[3 Months Later]
Casen was sitting at a table with his aunt and mother, right now he was practicing how to drink tea politely. His back was straight and he never once dropped his head or lifted it more than what was required to take a sip from the tiny cup in his hands.
For the past three months of his stay, he was shown around the continent and was informed of what it meant for him to be the prince of such a powerful race. Tiamat was intent on burning every little thing into his mind while his mother was more lenient and babied him when she got the chance.
There were four clans with his mothers' clan, Vurmilth, being the leading clan since she was the Dragon Empress. Her clan was made up of dragons considered to be the prodigies that sought her guidance and lessons but he had never actually seen her do anything other than hang onto his tail.
While the clans allowed mixed types of dragons, Alryg, the second most powerful, was only made up of death and night dragons. They were considered Isirneth's shadows. His mother told him that if he needed anything and she wasn't available, they'd be the first option.
The clans were all split using the riverways as guidance and since dragons liked their own territory they were granted a piece of land wherever they wished, if they preferred dens then they'd be able to make one in the mountains as long as they followed the laws else they'd be stuck within the Alryg clans 'guest rooms'.
He spent around a month in the clan's territory to learn its workings and familiarize himself with its members and that was when he was introduced to the rooms of these lawbreakers. He thought they were closer to being torture chambers than guest rooms as every dragon he had met in there looked like they'd seen their nightmares turn true.
When he returned Tiamat began giving his etiquette courses since his demeanor wasn't proper for a prince. He didn't mind as much as he was spending quality time with his aunt but sometimes he thought she was the real empress and his mother was well, the mother.
Casen was dressed in black regal attire with golden accents that hugged his form and accentuated his stature, its sleeves were embellished with matching colored threads, forming delicate swirls and motifs that glinted as he moved his hands.
This was paired with a silk red cape draped over his broad shoulders adorned with intricate golden embroidery that traced elegant patterns. The cape cascaded down his back and chest where it was cut from his shoulders down to let his arms pass through comfortably, its rich fabric flowing with every movement. His red pants were the only piece of clothing on him that didn't have any sort of embroidery or threads woven into it.
He lifted the tea cup toward the snake that was wrapped comfortably on his shoulders as it lifted its head to flick its forked tongue at the liquid. "Careful, it's hot." He cooed and lightly brushed his index finger against its scaled head with a smile.
Isirneth watched his actions with a curious gaze. "Why do you treasure that snake so much? Don't you think it might bite you?"
Casen lifted his eyes to look at his mother as his smile grew. "Because it's pretty, its eyes remind me of a twilight sky while its scales are the lands that are shrouded in the darkness that descends."
"Also, even if it bites me I wouldn't be angry. I cannot hold negativity toward such an innocent little thing."
When Tiamat heard the word innocent and little in one sentence she choked on her tea. She quickly wiped her mouth and cleared her throat. "Casen, you do know that it could possibly be the reason for your arm to be in such a state right?"
Casen looked down at his hand which was still black in color resting beside a white saucer on the table, it had never shown any changes except for the itchy sensation no longer being there. "Give and receive, aunt. I gave it what I believed it needed and I received this in return. I don't regret my decision."
"And what did you think it needed?" Isirneth cut in.
"Warmth and affection, mother. All beings require such, even gods." He tapped his sharp nail on the table as he responded. Despite his arm being difficult to deal with, he wholly believed it was worth it.
His last statement was more so for his aunt, from his observation over these months she was a woman who was closed off and denied any sort of affection from anyone believing that it was better used on someone else. He had to figure out a different way to give it to her and so he worked diligently to perfect whatever she taught him, it was the only way for him to see a real happy reaction as her smiles were sometimes forced.
Isirneth only nodded but she was proud of him. She thought he was too kind for his own good but she also knew he could become the total opposite, thanks to her, since she also gave him her version of etiquette when he visited the Alryg clan.
Tiamat remained silent and Casen figured she was expanding on his words, that thought was enough for him to be happy.
As he was about to place his cup down his mothers' shadow swirled and from it emerged a man with a black hood, his name was Ederes, and the clan leader of Alryg. He politely greeted Casen and Tiamat before turning to Isirneth and kneeling on the ground with his hand on his chest. "Your majesty, her majesty Alvyra is h–" Just before he could finish his sentence he was cut off by the sound of someone landing beside him with a rather loud crash that caused a crater to form under their feet.
