Chapter 28 – Sired

No one stirred.

Alexander stopped at mid-grasp as he aimed to touch Azra. Mordecai still held the skillet, a hot cake slowly sliding down into a dish held in his other hand. Venet and Boulvar both stood rooted on the corner where they were stationed, their eyes wide with surprise.

"What are you doing?" Johan was the first to speak. He picked up Dagon from the floor. He looked stunned.

"Now you've really done it!" Dorin said with a sigh.

[Oh, so now you blame me?!] Sebastian wrote, his arms waving with exasperation. [When all this time you kept ignoring what I was saying?!]

"Move." He commanded them once more.

Xander and the rest were finally able to move. They gasped for breath, caught themselves, and stared at Sebastian.

"Silence." Sebastian said before they could utter a sound. "Stand before me and keep still," he commanded. The small company fell in line in front of him and stood still.

"So what now?" Johan asked. "Do we get rid of them?" Dagon snorted as he held on to his shoulders.

"Just put them under a geis," suggested Dorin.

[You don't seem too worried about this?] Sebastian confronted the wind mage. [Aren't you being too lenient?]

"Well, it's not like they can do anything to us," Dorin replied, standing up. He went to the third prince and looked up at the tall lad. "Besides, they're kind enough to offer us help with the broken doors, and even brought us food!"

"So, you trust them now?" Johan asked, "Just like that?"

[You obviously have no idea what people can really do, do you, Dorin?] wrote Sebastian. [What happened to that 'dog eat dog'' philosophy you were bragging about?]

Dorin faced him, an innocent look on his face. "Well, we can always kill them later," he said without batting an eye. "But we'll think about that when the time actually comes."

Alexander felt a bead of perspiration trail from his forehead to the end of his chin.

Sebastian stared at the four frozen people in front of him. [Sounds fair.] He wrote for them to read. He turned away from them and faced his two companions, showing them his slate.

[Then let me do this my way] it said.

Sebastian faced Prince Alexander and his three companions once more. Their eyes all gaped at him, wide, and wild. They could see him, hear their conversation, feel the tension in the air and taste their own fears. But they can not move. They can not utter a sound.

"Alexander. Tell me the truth, what is the real reason why you came here?" he asked the prince.

"Friendship," replied the prince automatically. "The caladrius and the czar dragon."

Sebastian was taken aback by the honest answer. He looked at the prince's companions. They were all straining to move, probably afraid of what he might do to their prince.

"Is that all? You're not after Dorin or Johan at all?" he asked the group. "And all this time I thought you were trying to abduct these two idiots!" he said.

"No, I merely want to know them better."

"We're just low born commoners, you know, we were surprised when people from the university came to scout us, we had no idea we would be sent here and eventually ended up in the special classes..." Sebastian sighed and sat on the couch. "It was especially alarming when those imperial mages tried to abduct us... Good thing Damien Wolfsbane was there to rescue us..." he added. "At least now, Johan is also here to look after me..." he said in an undertone.

Sebastian noticed the glint in Mordecai's eyes as he continued with his story.

"Anyway," he changed the subject, "being targeted all the time is a huge pain in the ass." Sebastian gave a long sigh. "Well, at least now that we've got things clear, then I guess the tension can be cleared between us as well."

"Yes," Xander replied. "That is correct."

"As you were," Sebastian commanded the four. Xander gasped and almost fell to the ground. He was quickly caught by Mordecai's arms.

"H-how... dare you..." Venet hissed, testing his voice.

"Your majesty, are you okay?!" Boulvar also hurried to the prince's side.

Mordecai simply kept his gaze at Sebastian who tauntingly looked back at him. He gently pushed Prince Xander back and took a step forward.

"Stand down. It's okay... I'm okay..." Prince Sander told his companions, when suddenly, Sebastian stepped up and took a bow in front of him.

[My prince, please excuse my impudence.] he held up his slate as he kept his head down. [I admit that I was out of line with what I did, but I merely wanted to know the truth behind your generosity]

"Lift your head up, you are forgiven," said the prince, but Sebastian kept his stance. "Besides," he went to Sebastian and lifted his face up, "what happened to you and Dorin last week was no laughing matter, so I cannot judge you for doubting me, but the truth is, I merely wish you and your companions could trust me enough to be your friend."

Sebastian smiled. It was an eerie smile, as if a piece of cardboard was being creased in an attempt to make a curve. Those who saw it shivered.

