh bits of it more clearly than ever. It was nothing like the quaint houses the humans had with their lights always on and large windows likely to let the sun in on the rare days it showed in winter. How did the fae live, though? They were creatures of light, if Riccardo's memory served him, and he was sure it did. What had Leon's home been like?

Before Riccardo could ask this, however, his ears pricked up at seeing a bat flying towards them from the palace. It squeaked in delight and Riccardo smiled softly as the bat transformed in the air to land on its feet as a boy with the same raven-black hair he and Riccardo both shared with their father.

"Father, I was just practicing my sword in the courtyard," Erik excitedly exclaimed as he walked with a bounce beside their father's mount. Their father's expression didn't change as he looked down at the boy, his usual unamused expression pulling down at the corners of his lips. Riccardo felt sure he was ready to scold Erik for some reason or another. "I was showing Mother that I could come help you find - Riccardo!" He turned before their father could gripe at him about whatever behavior he found to be improper at the moment.

"I didn't know you had a younger son," Riccardo could hear Mahvash say to their father as Erik rushed away from the head of their group.

A few snorts and chuckles escaped mounts and riders alike as Erik ran down the line to Riccardo on Taizong. Riccardo smiled wider and leaned over the side of Taizong to offer his brother a hand when he reached him. He pulled the child up to sit in front of him and was immediately hugged tightly.

"I missed you," Erik said, face smushed into the front of Riccardo.

Riccardo hugged him tightly back with his good arm. "I missed you, too." He hissed softly. "Careful of my arm, though... I got hurt."

Erik drew away from Riccardo, his ears going back and a small wrinkle showed in his brow. "Sorry," he said. He looked back up at Riccardo's face, though, eyes lighting up immediately and ears perking as well right until he looked over Riccardo's shoulder. His ears went back and he squinted. "Who is that?"

Riccardo glanced over his shoulder despite knowing who Erik was talking about. One of Leon's brows was up as he stared back at Erik. "This is Leon," Riccardo introduced. "Leon, this is Erik. My brother."

"Uh, hi," Leon said with undeniable uncertainty.

Erik clearly wasn't interested in returning the greeting. He put a hand on Riccardo's shoulder to balance himself as he got on his knees on Taizong's back, sniffing at the air. "Why do you smell so good?"

"What you're smelling is fae," Valentin interjected to answer from where he rode nearby them. "They taste as good as they smell, and will make you stronger and faster for a day or so, too."

"That's amazing," Erik said.

Riccardo could see Leon scowl out of the corner of his eyes. He was uninterested in the unique smell that wafted off the fae's skin, but with his brother in context, he was uncomfortably aware of how many others were interested in the siren's call of Leon's blood. He shouldn't care, really. He knew he shouldn't. Least of all, should he care where his family was concerned. He'd likely be expected to share with them in the first place. Leon's discomfort bothered him, though. He felt that strong urge of responsibility for the other man that was quickly taking root in him. That had made him rush to protect Leon when they'd been ambushed on the road, and put the fae onto Taizong to ride behind him to ensure his safety the rest of the way home. It felt a lot deeper than merely knowing he was expected to take care of his gift. Riccardo didn't quite understand what it was about Leon that made him want to protect him, but he wasn't keen on even letting his brother think he'd get to sink his fangs into him.

"Leon was hurt on the road, though, so he needs to see the doctor and recover before anyone thinks about having a taste," Riccardo said, and promptly put his good arm around Erik's waist to wrangle his brother into turning around. Behind him, he faintly heard a soft breath of relief leave Leon. "Now sit down before you hurt Taizong kneeling on him like that. He was already hurt in the ambush." He reached out to pet his poor gryphon on the neck.

"There was an ambush," Erik asked, wide eyed. "Where? What happened? How did Taizong get hurt?" He leaned forward to rub at Taizong's neck as well. "Poor guy."

"It was on the road between here and Jongvale," Riccardo told his brother, starting the story. They were nearly at the front door of the palace, though, and there wasn't time for a long, dramatic retelling despite what he knew his brother was looking for. "Taizong was my valiant defender as usual, but there were too many wolves, and few of us, and the trail's really narrow."

"They attacked on the road? But... but that's really close to the palace," Erik breathed, eyes bright with fear.

"It's a problem," Valentin said before Riccardo could respond. Riccardo turned to look at the red head whose gaze was dark as he looked up ahead. He hadn't quite considered how close the ambush had happened to their home himself, but was realizing it was likely on all of their generals' minds... on his father's mind. There would be meetings about this. No questions about it.

"They won't come here, though, right," Erik asked.

"They won't come here," Riccardo jumped in to reassure his brother. "Even if they did, our whole army resides here, we have the scouts, and you especially have Father and me. We won't let anything happen to you."

