Gregory Morozov

Sergei Morozov

Liadán

Melanthe's birthday had just passed, and Liadán had an incredibly difficult time trying to think of what would be a good gift for her friend. Melanthe had money, and everything she could want, so it wasn't exactly a simple thing, to figure out what to buy her friend. Eventually she had given up. Liadán had gone to countless stores in multiple countries, had perused endless catalogues, and exhausted her contacts in trying to find something that her friend would appreciate.

As stressed as Liadán had been, this wasn't helping. She had been busy trying to figure out what to do about Christian, and even had been roped into going to Cin's little meeting in Knockturn. The last thing that she needed to be doing was worrying about what to buy her friend for her birthday. And somehow, the idea had come to her, that perhaps buying her something wouldn't work. There was one thing that Liadán knew Melanthe would enjoy for her birthday, and it was hard for her to give it to her, but she had decided for the sake of friend (and for the sake of her current situation) to let Melanthe have it.

She had owled Sergei Morozov, asking whether or not he would mind meeting with her to discuss something. She had managed to get him to meet with her in France, and she had explained to him her wonderful idea. Liadán told him that Melanthe had always found him attractive, and that she wanted to do something nice for her friend for her birthday by arranging a date for her. Liadán knew she had blown things with Sergei, and with the language barrier, it was easier to just let Melanthe have him and she could focus on other things. The only way she could communicate with him was in French, and even his French was spotty.

Eventually, he had agreed. On one condition. He didn't want Melanthe or anyone else to get the wrong idea- he wasn't intending on getting married again anytime soon, and a private date might give that impression. If Liadán would agree on his brother going along, and find him a date as well, then he would go. She had quickly agreed.

And then, two days later, she had received the owl from Gregory. The only way he would go, would be if she went as his date. Liadán did not want to go on a date with Gregory Morozov. She had never met him, and had not even been aware that Sergei had a brother. But she had already promised Melanthe that she would have a date with Sergei for her birthday, and there was no going back at this point. So she had relucantly agreed. (Melanthe threatening her if she backed out had been very helpful in convincing her.) And so she had met Melanthe to get ready at her home, only to find that not only was she roped into a date, but she had to wear what Melanthe wanted her to.

She had been terrified. She liked wearing modest dresses in bland colors. She was all business, and there was no reason to give any other impression unless she was going to some sort of function. The two had bickered about it, and Liadán kept rejecting her choices. Eventually the two of them had settled on her wearing a form fitting white dress with a belt around the waist. Melanthe kept unbuttoning it, and Liadán kept buttoning it back. She didn't like showing so much of her chest or skin (it was a bit short for her tastes as well) but eventually Melanthe reminded her that this evening wasn't about her. Liadán had to concede her friend's point.

They were meeting their prospective dates in wizarding Paris, and Liadán was, as much as she hated to admit it, somewhat nervous. She had never met Gregory! It was a blind date, and she was not happy about it. She peered at herself in the mirror, buttoning up the neck of her dress again. "Really, Melly, I feel uncomfortable in this dress. Why won't you just let me wear what I want to?" Not that she really had time to change. They would need to be in Paris in just a few minutes, and since Lee was the only one who knew where they were going, side-long apparation was in order. "There's no reason for me to try and impress Sergei's brother. I'm only doing this for you."

Mel's B-Day Outfit

Melanthe had grown tired of birthdays and rarely celebrated them with vigor anymore. Afterall, she was a woman who had pretty much everything she wanted or needed so superfluous displays of celebrating her aging had lost its luster. She tended to party most days of her life with her socialite ways, so there was really nothing special about the day of her birth.

Plus, Melanthe did not consider herself to be close to her mother or brother and the other members of her family (notably her Aunt Eloise and Uncle Jos) would insist on celebrating with all of their sugary sweet fakeness. Melanthe really hadn't looked forward to the 12th approaching at all.

But now it was past and she had survived and when Lia had told her about the plans for a belated celebration in the form of a a date with the Morozov brothers, she had perked up.  Even with Sergei's stipulation about not getting ahead of herself, Melanthe was hardly deterred in her thinking that eventually she would be able to wear down his resistance. Melanthe had no idea where Sergei had gotten the idea that she wanted to marry him, but that was far down her list of the ways in which she wanted to conquer him.

