Dragon's life in college

ch 37

The three of them slipped back toward Nigel and Ryu’s room. Turtle and opted to come with them instead of returning to his room, as he wanted to avoid his aunt finding him.

It was several hours later when Oceania finally reappeared, this time wearing a full jewelry set. One look at it told Nigel exactly why she had been wearing old, broken, mismatched jewelry for all of college so far. Although the set wasn’t the most lavish, it screamed rich and royal. Even Ryu’s finest jewelry looked cheap in comparison, and Ryu came from a rich family.

“Sorry it took so long, but Aunt Mer dragged me to the formal banquet. This was the soonest I could escape.”

Turtle snorted. “I’m surprised you managed to get away this early. Usually Aunt Mer keeps you until the very end to ensure that you learn all the proper customs or whatever queens have to know.”

“I know. But I was able to use my homework as an excuse.”

“But you finished all of your large assignments already,” Nigel pointed out.

“True.” Oceania reached up to unwrap a long, jeweled chain from her horns. “But she doesn’t know that. Besides I wanted to talk to you and Ryu.”

She looked at them with a strange look, almost as if she was expecting them to start yelling at her or start coddling her.

Ryu looked up from his bed. “What about?”

Oceania blinked. “What do you mean, what about? You literally just learned, in the most dramatic way possible, that I’m the niece of the water dragon queen and her preferred heir and you have nothing to say about it.”

“Congratulations.” Ryu offered.

“You’ll make a fine queen,” Nigel supplied.

Oceania looked between them in surprise. “You really have nothing to say about me not telling you and having just found out.”

“Do you want us to say something?” Ryu asked. He rose to his feet and walked forward. “Listen, Oceania, we’re both shocked at the news. But in hindsight it does make sense that you’re at least from a noble family if not a royal one. You just have that bearing. But as far as keeping it a secret goes, I don’t mind, and I perfectly understand. And despite your status as future queen, you’re still my friend so as far as I’m concerned nothing changes that.”

“The same for me,” Nigel said. “I understand why you wouldn’t want to tell us about being a princess. And I will say, it does clear up why your jewelry always seemed a little…”

“Less than proper?” Oceania completed.

“Yes, I knew that would seem odd, but all my matching jewelry is too fancy for normal dragons. This is one of my plainest sets and it still screams status.” She poked at the necklace.

“Well, now that the whole school knows you can start wearing your jewelry more openly now.” Nigel said.

“I would suggest it. The daughter of a teacher can get away with old and mismatching jewelry. The niece of a queen cannot.” Ryu added.

“True,” Oceania agreed.

“So, now that we know who you are, can we have the full story now?” Nigel asked.

“You really want to hear it.”

“I don’t think we’re going to go to bed until we know it.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you.”

“And now prepare for the very long story as how we both tried to avoid our aunt but still got found out,” Turtle piped up from his corner.

“Don’t think you’re getting away from your part in this,” Oceania threatened.

“What part?” Turtle stretched. “The only thing I did was accompany my favorite cousin to school, and thus get away from my crazy mother and aunt. Oh, if you were wondering as to how exactly the family relates to everyone, Oceania’s mother, my mother, and Queen Mer are all sisters.”

Oceania nodded. “Yes. Aunt Mer is the oldest, and she was the chosen heir of their mother. Only one other dragon competed against her in the trials, a cousin, and that was just to make it look like there was actually some challenge.”

“Like your relationship with your aunt?” Ryu asked.

“Yes, somewhat. The only difference is that while Grandmother was quietly public with her choice, Aunt Mer has practically announced it to the entire kingdom. Her own daughters have promised me that whoever competes against me, if any of them do, will literally do nothing to try to win. They all know their mother wants me to be the next queen. She’s quite open about the fact that none of her daughters would make good queens, and they’re quite open about not wanting the throne.”

“And the queen’s daughters are not offended in being passed over without even a chance to challenge?” Ryu asked.

“No. Well, they always could do an actual challenge if they wanted to but none of them do. Besides, all of the younger ones have been risen with the knowledge that I’ll succeed their mother and the older ones have known if for years. As far as everyone knows, when the time for the challenges come it will be the chosen heir versus someone to just make it look like a challenge, since none of my cousins are interested as well.”

“I guess it makes the succession very easy.”

“It does. But it does not make having a normal life or friends easy. Which is why I am here.”