Erik didn't seem reassured by that for some reason. One of his hands clutched tightly at the front of Riccardo's cloak.

"Fucking hell," Riccardo heard Leon murmur softly behind him, and he looked over his shoulder at the fae who looked about as comforted as Erik at hearing all of this news.

On seeing Riccardo looking at him, though, Leon looked down and off the side of Taizong into the snow.

With Valentin still riding beside them, Riccardo didn't feel comfortable asking Leon about any of that, and so he looked ahead again. At this point, the whole group of them walked under the stone archway and into the front courtyard where Riccardo spotted his mother closing the distance to his father on his mount.

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"Mahvash, it's so good of you to join us," his mother greeted the empress riding besides his father first. "What luck that you were able to join my husband's men on the road here."

"Come on, Erik, we best get down," Riccardo told his brother, quietly, urging his brother with a hand to slide off the side of Taizong. The child did so, and Riccardo dismounted carefully to avoid kicking Leon behind him in the process. Then, he turned and offered the hand on his good arm wordlessly up to Leon to take.

Leon got the hint, and let Riccardo help him down onto his hurt leg. Servants were already rushing in at this point to tend to the mounts and offer help to the weary generals and their party guests in whatever ways they could.

"Help Leon here somewhere warm, get him some hot food and drink, and then tell Dr. Seavers to see him and that I'll meet them," Riccardo instructed one of the servants. He glanced at Leon who seemed too weary to do anything more than nod at him.

Riccardo gave Taizong a pat as he walked away from his gryphon to go join his family around Mahvash. Erik had left him to stand up there already, he noticed. His brother tucked himself close against their mother's skirts, finally giving the empress his attention. His eyes were wide with wonder, taking in the darker skin of the empress and the rest of her people, their accent no doubt a curiosity to his younger brother as well. They'd never had visitors like this in his brother's short life. It was rare that all the vampiric powers of the world accumulated in one location. The coming of age of a first born was a big event, though. Big enough to bring people in from all over the world.

"Your home is lovely, but I wish it were not so cold here. The rest of the world hasn't even been dusted by snow yet," Mahvash was complaining to his parents as Riccardo walked up to them. "And yet you've several feet of it blanketing the ground and blizzards roaring through already."

"I imagine it's much colder here than the desert ever gets, isn't it," his mother allowed with a nod. "Let's get you and your people inside, shall we? We heat the palace well. You'll be pleasantly surprised."

"And the horses will be in heated stalls, I hope? I don't think they're acclimated to this weather either," Mahvash said even as she started to walk up the stone steps to the front doors of the palace.

"We take very good care of our mounts," Riccardo assured the empress. "They'll be treated just as well as our own, I assure you. I think I owe them my thanks as much as you and your people for rescuing me after the blizzard took me."

His mother looked back at him curiously before turning her gaze to the empress again. His father's eyes cut to him as well, indiscernible as ever. Riccardo knew he was due for some kind of punishment for the ineptitude he'd shown, and felt as though his father's gaze promised it. Maybe he should wait to see the doctor until after his father gave him whatever he thought he deserved.

From where she held onto his father's arm, his mother started to lead everyone up the steps to the heavy doors into the palace, obviously not content to keep their guests outside in this cold any longer. Though, she didn't hesitate to ask her burning questions, either.

"So it's you I should thank for rescuing my son?"

"And my people," Mahvash said. "His gryphon gave them and our mounts a scare, but the beast was smart enough to figure out we were trying to help its master."

"It's an intelligent creature when it wants to be," his mother allowed.

"Mm," Mahvash hummed a response at that.

Servants opened the doors to the palace, and the group of them all stepped inside. Riccardo felt the relief of getting out of the wind immediately, but knew it would be a while before his limbs had full feeling back, but he did take his gloves off to get the blood flowing in them again. The palace was still a much more comfortable temperature than outside, though, and Riccardo appreciated the warmth that hit the bare skin of his face.

"It's warmer in here than I expected," Mahvash commented, clearly as relieved as Riccardo was to start melting the chill out of her flesh. "How do you stave off the cold so well?"

"Fire rocks blazing in furnaces below the palace," Demetri answered. "The warm air lifts through a pipe system in the outer walls. As you can tell, even in the dead of winter, we stay comfortable inside."

"Our fireplaces are always roaring as well," Alayne added. "The servants will have yours burning brightly by the time you retire."

"I would like to soon, actually," Mahvash decided. She glanced back at Riccardo at this time. "I would think your prince would like to be dismissed to have his injuries tended to, as well."

Riccardo hadn't been about to remind his father that he was still suffering from the battle, falling in the blizzard, and the ambush on the road. Unless he was unable to walk, talk, or bleeding profusely, duty always came first.