Already, her belated birthday celebration was sounding like it would be a blast. And the fact that Liadán would be joining her on a double date with Sergei's brother, Gregory, was equally exciting. For where her friend did not know much about the other Morozov, Melanthe did.

Gregory was the more carefree brother and to some, his lack of a brooding demeanor and tragic history made him more attractive. But not Melanthe. She liked Sergei's seriousness and also the mystery that surrounded him. It appealed to her own darkness.

Plus, he was a Ga-zillionaire. And that was music to the ears of anyone in her position.

Though it had been a battle, Melanthe was smug about Liadán finally accepting an outfit that she had chosen. Mel knew that it made her prudish friend uncomfortable, but she still wanted to push her just enough out of her comfort zone to hopefully help her enjoy the evening a bit more.

And knowing Gregory as she did, she was sure that he would appreciate the opportunity to admire Liadán's assets.

As for her own outfit, Melanthe had spared no vanity in selecting a lovely dress mostly of shiny gold fabric, save for part of the bodice which had black lace. The rest of her accessories were quite muted for someone who liked to play around with accessories, but it hardly diminished her sparkle.

Stepping up to her friend, Melanthe wrapped her arms around the woman and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for doing this, Lia dahl-ling. I do appreciate it, even though I know it's hard for you." She gave Lia one last squeeze before stepping back and smoothing her skirt. Then she glanced at her watch and softly demanded, "So what time did those brothers say they would be here?"

Liadán gave her a patronizing smile. "You're so welcome," she responded. The woman smoothed her own skirt, and gripped Melanthe's arm. "Actually, dearest, we are meeting them there. Paris. They chose the place. It's a very nice restaurant in the wizarding district. I've been there before. Delicious food, and there is usually dancing." She could do without the dancing. The last thing that Liadán intended to do was allow this Gregory to paw at her on a dance floor. Just because she was forced to go, didn't mean that she had to make sure he had a good time.

Civility would have to do. Sergei would certainly see her civility as cool indifference, a nice way to not encourage affections she had no interest in. Propriety would not go unappreciated on his part, so hopefully it would not cause him to cut the date short. "And, considering that you getting splinched is the last thing we would like to happen on an evening like tonight, then we'll have to do sidelong apparation. I've done this plenty of times, though, dearest. So don't you wory." Liadán would have stood on her tip toes to press a kiss to Melanthe's cheek for reassurance, but she wouldn't have been able to reach.

Without giving her much more warning, Liadán apparated the two of them to the sidewalk just outside of the Parisian restaurant. As soon as they arrived, she spotted Sergei. He was on his own, it seemed, and Liadán's heart jumped happily, thinking that perhaps his brother had backed out. Masking her excitement perfectly, she released Melanthe's arm and walked over to where he was standing. She gave him a soft smile, and nudged Melanthe forward. The two were already acquainted, so no introductions were needed.

Sergei Morozov had been reluctant to agree to this... outing. It was no secret in the pureblood society that Ó Móráin, and many other pureblooded women had romantic interest in him. Being a man of great wealth, and a widower, he was not currently interested in any sort of long lasting relationship. But he had heard of Melanthe Grumman. Sergei had heard quite a bit about her family, and found the young woman to be very attractive. Granted, he did not know of many men who did not.

As they approached, he offered both of them a charming smile, taking Melanthe's hand in his own and pressing a kiss to it. "You look stunning," he told her in Russian. "Obviously the pretty friend." Not that he had anything against Ó Móráin's appearance, but after the way she had treated him at Halloween when he had danced with her a few times, Sergei had decided he did not like her very much. He then turned to the other witch, a strange dwarf like woman, and smiled again. "Good afternoon, Miss Ó Móráin," he greeted in French. His French was much better than his English. "You look quite lovely."

