A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.1****
The walls of the room heard Azarese's laugh. She was laughing so hard that she's even slamming her hand against the table. Prince Valor couldn't understand: what's funny about what he said? In fact, she should be terrified. The Earthlings couldn't lift their heads and their eyes are popping out from the truth he just revealed. Yet the Mi'zaar is laughing? While her son looked so afraid?
"You're bluffing. Dragons? Dear, I am a dragon. I am the dragon because I am a Dragunovv!"
Lord Feryzen and Prince Valor looked at each other. This time, it was them who were laughing. The Lord is fanning himself. He didn't know that stupidity is humorous.
"You humor me, Mi'zaar. This is why education is necessary. It was our patron Deity who named the world using our mother tongue. The name 'Dragunovv' meant 'Dragon Realm' if translated to yours. That is because dragons once ruled the skies. Zin Draji is an addition to our name, meaning 'First Dragons'."
Lord Feryzen wiped the tears from his eyes, "History is a very fascinating thing. I love teaching history. I am grateful to you, humans, that you gave me that experience."
"I-I am a dragon? Mommy, I can fly? I have wings!?"
Lord Feryzen hoot with laughter while nodding.
"Of course, Prinsiaze! But may I ask you a favor? I beg you to save the flying lessons for later. Your father will love it if he were to teach you. You are still a hatchling and bet he would see that, too. Our Prince is young and the Ki'zaar will teach you everything you must know."
Prince Valerian's lips curled into an excited smile. He looked at his mother who was dumbfounded. The stars are in his eyes.
"Uncle, I want to ride on your back as a dragon!" The Prince wished and ran to his Uncle who was taken aback.
"Valerian!" Azarese called, stopping the Prince on his way.
"Are you against the Prince's happiness, Mi'zaar?"
"No." The Prince became transparent, giving them the freedom to see how his heart break.
"Do that later. You must eat first. I will let you spend your time with your uncle, but you mustn't skip your meal."
Lord Feryzen grinned and nodded in agreement.
"That's right, Prinsiaze. Your mother is right. I told you, haven't I? Your father and uncle have big appetites. Do not force yourself to eat raw meat. There is no issue in eating cooked meat. The Ki'zaar loved it cooked, too."
The excitement went back to the Prince and his heart is whole again. He flounced to them and sat on the empty seat beside his uncle, leaving his mother alone.
"Tell me about Daddy! Does he breathe fire? What color!?"
She smiled.
Her son is happy. Look at him, he's very cute when excited. It brings her joy.
"Yes. His fire has lots of colors, ranging from weakest to strongest, hottest to coldest!"
"Wow! But it's fire! Why is it cold?"
"Right? We should ask him that. The hottest breath we've seen so far is red. The coldest is blue!" Lord Feryzen hyped and clapped his hands.
"Wow! What kind of dragon is Daddy? Is he very strong? And you? And uncle? Are there other dragons, too!?"
Lord Feryzen laughed like an old man that he is, though the youth of his face says otherwise.
"It's a secret. You should ask the Ki'zaar about what kind of dragon he is. And yes, he's very strong. Yes again, there are other dragons. Ones like us and ones who can't shapeshift like us. I am a Star Dragon. My specialty. And your Uncle is---"
"Blackhole Dragon."
Every pair of eyes landed on Prince Valor who's chill and proud about his ability.
"Oh, my Kuya Zoddy told me that blackholes are amazing but they're scary. How do you do it, Uncle? Is it not scary?"
The Prince's eyes were filled with genuine worry for his uncle. Prince Valor smiled a little and nodded.
"It sure is. They said that when I hatched, during my first cry, I unconsciously summoned lots of blackholes around me that they had to raise me very, very high up in the sky. I remember my brother visiting me, then we would play and I will chase him. Since he's very fast, I would cry and throw a tantrum. I destroyed stars and other dead planets. And he will return to me with a gift. Then we will makeup. Then he will tease me again and I will cry."
Prince Valor wiped his face when his tears escaped from his eyes. He chuckled, "Sorry. I didn't mean to be emotional. I didn't mean to ruin the atmosphere,"
Prince Valerian stand up. They followed his motion and were warmed when he embraced his uncle dearly. Prince Valor did not care if they were there. He cried and embraced his brother's son back, visualizing that it was him in his head. He missed his brother. He missed everything about him and he hope that it is not too late yet.
"I love you, Uncle. You're a good baby brother like me. I love my Kuya, too." He gave his uncle little taps on his back. Prince Valor calmed down.
"Not so very good. I remember seeing him shoot blackholes to the Ki'zaar just because he won in their race. Your Uncle is very immature."
"Don't tell him that!" Prince Valor pointed his finger at the Lord and the Lord only shrugged with a smug look on his face.
"I can't wait to meet Daddy! I think he's fun!"
To which the two agreed on.
"But he could be dense at times. All right, let's eat now. Prinsiaze, I will grill the meat for you."
"No, I will. I am her uncle. He's fond of me. I think I'm his favorite."
"Oh, hohoho. No. No-no. I am the Prinsiaze's favorite..."
The atmosphere became light and lively thanks to their banters. They proceeded, though the Earthlings were eating in small amounts. They're not full, they're not hungry either. They have an appetite but they're wary of the beings that surrounds them. A creator and dragons in the same table as them. Cool but terrifying.
