Of all the ways Gaelin could've predicted his day was going to go, this wasn't it.

Wasn't even close.

Drayce Fallon, the 'Dragon on the Mountain' as most in the Kingdom of Amonserin call him, coming down from said mountain he made his own and a trap for any minions of the Vampire Lord that's after him should they successfully make it through the forest itself never would've crossed his mind - never, in the near-nineteen years that he's been on that mountain, has Drayce ever come down except to hunt a bear or two. Yet, against all the odds - including the detail that they've had over two-hundred attempts at getting to Drayce happen since he first arrived, some more successful than others and all of them ending up eliminated one way or another - he's down in Asathaes once again.

And, unbelievably, the boy his twin children had brought turned out to actually be his long-lost child.

After a moment, Gaelin turns his attention back to Drayce and says "Congratulations on being reunited with your son, Drayce. I cannot imagine what it's been like for you these past years."

Drayce dips his head in gratitude and acknowledgement, and says "May you never find out, Gaelin." Being separated from Alice and Jack has been the hardest thing he's ever done, more than once he's had to force himself to go back to the mountain instead of flying off in Alice's direction. Especially around the time she'd have given birth to Jack.

Gaelin gives a nod as well, asking "Will you be staying in Asathaes for the time being? Or will you leave in search of your mate?"

Drayce shakes his head, saying "Much as I wish to, no. If you do not mind, I'd be grateful to stay in Asathaes as I teach Jack how to control his abilities." Perhaps once Jack has some control, he'll go in search of Alice. Until then, though, the best way to keep her safe is to stay away.

Gaelin nods at once, and says "But of course! It would be an honor!" He grins, and adds "He and Aeson seem to be getting along well enough, considering how they first met."

Drayce grins, and says "I noticed that when they first arrived in my den. They bantered for a bit, over his female companion."

Gaelin nods, saying "Fiore. She is in…difficult circumstances." Circumstances he wouldn't wish on anyone.

Drayce hums, saying "So I've heard. Bound, nigh-on powerless until recently, and been stuck under Dakkar's blood-stained thumb via his spoiled son until just a few days ago. And backed into a hideous corner, to boot."

Gaelin nods, saying "I've heard a little bit of her misfortune…and the report of what a single moment of physical contact with her did to one of the Wardens. From what was said, it wasn't anything she intentionally did. To be bereft of contact by anyone who would not use her for their own ends…" He pities her, truly. Aeson had told him of her immediate defensiveness, and Jack of how she'd be more likely to electrocute someone if they tried touching her again - no remorse there, just blunt warning in his voice of the likely consequences of such an action.

Her 'curse' indeed. It may not be a curse, per se, but it certainly has that affect nonetheless. And he's willing to assume there's some interference by a Witch or Warlock, at Dakkar's orders.

Drayce hums, asking "What happened when they first arrived, exactly? It hasn't come up."

"Rania attempted to render both of them unconscious before they were taken to Asathaes, only Fiore was affected by her sleeping spell. They hadn't known, at the time, that Jack is a dragon. When Fiore awoke, she concealed herself via a Fae's Glamor and left the room she was in." A small grin turns Gaelin's mouth upwards, and he adds "Jack said Aeson and Rania lost her."

Drayce laughs for a moment, then says "Well, at least that was resolved. If you don't mind, I feel in desperate need of a shower…and a haircut." Pushing some lanky hair out of his face, Drayce mutters "This is one reason why I stayed in dragon form most of the time. Didn't have to deal with this mess…" That, unfortunately, tends to happen when a dragon stays in their dragon form for any significant length of time - their hair in their human form, among other things, doesn't just stay the same. It grows, gets dirty and oily, gets matted or ragged.

At least I don't have to deal with any hideous beard…

He'd chop it off at once if he'd turned back into his human form and found his face covered with a rat's nest of straggly hair.

Gaelin chuckles slightly, and says "I'll lend you a knife after showing you to a room. Aeson and Rania have already taken their new friends to a nearby room in the guest wing anyway."

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Two hours, a long soak, and slicing most of his hair off in what Alice would almost certainly call a hack-job, Drayce looks at himself in the mirror for the first time in nearly two decades - at least he doesn't look like a vagabond anymore, with the haircut and scrubbing nineteen years of dust, dirt, and sweat off himself. He finds Jack and his three friends after a few minutes, three doors down and gathered in a common area of a two-person suite of sorts. And Fiore appears to be recounting how the two of them met, saying "-even now, I can't decide which of us was luckier that night. Jack, for managing to be brought in by the two stupidest 'Wolves Antonino had under his command, or me for Jack's timely arrival and the detail that he could keep Antonino distracted with the metric ton of scented lotion he was wearing at the time."

Jack laughs, saying "I think me, definitely. After watching you electrocute those two during our escape."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Aeson asks "You can electrocute people?!"

Fiore shrugs, saying "One of my Fae powers, I can generate electricity. Same with light. But it takes a few moments to build up enough that it's truly dangerous - hence why I couldn't make a break for it out of the blue without a miracle happening."

Jack grins, leaning forward in his own seat and asking "So, I'm a miracle now, huh?"

Fiore rolls her eyes good-naturedly, saying "You're certainly something, alright. Only person I've ever known who isn't affected by me and doesn't take advantage of me."

