20.1. Refugees - Part 1

"It's Aefener!"

"Your Majesty, please, help us!"

"Is that the Dragonkin viceroy?"

"Wow, Laura Richter, for real!"

I'm taken aback immediately after we step outside the mansion and are flooded with the newcomers. Liana was talking about creating safe havens for Draconians all over the world, it just never crossed my mind that they'd be coming so soon and without prior notice.

Draconians of all races are getting off the bus and we're suddenly surrounded. I clutch Erik's hand because crowds have always made me uncomfortable and he smiles at me reassuringly. Surprisingly though, I don't find their minds bothersome. The amount of excited emotions is a bit overwhelming but I don't feel nauseous or anything.

"Ehm, I'm sorry, Miss Richter... I mean Your Excellency," a bulky Dragonkin steps out of the vehicle last and closes the door. "My name is Benir, I'm a bus driver. These people had nowhere to go so I..."

"It's okay," Liana acts calm even though I feel she's nervous about the situation. "You should have contacted me beforehand, though."

"I... I know... we were afraid maybe you wouldn't take us in just like that," Benir looks down guiltily.

Liana shakes her head and starts to plan with her employees where to put the newcomers. Even though her mansion is huge, it's not a hotel. The Clawfangs immediately gang around Emi who is enjoying the attention, unlike me.

"His Majesty is so beautiful," a young Celestial woman with brown patterned feathers compliments me.

All of a sudden, one of the Clawfangs curiously touches my wings without asking. I flinch and have to make an effort not to connect to him on impulse. It seems easier with Draconians than with humans so I have to be extra cautious. The culprit gets angry stares from my race so he runs to Emi instead.

"Just Aefener is fine," I say because I feel inadequate that they're addressing me so politely. But it's like they aren't listening and keep addressing me royally.

The commotion gets under control after an hour when Liana's employees give them a designated spot and maids bring sandwiches.

"Okay, I underestimated that a bit," Liana scratches her chin when she can finally sit down to rest after all that running around. We're watching fifty-three people ravenously eating sandwiches in the garden gazebo from afar so we can speak freely.

"How are you coping, Aefener?" Ingri lands next to my viceroy. She was actively helping her the whole time and it's evident Liana is starting to really trust her even with important tasks.

"Somehow," I say truthfully. "It's difficult to filter so many emotions at once but Draconian minds don't exhaust me as much."

"Interesting," Julia remarks. I twitch because I haven't even noticed her in that commotion. "Your brain might be getting attuned to minds of the transformed."

"Which is... a good thing?" Erik ponders while looking at the crowd. "Gosh, am I getting stares from our newcomers?"

"I'm getting stares as well," Julia shrugs indifferently. "They don't trust us. Some of them look slightly injured and I had a hard time persuading them to let me treat them. Fefnir had to vouch for me, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do my job. More than half of them still isn't fully transformed yet."

"Another reason why we have to lead by example, love," Erik smirks and ostentatiously squeezes next to me. I enjoy it thoroughly.

"Thanks, Erik, you being here is priceless," Liana appreciates and grabs a sandwich as well.

"Emi looks so natural among them," I comment on the rescued Alpha who continues mingling with incoming Clawfangs, merrily chatting with them and acting very relaxed.

I look for Fefnir and find him talking with Benir. While Fefnir's scales are dark green, Benir's are dark grey. They're both huge but Fefnir is muscular whereas Benir rather chubby. It doesn't make him look less formidable, though. However, Fefnir's horns are starting to get really big while Benir's are hardly showing. I realise that as a viceroy, Fefnir was always proud of his majestic horns.

"How old might he be?" Erik asks, eyeing the Dragonkin bus driver.

"Around forty-five I guess?"

"You're able to tell?" Erik is genuinely surprised.

"Hmmm, yes," I nod.

"Damn, Ryuu, your brain is already wired differently," he playfully pokes my forehead. "As for me, I'm not able to tell most of them apart."

"You can usually distinguish the Dragonkin by the horns. They are unique, the same as Celestial wings."

It makes me think again of how our thinking has changed. A purely physical transformation is one thing but it seems another major change has happened to our very perception. Am I able to perceive the world with still partly human eyes thanks to my connection to Erik? Is he my bridge?

"Is it just me or are they kind of... grouping by race?" Julia observes.

"They are," Liana says. "It's evident Celestials especially don't feel comfortable around Clawfangs who are quite wild. And the Earthborn are in a world of their own, rather focusing on nature around them."

When the Celestials finish eating, they stand up and slowly walk to us. I guess compared to Emi, Liana and I are being too distant so they have to approach us assertively.

"Your Majesty, Your Excellency," the Celestials bow to us hesitantly so I have to resist cringing. "Can we sit with you?"

"Of course," Liana nods and doesn't let surprise show on her face. "You don't have to address us so politely, really," she's also uneasy about it.

"It feels strange not to," a Celestial man in his thirties with dark grey wings says nervously. "Your magic... I mean... I can't quite grasp it but..."

"I bet they can feel your magic proficiency," Ingri suggests. "Celestials don't live in a world of smells like other three races do but you're highly sensitive to mana, right?"

"No touching without asking," Erik has to slap a hand of a Celestial who is stretching towards me.

"The Royal Consort is so protective, how cute!" The Celestials are excited, not offended.

"The Royal... what?" Erik blinks.

Ryuu, why do they act so strangely? he asks me in his thoughts. I know that you were their Emperor ingame and you'll most probably lead your race even here but isn't it too much? Or at least too early?

They confuse me as well, I agree. For some reason, they feel intimidated by me and Liana. Ingri might be right, they must be subconsciously feeling our mana capacity.

"Aefener, talk to our guests," Liana nudges me because I must have been staring at Erik for too long. "They didn't choose my haven just because it's conveniently close. They came here because of us."

"T-they did?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," one of the Celestials smiles. "It was natural to come where our Emperor and Viceroy are."

"Please, tell us about your family circumstances," Liana asks gently. "And don't mind Dr Stein, I assure you she's loyal to me."

And they do. We spend two hours listening to their personal stories, often very sad. I realise again how fortunate I am that I have Erik and Liana. If it was only me in my small apartment with my Grandma as the only relative... I don't know what would have happened to me. They'd have probably locked me up like they did with Emi.

"So you can imagine how my Catholic parents freaked out when I started turning into an angel," one of the Celestials finishes his story and anxiously flutters his wings. They're much smaller than mine.

"Your Majesty, can you teach us some spells?" the woman with brown patterned feathers implores me. "I mean... we tried following your instruction video but it's still so hard."

"S-sure," I nod. I was always bad at looking for a topic for small talk but when it comes to something I really like, I usually can't shut up about it.

"Great, entertain our guests while I talk to my staff," Liana appreciates, winks at me and leaves in a hurry.

"Ehm... Your Majesty? Do they have to be so close?" the Celestials look at each other, puzzled, because Liana leaves but two bodyguards stay behind.

"They're protecting me," I say slowly. "Please, don't pay attention to them."

I'm afraid I'll have to explain the situation with my kidnapping attempt but they seem content with my simple answer. Some even comment that it's understandable I'm to be protected. Is it really? Do they already see me as someone worthy of protection? I haven't done anything for them yet.

Except you did, Erik tells me. You acting as a spokesperson for Draconians is a huge deal, you just don't realise it, silly.

"L-let's go training on the grass," I cough and try to hide my embarrassment.