Liadán watched as Sergei greeted Melanthe in Russian, keeping the soft smile in place, and wondering what exactly he was saying. It had not occurred to her that there were multip magical solutions to language barriers that worked well for short periods of time. She smiled at the compliment, glancing down bashfully. "Merci," she responded, and fell back into silence. Liadán wanted to ask whether or not Gregory was coming, but found it to be rude. Hopefully Sergei would soon apologize for his brother's absence and she could leave Melanthe in his care.

Melanthe listened as her friend detailed their destination and what was in store for the evening. At the mention of dancing, the brunette clasped her hands together excitedly, oblivious to her friend's reservations about the evening. "Oh Lia! How wonderful! You must have known that Gregory loves to dance!"

Mel drew closer to Lia as they prepared to apparate and could barely contain her excitement now.  It was clearly a stark contrast from how she had viewed her birthday weeks before. And inasmuch as she knew the day was all about her happiness and enjoyment, part of that was wrapped up how her friend would enjoy the night. Melanthe could be selfish like any spoiled rich girl, but she did have a soft spot for close friends and family (even if what was left of the latter was somewhat of a nuisance to her).

Soon enough, the two beauties were in Paris and soon after that, the sight of one Morozov brother had the evening officially begun. Not knowing the cause of Lia's look of smugness, Melanthe figured that Gregory was running late, as he always seemed to do. If Melanthe was the epitome of the female Russian socialite, Gregory was her masculine counterpart.

Gregory's tardiness was of no consequence to Melanthe since the brother she felt a deeper attraction to was standing before her in the flesh. A smile immediately came to her lips and she stepped forward in her best efforts to be cool and collected, not wanting to drive him away so quickly with her tendency to be so forward and playful. There would be plenty of time for that later once she had him hooked.

She allowed him to take her hand and quietly responded in Russian, "Zdravstvujte, Sergei. Spasiba." She bowed her head momentarily so her eyes were hidden from his gaze but eventually returned them there, the brown depths dancing with amusement at his comment.

She coyly tugged her hand away and watched as he greeted Lia but her attention was just as quickly diverted to the approaching figure of another dashingly handsome, dark haired wizard who was none other than Gregory Morozov.

"Grisha!" She called gaily, using the Russian diminutive version of his name. Melanthe closed the distance and with little care for decorum, she wrapped her arms around Gregory's neck for a hug. "Kak vashi dela?" She held him close for a moment before pulling back and looping her arm with his, tugging him gently towards Sergei and Lia. (How are you?)

"Neplokho, Birthday Girl," he responded with a chuckle, the sound seeming to rumble within him. He regarded his brother with a nod before settling his eyes on the smaller woman. Decked in white, Lia looked quite angelic looking and that already had him already wondering if that would hold true under further inspection.

Stepping away from Melanthe and his brother, he extended his hand towards her. When he spoke, though his accent still came through, it was clear that no one would have trouble understanding anything that he might say. "This must be Liadán," he said with a smile that was both reserved and playful.  In the span of a quick moment, he seemed to drink her in and he soon nodded approvingly. "Simply lovely." As he paused, he glanced from his brother to Melanthe before adding, "Why Melly here seems intent on hiding all of her friends from me, I'll never know...."

Liadán was surprised to see Gregory Morozov finally come along, and was even more surprised to discover he was actually handsome. One eyebrow lifted in subtle approval as he greeted Melanthe. Grisha? She would never understand how Russian names looked. What was she supposed to address him as? She barely knew the man, so that nickname was certainly out of the question...

But now he was smiling at her. And giving her a nod of approval. Who was he to size her up in such a way? She was not some piece of meat for his inspection and consumption. Still, Liadán knew that she had to play nice for Melly's birthday. And when it was all said and done, Melly was definitely going to owe her one. As for why Melanthe was hiding her friends, Liadán was fairly certain it was for one of two reasons. The first being Melanthe adored attention, and showing off her friends to handsome, elligible bachelors wouldn't aid her getting that undivided attention. The second was likely the fact that Liadán was hardly the sort of girl to try and set someone up with, she was cold hearted and could damper any good time.