Casen turned his head to look at the new arrival, it was a slightly tanned red-haired and eyed woman dressed in a long black dress that had a slit exposing her right thigh. The only difference between her red eyes and theirs was that hers were lighter and her pupils had a glow in a thin circle.
"Typical of a redhead." Isirneth rolled her eyes at the dramatic entrance while Casen silently agreed, his mother taught him to never trust a redhead and steer clear of them as they would take his innocence and corrupt him.
"Isirr!" The woman, Alvyra yelled with an overjoyed smile as she ran towards Isirneth and picked her up from the chair with a bone-crushing hug.
"Set me down you beast for a woman!" Isirneth tried to pull herself away but Alvyra was clearly prepared as she made sure Isirneth's arms were stuck under her own when she hugged her.
Both Tiamat and Casen watched the scene in front of them with amused expressions.
"You haven't spoken to me in months, I thought you died!" Alvyra's red and full lips pouted, giving her the look of a child who was denied its demands.
Ederes, who was long forgotten, could only stand up and join Casen by his side. Casens' attention switched from the two women to him. "Hello Ederes, are you well?"
Bowing Ederes spoke. "I am little dragon. How are your etiquette lessons?"
Casen met Ederes when he was sent to his clan and learned about them from him. He followed the death dragon everywhere and never failed to answer any of his questions or give him problems, he was always extremely polite.
This man who may look like he was in his 30s when he revealed his dark tanned skin and bearded face was actually an ancient dragon at over a thousand years old, hence why he referred to Casen as a little dragon when Casen told him to speak to him casually. He respected Ederes greatly since he was with his mother before she became Empress.
"I only have tea lessons left and what did I tell you about bowing to me?" Casen narrowed his eyes, he didn't like when someone he considered his family did such a thing. To him, it was as if they were placing themselves lower than his existence. It had a sour taste.
Ederes let out a gruff laugh and brought his hand down to ruffle Casens' hair. He looked exactly like how a child would when chiding their grandfather. "Don't take it to heart, little dragon. It's engraved into these bones of mine."
Casen let him do as he wished with a smile, a warm feeling welled up in his chest. "Just don't do it next time or else."
"What can a baby dragon do to an ancient dragon such as myself? Chew on my tail?" He teased but it was true, this man was second only to his mother in terms of strength and Casen wouldn't even be able to cause a scratch.
Casen felt irritated at the tail remark, he was a prince! A dragon prince! "A baby dragon can do this!" He immediately reached out into his hood while the man was in the midst of his laughter and grabbed his ear to pull on it with all of his strength.
Ederes however, received no damage but he decided to play along and reached out to pull on Casens' ear as well, of course, it hurt this time.
As the two were pulling on each other a clear of someone's throat made them simultaneously look in the direction it came from. The three women were staring at them with their eyebrows raised. Alvyra had her arm around Isirneths' shoulder and Tiamat was standing beside them. They had clearly watched the whole thing from the beginning.
Casen and Ederes let go of each others ears. Casen stood straight while Ederes only bowed. "Your majesty, I will take my leave."
Seeing him be abandoned, Casen clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"You have an amusing son, Isir."
Ignoring her, Isirneth shrugged off Alvyras' arm and approached Casen to fix his messy hair and brush it back with her fingers, she kissed his forehead tenderly afterward and gestured to Alvyra. "Baby this is your second aunt and also the Demon Queen."
Casen smiled at his mother and then looked to Alvyra and placed his hand on his chest as he greeted her. "Pleased to meet you, aunt."
Avyra placed her hand on her chin as she sized him up. "You have a small waist for a man."
"..."
"..."
Isirneth's eye twitched at her friend's comment. This woman had no restraints whatsoever and she regretted telling Ederes to send her here.
Tiamat gave Alvyra a hard smack in the back of her head. Out of anything she could've said she chose the least important one.
Casen tilted his head and looked down at his body. Indeed, he had a small waist but that was because his shoulders took its growth. His mother even told him so. Clearly, he was highly dependent on her words and opinions.
"Ouch! I was just telling him the truth!" Alvyra looked at Tiamat with a hateful look as she rubbed the back of her head. She was used to seeing a male's waist far more filled out than Casens'.
"Casen, Alvyra is here to look at your arm." Tiamat ignored Alvyra and got back on the topic of why she was here in the first place. Casen only nodded and sat back down in the seat he was in before.