55.3. Defining Moments - Part 3

"In a normal situation, I'd recommend Aefener should still rest today," Twyla is frowning. Liana asked the Earthborn rulers to check up on me in the morning but since I'm still pissed at Werden, only Twyla came.

"I'm quite fine," I insist and impatiently flutter my wings. "I need to stretch my wings anyway."

"Quite isn't totally fine," Erik disagrees.

"A minor headache is nothing new to me, I can work," I say confidently. "I'm used to it."

"Love, we don't want you being used to working with a headache," Gotrid caresses my feathers.

I blush when being addressed like that. Gotrid finally switched from my official title to my name and cute nicknames and since it's still very fresh from his mouth, it's making me embarrassed and moved. Also, I still haven't restored most of my mental blocks so I feel everybody's emotions much more sharply. Especially my lovers'.

"I'll rest properly after the conference. Maybe I can finally take some days off?" I look at Liana hopefully.

"Of course," she nods. "But, Aefener, are you really up to it? I won't force you this time, just tell me. I think we can manage a day without you."

"What if Takeda shows up again?" Gotrid worries. Erik briefed him about his findings immediately when we woke up.

"He won't," Liana is quite certain of that. "He must suspect that we know what he looks like and what he's capable of. And that we'll be protecting our Emperor from him."

"So can I go?" I stand up and wave at Ayala and Cien to dress me up. "You can't leave me here. As the Emperor, I'd go crazy knowing that you're discussing such important things without me."

"Okay, but I'll be checking up on you today," Twyla gives a condition. "You have to eat a lot and take a nap after lunch, is that understood? Gosh, you skipped dinner yesterday, didn't you? Again!"

"How do I take a nap at the conference?" I don't understand.

"Aefener, you're the Celestial Emperor, the organizers will fulfil your every whim," Liana says as if it should be obvious. "Just say that you're tired and ask for a private lounge for an hour. Your mana capacity is developing rapidly, remember? Let's just continue with our cover story."

We arrive at the hotel restaurant and the room grows unnaturally quiet the moment we show up. Everyone is craning their neck to take a better look at me. I guess I must have caused quite a scene, going down with a nosebleed. Emi and Deminas offered to lend me some of their guards in case I'm in danger from my presumed father but I refused. It would look too suspicious.

"Your Majesty, are you feeling well?" Elizabeth is the first person brave enough to approach us and address the elephant in the room.

"Much better, I was just fatigued," I try to sound easy-going. "My mana circuit was imbalanced, that's all. Sorry if I startled you, Celestials have delicate bodies and me especially."

"Oh, I'm so relieved. Could I steal your partner?" she asks innocently.

Hon, she might have some important information for us, Erik quickly sends me his thought. She helped me a ton yesterday.

What did she think she was helping you with?

Looking for your relatives in Japan so I was only half-lying. Don't worry, we can trust her, he assures me, kisses my hand and goes to sit with the Czech delegates. It doesn't look weird, he's just networking like everybody else.

"Your Majesty, Lord Gotrid," we're approached by two Thai delegates immediately after that. Elizabeth broke the ice. "Could we sit we you?"

"Of course, Mr Suwan, Mrs Nguyen," Gotrid answers. "My love, I've got to know these nice people yesterday, they want to thank you for sponsoring the Thai Draconian embassy."

I'm amazed by Gotrid. He evidently didn't lose any time yesterday and socialised like crazy. Well, he's much more extroverted than me, that's for sure. And he has incredible charisma while not being scary at all. I bet the delegates consider him to be a friendly approachable Celestial—their bridge to me, similarly to Erik.

I silently sigh. I don't understand why everyone thinks I'm apparently super scary. I'm shorter and much skinnier than Gotrid. My facial features are soft and my wings a level fluffier that most Celestials which makes me look cute I think. I don't look intimidating when it comes to my looks alone, yet I make everybody nervous.

Except you are intimidating, Gotrid resists laughing aloud and laughs in his head instead. You look exactly like a heavenly angel whereas the rest of us are just people with wings. Your colours, androgynous features, beauty... that's what makes them nervous when they look at you.

What a strange turn of events. I was always self-conscious about my appearance, trying to hide my weirdness my whole life. I used to think that my looks might appeal only to the small niche group of gays who are into androgynous guys. But now it seems that with some promotion and my white wings and long silver hair, I'm pretty much considered to be a universal angelic beauty.

We sit with the Thai delegates and I'm given a ridiculous amount of food by Cien. Her serious expression doesn't allow any protests so I obediently dig in. Gotrid merrily chats with the Thai ambassadors and the atmosphere is quite relaxed. If I wasn't constantly thinking about that man being possibly my father, I would even enjoy myself.

I don't think Takeda will show up after what he did to you yesterday but just in case, I've told the guards to be on the highest alert, Liana brushes my wing when we're standing up after breakfast. If you feel something's wrong, tell us immediately no matter how weird it might look, okay?

