Chapter 206: Welcome Party
>>Ariston
The cool evening air clung to my skin as I leaned against the balcony railing, elbows propped up, staring at nothing in particular. The city lights below flickered like stars that had fallen to the ground. I didn’t turn when I heard footsteps, steady, deliberate.
I didn’t need to.
Drakkar had a way of filling the air just by existing.
He came to stand beside me, and for a moment we said nothing.
"Why do you look displeased that I’m here?" he asked, voice laced with mock offense.
"I’m not," I replied, still watching the skyline.
"Really?" His tone softened, curling into mischief. "Because it looks like you’d rather be stuck in a pit full of slime monsters than have me standing next to you."
I shot him a flat glance. "That’s not-"
"Wait, I know how to fix this."
Before I could stop him, he reached out and wiggled his fingers toward my side, a playful grin spreading across his face.
"Don’t," I warned.
Too late. He lunged to tickle me. I twisted away on instinct, and in the process, his foot slipped on the wet stone. The next thing I knew, his head collided, hard, into my chest.
"Ow," I hissed through clenched teeth, more from shock than pain.
He froze there for half a heartbeat, then slowly leaned back, eyes wide in mock innocence.
"Well," he said, "that was... unexpected."
My face burned hotter than the dragonfire he liked to brag about when I realized what happened.
He then smirked at me and looked at my chest
"Eyes up!" I yelled
"Oh no, no!" He clicked his tongue and grabbed my tiny breasts, "What do we have here!?" His action made me further embarrassed and I slapped his head
"Drakkar get off of me!"
"I’m not on you!" He let my chest go, "Tell me why do you have tiny boobs?"
!!!
"Why do you want to know?"
"I said it last time too," He leaned in closer and I stepped back, but the railing was right there and I got trapped, "I said your chest looked bigger and your dick smaller-" And right then he looked down at my pants
"Don’t!" I warned him but he didn’t listen
His hand was on my crotch before I could stop him. I was barely able to grab his wrist as he gripped my pants.
....
My cheeks flared red
He looked up at me with eyes as wide as a puffer fish
"It’s gone," He said and I pushed him away, "Where did it go?"
"Shut up!" I wrung his wrist making him wince and move away but that didn’t make him give up
"Where’s your dick?" Drakkar’s voice was way too casual for the question he’d just thrown at me.
My eyes widened, heat rushing straight to my ears. "Shut up!" I barked, stepping toward him with a glare sharp enough to cut steel.
He only smirked like a cat poking at a cornered mouse.
"It can’t just disappear like that," He looked at me suspiciously, "Did you cut it?"
"Are you out of your mind?!" I wanted to wring his neck again, "Why would I do that?"
"It’s really gone! It magically disappeared!?" He looked at me like I was insane.
My pulse quickened. "Shut up, Drakkar. It’s gone, so it’s gone! It’s not coming back!"
"Well, how the hell did it vanish?!" He asked
Before I could throw something at him, the curtains rustled.
Both of us froze.
Aelin stepped in, blinking at us as the fabric fell back into place behind her. Her golden hair caught the faint light, but her expression was cautious, curious.
"...What’s going on?" she asked, her gaze moving from me to Drakkar and back again.
My stomach dropped. "Nothing," I said quickly, trying to sound unbothered, though my voice felt tight in my throat.
She hesitated. "I didn’t mean to pry, but I... overheard."
"Seriously, it’s nothing to worry about," I began, but Drakkar butt in.
"Aelin, you really don’t need to worry, we were just messing around." He sounded way more convincing than I did
"Are you sure?" She looked worried.
It made me think. Should I tell her?
Wait
Now that I have changed and want a relationship with Drakkar, the world needs to know that I am a woman right?
But how would I tell anyone?
Then I turned back to Aelin, forcing my tone softer. "It’s... something between me and Drakkar."
The princess kept her eyes on me for a while, "Okay," Then she nodded, "If it’s not something that’s bothering you then I shouldn’t pry in." She smiled, "I should leave."
She turned around and I felt my chest tighten
"Wait," I stopped her before she could go back in.
"Yes?" She looked back at me. Her form was confident now, her clothes majestic and the look in her eyes was firm.
She had changed a lot
And for the better.
I have changed too, it’s just that I haven’t shown it publicly but if I want to move forward, I have to, right?
"Ariston?" She stepped closer to me, "Are you alright?"
"Yes," I nodded. If I have to start from somewhere, I should start from her, "I have something I need to tell you." I then looked at Drakkar, "Both of you."
Right then the curtain moved again
We all froze and looked as a fourth person made his way in
Draegon
He stopped as soon as he entered the balcony and stared back at all of us
"What’s going on here?" He looked a little confused
I let out a sigh
Well, I guess I can add Draegon to this too.
***
>>Aelin
Ariston finished explaining his side and we all stared at him- no, her
She looked shy while all of us sat on the balcony floor.
"Some things are hidden from the world, but not from certain eyes." Drakkar said, "I had an idea it worked like that."
Ariston glared at Drakkar and he smirked, "Don’t look at me like that, from your story, your body morphed into a woman’s because you chose to be with me." He looked very proud.
"Shut up!" Ariston’s cheek flushed.
But I frowned.
The line Drakkar just said struck me.
Some things are hidden from the world, but not from certain eyes
I remembered Tala’s words.
He said I already have the answer, it’s something only I can see
"Come on," Drakkar wrapped his arms around her, "Just admit it," He hugged her tight and although she didn’t say anything and just shyly looked away, she didn’t try to remove his hands.
Wait
I stood up in a panic
OH MY GOD! How could it not cross my mind till now!?
"Aelin?" Draegon stood up with me and I looked at him
"The scroll!!!" I said in excitement, "The answer is in the scroll!"
