"Azeon, what nice of you to greet use." Andera said. The children shot out of the elevator, and started to huge him. But the man with his beautiful amber eyes did not pay much attention to them. Instead, he kept his gaze on Jeffery, and it made Jeffery slightly nervous. Was there something wrong with his cloths, did he miss a button? He wanted to check it, but he couldn't tear his gaze from those amber eyes. "Azeon is the cousin of the benevolent Dragon King Epoa." Andera said, as she stepped out of the elevator. She walked to Azeon and her hand landed on his shoulder. "They are here on the invitation of your aunt. So be nice." Andera whispered in his ear. Azeon nodded slowly.
"Do not worry aunt Andera, I will behave." Azeon said and Jeffery's eyebrows shot up. He was not sure if he was supposed to hear this, but now he had. The children who raced out of the elevator, hugging the man as if he was someone familiar to them. The personal elevator that goes to the palace, her beloved and the mother of her children was the Dragon King herself. Epoa Ombre. It made so much more sense and still all he wanted to do is getting to know this dragon-man better. "Are you not going to introduce use?" Azeon asked, and Andera shrugged.
"I was planning to introduce them to your aunt. So if you want to know their names, you simply need to join use." Andera said. She started to leave, Nora, Eviar and her children started to follow her. Azeon and Jeffery were still standing were they stood. Like they were stuck to the ground.
"You are one of those elemental wizards." Azeon said, it was not a question more of a statement. Jeffery nodded, not sure if he should trust his own voice. "You know that I am a dragon." Again this was a statement not a question. But again Jeffery nodded, this guy is the cousin of the Dragon King, so it was a no-brainer. The only question Jeffery had currently on his mind was, what kind of dragon. He knew that there were three types of dragons; fire, electricity and ice. All three powerful and deadly.
"Are you two coming?" Andera's voice seemed to waking them up.
"Yes Mistress." Jeffery replied, and he went to her. "I am sorry." He said, but Andera shook her head.
"There is no need for that. Azeon is quite the character." Andera said, and she had an all-knowing look in her eyes. One he knew all too well, he had seen that look often in Master Goodwing's eyes. "Come on, it is not polite to keep the Dragon King waiting." She laid a hand on Jeffery's shoulder, a motherly jester. One he was not familiar with, still he didn't shrug it off. She motioned him to big double doors, Nora and Eviar are waiting for him. He wanted to say that he was sorry, but as soon as he opens his mouth the doors swung open. A large hall became visible, a hall filled with people. Jeffery could see vampires, nightmares and even some banshees. But he didn't see any other wizards, or any other dragons. Other than the woman with a large crown on her head and Azeon that walked behind him. He didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that he is there.
"Welcome." The woman with the large crown said. Their group walked further into the hall, a lot of talk raise up from the rest of the court. They stopped in front of the Dragon King.
"Your highness. It is my honor to present to you our guests. Miss Nora Rane." Andera said, Nora stepped forward and bowed. "Mister Eviar Summers." Eviar did the same thing as Nora. "And Jeffery Night." Jeffery bowed.
"Again welcome to Our court, I am sorry to hear about your ordeals." The Dragon King said, with a song sing voice. Loud enough for everyone to hear, but warm enough to let you feel safe in its embrace. "Now that we are all here. Please let use eat and drink, it will be otherwise a pity if this delouses food will go to waste." The whole court started to talk again, the food and drinks were placed on the tables.
"Well Jeffery Night." Azeon said and Jeffery slightly turned his head. "I am also welcoming you to our kingdom, I hope that you will enjoy your stay here." Azeon's voice sounded so cool and icy. Maybe he was an ice dragon.
"Thank you, Lord Azeon Ombre." Jeffery said. "I had hoped to visit this kingdom under happier circumstances." Jeffery replied, his father had paid a lot of Golden Acorns for a tutor who would teach him and his sister some manners. And this was the first time he was able to use those lessons.
"I just hope that those ghost will not hunt you. I would hate to see my aunt's people suffer, only because she is harboring an Elemental council member's pampered son." Azeon said, and Jeffery's mouth fall open.
