Chapter 10 (1/3)

Draco slowed down by spreading his wings stiffly and landed silently in front of the back entrance of the old orphanage. He swept the entire courtyard with his eyes, paying particular attention to how everything looked around him, doing so each time he searched for any anomalies indicating that someone unwanted was hanging around. Spotting nothing suspicious, he changed into his human form and moved towards the door with a smile. He cautiously opened it and, being careful of the scarred boards, entered the first floor. He looked down the dilapidated corridor again analysing if everything was as it should be.

Only one door was open, so he concluded that this must be where Jeviev was waiting for him. He moved in that direction out of habit taking his steps carefully. He gently opened it and stepped inside. He saw her at once. She was sitting in one of the old armchairs wrapping her arms around her knees. She looked as if she had been waiting for a long time and had fallen asleep in that position.

He slowly walked over to the other armchair and sat down without making any noise. He leaned on his hand thinking whether to wake her up or rather wait for her to do it herself. After a moment he shrugged his shoulders and reached out to her. He rested his hand against her arm, as she had done so many times before. He smiled. After a few seconds Jeviev twitched and slowly raised her head. Only now did he notice that something was wrong. Her eyes were red and there were traces of tears on her cheeks. When she saw him she rose from her seat and hung onto his neck pulling her nose.

-What happened?- He asked calmly, but there was a race of thoughts going on in his head.-Now, now, now, calm down.-He gently pulled her away from him and looked into her eyes. He could see that something was wrong.- Tell me.- He whispered wiping a tear from her cheek.

-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Draco.- She sobbed trying not to look into his eyes. He didn't let her. He carefully placed his hand on her cheek and turned her head so that their eyes met. She was crying again.-I... I couldn't do anything... She just... She just told me... She didn't listen when I said I didn't want to... She said I had no choice... That I had to... That it was the right thing to do... -She rested her head on his shoulder sobbing quietly.

-Easy.- He whispered. It seemed to him that he already knew what it could be about.-Don't cry and tell me exactly what happened.-He wiped away her tear again and looked into her eyes. They stayed like that for a while, and when she had calmed down a little he helped her to get up and sit in the chair. She sat in silence for a while and then expelled herself almost in one breath.

-Mom said that tomorrow we are leaving Dagos for Le Moulin in France.- She rubbed her eyes.-My grandmother lives there and I am to learn tailoring from her. That's the tradition in my family.- She pulled her nose and stuck her gaze into the ground.- I couldn't do anything. She said we had to go, that she couldn't support us in this town any longer because some new manufactories had opened and we had fewer customers.- She fell silent again and tears trickled down her cheeks.- If I leave you will be left alone.- She stammered unable to look at him.- I don't want to do that. I don't want to leave you alone with Pirce and his gang, with all the problems, with this... With what's happening.- She covered her face with her hands trying to stifle her sobs. Tears trickled down between her fingers.

-You don't have to worry about it.- He took her hand and smiled tilting his head.-You really don't have to.

-I don't have to?! I don't have to?!- She jumped up from her seat and started pacing back and forth in front of him with her face contorted with something between pain and rage.-How can you say something like that to me! You think what! I will forget! I won't think every day if you got beaten up again or if you managed to escape this time! Is that how you imagine it?!- She shouted not paying attention to Draco's attempt to say something. All the while her tears were falling on the dusty floor leaving circular marks on it.- After all this time you thought so?- She whispered horrified at the very thought.

The dragon stood up and gently embraced the sobbing elven girl. He hugged her slowly stroking her hair.

-Maybe instead of shouting you would listen to what I have to say about it?-He asked quietly feeling her body shake with chills.-You don't have to worry about such things because I am leaving the town too.

As soon as he finished his sentence Jeviev stiffened and moved away from him. She stared at his face, her pupils dilating with each passing second.

-You can't...- she said covering her mouth with her hand.-You can't do this. You've worked so long to get into a military class, you've endured so much just to study there, and now you just want to give up? Do you want to destroy your dreams?-She grabbed his tunic and stared into his eyes.-Don't do it...Please....

-Oh, stop being overly dramatic.- He pulled her close to him.-I'm not giving up on anything. It's just that I have other opportunities now that are far more appealing than working as a mercenary somewhere at the forgotten end of the world.-He said in a reassuring tone.-Well, it's okay.-He held her like that until she stopped crying, and then he sat her down on the chair and sat next to her.-Do you remember that strange ability?-He asked, watching her reaction. She nodded rubbing her damp cheeks.- It turned out to be a magical power.- The elfess raised her head, she looked not only surprised but also unsure if what she was hearing was really true or if the dragon was just trying to reassure her.- In addition, according to the Treaty of the Mages, from the moment the power was revealed I ceased to be a citizen of Dagos, which entails not being able to continue my studies at the Dragon Academy.- She was also unsure if the dragon was trying to reassure her. Jeviev wanted to speak up, but he quickly put his finger to her lips.- I'll finish and then we'll talk, okay?- She nodded, and he smiled in his characteristic way by lifting one corner of his mouth.- At the same time, under the same stipulation, I was granted Atlantean citizenship and the opportunity to study at Solvein Royal Academy of Magic and Alchemy. In addition...- He crooked his head pretending to wonder whether to speak further.- One of the mages offered me to become his apprentice.- He watched the surprise reflected on Jeviev's face slowly replaced by joy as it slowly dawned on her what it all meant.- I agreed and he became my master, my aunt didn't mind either, after all it was the colonel of the Azure Guard, the military advisor of the Grand Master, Master Darius Bleist.- He smiled warmly thinking of this mage. He felt that he couldn't have come at a better time when it came to choosing a mentor. Despite the fact that they had almost just met, Draco could tell from the older mage's attitude alone what he expected from his apprentice and what he was thinking.-I'm leaving tomorrow, so I wanted to say goodbye, but my aunt said you were the one looking for me first so I flew here instead of to your house.-He winked at her while assuming an amused expression.-Well, we almost passed each other.-He wanted to turn it into a joke to get rid of her gloomy mood completely.

