7 Chapter

It was a week before I returned to the Hapan surface. I shifted my wings as I left the cargo shuttle. While it had not been configured to be controlled from a command pillar, the flight deck had two sets of controls.

One normal set and one in my size. Even then, it was a bit cramped for me, as there were a couple of hours of flight time.

No real matter though, the shuttle was meant to move a massive amount of cargo between the ship and the surface, not be a personal transport for me. You could land a YT-1300 in the cargohold in one of these things but the passenger capabilities were minimal, limited to two bunks, a tiny feeding area and a flightdeck.

The only area configured to be large enough for me was the corridors and flightdeck...but then again, I didn't plan to spend much time in these things. When I got my armor recreated, I intended to be using that.

I stretched as I stepped out into the bright sunshine, spreading my wings. While it was configured so I could fly it, it didn���t mean that the damn thing was comfortable. No room to stretch out.

"Captain Atreus. Queen Ni'Korish request your presence in The Dragon Room." Tesika said as she walked up to me.

Blinking I looked down at the old human before I nodded. She did send me a message saying that she wanted to see me.

"This way please." She said as she turned to lead the way towards the castle. I looked around the landing pad and keyed the ship to close behind me before following her.

XXXXXXXXXXX

I coiled around the carved marble pillar in my room, my eyes closed as I relaxed while I waited for Ni'Korish to arrive. Apparently my room was The Dragon Room. Makes sense I guess.

I had waited for ten minutes or so before the doors opened and Ni'Korish walked inside. The Jedi was with her but she motioned for the knight to stay outside before she closed the door and turned to me with a smile.

Slipping down from the pillar I walked up to her "Yzhea." I greeted her as I spread my headfeathers happily.

Smiling she stepped up and leaned against me, resting her head against my chest "Atreus." as I stroked her long hair.

We stayed like that for a moment before she stepped back and took my large hand, her hand barely able to reach around two fingers "I will miss you." she said softly.

I tilted my head, lowering my beak to nip at her hair "I do not need to leave yet."

NI'Korish sighed and stroked the feathers on my neck "It...might be best if you do."

"Yzhea?" I asked, looking down at her "Is my presence here causing you problems?"

She sighed and looked to the side "Not...directly. Less than my Jedi shadow at least. Nobody know about our relationship or it would cause more waves. I kept it as hidden as possible, but if you stay, people will find out."

I nodded in understanding, stroking her hair softly "I understand, Yzhea. If I was human, things would be different."

Ni'Korish looked unhappy but nodded, resting her head against my chest again "...Yes. If you were human I could..."

I simply stroked her hair as I let her collect her words.

"I trust you, Atreus. I trust you and I like you a lot." she finally said before she looked up at me "Do you know how rare that is on Hapes?"

I tilted my head, looking down at her before I then slowly nodded "I am starting to."

Ni'Korish sighed and pulled away, walking over to look out over the sea through the air shield "I have trusted three other people in my life. My parents and Jasper, my bodyguard. A third of the people that I trusted completely have tried to kill me."

"Yzhea..." I said as I walked up, putting my hand on her shoulder.

She turned to look up at me again "I need to find a Husband soon. I need to produce a heiress or I might lose the throne to one of my cousins. I-I...if you were human I would..." she said, her eyes shining with tears "Atreus, I...I cant have you be here."

I pulled her close as I laid down to bring us to more of a equal level "Yzhea. I am sorry, I did not mean to hurt you. Perhaps it was a mistake to come to Hapes."

Ni'Korish choked out a snort before she shook her head "No. You didn't hurt me. I'm glad you came, it allowed me to be happy, actually happy, if even for just a day or two."

She sighed and turned around, sitting down before leaning back against me again "I...I wish I could come with you. But I can't...I have a responsibility to my people."

I put my arms around her, lowering my beak to nip gently at her long hair "And I can't stay, Yzhea. Even if I could...I need the stars. The stars are my soul."

Ni'Korish sighed and nodded as I felt her slowly relaxed against me "I know. You couldn't stay anymore than I could leave, even if there were not other factors in play."

We stayed like that for a long while before she stood up and turned to hug me, pressing her face against my neckfeathers "Help me pretend..for just one more day. Please."

The part of me that was still human didn't want to go...but I was mostly Morrigi. I knew from the beginning that I could not stay, that this was going to be temporary.

But that didn't change the fact that I hated seeing her like this.

I flattened my feathers against my head as I nodded, forcing myself to purr softly as I stroked her hair "Anything for you, Yzhea."