Amaris leans against him, causing his flesh to tingle and eyes to darken with feral hunger. His thoughts must spasm into his dragons, as Vadir momentarily stops her agile dance with the blue and circles around to eyeball her bonded from a short distance away. He feels the fierce touch of her mind as, again, she freely explores these new emotions inside Volterra's head. She is unused to such thoughts, and ventures through them without a care for his privacy or dignity. She hums under her breath, curiously poking and prodding the parts of the stallion's brain that control these primal reactions to Amaris' touch - she's too young to understand, but the brute feels her brazen interest in this deep, dark sanctum of his mind.

With her examination over, the young queen takes back to the wing, darting after the spiritual blue. As her mental prodding recedes from his mind, he finds that he isn't quite as frantic about being close to Amaris, that his loins don't ache quite so much as they had before the gold's ministrations. He furrows his brow, confused. Perhaps she has stolen some of his lusts, in a twisted attempt to 'help' him and keep him from doing or saying something he will regret. Or, perhaps, she simply distracted him for long enough for his desires to somewhat lessen.

Either way, the behemoth doesn't know whether to be grateful or concerned at the way in which his newest dragon delves into the most private parts of his mind without giving a thought to asking permission first. She is a queen, he reasons, and queens ask for forgiveness, not permission, and usually not even that. The thought brings a smile to his face. Vadir's boldness and arrogance is evident, yet Volterra gets the impression she doesn't know that she is pushing boundaries. Because of her scale colour, she believes she does not have boundaries. She is the queen of all she sees, and she knows it. Unlike Volterra and Vérzés, both lowborn (Vérzés due to his scale colour, Volterra due to how plain he is, how unremarkable, from bastard blood without even a herd to call his own), Vadir is of royal blood. Unlike her male bondeds, who ooze self-confidence despite their status, Vadir does it because of her status. Whereas theirs is somewhat of an act, hers is simply who she is.

And he wouldn't change it even if he could.

His attention returns to Amaris, his mind slightly more focused now and not as easily distracted by her womanly wiles. He wonders if she knows what she's doing, whether she's teasing him with her proximity, or whether her advances are entirely innocent and it's just his sick mind that twists it into something it's not. She speaks again, describing dragons as wickedly smart but sinfully proud - what an apt way to summarise them. Her words are ominous, and he knows that the conflict between his dragons will tear him apart, like two parts of his own head turning against each other. The red, upon hearing that Vadir will make him respect her, screams his indignance. "NEVER," comes his mental bellow, as hard as a hammer blow. The hellion grimaces, ears pinning, as the red's bombardment of emotions scorches his brain.

He sighs, a deep, throaty sound that deflates his broad body. "I was a fool to not realise this would happen. I have dreamt all my life of bonding to a royal, and when I do, it almost causes a god damn war inside my own head." He stomps a massive hoof, feeling his anger rise and bubble beneath the surface. "Perhaps this is the Gods punishing me for my greed." He does not truly believe that - his greed is part of who he is, what makes him Volterra - but it is certainly something to consider. With narrowed eyes, he allows his mighty head to lower, disappointment bubbling through him. He had been wrong to think Amaris could suggest some magical cure that would make his dragons suddenly become the best of friends, and his shattered hopes ache like bites.

Another deep breath, and he tries to force his magic aside. "But enough of me and my problems. I daresay they seem trivial in comparison to your own." He looks at her, expression guarded but warm, a silent offer of comfort and friendship.