61.3. For Better or Worse - Part 3

"You're kidding, right?" Erik raises his eyebrows when he looks at Gotrid's luggage neatly prepared in the hall. Thirty-five boxes to be precise.

"I'm moving, Erik, I wasn't here on a business trip like you," Gotrid rolls his eyes. "And I'm not abandoning my precious possessions."

"There's no way it's going to fit our apartment," Erik grumbles.

"Your home should be remodelled and enlarged by now," Ayala reminds him. "I think it shouldn't be any problem."

"Yess!" Gotrid celebrates. "Can you transport them on the plane immediately?" he asks the guards who start moving the boxes using telekinesis.

"Bigger or not, our new apartment is going to be full of junk now," Erik comments bitterly. Except for hoarding expensive suits and accessories, he's surprisingly minimalistic in all other areas.

"I'm sorry?! My collectibles aren't junk!" Gotrid retorts. "I'm a proud geek!"

"Oh, right," I realise only now and get excited about the fact. "You're a gamer, just like me."

"I can't wait for our collections to combine, it'll be so beautiful," Gotrid sings.

Liana emerges from her apartment, looking slightly pissed.

"Li, are you okay?" I hurry to her.

"I'm fine," she assures me. "But it was a lot of work to arrange commercial planes to take our people."

"A problem with visa admissions?" I guess. "Or leaving permits?"

"Nothing of the sort," she shakes her head. "The EU is happy to have us while the US is happy to be rid of us. But the airplane companies I hired charged me an extortionate amount of money."

"More than is usual?" Gotrid frowns.

"Much more," she hisses. "They argued that the cost of everything increased ever since the Great Evolution and they had to re-book human customers to other days and compensate them."

"Is there anything I can help with?" I caress her wing.

"I'm afraid not," she sighs. "I paid for it because most of our people lost their jobs so they can't afford the ticket but I swear this is the last time I'm sponsoring anyone. Not even my wallet is bottomless. We need to start earning money, the sooner the better."

She's right, of course. It's been over three months since our transformation so it's high time we do something about our income. A few rich Draconians can't keep sponsoring the rest forever. Fortunately, with upcoming crafting and battling monsters, we should be able to give our people decent jobs.

"Your Majesty, our people are restless. Could you possibly do something?" Soren suddenly appears, all worried. "They hate the idea of travelling separate from you."

I introduced Soren to Erik two days ago and Soren has been acting as a liaison office between our inner government and Celestials from the US ever since. I got to really like him because he's an honest person who works hard and he turned out to be dependable.

"What do you expect me to do?" I bite my lip. "Our plane isn't inflatable."

"Calm them down somehow?" Soren suggests. "Like you did that evening?"

I sigh. I might have dug my own grave. Ever since I did that, Celestials started to think that I'm going to communicate with them telepathically from now on. It seems almost surreal to even think I was afraid of telling them because not only then took it well, now they think it's only natural their embodiment of magic is a telepath on top.

But Soren is right, I can feel that my people are restless because I'm leaving today. I should do something about it. I take a deep breath, close my eyes for a second and try to send every Celestial in range a comforting thought.

Let's meet again in Prague in just a few days. I'll be waiting for you.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Soren appreciates and acts as if it's the most normal thing that his Emperor just addressed thousands of Celestials all at once.

"You're coming with us, though?" I ask and I'm surprised when he shakes his head.

"Her Excellency certainly offered," he explains. "But I want to stay here and make sure every Celestial who wants to leave the States can do so safely. I'll arrive with the last transport."

"Oh," I'm pleasantly taken aback. "Thank you, Soren, I was a bit worried but now I see that I don't have to with you staying behind. Did you decide on your posting already?"

"Yes, it just awaits your approval," he says and suddenly looks very serious. "Can I talk openly, Your Majesty?"

"Go ahead," I nod.

"I'm not good at paperwork," he says nervously. "But I'm very proficient with magic and enjoy working with people. If you agree, I'd love to become a royal guard who would act as a liaison officer with our forming combat units all over the EU."

"I took you for a liaison officer already," I can't resist laughing. "Granted."

"Just like that?" he widens his eyes.

"I'm the Emperor, do I need anything else?" I tilt head and I'm not even astonished anymore how easily it slips my lips. It feels good. I feel good.

"Of course not, Your Majesty," he bows.

"Aefener, we're ready to go," Liana announces and when she looks at Soren, her emotions flutter slightly. Soren standing up for her in the forest impressed her deeply which is something not easy to achieve with my Viceroy.

"Are you sure you're okay with the car, love?" Erik makes sure because I insisted to ride with him this time.

"I actually want to test that," I say. "If it comes to the worst, I'll just faint. But I think I should be fine."

The lobby downstairs is full of Draconian delegations departing. I meet with other race rulers for the last time and it's quite emotional.

"I'll miss you," I hug Emi and let her pet my feathers.