"Mommy, why are you not eating?" Asked the Prince when he noticed that his mother is only watching him with a smile.
"I'm fine. Go, eat. Eat to your heart's delight, my little heart."
But the Prince was unhappy about it.
"No. You should eat, Mommy."
Azarese's smile reached to her eyes and nodded, "Yes, Sir. Mommy will eat, then."
She grabbed onto the utensils and looked at both the cooked and raw foods on the table. Their eyes are watching her, waiting. She took the salad and glared at the Earthlings who were looking at her. She smiled and showed the Prince how she took a small bite on the leaf.
"It's good."
The Prince pouted. He went back to the seat beside her with his plate to feed her.
"Eat more, Mommy! You need to grow!"
"I'm grown. You, on the hand hand, must."
But the Prince was stubborn. He's pushing the spoon to her closed mouth. She sighed in defeat and allowed her son to feed her. She did not chew and gulped it down straight, then she will push it down with a glass of wine. Priedo fills it up every time it will be empty.
"Mommy, chew!"
"Prinsiaze, stop," said Prince Valor when he saw through her.
"But Uncle, Mommy---"
Azarese turned to her side and vomited everything she's eaten.
"M-Mommy!?"
She pushed the chair back and pulled the napkin to wipe her mouth.
"I-I'm okay. I'm fine---" She vomited again.
Watts Xirquit walked to her with the table knife in his hand. He stopped beside her. He slashed his palm and brought it close to her. She glared at him.
"Take that away."
"This is what you need. Drink."
Prince Valerian started crying.
Lord Feryzen and Prince Valor went to him to calm him down.
Azarese got intoxicated by the scent of Watts Xirquit's blood.
Skadi Eira sent him away and snarled at him, "How dare you? In front of her son!?"
She cooled Azarese's head and brought peace to her growing hunger.
She felt miserable. Her son...almost saw her ugly.
"Fuck."
She massaged her nape.
"I-I only wanted to help---"
"Then you're not helping!"
Prince Valerian ran to his mother and locked his arms around him.
"Mommy, I'm sorry! I'm very sorry! I didn't know you can't eat nice food like me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Valerian---"
"I'm sorry, Mommy! Please, don't be mad! Don't leave me! I'm a good boy! I'm sorry!"
Azarese felt her heart twitch. She cupped the face of her boy and made it look up to her. She forced a smile.
"Why would I leave you? Why would I be mad? I can eat nice food. It's just...before. Don't be sorry. I want to eat nice foods with you, so we will eat."
"NO! You'd get sick! I'm sorry! Here, eat my hand instead!"
"My son!"
Azarese pushed her son back. How absurd! She couldn't believe he offered himself to be eaten!
She became soft quickly when she saw how guilty he is. She kissed his tears away.
"Hush, it's not you fault. I should've told you. It's not like I can't eat dishes like that, really. I can, believe me. But ever since it became a habit, my taste buds changed. I don't eat others. I only eat myself."
Dread befell on the Prince's face. Instead of making things seem better, it became worse.
"E-Eat yourself...? M-Mommy...?"
"I-I mean...!" She think for an alibi but nothing came to her mind. She surrendered and sighed.
"Let's not talk about it---"
"Is it because of those humans, Mother?"
Prince Valerian's horn grew bigger and longer. Lord Feryzen and Prince Valor were moved. The Prince's scales became more visible as it's color get tainted by red and black.
"Did they made you hungry so much that you had to eat your self to quench your thirst and fill your stomach!?"
"Prinsiaze, kumfen! Calm down, Prinsiaze!"
The space around him began to warp. The moment Prince Valor saw the flicker over the Prince's head, he joined his palms together to dissipate it.
Lord Feryzen teleported behind the Prinsiaze but an invisible force sent him away.
"Answer me, Mother!"
Skadi Eira secured herself and Solana inside a protective balloon. King Liorei hid Princess Lorreign in his arms. The wind inside the room is getting stronger and the ventilation is becoming very hot. Every time they will see flickers, Prince Valor will join his hands and the flickers will disappear.
Azarese flashed a soft smile to her son and touched his face.
"Calm down. I'm okay. Remember, we have to save Maximilien and meet your Daddy. They're mine to handle. And this? This is nothing. I can work this out. Someday, I will get to each nice foods with you. We will eat so much that our tummies will grow big and we will take long naps after. Hmm? You're not my little heart anymore. You're my little dragon now."
The Prince pursed his lips. When he jumped to his mother for a hug, he calmed down but he burst out in tears.
"I want to eat ice cream with you and Daddy, Mommy. And fried chicken."
"I love fried chicken. Let's try a fried dragon sometime," she joked and he looked up to her so scared.
It made her laugh.
"I-I'm sorry. Mommy is just joking. Pfft."
"I want a fried dragon," Skadi Eira said and licked her lips.
"H-His Equal, please give it another thought. Dragons doesn't taste good!" Lord Feryzen, scared that their extinction might come sooner than they thought.
"To taste is to believe."
Prince Valerian man up and wiped his tears away.
"I'm full. Let's plan about how we're going to save Maximilien now. Let's not stall."
Azarese kissed his forehead with a smile and nodded.
"Let's save that demon spawn."