"Who are you?" Cyrus asked. Voice careful. After the incident with Elias Cyrus had been more cautious about strangers.
"I am an elf," the tall man with dark hair said, "and this is my companion, a dragon." he gestured to the shorter man with slit pupil and bright red hair.
Soren had gone to the washroom. He hasn't met these strangers yet. Or was it because of his appearance?
Cyrus had wondered about this. Because even if the kids have accepted him, Others may outcast him. When Soren started transforming, he was afraid to go meet the children that he had played a part in raising.
In the past while travelling out to nearby villages with Arianna, Cyrus had seen outcasts looking slightly different. Some had wings, others had pointed ears, some had claws… but Cyrus had never seen someone with black sclera.
"What are your names?" Cyrus asked again.
"My name is Sirius," the elf said.
"I am Arzel." the dragon replied.
"I see…" Cyrus murmured, "may I ask what caused you to visit this humble orphanage?"
Arzel replied, "me and Sirius were travelling for days. It was getting late at night and there was no inn in sight."
Cyrus's eyes narrowed, "is that so?" Cyrus doesn't know what danger these strangers might pose so he and Soren had sent the younger kids to their rooms.
"Yes." Sirius nodded, "we just want one night of hospitality."
"Well…" Cyrus sighed, "you might have to speak with the one in charge here, for now…"
"The one in charge?" Arzel tilted his head.
"This orphanage does not require a matron or a patron?"
Cyrus sighed, "our matron had passed on. Her responsibilities fell on the shoulders of us older kids." He leaned backwards, "we had divided some responsibilities between us."
The elf and the dragon glanced at each other and back at Cyrus, "I see…" they said in unison.
"Then may we speak with the charge here?" The elf spoke again.
Cyrus sighed. In the early stages of Soren's transformation. He had been too scared to face the kids with his new and changed appearance. Cyrus had to convince the kids by pointing at Soren saying, "he's still Soren." Maybe Soren's not gonna come here.
"I don't think—"
"Apologies," Cyrus got cut off by the voice, it is Soren's voice. All three heads turned to look at Soren. Soren just smiled as he walked in. He was grinning as if his appearance had changed back to what it was before but it didn't, "for being late."
The more shocked were the elf and the dragon. Their lips parted as pupils widened as their eyes glazed upon Soren's form.
"He…" The elf started.
"He looks just like the Queen."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soren sat down politely beside Cyrus as he eyed the guests. His smile was kind and with no hint of fear of what these strangers could do. Maybe it's because Soren had realised how powerful he could be.
"The Queen?" Soren tilted his head.
Both Sirius and Arzel got over their shocked state as they nodded.
"Yes, the Queen of all lands, Queen Meredith Lyria Shadeblade." Arzel said, "you resemble so much of her majesty."
Soren was shocked. Why would he resemble a ruler that much? A ruler who sounds too powerful. If she thinks that Soren looks like her, she might think he is impersonating her son, the heir. He had heard about her before but he paid no attention to her.
"I see…" Soren replied.
Cyrus was also shocked after hearing that Soren resembled a ruler. Not only a ruler but Queen Meredith. Cyrus had heard about the Shadeblades being one of the most powerful and influential families in this world.
"You mean to say," Cyrus said, "he looks like the prince?"
Soren looked at Cyrus.
Sirius nodded, "he seems to resemble the prince…"
Soren shook his head, "I had been living in this orphanage ever since I was a year old." He chuckled, "how can I be the prince."
Arzel sighed, "he has got a point." He shook his head. He had seen Queen Meredith when he was young and was at a banquet with his father. He could not unsee the image of Queen Meredith in Soren, "anyway, we were wondering if we could stay here for a night."
Soren looked slightly hesitant to let strangers stay. Anyone and anything could harm the kids. His kids… he once had a wild thought on adopting all of these kids. But then he couldn't be with Cyrus. He sighed and focused on the matter at hand, "apologise, if this comes out as blunt and rude but how may I know that you two are not dangerous."
Sirius nodded, "no no, that is a valid concern… regarding there are kids in here." He looked at Soren's features, "did something happen that had made you think that we may be dangerous."
Arzel looked at his elf companion, "Hey stop it. That's rude to intrude on personal matters." His emerald slit pupil looked back at Soren, "I apologise, he didn't intend to intrude."
Cyrus shook his head, "it's alright…"
Soren sighed, "something did happen. We were too quick to trust someone… because of him I look like this now."
