Learning to Love His Grace

Chapter 15: Off To Addington

After going a few more rounds, with Dream managing to win a few of them, the pair sat down on the grass to rest.

"I am heading to Addington tomorrow for business. It appears that there was a shipping problem, and I shall be staying there for a night. Would you care to join me? You can call on the Thornhopes while I handle my transactions. " Dream asked.

"May we stop at Belheim on the way, I would like to see my mother." George asked.

Dream agreed, then asked George to follow him.

Leaving their servants to chat among themselves, Dream led George into a large room. There was an array of different music instruments, and painting equipment scattered around the area.

"This is where I go, when I need to relax," Dream explained.

Trying to give him reasons to tarry a while longer are we? A voice spoke up inside his head.

No! I simply wanted to show off, after he bested me in our duel, the blonde argued.

You are damned Dayton, you fancy the man and wish to impress him

I do not fancy him, and have no time for such a thing, Dream debated.

George's fingers gently traced the keys of the grand piano.

"Do you play?" he asked softly.

"I do actually," came the response.

"Will you play something for me?"

Dream slowly made his way toward the piano. He invited George to sit besides him on the piano seat, before playing a piece that he had learned not too long ago.

"That's incredible Dream!" George exclaimed when he was done, "I never had the talent for music."

Dream beamed with pride.

I do not fancy him, my arse! The voice spoke once again. Dream decided to tune it out, and focus solely on George.

The blonde then decided to show the Earl a few of his paintings, but the brunette could not find the beauty in them, so he returned George's attention back to the piano.

"Would you like to learn how to play?" Dream asked.

"Sitting down for long periods of time bores me, Your Grace. I would much rather listen to you play."

The rest of the morning they spent talking, before George decide it was time to head back to the villa. He needed to prepare for the trip tomorrow after all.

Dream understood, since he needed to prepare as well. They discussed the time of departure, before George left to find Sapnap and Skeppy.

~0~0~0~

"Your mother seems to despise me," Dream pointed out, as the carriage rumbled along the dusty road, while their loyal valets rode besides them on horse back.

They had made a quick stop at Belhiem just as Dream promised, where George's mother greeted her son and Sapnap with tears of joy. However, she didn't even try to hide her dislike for Dream. After exchanging a few words, they bid their good byes and were on the road once again.

"Well... you took away the last family she had. My mother has been quite lonely since my father died." George answered.

"I never did ask on how your father passed, was he ill like mine?" Dream asked carefully.

"No, he died at Royston ten years ago, the night that the fire happened."

"I'm sorry, I now understand where your hatred for the king and queen stems from. Since you believe that they were the cause of it."