For a while he and the meister spoke, going over their lessons both recent and in the past, curious and intellectual questions from Alessandro about the fae and the wars and then more mundane things. Eventually the elder man settled down for a proper nap and Alessandro sat himself in the chair opposite,allowing Rei as much time to read as he cared for. Several hours passed and there was the sound of a knock on the door, Alessandro stood from the chair he'd been in and walked across the room, it was a servant calling him for dinner with the family. She gave Rei a cursory look and catching the meaning Alessandro said, "He will be joining me yes." The maid blushed and bowed before leaving quickly and he turned to Rei, "Time for you to meet the family, I apologise in advance."

With that the Prince gathered his coat, said his goodbyes to the meister's resting form and slipped easily down the stairs, the kitchen was all a bustle and even the dogs seemed to know it was dinner time, barking and woofing happily at the fence closest to the kitchen, sniffling and snuffling at the scents rising from the kitchens open door. From inside the sounds of shouting and sometimes the odd cursing rose with the smell of the food. Alessandro tried to ignore it for the most part and lead Rei and himself around to the side entrance of the castle, slipping through the heavy wooden door and into the main hall, it was here they received guests, held dances and other formalities, though largely ignored as Alessandro made his way to the far end where the hustle and bustle continued as serving staff began decorating the table with flowers, whole cooked hog, chicken, fish and an assortment of other dishes, dabbled between the candelabra's that were evenly spaced across the length of the table. there were many chairs at the grand table, it could seat a dozen but there were only three seated, the King and his wife were at one end, his sister sat to their left already toying with the finger bowl placed before her. 

Alessandro took a deep breath and let it out quietly before approaching the head of the table, missing out a chair beside the King's side and sitting at the second down. The first seat was his late brothers and no one was allowed to sit in it, well, he wasn't anyway. "So you finally grace us with your presence." The king uttered giving a disapproving glance to Rei, his sister sighed and looked into the bowl, distracting herself from the situation as did the queen. "I didn't see you at breakfast this morning."
"I was breaking in the birthday gift you got me honourable father."
"Ah, the horse, he is a fine stallion, tell me, what did you name him?"
"The Beast."
"What?! That is no name for such a fine horse, do you dare mock me! Do you have no respect!"
"It is a name most befitting of such a horse and it suits him."
"Why you ungrateful- and you dare bring your servant to the table? Even your sisters handmaidens eat in the kitchen with the staff!"
"He is my body guard not my servant, he'd do a very poor job of guarding me if he couldn't see me."
"And what do you expect will happen herewith your family?!"
"With all due respect I was attacked in my very own room, is it not more sensible to keep my guard close."
"Why you! Why did the gods not see fit to take such an incorrigible son and take the only good son they gave me I don't know." The King was red in the face with anger and banged his fists upon the table. With a silent but almost violent aura, Alessandro stood. "I will take my supper in my room." With that he turned to leave his father muttering and the queen trying to console him as best she could, placating him by saying what a good father he was and how he should not get so worked up over the boy. His sister remained silent but glanced up at his retreating form with a silent sorrow.