At least he spoke well enough for her to understand. Liadán gave him a demure glance, and a soft smile. "You're too kind, Mr. Morozov!" She did not look lovely. Liadán felt as though she looked like a girl with rather lax moral fiber. It was hard to fight the urge to make sure her dress was buttoned up properly. But his good mood, as much as Liadán hated to admit it, somewhat infectious. Sergei, with his stern demanor, was someone she felt much more comfortable around. Propriety wasn't lost on him. Liadán had a strong inkling that propriety was certainly going to be lost on Gregory.

She watched as Sergei spoke to his brother in a hushed, severe tone. He was chiding Gregory for his tardiness, reminding him to be on his best behavior this evening. If Liadán could understand him, she would hear Sergei tell Gregory that she a self important witch who seemed incapable of letting go of propriety to have any fun. It seemed, though, that Sergei's warnings and his chiding were going completely ignored. Not that Sergei was surprised, his brother always did lack the proper decorum of a wizard of his social and policitical import.

Sergei took Melanthe's hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow as he motioned toward the restaurant. He led the way inside, allowing his brother to speak to the maitre'd so they could be shown to their seats.

Liadán was surprised at the choice. It was a nice place, and there was a band playing. Their table was outside, and had a wonderful view of wizarding paris. There was a small dancefloor to one end, and there were a few couples who were already dancing. After being seated, she listened as Gregory and Sergei ordered drinks. The last thing that Liadán wanted was to have any sort of alcoholic beverage, but before she could speak up it seemed that Gregory was ordering one for her. She shot Melanthe a look, one that told her she was clearly not entertained. Even if he was just trying to be nice and proper, she would have appreciate some input.

"Melanthe, darling, isn't this a wonderful little place?" she asked. "The food is absolutely superb, and the service is impeccable!" High praises from Liadán were few and far between, especially as far as customer service was concerned. Her standards were impossibly high sometimes.

But she realized, as she spoke to her friend, that Sergei had already distracted her with what sounded to be a very spirited conversation in Russian. Then again, as unfamiliar with the language as she was, she could have been wrong. But he was smiling. Lia wasn't sure that she ever remembered seeing Sergei Morozov smile, and he was even more handsome with that entertained little grin. She looked awkwardly to her lap, realizing she had interrupted them, and twisted her dress in her hands. This was the worst idea she had ever had.

Melanthe found it difficult to contain a smile as she spied the look on her dear friend's face. The poor woman looked like she had eaten a Bertie Bott's Bean that didn't agree with her. Or like she might have steam blowing out of her ears by the night's end.

And Gregory was oblivious. Or if he knew about her friend's resistance, he didn't let on. More than likely, the younger of the two Morozov brothers saw it as a challenge that he had to conquer. And he wouldn't be satisfied until it happened or at least until he had given it a good try.

Melanthe smirked at his flirtatious responses to Liadan's protestations. The last one she heard before she became engrossed in Sergei was, "Kind, but most certainly true with my assessment, Liadan." Melanthe had been impressed enough for both her and Lia at the Russian's flawless pronunciation of uncommon French name.

Gregory gently tugged Lia closer and followed his brother's "proper" example by tucking her dainty hand into the crook of his arm to escort her to the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Melanthe had turned her attention to Sergei, making certain to thank him for joining her to celebrate her birthday and telling him how dashing he looked these days. It was on her tongue to tell him that getting out in public had done him a world of good. But she thought better of it because it might remind him of his wife and thus sour the mood.

The Russian witch did her best to maintain a plesant demeanor. She took her seat and allowed Sergei and his brother to order the drinks, even though she was certain their combined acumen about wine and liquors did not even come close to matching hers. But she could pretend with the best of them. Like any good woman would when attempting to boost the ego of her male counterpart.

She smiled coyly over at her date before turning to make sure that her friend was coping well so far. "It really is a darling place," she returned, a brow reaching upward with each word spoken. Melanthe was gaging the other woman's sincerity but before she could say anything more, Sergei was catching her attention again.

First, he was asking her about her family and wondering what they were up  to these days. And then he was pointing out that it had been a long time since she had entertained at her home, Tyen. He remembered how charming it was back in the day when their families were close. And then she had countered that by saying that her family wasn't the only one who had stopped entertaining. She relayed the tale about how disappointed she had been as a young girl to learn that he was no longer available because she had always regarded him with such adoration.

