Her Essence

Chapter 14: Royal City

"Petra, we can't just walk in like it's a casual evening. There are Union guards everywhere. I don't want us to get caught," Dorian said, concern etched on his face.

"I know, I know. You'll have to walk behind me, at least ten feet back. Act casual and keep your distance," I replied, my mind racing with the plan.

  "I'm telling you mann, it's Mehico not Mexico. The x is pronounced as h" the guard said laughing "So I'm guessing Texas is Tehas" he laughed again "oooh sounds right to me. Whatever, humans and their stupid languages" his partner added  

"Risa Jones. I'm here to see Lord Tefgin. I have a message for him from Lord Gill of Crystal" I answered "And who is this?" the guard asked again "he's with me."
"Hmm..do they look suspicious?" He whispered to his partner "I don't know. They look normal to me, just show them in".

"Come with me" he grunted "I hope you're not one of those dirty human beggars pretending to be someone else". "Do I look like a beggar to you?" I said in disgust "I don't know, you could be anything...Wait here"

As we approached the entrance, a guard stopped us. "Who are you?" he asked, eyeing us suspiciously.

"I'm Risa Jones, here to see Lord Tefgin with a message from Lord Gill of Crystal," I replied confidently.

The guard raised an eyebrow. "And who is this?" he asked, nodding towards Dorian.

"He's with me," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

The guard whispered to his partner, "Do they look suspicious?"

 "I don't know. They look normal to me, just show them in".

After a brief moment, "Come with me" he grunted "I hope you're not one of those dirty human beggars pretending to be someone else". "Do I look like a beggar to you?" I said in disgust

As we followed the guard, Dorian whispered to me, "That wasn't so bad."

I smiled, adjusting my cape. "Do I look okay? Am I showing?" I asked, drawing my cape tighter 

Dorian's eyes lingered on me before he remembered to keep his distance. "No, you look perfect. No one will suspect a thing."

Just then, a woman appeared, and Dorian's eyes widened in surprise. "Mother?"

I looked at him, confused, before turning to the woman. "Step-mother?"

But Dorian's response shocked me. "No, she's MY  mother."

Dorian and I exchanged confused glances. "I don't understand," I said, trying to process the revelation.

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Aida's eyes widened in shock as she gazed at her son, Dorian, who had grown into a handsome Caspian man before her eyes. Overwhelmed with emotion, she welcomed his warm embrace, but her joy was short-lived. As Dorian's arms wrapped around her, his hands inadvertently encircled her neck, squeezing tightly one would think he was trying to kill her, which he was. Aida's eyes bulged in distress, as she could feel her alien life force being snuffed away.

Petra's screams pierced the air, "Dorian, stop! Please, Dorian, stop!" as the guard struggled to pry them apart.

Tefgin intervened just in time to save his wife from Dorian's deadly grasp. "What in the name of the cosmos is happening here?" he thundered, his voice commanding attention.

Dorian's actions seemed inexplicable, his behavior a far cry from the loving reunion Aida had envisioned. The scene was one of utter chaos, with questions hanging precariously in the air.