So Be It

Chapter 8

Silence, that's what passed for a few seconds after your words were said and with a laugh with you, Niel started.

“How has this season been? I understand that the young son of the Marquis of Aneus is considering marrying after the hunt.” The pointed-eared, fair-haired boy's eyes gleamed as he heard himself from Prince Nielant's lips.

"Yes, my Sir. I will marry after the hunt, if I manage to capture a white fox and present my young bride with its skin,” he replied, with a bow that held no mockery or disdain. Niel saw him kindly, then smiled amiably.

“I think you must be careful, young man. Don't forget that Duke Maalik will be there, maybe he doesn't like the idea of ​​having one of his own as an engagement gift,” he joked as he sweetened his tea with a little honey and drank it gracefully. Two young men to the left laughed at his joke and nodded, making the young son of the marquis blush.

On the one hand, it had been interesting, but on the other, Niel wondered why he was so worried. The meeting went perfectly. The older ones discussed fundraising, exploring new mines and the care of maintaining a personal army, while the younger ones talked about the girls, their brides or who they intended to court during the hunt, but after the entrance and introduction, Niel didn't feel it. contempt or something other than respect and fear towards you.

They had noticed, he knew. They had noticed that something was different.

Good, he thought. Better that everyone knows at once.

As Sebas poured him a glass of wine, Niel leaned back in the wide armchair in his private library with the window open enough for the night breeze to kiss his face.

“You did very well, young master,” Sebas muttered with pride in his eyes.

"Thank you Sebas" he replied with a gentle smile "now I must get ready for the ball"

"Should we go looking for a new tailor?" Sebas questioned him, calmly and calmly.

“Must bring me something worthy of a draconic,” Niel replied, “something even my brother can't afford to wear frivolously. Something that screams my descent and divinity"

Sebastian smiled happily as he bowed.

"I will do it, my lord"

“I know,” he replied simply hearing the door close behind the butler.

This was his moment of peace. It was what he needed.

... Flashback ...

“I can't stand this anymore” he whimpered and his voice sounded clipped, hoarse, as if the pain in his chest was too much for him to handle.

"Don't say that, my lord", Sebas muttered in awe "you can't love this girl like that... you can't give her your heart"

Nielant shouted "I already gave him... he belongs to her and only to her, Sebas..."

The sadness in the butler's eyes said a lot about that.

“I would die for her, kill for her…, even so… even so she doesn't even remember me” Her eyes looked dull, empty and her mirror reflection looked too thin “I love her, Sebastian. I would give her the world...give her my heart...”

“A draconic gives his heart only once…” Sebas muttered.

“And I gave her up,” Nielant cried with his face buried in his hands.

...

Niel's eyes snapped open and he grunted feeling his head spin like a whirlwind.

"Dumb"

He gave her his heart, even though he knew what would happen, even though he was aware of the weight he would receive. Nielant was really dumb to give someone something so important and powerful for just a feeling like passion. Something so simple, so common.

Carefully, his hands rested on his chest and Niel could feel his heart beating inside his rib cage. One beat, two, three, four, five, six and then all over again. She was there, he comforted himself, he would never give it to anyone. It was his, his alone, and it would continue to pulse just to keep him alive.

For a draconic, surrendering his heart was like putting a leash around his neck and sentencing himself to death or eternal suffering.

Nielant was dumb, he knew. Stupid, but he would never be like that.