"Riccardo seems capable of escorting you to your bedchambers," Demetri told the empress. "It is the least he can do to thank you for his rescue."

"Of course," Riccardo said with a slight bow of his head. He looked at the empress and offered out his good arm for her to take. He hoped he didn't look or sound as weary as he felt.

"Join us for dinner," his mother requested of the empress. "We're having all of our guests join us tonight. I've arranged for food to be prepared from all of our regions. It's not often that so many of our cultures meld together in one place, after all."

"It's not," Mahvash agreed as she took Riccardo's good arm in her hand. "I look forward to seeing what you've put together for us, Alayne. I'm sure it's marvelous. Out of curiosity, is my brother here, though? The last I heard Archimedes hadn't yet made up his mind about coming."

From what Riccardo knew of Archimedes, the man barely showed up when invited, and more often showed up when not. It was rare to hear from him, rarer to see him. He knew his mother had hoped he wouldn't accept his invitation, but to not extend one to a vampire as ancient as him would have been absolute blasphemy. He really barely cared about this party being thrown in his honor, but he found himself curious if the old vampire had come.

"He's not attending," Alayne said, her lips tightening slightly in a way Riccardo knew meant she found distaste in the topic.

"How very like him," Mahvash said and then turned to Riccardo. "If you wouldn't mind... my room, young prince."

"Up in the west wing, Riccardo," Alayne informed her son. "The second floor. The servants will know if you need to ask."

Riccardo nodded at that, and started to lead Mahvash in that direction. "I hope you enjoy your stay with us," he tried for small talk despite his weariness and aches making themselves more and more known by the moment. He was so close to being able to get some pain medicine and care for his aches. It felt cruel that he was being made to walk Mahvash to her room rather than get those taken care of. But maybe that was the point.

"I'm sure I will," Mahvash replied, looking curiously at him. "I'm already enjoying seeing the way you're bonding with the fae. They're interesting people, aren't they? You're young enough this is probably your first time meeting one, isn't it?"

Riccardo felt tight in his chest at the turn in the conversation, recalling what she'd said on the road about their bonding before. "He's my responsibility," he said. "I just... I'm making sure I take care of him. I don't want to appear ungrateful."

Mahvash laughed softly at this for some reason. Riccardo only felt further discomfort. For more than just the aches in his body, he wanted to be far away from her. "You don't seem to be," she said. "Even if you didn't get a taste in." She patted him where she had her hand on his arm already. "I'll forgive you for it, but I do want to ask why you held off. After all, he smells delectable, and he tastes divine as all the fae do."

Riccardo stared pointedly ahead, face drawn up tight and ears tensely back. "I'm just not a fan of feeding from people," he gave the short answer of his embarrassing qualm with this literal need he and all other vampires shared.

"You were born a vampire, weren't you," Mahvash asked, clearly verifying the information. When Riccardo nodded, she hummed thoughtfully, and Riccardo looked over to her. "Guilty feeding isn't usually a thing seen in born vampires. You're a curiosity."

"It's not that I feel guilty for it," Riccardo said, a bit exasperatedly. "I just... don't like to."

"Hm... Very well," Mahvash allowed. "I'm sure your new pet appreciates it."

Riccardo sighed. He wasn't completely keen on continuing the conversation but it had raised a question for him that he was keen to get an answer on. "If the fae are so rare and you're so keen on their blood, why give him to me? Why not keep him for yourself?"

"It was better that he was here," Mahvash answered, eyes searching Riccardo's face. He wished he knew what she was seeking from him, and when she looked away he wasn't even sure she had found whatever it was.

"What does that mean," Riccardo voiced, thoroughly puzzled.

"It means, young prince, that I think you need him far more than I," she answered.

Riccardo was no less confused by this, but they'd arrived at Mahvash's room at this point. An engraved, metal plate with her name on it had been adorned to the wood of the door as Riccardo was sure had been done for all their prestigious guests.

Her guards swept past her to get a read of the room before her. Riccardo was so used to guards following him that he hadn't paid them any mind, but as they passed, he wondered where his mother was putting all of their guests' staff around the palace. And whether or not she would give Leon one of the better living quarters than their usual blood slaves.

"Please let the staff know if there is anything they can get you," Riccardo let Mahvash know. "They're at your beck and call for whatever you may need."

"I'm familiar with being a guest in someone's home," Mahvash assured. "Why don't you go have your injuries looked at now? I think you've waited long enough."

Riccardo smiled uncertainly at that, but bowed his head. "Thank you," he said. He didn't give any more pleasantries or goodbye than that. As he walked away, he realized he probably should have but he was eager to see the doctor and get some relief.