The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

Not far away, the gates of the Royal Institution loomed ahead, gilded in shimmering gold and white stone that radiated an ethereal brilliance under the bright light of the early morning.

Aeric reined Sylver through the gates, his eyes narrowing with a sense of readiness as he took in the imposing structure before him. Today wasn't going to be anything like his first day here.

He might have been naive on that first day, but nothing of sorts, no mistakes made then was going to be repeated today.

"Well," he murmured, his voice laced with dry amusement. "Here it is."

Delva pulled her horse alongside Sylver and glanced up at the grand building. "Have you ever been here before?" Aeric asked, his tone casual but curious.

"In the ways that count for people like us," Delva said, brushing a strand of red hair from her face.

Aeric looked at her. "What does that mean?"

"My father used to bring me here to the main arena. Just like other commoners, we'd watch the Heart Hunt games and Beast Battles. But inside the main building? No. Never."

Aeric appeared bitter, his lips curling into a sardonic pout. "Trust me, you're not missing much. Just envious princesses with the temperament of toddlers."

Delva laughed softly, her eyes twinkling. "Somehow that sounds delightful, Master Aeric."

They guided their animals towards the main entrance and as they approached, a few of the Daughters loitered near the steps, their royal gowns shimmering. They all stopped talking and looked up at him.

Aeric looked down and met their stares with his usual air of indifference, his piercing eyes dismissing their curiosity. Delva glanced at them too, her expression neutral but sharp, taking note of the judgmental glances cast her Master's way.

Dismounting, Aeric stroked Sylver's neck affectionately, murmuring a quiet thanks to the loyal beast. Delva followed suit, her feet hitting the ground lightly.

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"And you?" Aeric asked, turning to her. "Where are you going to go? What will you do while I'm stuck in here learning the intricacies of celestial governance?"

"Don't worry about me, Master Aeric." Delva said with a reassuring nod. "Erothyria is a big realm, and I know how to keep myself entertained."

"I should have expected that." He nodded, appreciating her self-sufficiency. "Thank you," he said to her with a genuine tone. "For everything this morning. You've been an invaluable friend."

Delva placed her fist over her heart and bowed slightly. "It is my honor to serve, Master Aeric."

Aeric smiled, feeling the warmth of her respect and admiration. He shook his head at her formality and then, with one final pat on Sylver's mane, he turned and began ascending the wide marble steps leading to the Institution's grand doors.

Generally, he was sauntering. His movements were unhurried, deliberate. Time after time, Aeric would adjust his royal cape with his hand or the gloves over his wrist. The rich fabric of his cape caught the light and draped perfectly over his broad shoulders.

His gloves gave him a formal look and his boots tapped against the polished steps, his posture regal and unshaken.

Everyone was staring at him now. And not just the stares he had gotten when he first arrived, but actual stares of surprise rather than curiosity. Whispers rippled through the crowd of Daughters gathered around the entrance.

"Isn't that Son Aeric?" Nyssa of Twilight murmured to her twin sister, Nyx, as she subtly tilted her head in his direction.

Nyx turned, her sly and piercing gaze locking onto him. "There's something… different about him," she said, placing a finger on her lip.

Standing with the twins as usual were Aryanne and Melina, the infamous Daughters of Moonlight. They paused mid-conversation to watch him. Aryanne furrowed her brows, her sharp features twisted in suspicion, while Melina arched one of her brows, also awed at the presence of Aeric.

Yet no one could really pinpoint what made him different.

'He's...' Melina thought, but even in her mind, the words wouldn't form. 'He's...'

'What happened to him yesterday?' Aryanne wondered. 'Where did he go?'

Of course Aeric could hear everything their minds were saying and it amused him, but he walked through their gazes as if they weren't there, keeping his expression completely unreadable. Although, this sinister Prince was well aware of the effect he was having.

"Hey, Aeric!"

The familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

Aeric looked up, and his cold mask melted into a grin as he met the radiant blue eyes of Celestia. Her golden hair framed her face like a halo, and her simple yet elegant dress of soft lavender highlighted her bountiful, graceful figure.

"Hey, Celestia!" he spoke through his smile with a warm and genuine tone.

She smiled brightly, happy to see that he was happy to see her. "How are you? You weren't in school yesterday, and I was worried the incident might have been worse than I thought."

Aeric hesitated, his grin faltering slightly. He couldn't exactly tell her that he went Dungeon Clearing to [Claim] the powers of a powerful Starlight Player so he could pretend it to be his own so he could escape the prying eyes of the Divine Priest. No he couldn't.

Instead, he shrugged nonchalantly. "I stayed home. After all that happened, I wasn't really feeling it. But I'm better now."

Celestia's smile widened. "That's good to hear. I'm just glad you're okay." Her gaze flicked toward the gate, where Delva was riding away with Sylver. "Who was that... girl with you?"

"Oh, that's Delva," Aeric replied, his voice having a little amusement. "My mother thought I was depressed, so she… purchased me a friend. Isn't that hilarious? Ha ha. What's even funnier is that it's actually working."

Celestia giggled, shaking her head. "Well, I'm just happy to see you're doing better." She hesitated for a moment, then added shyly, "You look… good. More alive, somehow. I don't know." A blush crept into her cheeks.

Aeric's smirk returned, his eyes glinting with playful mischief. "And you," he said, his voice dropping slightly, "look astonishingly beautiful as always."

He looked down at her body. Her dress flowed like liquid silk, a masterpiece of soft yellow hues with intricate silver embroidery that caught the light. Her curly golden hair was styled elegantly, with a small bow accentuating the natural waves. She looked every inch the noble lady, but her warm demeanor made her seem approachable, even fragile.

Aeric's eyes moved to the corners and he noticed the Moonlight Sisters and the Twilight Twins watching them. He smirked mildly. Without hesitation, he placed a hand over Celestia's neck, touching her warmly on her shoulder. This surprised her as he then guided her gently toward the hallway.

"Come on," he said with a grin. "We've got an entire day of lessons ahead, and I'd like to spend it all with you. That's if you're willing."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Celestia's blush deepened, and her smile grew. "I am."

"That's what I like to hear," Aeric replied smoothly as they walked through the grand halls of the Institution, and of course, the jealous angry gazes of the Moonlight and Twilight Daughters were burning into their backs.