[Let us all be friends then!] wrote Sebastian. He turned around and showed the slate to Johan and Dorin who both looked puzzled. Sebastian gave them a wink.

"Well," said Dorin, approaching Xander and placing a hand on the taller lad's shoulder, "We should at least thank you for all these food!"

"Um." Johan simply replied. He decided to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the day.

Mordecai looked around, and gave a long sigh.

"Well, how about we cook some of this meat for lunch, I'm afraid there isn't enough room in your fridge for the rest of them."

"I suggest you use the seafood first," Boulvar piped in.

"Sea food?" Johan asked unable to keep his mouth shut. "I've never had sea food before!"

"Great idea!" Xander said happily. "Let's have a barbecue to celebrate our new found friendship!!"

And so, the room was soon filled with the scent of the sea. Shrimp, oysters, lobsters, clams and salmon filled the kitchen top. Sebastian called Stephen and Rylie over who called the rest of their friends to share the bounty. They quickly became friends with each other when class and position where put aside.

"Best party ever!" Rylie yelled above the din.

"Better make the most of it," said Robert. "Regular classes will be starting next week."

Ivanov was busy discussing things with Boulvar while Nathan and Mordecai talked about certain herbs used for medicine. Stephen and Dorin were busy eating what Johan just took off the grill. Dagon and Azra were in their animal forms, watching him toss the meat and occasionally catching it in mid air.

Everything looked good. Everyone was getting along with each other. Only Venet chose to stand guard, though he held a plate of shrimp and clams in one hand. He kept his eyes on his prince who was chatting with Sebastian at a corner.

"Are you sure you're not royalty?" Xander asked him for the hundredth time in a low voice. "Even now, some of the royalties in the capital are born with hardly any magic in them, but still, a royal is far more superior than those of lesser birth when it comes to magic proficiency!"

[I told you, I'm just a commoner.] Sebastian sighed, trying to keep his temper from the prince's guileless words. [It's true that our family is related with the Ravante's, but we're just a small faction, and the blood have always been thin since the death of the Mad King.]

"Ah yes, curse that ancestor of mine," Xander mumbled. "If not for him, we would still be blessed with the beauty of the silver enchanters." He looked at Dorin and whispered at Sebastian. "What about Dorin?" he confided. "You think perhaps one of the Heilig's sired him?" Then at Johan, "And Johan, it would be impossible for a mere commoner to hatch a dragon's egg, you need to have dragon's blood in your veins to do so..."

[They say there used to be a lot of dragons down at the mines in the mountain ranges.] Sebastian wrote.

"Well, I guess that could be it then... but Dorin... he's quite the mystery."

They spent the rest of the day that way. The group ate, watched TV, and basically got to know each other a lot more. When the dorm alarm sounded at 7 pm to signal the end of the day, the third prince and his company finally decided to go back. The rest of their friends also said their farewells, leaving the cleaning behind.

"Well, this is our job in the kitchens anyway," Dorin said cheerfully, too happy to complain. "This is my first ever party!" he beamed. "It was so much fun! We should have this regularly!"

"You think?" Johan said grumpily, "I have no plans of cooking and cleaning after them regularly."

"Also, this kind of 'party' won't be allowed once classes start," said Sebastian who was busy wiping the tables. "Not in our room anyways, any gathering is supposed to be held in the main common room at the lobby," he added. "It's a good thing we have a sound proofing spell in the room."

"It's good `till it lasts, then," mumbled Johan. "Dragon, enough fish, or you'll get a tummy ache," he called to his pet who was once again in his human form with Azra.

"How come I was not allowed to turn, too?" Azra asked in a soft, sad voice.

"Because I didn't want Xander to fuzz over you even more," answered Sebastian. "Look at your eyes," he pointed at the caladriel's red eyes. "You've been staring at him again haven't you?"

"But he's such a nice person, and he's in such pain..." she said shyly.

Sebastian sighed. "Just, don't overdo it," he said. "And make sure you get rid of his pain first thing tomorrow morning."

The sound of bells suddenly filled the air.

"Oh, guess we forgot to put the sound proofing spell back up," Dorin said absentmindedly.

"Isn't it too early to ring the hour?" Johan checked the clock on the wall, yet, the bells continued to toll.

Sebastian looked outside, standing still, and literally jumped at the sound of knocking.

Sebastian ran to the door. He opened it and saw Prof. Dupont standing outside, a sad expression on his face.

"Sebastian..." he started.

Sebastian took a deep breath, rolled his eyes, and lost unconscious.