Draconia Offline vol. 1

47.4. The Weight of Responsibility - Part 4

The thing that couldn't wait was the American President calling us and demanding to talk to me. It turns out there was an incident with a group of Earthborn eco-activists who sabotaged one of the oil drills and damaged property costing millions of dollars. And humans don't know how to deal with them without being accused of racism.

"Mr President, I think you're aware that I'm not the ruler of all Draconians," I frown at him. "You should have contacted the Earthborn Queen and King, not me."

"You seem to be universally respected, Your Majesty," Delgado purses his lips as if just addressing me with my title is difficult for him.

Liana face-palms off the screen and calls Twyla and Werden. I hope that I might be able to return to Erik and his parents in half an hour but it seems my absence is unthinkable. The Earthborn rulers are relieved that I'm helping them deal with the issue and the American President just wants me present.

It's half past ten when we finally finish. I'm dead exhausted at this point, mainly from facing Delgado's constant passive-aggressive speech. Why do I have to the mediator between him and the Earthborn? I don't like where this is going. My tasks and responsibilities keep piling up.

"We're sorry to disrupt your evening like this, Your Majesty," Luviael apologises. "But we can't say no the Unites States when they demand you being present during the negotiations."

I nod tiredly and just follow my guards into the elevator. I know that sudden meetings like this are unavoidable during crisis but it still makes me sad how much work interferes with my private life which is already almost non-existent.

But the Emperor belongs to his subjects, I know that painfully well by now. And I'm reminded again when I face countless Draconians occupying the hall just to meet me for a brief moment when I pass them as if I was some kind of pop-singer superstar. I try smiling at them but I'm grateful that my guards make sure nobody touches me. I'm too tired even for Draconian minds right now.

I expect Erik to be asleep already but I find him sitting on the sofa in our living room, waiting for me while reading a book. I can't remember when was the last time I was able to pick up a book. My mundane life before the Great Evolution seems so distant and unreal.

"Love, you're so late," he puts the book aside and goes for hug and kisses. "Why are they overworking you like this? Was it really that important it couldn't wait?"

"I guess eco-terrorism is important enough to disturb my Friday evening," I collapse onto his chest. "Delgado insisted I must be present even though it was an Earthborn matter."

Erik frowns and his concern transforms into annoyance.

"They depend on you too much," he complains. "You're not the ruler of all Draconians."

"I told them exactly that. It didn't get through. How was the rest of your evening with your parents? Do they like me?"

"Are you more bothered about that than the international politics?" he laughs. "They adore you, stop worrying."

"What is it now?" I whine because I feel a strange emotional disturbance of several Draconians in the skyscraper despite most of the inhabitants being asleep already.

Before I can react, Miruel picks up her ringing phone and is talking to someone. She isn't panicking but it sounds quite serious. Is the work never-ending today?

"Miruel, what...?" I want to ask but four more guards step into our apartment and take tactical positions.

"Intruders were reported to breach our security," she says with anxiety in her voice. "Fefnir says that it's spy drones so your telepathy won't be of use, Your Majesty. They must have been smuggled in the latest shipment apparently."

"We have to...," I'm taking a step but Miruel nods at Erik and he pulls me back to his chest.

"You're not going anywhere, let the security handle it," he says.

"B-but...!"

"No arguments, Majesty, your protection is the absolute priority," Miruel stays adamant. "Royal Consort, please take His Majesty to bed, no excuses."

I have no say in the matter, that much is evident. I want to protest more but the minds of my guardians are closed to pleas. There're two opposite emotions in me: burning desire to protect my people clashing with something else that is making me listen to my protectors.

"Ryuu, calm down," Erik traps me into his arms and manoeuvres me into our bedroom. I can't wrestle with him, he's at least twice as strong as me. "Don't you trust your people that they'll take care of it?"

"I do trust them, of course."

"So let them do their job and protect you," he pulls me onto our bed. "You can't go running towards every danger, love. The last time you did, you ended up..."

"I know," I stop him from finishing that sentence. My right wing still twitches every time I remember being shot. "But how can I sleep in such a situation?"

"You'll sleep because you're exhausted and there's work tomorrow," he caresses my hair and the moment my struggle wanes, he starts to undress me.

Then he hugs me tight and assertively takes my left wing to cover us both. Erik loves when my feathers are touching his naked skin but it's hard to get me excited right now when I'm so tired and anxious at the same time.

He knows that and is focusing on calming my wildly beating heart. I do trust my subjects but it's impossible for me to relax when we're potentially in danger. I'm the Celestial Emperor through and through, all my instincts are screaming.

"You don't have to be perfect," Erik whispers. "At least not in front of me. Come on, open up to me, don't keep it bottled inside."

It's such a simple and well-meant request coming from my beloved that I just can't keep the stiff upper lip anymore. I let out a desperate cry and release all my doubts and insecurities. All those things that were suffocating me for weeks now.

I cry for my lack of freedom, I cry for our lack of privacy and almost non-existent free time. I cry for Erik because him being with me is twisting his whole life and I don't want to be doing that to him. I weep because despite feeling like the Celestial Emperor, the weight of responsibility is crushing.