"Do not worry, I have learned to stand on my own two feet. Lord Azeon, and you do not have to worry about my father. He has not looked me in the eyes since I was eleven." Jeffery said. That last part was a lie, but Azeon didn't need to know that. Because his father had not sent him away when he visited him the hospital, it didn't mean that their relationship was repaired.
"And why is that I wonder." Azeon said, Jeffery lowered his shoulders. Did he really need to tell this stuck up dragon?
"Because that is when I told my family that I didn't like girls." Jeffery said, so now he needed to see what this man would say about that.
"So they won't look you straight in the eye, because you are gay?" Azeon asked, surprise was clearly audible in his face. Jeffery nodded, and shrugged.
"They do not look me straight in the eye, they threw me out of the house, cut me off. The only once who have supported me are a small group of my blood sister Abby and my chosen family. Nora and Eviar." Jeffery said, and Azeon did a step back.
"I am sorry to hear that." Azeon said, behind Jeffery somebody cleared their throat. "And I am sorry about what I said earlier, it is not to me to judge." Azeon sighed.
"Miss Nora, I have heard that you are quite talented in the art of depicting pictures with fire." The Dragon King said, and Nora nodded.
"I am, your highness." Nora replied and the Dragon King motioned for Nora to preform.
********
Nora was in the middle of a picture, showing a unicorn running in the forest. While it was surrounded by the other wildlife. When someones hand landed on Jeffery's shoulder.
"Come with me." Azeon said, Jeffery was not sure if he should follow the Dragon lord. But still he went with him, they sneaked through one of the side doors. When the door fall shot behind him Jeffery turned towards it.
"Are you sure if it is alright for use to leave the banquet?" Jeffery asked. Azeon didn't say anything, he just grabbed Jeffery by the arm and pulled Jeffery with him. "Lord Azeon. Where are we going?" Jeffery said, surprised of the strength of the man. Azeon then stopped by a door and opened it. Without saying another word to Jeffery he pulled Jeffery into the room. The door fall shut, and Jeffery stood in a large bedroom. Dominated by a large king-size bed, a wardrobe, desk and other furniture. Some pictures of people were standing on a one-night stand, and even some on a special table against one of the four walls. Large and heavy curtains were hanging in front of the windows. Only he couldn't see the point of heaving them there, it was always night in Goticha.
"I am sorry. But here we can talk without fear that anybody would overhear use." Azeon said, Jeffery turned towards him and was shocked to see that he was standing so close. Jeffery's eyes drunk in the features of his face, and specially those lips. Silently he hoped that this man was gay, or at least bisexual. It would be a shame not being able to kiss those lips. Jeffery blinked with his eyes, what was he thinking? It didn't matter if Azeon was all of those things, he also needed his consent to kiss him. Azeon's hand reached for Jeffery's cheek, Jeffery looked at it from the corner of his eyes. Goosebumps started to appear on his flesh when Azeon touched him gently. "I'm really wondering what goes on in that beautiful head of yours." Jeffery's mouth fall open, and he did a step back. Tripping over the carpet and falling towards the ground. Azeon grabbed his hand and pulled him back, slamming him against Azeon. And now they both fall to the ground. Jeffery kept his eyes closed, listing to Azeon's rapid heartbeat. It was so loud that he could dance at its rhythm. Was he nervous, and did he just call Jeffery beautiful? Jeffery didn't know anymore. "Jeffery are you alright." Concern was audible in Azeon's voice.
"Yes, I am alright thank you." Jeffery replied. He placed his hands next to Azeon's body, ready to push himself off Azeon. But Azeon's arm wrapped around him.
"Please let use stay like this for a moment longer." Azeon said.
"Lord Azeon, we can't stay like this." Jeffery replied.
"And why not?" Azeon said in return, and Jeffery had nothing to say that would answer him. Because they didn't know each other for that long, or that they were from different species. But all those answers looked a lot like half-baked excuses at this point. Azeon again place a hand on Jeffery's cheek. "I know we only know each other shortly, and that we are not from the same species. But who cares, I, for one, do not." Jeffery couldn't believe his ears. This man was saying, Jeffery blinked with his eyes. He didn't know what this man was saying, and that was the problem.
"Lord Azeon..." But his words were broken off by a kiss. Jeffery didn't know what to do at first, but then started to kiss back.