It was at that point that Melanthe made a calculated choice to lean closer to him and to place her hand lightly on his arm. She ducked her head, thus hiding her eyes in an almost shy manner.

Gregory became bored with their antics as he was all too familiar with the situation. Only he would rather not talk about it. He turned his gaze to Liadan who was looking awkward and out of place. He wanted to again attempt to interact with her. "Liadan," he said, firmly but quietly and allowing the name to roll of his tongue. "Tell me about yourself. You look to be a jewel of a woman and I am amazed I  have never met you before now."

Was he intentionally oblivious? Liadan scowled in Melanthe's direction as the man pulled her closer to him, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm, and wondered who exactly Gregory Morozov thought he was, and what made him think he had the right to jerk her around in such a way. Liadan was not a little puppet for him- she did not know him. Oh, she might play the part in public with other men, no doubt Liadan had played the part flawlessly at Halloween when Sergei had been at the masquerade in France and she had danced with him.

Liadan was surprised, watching Melanthe play the part better than she was. Perhaps her friend was far more skilled in the social game than Liadan had ever given her credit for. And it seemed that Sergei was pleased, conversing with apparent ease. Liadan could not remember ever hearing of the man carrying on a conversation that consisted of more than a few words at a time. How was it that her friend managed to be so incredibly charming? Liadan would have to ask Melanthe her secret... (Though no doubt it was just a genuine pleasantness that Liadan seemed to lack. She was obviously a woman who had no interested in any sort of fun relationship. Every aspect of her life was all business.)

Her move was very well calculated indeed, and Sergei was obviously pleased at the confession that Melanthe had been smitten with him for so long. "You were not the only girl to find herself heartbroken at the news," he told her proudly, placing his hand over hers. He chose not to mention how many had lined right back up as soon as word had spread that his wife had died. "I was always surprised that you were not married soon after becoming an adult. You know," he leaned in to whisper, smirking playfully, "once your father spoke to mine about arranging you to marry Grisha... What a pity it would have been had that happened! Think, being stuck with him." He cast a glance toward his brother, shaking his head. "No, Grisha is too terrible a fate for such a woman as you," he asserted with a smile.

Liadan had been watching them closely, and her attention was diverted as Gregory addressed her. At least he could manage to pronounce her name, though she did not think he knew her well enough to call her by her first name. Yet, the way he spoke her name demanded attention. "I have very little to tell," she told him.  "I graduated from Hogwarts and I take care of the family business. All very boring, really..."

"Were you not as the masquerade?" she asked. "Your brother was in attendence. Do you not go to parties, Mr. Morozov?" Liadan would be damned before she called him Gregory. Although the flattery was appreciated. It was not often such an attractive man flattered her in such a way. "I'm often in attendance at gatherings here in Paris or other areas of France with my mother's family."

She was distracted when their drinks were brought to the table. She watched as Sergei uncorked the wine and poured some for himself and Melanthe. Whatever Gregory had ordered did not come in a bottle but was placed in front of them. Warily she lifted the glass, giving it a cautious sniff. Liadan had no idea what was in the glass, and was half afraid to find out. Still, it would be rude to sniff and put it down without tasting it... So she took a small sip from the glass before placing it back on the table. Liadan noted that it did have a very pleasant taste, but there was also a very definite bite of vodka.

Liadan wanted to engage Melanthe and Sergei in conversation, she did not like this obvious coupling off, but interrupting them would be rude. So instead she remained quiet, doing her best not to discourage Gregory's interest but to string him along, playing hard to get. Hard to get would definitely be more successful.

The drinks arriving hopefully signaled a new direction for the date, one that would be carefree and fun for all. At least that was how Gregory saw it.

As she began to relay her story, he was of the mind that perhaps she did have very little to tell. Or simply refused to be that open with him this soon. But that was fine. Gregory Morozov was hardly a stranger to women who played hard to get. He was something of an expert at that sort of game and he usually won in the end. He had no intentions of losing with this Liadan lady.