"I'm not leaving forever," she assures me. "It's a tour. I'll travel the US, then Central and South America, Asia and lastly Europe again. To be the Clawfang Alpha isn't about building a fortress and staying put there. I'm more like a feudal lord who needs to keep visiting all subjects to oversee if they're being obedient."

"If think Celestials would build me a palace if they could," I burst laughing. "We're so different."

"Which is good, isn't it?" she caresses my feathers one last time before letting go.

"Aefener," Fefnir puts his huge scaly hand on my shoulder. Carefully, watching his strength and claws. "I'm going with Deminas to Russia but I'll come back in a few weeks, okay? My liege wants me in Europe as his direct representative."

"Please return," I plead. "It's reassuring to have a dependable Dragonkin by my side."

"I know," he grins proudly.

"And I'm leaving you Rien," Emi points at the young wolfish Clawfang who's talking with his aunt a few metres away from us. "Take care of him for me, will you? He might be a bit irritating in the beginning but one day he'll make a good Beta."

"Twyla, Werden!" I wave at the Earthborn ruling couple. Their company also grew significantly as a handful of American Earthborn will be moving to their estate in Brazil.

"Eat well, Aefener," Twyla reminds me.

"And you take a better care of your precious Emperor," Werden purses his lips at my guards and maids. "You're overworking him too much."

Ms Behera is waiting for us in front of the hotel to see us off. We still get her army escort but the atmosphere among the soldiers is less stressful compared to our first day here.

"Your Majesty, could I have a word with you in private?" she asks urgently.

"Now?" I don't understand because we're surrounded by countless Draconians as well as the press and our limousine is waiting for us. It would look suspicious if we returned to the hotel with the American official and ask for a parlour.

"Relatively private at least," she mutters.

I nod at my guards and they enclose us in such a way that the press can't see or hear anything and it's only my closest subjects and partners around.

"Speak then," I challenge her coldly.

Ms Behera looks nervously around to make sure we really can't be overheard.

"Not everyone agrees so strongly with Mr President," she's almost whispering. "I'd love to protect our country with our own forces but if... if... purely hypothetically speaking at this point... if our best efforts prove to be futile... would you... would you be willing to reconsider?"

I stare at her for several long seconds which makes her nervous even more.

"I take it Delgado doesn't know about you approaching me," I narrow my eyes.

"No, he doesn't," she admits and lowers her head. "But I'm not alone. There're more than a few people in his cabinet who think he's making a huge mistake by refusing any form of cooperation with you."

"Despite what most Americans seem to think, we're not the monsters here," I say slowly and clearly. "I don't wish to see innocent people suffer because your President is a bigoted homophobic racist. So should you need help in future and there'll be someone new and more agreeable sitting in the White House, we can open diplomatic talks again."

Ms Behera gulps. My implication is as clear as a day. I'm willing to help the US should the need arise but not with Delgado in charge. She nods, bows politely and storms off.

"Brilliantly done," Liana praises me.

"Scary," Erik chuckles.

"Our Emperor is scary but cute. Cute but scary," Gotrid laughs.

I roll my eyes at them and get into the limousine. I hope this is the last time I'm riding a damn car but I just have to test my fully unlocked telepathy. With so many Celestials coming to Prague, I suspect there won't be another chance to be this close to thousands of humans with jarred emotions.

The car starts moving, giving me instantly a mild motion sickness. Gotrid and Erik are caressing my wings, comforting me and anxiously waiting for the outcome. We cross the first street that's overcrowded with human protesters but even some supporters which lifts my spirits.

They emotions hit me like a wave and I have to make a conscious effort not to build a mental wall against them. Instead, I let the energy come through me and because it doesn't meet any resistance, it's not as painful. I do develop a slight headache but only because the sheer number of people gathered to see us off is enormous.

"Love?" Gotrid kisses my hand.

"I'm managing," I assure them with a proud smile. "I'm not saying it's pleasant, I'm not completely over my headaches, but I should be okay from now on."

"You'll be more than okay, we're here for you," Erik kisses my other hand not to stay behind his rival.

"And I promise to do something about your work-life balance," Liana adds.

I smile at her thankfully and feel quite relaxed in the moment so it comes as unexpectedly as it can.

We'll see each other soon, a voice echoes in my head. The same as at that banquet. Takeda.

But this time it's different. I'm in balance with myself, I'm not fighting against my own brain anymore. I let him speak to me, ready to strike back and put up my defences in a second if necessary.

Who are you?! I demand.

Are you really wasting your time asking me something so obvious? Takeda sounds annoyed. I thought you're smarter than this.

Are you behind the Great Evolution? Where are these monsters coming from? I keep shooting questions one after another.

Everything in its own due time. Patience, my son.

A shiver goes down my spine. So it's confirmed. For better or worse. I've finally found my father but it's not a happy family reunion. I want to ask something else quickly but the invading presence in my mind fades, leaving only more questions and no answers.