JCO-AF47

Chapter 12

I had no idea what was happening today but it was something big.

Four large guards were standing watch around the throne room keeping an eye on us. Three Lyde's were running around with bags and crates of things, some of them I recognized from the playroom. Saros and Zenith stood near the throne talking to his parents.

"What's happening?"

"We're moving," Aerglo said almost bouncing, "We'll be going to Zenith's estate to live with him and Saros."

"Why?"

"Because they're married now," I turned to Deimos, "Since they're married Saros will move to his estate."

"Why not the other way around though? Why doesn't Zenith move here instead?"

"Because he's the dominant one in their relationship, he made a vow to protect Saros with his life."

So Saros isn't as powerful as I made him out to be or did social standing not matter in marriage, only strength? Shaking my head I continued to watch the Lyde's take the crates outside to the strange moving box. "Are you ready to leave? Everything packed?" I turned to Saros and his family.

"Seems like the Lyde's are finished. I believe it's time for us to go to the carriage," Zenith turned to us, his black eyes giving us a once over, "Are you ready pets?"

Without any of us answering his question, we were picked up and taken outside to the carriage, the strange moving box that I'd originally came in. This time though, it was bigger with more cushions and pillows. Quickly I moved to the taller seat, climbing as fast as I could to look out the window.

A deep chuckle was heard before I felt a hand pat my head. "Well you sure have changed a lot little one," Saros said.

Turning to him I tilted my head in confusion, even Zenith seemed confused as he spoke, "What do you mean love?"

"When I first bought him it took him cherts* until he climbed up onto the seats. As soon as he looked out the window his eyes got so bright. It was so cute."

Thinking back on our first meeting I supposed I had changed a lot, even my outlook on Saros was different from before. In my head, all his comments when we had first met just seemed to have an evil intent to them. Now I realize they were more curious and cautious than harmful.

Aerglo and Deimos joined me up on the plush seat and soon the carriage started to move. Aerglo seemed to make some type of distressing noise that sounded like a mix between a hiss and random pitched chirps. Though Deimos seemed to calm him down quickly after taking him up in his arms.

I turned to Saros who was sitting on Zenith's lap, whispering to each other while looking at us pets with worry.

Tilting my head, I looked up at Saros's eyes and finally decided on asking the unanswered question I'd been begging to ask. "What color are your eyes?"

Saros quickly looked to be a little confused by the sudden question, "Do you mean me Ceilo?"

I nodded, "I've never seen that color but it was all over the castle and the only other person who had that eye color was your father."

He took a moment before responding, "Ceilo do you know about the hierarchy in the Sephrime's culture?" I nodded which seemed to make him even more confused, "How do you know?"

"I figured it out. Green is the common folk, blue is the middle class, black are the warriors, and yours, at least I think, means royalty."

Both Saros and Zenith looked a little surprised after listening to my observations but never denied it. "So what color are your eyes?"

"Ceilo when did you figure this out?" Zenith said his eyes seemed to have a slight hidden meaning in them like he was trying to figure me out.

"I think I was fourteen, so it was right around the time I got my first owner. She was middle-class."

"What about the second one? Were they middle class too?"

"No, he was a warrior," I shuddered a bit.

I don't remember much from when he obtained me but I think that had to do with my brain not allowing me to remember. All I know is that most of the scaring I got was from him.

I didn't realize I was lost in thought until Aerglo's wing curled around me. "To answer your question Ceilo," I turned to Saros, "My eyes are purple."

"So is you're family the only ones with that color or are there other families?"

"There is one other family from the south, which is where we are heading," he cleared his throat, "They're my extended family. It was actually at one of their events that I met Zenith."

Zenith kissed his shoulder before pitching in, "Yes it was quite a magical night, seeing you in full ritual garb is a truly stunning sight."

Ritual garb? I wonder what that looks like. "What's your home look like?"

"Not much different from what you're used to, besides the new Lydes. Though we do have a few things that will need to be addressed and some people you will need to meet."

All three of us pets groaned in annoyance, making the larger beings chuckle.

The rest of the trip was uneventful with little to no small talk being made. I was curled up into Aerglo's side, relishing in the warmth and comfort that radiated off him. His wing was wrapped around me, almost making me invisible. So with nothing else to do, I fell asleep.

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*Cherts means hours, chet means minutes and cher means seconds.