27I woke up in a bed the next morning with my armour taken off and dressed in what looked like one of my Father's robes, how did they even find one? I took a look around the room I had been provided with when I supposedly passed out after… seeing the Hellhound that had my face, after seeing mom.
Taking a deep breath and clearing my mind I took a look around my temporary lodging hoping despite all reason that I wouldn't need to deal with that mess. (Unlikely considering how excited Deonora was to show her to me.) The morning sunshine creeping in through the red curtains illuminated the luxurious bed I was lying on. I spied my armour on a rack far too large for it.
The room seemed oddly familiar, as if I had seen something similar to it before. Could it be… the sizes are certainly similar, the colours and the mix of functional yet opulent room design is also similar. I know what this room reminds me of, my Fathers room back in Carthage. It must have been made for him but why? Perhaps he used to come here often enough that a special guest room was made for him, even then it comes back around to the question of 'Why?'.
Any further pondering as to my Father's activities in Dragonia was interrupted by three quick knocks on the thick wooden door. A soft spoken voice, most likely that of a maid, called out to me telling me that Deonora had invited me to breakfast and that they had brought 'proper clothes'. I gazed at my beaten up and dented armour then at the wooden door and invited the maid inside.
The expectedly monstrous maid left the clothes on the table and with a soft voice asked me whether I would need help for my morning preparations. I dismissed her with a wave of my hand and lied there until she left. Man, I don't want to get up, I don't want to do anything, I just want to stay in this bed and ignore the world.
Maybe lie down more and suffer in my dreams. But I couldn't, the world goes on and the screams, explosions and musk in the air that haunted my dream wouldn't let me sleep it all away. I have to keep moving or I'll stagger and fall.
I got up and put on the uncomfortably revealing yet modest by monster standards dress, the garter belt and the high heeled shoes they had brought me. This… looks weird. The full length mirror certainly showed my face, my tall form, the muscles upon my frame and my bronze skin but the exposed abs, the deceptively vulnerable looking shoulders, the exposed legs and the strings of my black 'underwear' one could catch a glimpse of from the side.
The person on the other side was me but I couldn't imagine myself actually acknowledge that. I like how it looks, it reminds me that my life has a purpose beyond war. Father didn't raise me just to be a soldier, I was raised to be more… Yet I've never done anything my entire life besides learn and fight. Maybe one day… Never mind that! For now I should get this thing off me and find something more decent. I can't go out looking like this.
Before I could even begin undressing the door knob turned and the person I had been dreading entered in with clothes that covered only slightly more than mine.
She looked remarkably calmer than before. I stayed silent as she approached and stood behind me. Expertly ignoring the awkward atmosphere.
"You've tied the neck straps wrong, it'll chafe like that." After saying that she untied it and began tying it again. I bit back a sob and steadied my voice.
"Don't you think we have some important things to talk about before this?"
"Shush, let me be a mother for now. I've missed your childhood because of a bitch thinking she could fix things by ruining my life."
"I thought you were dead, Father said you died during my birth." My voice cracked, I was breaking down.
"If your Father actually thought I had died he would've waged total war. No, I suspect he knew what happened from the moment I didn't show back up, he just didn't want to tell the senate what actually happened. If they had known it would have been absolute chaos."
Father's pragmatism won out over his emotions no matter what, it wasn't an unexpected reaction… So why did I feel betrayed? Why did father hide this from me? I… I'll ask him myself. More importantly I need to know how this happened. I tried everything to suppress the shaking of my voice. The authority I had worked hard to fill myself with was gone, replaced by the lonely little girl that cried in her room every time another 'friend' left her because of perceived slights.
"W-Who did this to you?"
Mom turned me around and knelt me down just to embrace me, it felt warm, safe. Then she began telling her tale.
"It was just after you had been born, maybe a day or two later. I was recovering from your birth alone in an isolated wing, your Father was looking after you on the other side of the manor. That night I received a visitor, or more aptly described an assassin. It was the Demon Lord." Unexpected but I can't say improbable no matter how outlandish.
"I was scared, no, I was terrified. She tried to tell me that it would all be better soon, that I could be with your father and convince him to stop the wars against monsters. I struggled, I tried to kill her but I was far too weak. When I was monsterized I was rabid, I was losing it just because I could smell your dad. I was scared I would do something I would regret, not because your father could be corrupted in the first place but because of how he would look at me afterwards. Imagining his disappointed face and what the demonic energy my body released would do to you scared me, so I ran… and ran. From the republic through the Order Nations and eventually into Dragonia."
Lilith targeted mom? Corrupted her without any provocation just to stop my Father who had stopped crusading… just after mom 'died'. It fucking worked, not how she wanted it but it still stopped my Dad from the crusades he used to undertake to conquer the north and it certainly slowed the invasions to the Cities of Water.
My realisation must have shown on my face. Mom was about to question me but I shook my head and told her to continue.
"My arrival here was… troublesome to say the least. Dragonia used to have a wild dragon problem. Lots of draconic monsters who prefer to live outside in the wilderness and disregard the laws of the realm. I wasn't used to my body yet, despite running for months on end just to escape my humiliation I had never fought anyone so when one of the wild wyrms attacked me my instincts went haywire. It wasn't the 'duelling' monsters usually do between each other. No, I ripped her piece by piece with glee I had so rarely experienced." Mom's eyes grew distant, she wasn't here with me right now.
"I hadn't realised it yet, but the odd instincts and needs of a monster had taken root, so after I killed her I just stood there as the hate for killing embedded in me destroyed my mind. I don't know how long I wandered around but eventually I was found by a flight of dragon knights. They were terrified of the wild, unkempt hellhound still wearing a stained and thorn night dress but eventually one of them descended and picked me up." Mom let go of me and threw herself on to the bed. She lied there staring up at the ceiling.