"I came late to the masquerade," he informed her. He smirked and quietly added, "I always do. I usually bounce around parties.  If one doesn't have the excitement I'm looking for, I move onto the next one." He flashed her a charmed smile. "So perhaps you and I have just been missing each other all this time. Or, perhaps I have just been spending too much time in Nice. But," he paused for dramatic effect. "Now that I know that you are attending them, I will make more of an effort to arrive at a decent hour."

Despite looking like she was completely absorbed in Sergei, Melanthe did have a heart that was concerned about her friend's discomfort. But as much as she wanted to help Liadan ward off Gregory's advances, she was under the impression that her friend take care of herself. If she didn't like Gregory, she would tell him so. And if she did like him at all, she was simply making him work.

So seeing that he Lia seemed fine, Melanthe focused on Sergei and smiled sweetly as he spoke. If anyone was clueless of the four, it was the oldest Morozov brother. He simply had no idea how deeply rooted her affections were, did he?

"Ahh, yes. But no girl was as heartbroken as I was," Melanthe countered lightly. She gently tugged her hand from beneath his and before reaching for her glass to take a slip, she grazed her fingertips lightly over his knuckles. Her brown orbs flitted away from his face as she told him, "No other girl has known you as long as I have or in such a way as I have." It was a bold statement for her to make, but Melanthe believed in it entirely.

At his mention of her not marrying and his surprise from it, she gave a simply shrug of her shoulders. "Well, I had some things that I needed to take care of before I was ready to settle down," she admitted. If only he knew the full extent of what personal tasks she had done after graduating Durmstrang, it might change his opinion of her. But if she had her way, he'd never know anything about it.

She leaned in to hear his whispered words and shook her head with a light laughter. "My father spoke to many other fathers about who I should marry," she stated firmly. She remembered when Orfeo Grumman was  alive and she had overheard him and her mother speaking about such things heatedly. The image of the family....its future and what was best for it. Melanthe had only voiced her opinion about all the political maneuvering once. Even as a pre teen, she had been headstrong enough to insist that she had no plans of becoming a trophy wife. She knew she had special abilities and she had ambitions long before her father's death had shaped her future. When Orfeo died, she and her mother had only spoken sparingly of what said future would entail. Melanthe had dutifully gone through the motions of all that was expected of her until she had the choice to do as she pleased.

Her brow went up at Sergei's mention of a possible match with Gregory. "Oh, Grisha wouldn't have been a bad match at all." She didn't want to let Sergei believe he was the only available option for her throughout the years. "But I could never marry someone who did not adore our beloved homeland as much as I did." After a long sip from her drink, Melanthe said in a teasing tone, "There are far worse fates for someone like me."

As much as Liadan wanted to dislike Gregory, she had to admit that he was somewhat charming. Though she was fairly certain that he meant very little of what he was saying, if he was going to make an effort to arrive at parties earlier just because she was going to be there, then he couldn't be all bad. Any man willing to cater to her was worth a second glance, she supposed. "Perhaps," she agreed with what just might be a very slight smile. "I do not tend to stay at Parisian parties for very long." The women seemed to violate every social law that she lived by, and the men got far too handsy after a few drinks. Granted, most parties were like that- so she tended to leave as early as would be deemed proper.

"It is a shame that you were not there, though," Liadan added. "Melanthe helped me choose what to wear for Halloween- I'm certain you would have liked it." Any man would have, Liadan figured. Her costume for Lotte's party had been much more risque than she ever would have worn. Liadan had worn something similar to the masquerade. "How is it that you are so very different from your brother?" she asked. "You do not seem to be like most other pureblood men who spend their time in high society." Translation: Gregory Morozov most certainly did not have a stick up his bum. He was far more carefree and friendly than most purebloods that she knew. "I am not saying it is a bad thing," Liadan added. "Just... different."

There. She had put some forth some effort and started up some conversation. It was going to turn into a cat and mouse game, she supposed, but giving him a little something to work with would make the evening go quicker. Besides, she would hate to ruin things for her friend. Sergei likely would not appreciate Liadan treating his brother so poorly, and might be less inclined for double dates in the future- and that would be horrid.