Sirius looked at him, "I see…" he held out his hand, "may I see your hand?"
Soren eyes widened, "my hand?"
"Yes…" Sirius replied.
Cyrus turned his face away as Soren lent his darkened hand forward. He didn't want to show his jealous expression.
Sirius held Soren's hands, "is it because of Elias?" He held Soren's hand gently.
Cyrus looked forward in a quick motion, his mismatched eyes widened and so did Soren's blue ones.
"You know him…?" Soren gasped slightly.
Arzel's expression soured, "Elias? That nasty wizard guy with srupid white hair?" He almost spat.
"you do know him!!!" Cyrus rasped.
"He was an elf from my village," Sirius said calmly, "but he was one of the most vile elves alive… he had done horrible things to a young elf and after getting caught he made fun of his victim, thus he was exiled from the village."
Soren's eyes widened.
"He also disrespected one of my older sisters." Arzel's eyes looked furious, "if I catch him. I would shove him in a dungeon."
Cyrus sighed, "well… he seemed charming and helpful at first."
Sirius sighed, he still hadn't let go of Soren's hand, "that's most likely why he is vile… he even deceived us as well…"
Cyrus tried not to be jealous at the skin contact between Sirius and Soren. Arzel looked fine, but his expression was still angry.
"I see…" Soren sighed, "you may stay for a night…"
Sirius smiled, "thank you."
"You haven't let go of my hand yet, Mr. Sirius." Soren noticed.
"Hm," Sirius looked down at their hands, "I had held your hand for a different reason. You see, I can sense mana via skin contact."
Cyrus's eyes widened.
Arzel looked calm now. He did not speak.
Soren looked at the joint hands, "what is it that you sense?"
"Your mana's all over the place. By that I mean you are stronger than you think, Soren." Sirius explained.
"Why do you look like this, if you are not the prince… because not only do you look like Meredith but your mana level matches hers perfectly."
Both Soren and Cyrus's eyes widened.
"I…" Soren sighed, "Elias had done experiments on me… maybe this was the result…"
Sirius smiled kindly and shook his head, "you are not transforming, my dear, but rather reverting to what you were supposed to look like…"
Cyrus almost gasped audibly.
Soren's eyes widened further… he was supposed to look like this… then who was he, his whole life. What was his life like before being sent to the orphanage? Who is Soren?
"Don't look terrified," Sirius calmed Soren down. "It's alright, it's a little bitter to swallow… but you are the prince. You are Prince Soreniel Shadeblade, Son of Queen Meredith and King Areniel."
Soren chuckled, "my whole life has been a lie…"
Cyrus silently placed his palm against Soren's back.
Arzel sighed, he tried to cheer him up, "come on, don't have that look on your face. Cheers up…"
Soren looked at Arzel and genuinely smiled, "I guess you are right… even if my mother is a Queen… she might have not cared for me as I have grown up in the orphanage… to me…" Soren removed his hand from Sirius's grasp and Sirius let it go. He then wrapped that hand around Cyrus, "these kids are my true family."
"Soren…" Cyrus tried not to blush in front of people, "you…"
Sirius smiled, "I see…" he glanced at Cyrus, "but I should tell you," he took in Cyrus's features, "he is not a human either… he is an elf."
Cyrus's eyes widened as his head snapped forward.
Soren looked back at Sirius.
"some of the two of your mana had been suppressed… to repress your mana you have to go through an extreme emotional moment." Sirius explained matter-of-factly.
Soren had gone through a highly emotional moment. He had almost witnessed Cyrus assaulted in front of him. Elias almost ruined Cyrus just to watch Soren break. That time Soren had been angry, horrified and he felt sorrow. He had almost lost his mind… he had over exerted his water magic in a singular water current that had ripped off his sleeve as it surged forward. He killed a monster… he saved Cyrus… all this time he thought he was changing because of the experiments done on him.
But he was just reverting? And Cyrus is an elf?
"Don't look too down." Arzel tried to cheer him up again, "I'm sure, your friend did not know about his lineage either…"
"Who in the world would suppress our mana?" Cyrus still looked shocked.
Sirius shook his head, "I don't know that." He looked back at Soren, "anyway, we are grateful that you had let us stay for the night."
Soren calmed down, "it's no issue… and thanks for the information."
Sirius nodded.
Soren and Cyrus retreated back to their room.