Drayce laughs at that, drawing all their attentions to him as he leans in the doorway, and adds "Just like his mother, then. Kindest woman I've ever met, I don't think she's got even an ounce of selfishness in her."

Jack shakes his head, then says "Not even that. You done with…" He gestures towards Drayce for good measure.

Drayce nods, and says "I am. Now, you said back in my den that you'd been in self-defense courses?"

Jack nods, slightly confused as he says "Yeah, Mom had me in every one she could find until I was fourteen - had to stop, then, as I got too big for everyone else."

Drayce grins, saying "Sounds about right. Well, we'll see just how much you remember. I can't spar with you, else I'd pummel you into a paste…but, I have heard you," he nods at Aeson, " need a regular sparring partner who won't go easy on you."

Aeson's eyes light up the instant he realizes what Drayce is suggesting, and he says "I would welcome an opponent willing to give me a challenge. And, as you're not a citizen of Amonserin, you need not fear my father's reaction to me getting a bruised arm or skinned knee." He and Rania share an exasperated glance at that last part, as if this has been an ongoing problem for years now. in all likelihood, it's been an issue since he first picked up a sword.

Jack raises an eyebrow, asking "Would he really be that bad?"

Aeson shakes his head at once, saying "No, of course not. Father knows as well as anyone else that you can't get trained without some bumps and bruises along the way. So long as intentional harm is not done, he'll be more glad than anything else that someone's willing to give me a challenge to improve my skills."

Fiore warily asks "So, why is everyone so worried about sparring with you?" There's got to be a reason somewhere in an entire kingdom's - or, at least, city's - hesitation.

Rania deadpans "Because nobody wants to be the one that accidentally crippled the next King."

Aeson rolls his eyes at Rania, and deadpans right back "Or the future Queen's loyal advisor. You and I both know it's not set yet."

Jack and Fiore share a confused glance, and Jack asks "What now?"

Aeson shrugs, casually saying "The Heir to the throne has yet to be announced, as our parents haven't yet decided who would be a better fit for leading the kingdom. One of us will be on the throne, the other will remain as their loyal advisor in strategy…and magic, if it's Rania. We're twins, so the easy way of choosing the elder sibling is out the window."

Rania adds "Even then, the eldest sibling is not necessarily the best choice. History has proven that time and again. It's just…neither of us can see ourselves on the throne. For as long as we can remember, that's been our parents - and both of us feel that there are still things we should learn before trying to lead our people." The both of them are in agreement that, if they can realistically see themselves on the throne, and not be feeling like they're trying to fill their parents' places, then they'll be ready. So far...it hasn't happened.

Jack and Fiore trade another glance, and Fiore grins before saying "No wonder they can't decide. Whichever of you two ends up on the throne, something tells me Amonserin will be in good hands."

Aeson and Rania give them identical looks of confusion, and Aeson asks "Oh? What makes you say that?"

Jack grins, and says "You both love your kingdom and your people. Whatever else happens, you'll always put them before yourself. Not every leader does that."

Rania deadpans "Well, if they aren't going to do what's best for the people they lead, then they have no business being at the top in the first place. And there's more to ruling a kingdom than just having everyone's best interest at heart!"

Fiore grins, and says "Oh, if Antonino could hear you now. He'd throw a fit - he's constantly getting free drinks from Mythos whenever he decides we're going to be there for the night, ordering the staff around, and parading me around like a piece of arm-candy to show off." And, more often than not, it would get everyone so distracted and affected by her Allure he'd go into a rage and threaten the lives of everyone in the club.

It…usually worked for getting people to keep their distance.

Drayce hums after she says that last bit, and says "I'm going to assume he killed and fed off the ones that didn't listen." At Fiore's nod, he sighs and mutters "Sounds like a childish version of his Sire."

Jack whistles, and says "Geez, and you only threatened to break my hand…"

Fiore shrugs, saying "I'd say sorry, but…"

"You had your reasons, and they're perfectly valid ones. Relax about it, it's not like you threatened to electrocute me or anything." She scared the crap out of him, but she didn't actively threaten to kill him.

Fiore curls up slightly at everyone's looks, and defensively says "Alfric. And I didn't know, at the time, that Jack's a dragon."

Rania nods, saying "Fair enough. Does it work only through touch? Or is it a more widespread effect as well?"

Fiore grimaces, and says "It can affect anyone in my general area, unless they can shield their minds like you've been trained to do…but touching me for even an instant…"

Aeson says "Alfric."

Fiore nods, saying "Yeah. Alfric."

Aeson leans forward, asking "And this Antonino knows about this effect?" At Fiore's nod, he exclaims "This guy's a childish idiot!"

Fiore laughs slightly, looking a bit less defensive now, and says "He'd try to rip your throat out with his fangs if he heard you…but, yes he is. Possessive, to."

Rania frowns to herself internally, as Fiore's description of her 'curse' doesn't fit with what she knows of a Succubus - yes, they can attract people like flies to honey...but when they want to. She's never heard of a Succubus not being able to control that particular ability of theirs. Could it be a Fae thing then? Part of her mixed heritage? Or could Sagami and the twin brother Fiore spoke of over breakfast have anything to do with it?

She's willing to guess it's the last one, she's about eighty-five percent sure this Sagami and Salazar had something - or everything - to do with Fiore's lack of control over her Allure.