Sergei's attention was not split, and he gave little thought to his brother and Liadan. He was focused entirely on Melanthe, and her coquettish behavior. He rather liked the way she flirted with him, combining shyness with boldness in a very alluring technique all her own. Sergei even found himself smiling- until she stated that his brother would not have been a bad match. "Grisha is not a good match for any woman," he countered. "He does not know up from down, and I assure you, he most certainly does not know his way around a woman's body as well as I." If she was going to be bold, so was he. He would not have her affections straying to his brother, however innocent her comments may be.

He focused his attention momentarily on his drink, surprisingly satisfied with the taste. Sergei knew that she was teasing, and that it was a sign of her affections. He still did not like it. Sergei was a man who was obsessed with appearances and reputation. There was a reason he had not dated for so long, wanting the world to believe that he had given himself sufficient time to grieve. He had, he supposed, but in the mean time had discretely entertained many pretty little witches in his private chambers- none, though, were quite as beautiful (and seemingly lethal) as Melanthe. There was a darkness about her that was enticing. It was obvious, to any man who was observant, that she was far from delicate. Strength was bred into women from Durmstrang. They had to be strong. And Sergei knew that he was not attracted to anything delicate. (Partially why he had lost interest in her friend so quickly after their short interaction at the masquerade.) Leave the fragile ones to Gregory- he maintained a level of gentility that they needed.

"Many in my family are insisting it is time that I remarry," he confided in her. Here would be his bait. "I have decided that they might be correct. It is lonely in my home, and the family business runs itself for the most part. I will always miss my first wife, but perhaps a second would help to heal those wounds... Besides, I was left without children, and I do wish to have a family." An heir was what he truly wished for, but it did not sound quite as enticing to women as the word family, he had learned.

"Ah," came Gregory's response with a nod. "Then it seems as though we have just been missing each other. You leave early and I arrive late. Two ships passing in the night." He returned her smile. But then his expression became serious as she spoke of what he had missed. "It sounds like it truly was my loss." Gregory lounged back in his chair and picked up his glass to sip from. But his eyes never left her lovely face. It was the face of a woman who would never be difficult to look at.

His eyes crinkled with amusement at her inquisition about the differences between himself and Sergei. Gregory vaguely caught some of his brother's conversation with Melanthe that essentially suggested no one should end up with him. Indeed, he was a far cry from his brother. But then, he was not so blind to overlook the fact that his brother had taken on the responsibility of the family, and the absence of that responsibility had allowed for Gregory to travel and engage in more enjoyable leisure activities. There were times when he attempted to make a forray into the family business. But eventually, he always stepped  aside and deferred to Sergei's expertise.

With a slight chuckle, Gregory attempted to explain as much to his companion. "I suppose I do have more freedom than my counterparts. I am not as preoccupied with certain things as they are. I like to enjoy life. And Sergei doesn't like it when I get in his way too much." Gregory reached out and clapped his big brother on the shoulder. But seeing as Sergei was so engrossed in his conversation with Melanthe, Gregory scooted his seat closer to Liadan, hoping to make their own exchange of words a little more intimate. "I suppose I ought to find some more worthwhile pursuits," he began. "Perhaps you'll consent to my pursuing you?"

It seemed as though Sergei and Melanthe were in a world of their own, one where even with Gregory's brief interruption was unable to disturb. In fact, any discussion and joking about Gregory was quickly forgotten in lieu of  other topics. Sergei certainly piqued her interest when he boldly proclaimed his knowledge of a woman's body was superior to his brother's. Melanthe could not deny ever thinking about being devoured by him. In fact, it had been a reoccurring fantasy of hers for so long that she worried that the real act might not be as powerful.

Thinking of this now caused her cheeks to burn. She mirrored his actions of tending to her drink. But her attention was not on the contents of her drink for long as Sergei caught her off guard by bringing up the topic of remarrying. Her eyes flew to his face to discern his expression and the intent behind it, something that she prided herself in being quite adept at.

The dark witch recognized this as being a time to pull back just a bit. It was true that she was attracted to Sergei and he would be the ideal match for her on so many levels. But Melanthe Grumman was determined to not be compared to all of the other women he may have encountered following the unfortunate death of his wife. The ones who openly fawned all over him and wanted to boast of winning his favor and perhaps turn that into being the trophy wife on his arm. She had never had such aspirations (except perhaps the pleasure that came from winning his favor).

