Draconia Offline vol. 2

97.2. Triple Heritage - Part 2

We quickly go back to our apartment to change into robes more suitable for flying and even though I can't stop thinking about Erik, my wings are trembling with excitement. It's a part of my personality that's 100% Celestial, so I can't help myself. I'm already spreading my wings on the balcony when I realise that my entourage is missing someone.

"Where's Uriel?" I look around because I don't see her anywhere. She might be a former dungeon master who conspired with the Divementis, but that's in the past. She's one of us now and in desperate need of exercising her atrophied wing muscles.

"Uriel feels too embarrassed to appear in front of Your Majesty," Luviael reports. "I tried talking to her, but she wouldn't leave her room."

I sigh, fold my wings and decide to fetch her myself. I don't know where she's accommodated, but I can easily follow her telepathic presence. It's quite interesting that I'm not particularly good at remembering people's names, but I never forget their unique telepathic imprint. Another Divementis thing? I'll have to ask my father about it.

It turns out that Uriel is flat-sharing with Miruel—who's currently accompanying Erik and therefore absent—and, as expected, she's startled when she opens the door after I knock it quite forcibly and she finds me standing there.

"Y-Your Majesty," she bows so deeply that I'm afraid she might fall over.

"Uriel, we're going for a flight," I announce. "I told you that you need to strengthen your wings, why didn't you come?"

"I... I'm not... good... I...," she mumbles and turns red with shame.

"Of course, you wouldn't be good if the Divementis didn't let you fly properly," I say matter-of-factly. "Borrow Miruel's sporty robe if you don't have your own and we're taking off in ten minutes from my balcony."

I don't wait for her answer and head back to my apartment. For once, I don't even think about using those ten minutes to catch up with some tasks and decide to devote this precious little time window to Gotrid.

"I could get used to that," he purrs when I push him onto the sofa, sit on his lap and start kissing him feverishly.

"Get used to that then," I caress his feathers and I have to sigh when I feel that someone in the room is getting super embarrassed.

"Advin, you don't have to be with me all the time, you know," I turn around because my cousin is stepping nervously just three metres away from the sofa.

"I have nowhere else to go," he admits, blushing. "As your adjutant, I'm not permitted to stop working until you do."

"I'm not working," I set the record straight. "Go for a coffee or something, take a break. I'm sure you can do that if I'm taking a break as well."

"That... I can," he nods slowly. "Okay then, I'll be in the cafeteria downstairs, but I'll come immediately when I get notified that the results of your examination are ready."

"Brilliant," I appreciate and turn my attention back to Gotrid.

We keep cuddling and stop only when Uriel finally shows up. Unlike Advin, she doesn't show any discomfort seeing us being intimate with each other. Celestials and the Divementis are total opposites when it comes to showing off affection publicly.

"Don't worry, Uriel, I'll be watching over you," I assure her because I can feel that she's super nervous. "We can't fly too high up anyway so if you get tired, just land and rest for a while. Are you proficient with air magic? Did the Divementis let you practice spells at least?"

"Just the most basic ones that couldn't do any harm," she gulps and a gust of wind pushes against her feathers. I can tell that she just got goosebumps. No Celestial can possibly resist the call of the wind.

"Okay, I'll be holding you with an air pillow then," I offer to calm her down. "I know that it might seem scary for beginners to take off from a balcony and not from the ground, but it's easier this way. Taking off is much harder than gliding. Once you get the air under your feathers, your wings will know what to do instinctively."

My guards fly up first, then I spread my wings and take off as well, followed by Gotrid. Liana joins us shortly after that, taking off from her own balcony and closely followed by Soren. He surely doesn't leave her side, does he? I wonder when my thick-headed Viceroy will finally notice Soren's obvious intentions.

I look below and see Uriel anxiously flapping her wings, but she stays glued to the floor. I sigh, saddened. Uriel's wing muscles are even weaker than I thought. I conjure an air pillow which helps her take off much more easily. She shrieks in horror when she drifts away from the balcony, but she trusts me, so she doesn't panic completely.

I want to advise Uriel how to position her wings, but she does so herself in just a moment—it's pure Celestial instinct. Her wing muscles might not be strong enough for a take-off without assistance, but gliding seems to be no problem so I gradually dissolve the air pillow until Uriel is flying only by herself. When she notices that I'm not supporting her anymore, but she's still flying, her fear quickly changes into excitement.

"Your Majesty, no higher than that!" Vermiel shouts at me because I momentarily forgot to watch out for the height limit.

I descend and go explore the Divementis premises. The area is quite large when crossing it on foot, but not that big for someone with wings. I reach the fence in just five minutes of flying slowly. I cross the premises several times which does stretch my wings nicely, but I realise how much I long for the freedom of the whole sky.

Still, I force myself to stay strictly within the boundary so that I don't give Advin another reason to tease me. Seeing that Uriel is getting tired, I decide to return early. We land neatly one by one back on the balcony and I help Uriel with a safe landing. It's quite easy to sprain one's ankle if the landing doesn't go well.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, it was amazing!" Uriel is gasping for breath, exhausted but immensely happy.

"Don't wait for me, train every day from now on, okay?" I order her. "Always take someone with you, though, for safety reasons. I'm sure you will be able to fly freely in a month. After that, you will focus on building your stamina."

"As you order, my Emperor," she bows to me, but I know that she would be training meticulously even if I didn't tell her. Once you get the taste of the sky, you just crave more and that's true for every Celestial.

"Your Highness," Advin is waiting for me in the living room. "I've just been notified that our scientists are ready to present the results. Please, change your clothes so that we can return to the labs."

I nervously chew my lip. Here it is.