"It was then when I was placed inside this very room and took in the still lingering smell of your father that I accepted that I was a monster, I accepted all the bad parts and the good of it. Nowadays I can really only focus on things that have something to do with you or your father in it, everything else just slips away. I am nowhere near the orator I once was but my paintings and compositions now have an ethereal quality to them, I have lost many of my passions relating to the sciences but my talents for art have improved by leaps and bounds . I've changed and I accept that, I can see why people ,who repressed much more of themselves than I did, see it as a blessing and think that everyone should be like them, but I also can't accept a world where all worldly matters are cast to the wayside for selfish desires…"Mom sat back up and looked me right in the eye.
"I know I have no right to give you life lessons now, since I wasn't there for you for eighteen years, but let me tell you this. There is no definite answer here. I know you've had a problem with your opinions regarding mamono, I've been watching over you for a while." My thoughts went to my creepy stalker back in the republic…
"WAIT, YOU WERE THAT CREEPY STALKER?!" My shriek must've awoken the dead. (Maybe literally, you can't be sure with monsters)
Mom flinched but still nodded. Does she know how much that shit scared me?
"Do you realise how scary that was?! I kept glancing at higher floors expecting to see a hooded stalker looking directly at me!" I might be a bit hysterical but I really can't handle spooky shit, so I think I'm right!
"Okay, okay I get it." Mom conceded as she raised her hands up in mocking surrender. "I'll make it up to you later, let's get on with our 'serious' talk."
I wanted to complain more but I nodded my head anyway.
"Good, as I was saying. There is no certain answer, neither side is correct. The mamono aren't savages who have nothing in mind beside carnal pleasures and humanity isn't a shackle binding us, keeping us from enjoying life. I lived a fairly hedonistic life, doing what I wanted when I wanted, to be fair what I wanted was your fathers hand in marriage, but still I lived freely. That is why I'm still fairly 'human', I don't have bottled up desires that need to be unleashed like quite a lot of other mamono. Especially heroes and soldiers turn into really 'free spirited' mamono." Mom sighed and got off the bed, wrapping an arm around my waist as she guided me towards the door.
"Well, you can think about that later on. Now that we've dealt with the heavy stuff, why don't we enjoy our time together?" Her voice had taken a mischievous tone by the end there. I realised that she intended to make me go out in this dress perhaps a bit too late.
"Mom! I can't go out like this!" I tried to convince my mother that it was inappropriate. But it seemed that it was no use.
"Oh, what nonsense! Come on let's go, maybe we'll find you a nice man and maybe I'll get grandchildren maybe in the next century or so."
Eventually my hands let go of the doorframe and I was dragged to a hall with a table set up and Deonora waiting for us at the head of the table. Seeing my outfit her smile widened and she got up, rushed at us and enveloped both of us in a hug.
"Uuuu! Both of you look so cute! So delicious!" The loving embrace left me quickly but mom got a bit more than just a hug. Their tongues intertwined with each other dripping saliva during their passionate exchange. I should've felt uncomfortable but seeing them moan and squirm lit my loins on fire. I took a few steps back but Deonora saw me and winked at me. I felt my legs grow weak but kept standing. I cleared my throat as the two lovers unbinded themselves.
"So… ugh. When did… this happen?" My awkward question was replied with an embarrassed blush from mom and a smug smile from the dragon empress. Deonora answered me with that enchanting voice of hers.
"Well, after your mother arrived in Dragonia I recognised her -and wasn't that a shock-, so I took her in. After a few years as two women, who were both missing the presence of dear Lucius dearly, we thought to help 'comfort' each other."
Mom gave a nod to confirm it. Well… isn't that interesting. Wait, they are both missing father? I guess that room belonged to my father after all. But the context suggests they were a bit more intimate. Did… did father have a relationship with Deonora? I have a lot to ask dad once I meet him again…
After that awkward conversation we sat down and began to eat our meal which consisted mostly of fruits native to Dragonia ,baked goods and a traditional bun called 'Dragon Spike' that was served with a sauce apparently made out of cocoa. I have to admit the dishes served were of much higher quality than back home. Mom did say that monsters are supposedly better at artistic endeavours than humans, I guess this must be a sign of that.
"Naotora."
I looked up from my plate and at Deonora.
"It would be nice if you could show up at a speech I'm going to give in two days. Your father used to visit Dragonia to establish trade treaties and help in negotiations with some nations, so the people really used to be fond of it. The rising tensions between the Order and the Demon realms has been spooking the people, it'd really help me out if you could make a showing." I felt myself cringe but nodded nonetheless, I could at least do this much.
"I'll do it." Deonora's smile lit up, but I still had to add this.
"Just keep it brief please, I don't think I'll be comfortable if I have to be gawked at for over an hour."
The ancient dragon waved me off.
"Oh don't worry about that, it'll be fine."
Mom decided to add in her own bit to the conversation.
"After meeting your patron any kind of shame you'd feel from being gawked at will seem insignificant." From her expression I could tell she was speaking from experience. My curiosity won out so I asked the million shekel question.
"Who's my patron anyways? I keep hearing about them but no one tells me who they are."
Mom turned her head away from me and spoke in what was almost a whisper as if the name was shameful to speak aloud.
"Eros, The goddess of love is your divine patron."
I sputtered and the bitter holstaur milk I was sipping from flew everywhere.
Eros? Seriously?!
An:
Helo Helo Helo. Another chapter for this fic. I don't have much to say…
I am going to be writing The Road to Hell next week. If you are into Worm or code geass please do check it out. For now please enjoy and review if you'd like.