If anything, her response to what he said would somehow et him know that in as much as a match with him would be mutually beneficial for their overall wellbeing, she had survived without him before and could certainly survive without him if need be. It was a delicate line of allowing him to feel desired while also staking her claim as a fiercely independent woman. A damsel in distress she was not.

And that illuminated a...snag...when becoming close with Sergei in this manner.  Unspoken was the reason why Melanthe Grumman wasn't married yet, besides the answer she had given Sergei had asked earlier. It was hard to keep one's darkness hidden from a lover. Remaining unwed allowed her a freedom and autonmomy she enjoyed. Melanthe would eventually have to decide if she was ready to be caged.

Gliding her tongue over her lower lip, Melanthe decided to try and keep the mood light and sweet for the moment. She reached out and rested her hand on top of his much larger one. "Well, I am sure your family only wishes for you to be happy, dorogaya moya" she told him. Then she earnestly added, "As do I." She chose her next words carefully and lowered her voice. "I would love to be a part of what makes you happy."

Liadan was surprised that he had been so forward. He was asking to pursue her? The man barely knew her! It was flattering, no doubt. He was handsome, wealthy, and a very elligible bachelor. The problem with a man like Gregory Morozov, though, was the sheer number of women that he had probably had in and out of his life. She was likely just a passing fancy, and knowing that made Liadan less than pleased with his request. Liadan crossed her arms, feigning disinterest as he scooted his chair closer to hers, and ignored the charming smile that kept peeking through his sentences.

"How many women, Mr. Morozov, do you pose that question to?" she inquired. "No doubt you are a man to pursue without any permissions. You have quite the reputation..." She had known nothing of his reputation until she had discovered his existence. At that point, Liadan had questioned her French relatives mercilessly about him. They assured her that he was a ladies' man, and that he had not taken a wife, and that more than one woman had claimed he fathered their children. Basically everything that he was said to be (apart from handsome and wealthy) was everything that Liadan was not looking for.

Liadan leaned in close on her own this time, flashing half of a smile. "I am not a trophy to be collected. No doubt you have hundreds of conquests in your past, sir, but I shall not be one of them. I'm not looking for a good time, and I won't pretend that I am. I intend to marry and have children. No self respecting man would marry me after you were done corrupting me... If I were the sort of woman to allow you to do that." An evil smirk, and then she straightened in her seat, carefully sipping the drink, letting her eyes rest on Sergei and Melanthe once again.

She watched as Melanthe placed a hand on his and he grinned devilishly, obviously enjoying the attention. Sergei leaned in close, bringing his lips close to Melanthe's ear in response. "Unfortunately, the things that make me happy do not make for polite conversation." Leaning back, he drained his glass of wine, and poured some more, smiling a bit more. It was not like him to smile quite so much, and he fully intended to enjoy this evening. "And perhaps, since it is your special day, I can do something to add some happiness to your evening," Sergei offered. Let her make of his words what she would. It was full of innuendo, but he did not let his tone lead her one way or the other. "Have some more wine," he ordered, topping off her glass. "It would not be a proper birthday without spirits, would it?"

Gregory spoke up at that comment, grinning at his friend. "Yes, Melly, you really ought to have something more potent than wine for the occasion. Sergei is not man enough to handle a good vodka. Pathetic excuse for a Russian man... Come, let me order you a proper birthday drink! Something that comes in a tiny little glass, that is not watered down with fruit and flavorings to mask its true flavor!" Gregory ignored his own drink as he said this, forgetting the current one in front of him was mixed for flavor and not potency. But none of that mattered when giving his brother a hard time. "Fetch the waiter!" he demanded. "Enough of this polite conversation. This is hardly a celebration!"

Liadan gazed at her friend, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. The last thing she needed was to be dining with three inebriated Russians. She was going to speak up, but Sergei did it for her. "Be patient, Gregory," he demanded. "After we eat. I would hate for dinner's taste to be spoiled by the lingering hint of alcohol. Come now, behave like a gentleman- not the neanderthal you really are."