Okay, I agree and catch Erik by his sleeve when he wants to leave with Emi.

"We were testing a levitation platform yesterday because I was too dizzy to fly," I tell him. "Do you want to try it and come with us?"

"I'd love to, Ryuu, but we'd better experiment back at home," he shakes his head and kisses me. "Even though I trust you with my life, I don't want to risk puking. Or ruin my hairstyle. See you in half an hour, love."

"This is what you share with me, Aefener," Gotrid clutches my hand and grins, excited for the flight.

The flight provides some relief but I can't shake off uneasiness. If that man is my father, does he mean to hurt me? Hurt Draconians? How would he even know I'm his son if my Mom was keeping me secret? Although, I guess it's easy to make a connection since Mom never married and my human surname is public knowledge. It might have been him who stole my feather weeks ago and he could run a DNA test to confirm if we're related.

"My love!" Gotrid shouts at me because I'm obviously distracted. "You're thinking too much, just enjoy the moment!"

He's right. Whatever I'll be facing in the upcoming days, I have these precious few minutes to just fly. I alter my speed and fly up and down around Gotrid playfully. We don't have time for another aerial dance but this doesn't hinder the squadron. I'm happy to see that Liana joins us. She needs to relax as much as I do, maybe even more.

We arrive to the venue on time and Erik is already waiting for me because they left in advance. Flying is much quicker that going through the traffic after all. I run to his embrace and cameras flash. I don't care if it improves my image or whatever, I'm just happy to be reunited with him.

When we get to the hall, we have a brief and unpleasant encounter with the American President. First, he looks at Erik who is holding my hand, then at Gotrid who is casually caressing my right wing. Delgado's expression shows absolute disgust. I don't know what he hates more—the fact that I'm openly gay or that I have two partners.

I decide not to give him any ground. I'm well aware that he won elections with his ultra conservative homophobic agenda so queer people in the States don't have it easy. Gotrid went through hell. More of a reason to just shove it into his face. I have two amazing partners and I'm proud of being gay.

"Good morning, Mr President," I greet him enthusiastically. "I hope I'm not late. It's not easy to accommodate two demanding partners so I tend to sleep in."

Erik and Gotrid almost burst laughing when Delgado turns red. Liana resists rolling her eyes at my remark but I feel that she's glad that I'm not afraid to tease one of the most powerful people in the world. I kiss my partners goodbye in front of him and claim my seat.

The talks are going rather well. The US government is still in a strong opposition towards us but we gained support of the European Union and other race rulers also promised to cooperate fully in Europe so other countries gradually soften up.

I'm starting to think the whole conference will go smoothly and we'll achieve most of our goals when I suddenly get goosebumps under my feathers. It's as if something is wrong... very very wrong. I quickly scan the building telepathically but I find nothing at all. No terrorist planting a bomb, no immediate danger in our vicinity.

Yet, all my instincts are screaming. My wings twitch, demanding to be spread. It's not about running away, though. I get an adrenaline rush as if my body is preparing itself for a battle. Am I going nuts? Did I have too much caffeine in the morning?

But then I look around and notice that all my friends also seem uneasy. Deminas even stood up and startled people sitting around him. Emi is anxiously scratching the table in front of her and Twyla with Werden released their roots.

"S-sorry, what's the matter?" the person currently speaking stops because the delegates start murmuring, pointing at us.

Vermiel with the rest of the guards run to me, bewildered. They have no idea what's happening but they form a protective circle around me and Liana just in case. Soon after that Gotrid bursts into the hall, followed by a totally confused Erik. In a second, Gotrid is holding me in his firm embrace.

"Ryuu, what the hell is wrong with all Draconians?" Erik asks anxiously.

"I... I don't know," I gulp. "But something is happening... something bad."

Humans in the hall start to panic. In any other situation, they might have thought that we're plotting something but they can see that we're genuinely scared. And that makes them even more panicky.

I use that Gotrid is shielding me from curious onlookers with his wings and close my eyes to concentrate better. I found nothing in the building but what about outside? But then I realise that whatever it is I'm sensing, I'm not detecting it with telepathy because the others feel it as well. It's like vibrations in space itself.

"Someone, put it on the projector!" a French delegate shouts and is waving his hand holding a phone. When no one from the organizers react immediately, he runs to the lectern, connects the phone himself and switches on a huge 3D projector.

It's one of those online streaming news services that regular people can contribute to and news with most watchers get to the main channel. This one is showing a street in New York with terrified people running away.

There's something monstruous chasing them but even if the cameraperson's hand is shaking, I can make out the blurry image. My heart skips a beat and everyone gasps for breath. But only my friends' eyes widen in a dreadful recognition.

It's the heligorr, a monster from Draconia Online.