-This... That's great.- A smile lit up Jeviev's face and the former heat and kindness lit up in her eyes.-I'm so glad.- She laughed and threw her arms around his neck again.-I'm really glad that you finally got what you deserved.- She hugged him tightly without being able to get herself to let him go.

-I'll miss you.- He whispered once again stroking her hair. He knew she liked it even though she always pretended it annoyed her.

-I do too.- She said quietly.

They had spent so much time trying to find the words to convey what they were feeling. When the darkness of the night outside the windows had already started to thin out they finally said goodbye and each went back to their own place.

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Darius returned to the Embassy late at night. He couldn't marvel at how much one could talk to an old dragoness without even realising it. That said, it was the gossipy nature of her species that made itself known, not some special ability. She really does care about Draco. He shook his head. How could she not when she is his only family? He asked himself this question even though he knew full well that the answer was not as simple as he wanted it to be. She could, however, be a little bit more restrained. The boy is already thirteen and more mature than a couple of people who have already reached an advanced age. He snorted in thought. For half the night Nasua had probably told him the boy's entire life story weaving in educational advices. It's a good thing we're leaving tomorrow, or she wouldn't have let me live. He sighed heavily and scratched his chin. I need to lie down. I'm not a dragon and I need to sleep normally anyway. Then he remembered, too, that on his way out he had left Othis sleeping in his bed.

-I hope someone has taken him to his room.- He muttered under his breath, begging in his mind that this had actually happened. He didn't have the strength to deal with his sleepy friend anymore.

There was hardly anyone in the corridors, the only people he met were the guards on the night shift. When he stood in front of the door he breathed deeply and, with a strong faith in the resourcefulness of the Embassy staff, opened it and stepped inside. He immediately understood that the staff knew their job well. He walked over to the wardrobe, took off his tunic and threw it over the packed trunks. So they had already taken care of that too. He shook his head, and as he did so he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. There was something lying on the desk. He walked over looking at the mostly tidied up tabletop and picked up a letter hastily scribbled in such familiar handwriting.

Dear Darius,

unfortunately I couldn't stay any longer and talk to you in person, but I did have a chat with Othis before I left. By the way, you must tell him that he talks far too much when he is semi-conscious. He talked me through everything and I have to admit that this is making Draco more and more interesting.

I hope I won't surprise you by saying that I'll be dropping in to visit later this week. However, just in case, I prefer to remind you to have the rooms ready for guests. I really want to talk to you about a few things.

Your lovely friend,

Gizel laVerture

There was a blood-red lip print under the signature.

PS I think you remembered that, but I'd rather make sure. You sent a message that your servants were to prepare a room for your new apprentice, didn't you?

Darius re-read it several times and cursed, reliving his own stupidity. He'd been thinking all along of arranging everything that involved transferring Draco into Atlantean custody and providing him with everything a young boy torn suddenly from his environment might need, but of course he'd forgotten that he had to prepare a room for him in his mansion. After all, as his apprentice, he was to live with him at least until he became a master of magic.

He slammed his clenched fist on the table. How could I have forgotten this? He cast a glance at the clock. I still have time. He thought, counting in his mind how many hours remained until dawn and how long it would take them to get to the mansion in the city centre. He picked up a blank sheet of paper and glanced at the envelope lying next to it, which was already addressed. She really knows more about me than I do myself. He shook his head and began to write. He summarised the whole message in a few sentences and sealed it in the envelope.

He dressed back up and set off in the direction of the couriers' office. It was not far away, thanks to which he was already knocking on the door after a while.

-Please.- He heard a muffled voice. He stepped inside.-Good evening, Colonel.-The sergeant sitting behind the desk stood upright as a string. Bleist recognised the man who had been in Othis's office earlier.-What can I help you with, sir?

-I would like to send a letter by express.- Darius placed the parcel in front of the non-commissioned officer.

-I don't want to be rude, but the express mode only applies to military messages, sir.-The mage stated, glancing at the address. He glanced at Darius and tilted his head slightly.-But I have some messages to deliver from Ambassador Othis and I will have to take orders... so I can deliver this for you in passing, sir.-A smile strayed on his face for a moment, but it was quite quickly extinguished masked by a servile seriousness.

-Thank you.- Bleist nodded slightly. The lad knows what he's doing. He thought as he watched the soldier begin to collect the documents with the URGENT stamps on top and put the envelope from Darius between them. He nodded once more and headed for the exit. He stopped with his hand on the doorknob and turned once more.-What is your name sergeant?

-August Vah'rei, colonel.

-Thank you Augustus.- Darius nodded his head once more in farewell and left already thinking only of his bed and a peaceful sleep.