Sigma Epsilon Chi
Nerek got the chance he was looking for when the boy's bodyguards had to leave their post to escort Geoff and his wife to the chapel.
"Pardon my boldness, Quartus, but I expected you to be downstairs."
"Yes, well," he said, turning his whole body to look at the stranger in his room. "I might say the same to you. I'm not sure you're even allowed to be here."
"Yes, well," replied Nerek. "My employers wish for you to have this, no matter how much effort I must exert to put it into your hands." Nerek tossed the small potion bottle onto his bed.
"This... this is a potion of disguise or transformation, isn't it?" said Quartus, looking up at Nerek after a close examination of the bottle.
"Yeah... that's right," he replied.
"I don't need it," said Quartus, throwing the bottle to the ground.
"Why did you!?"
"I told you, I don't need it!" yelled Quartus. "I've known about my father's little excursions for about five years now. But it wasn't until my eighteen birthday that I found out just how far they went. I have dragon blood in my veins.
"I'm only a bastard, so I don't have full shape-shifting powers. But as long as I stay human, I can affect my height, weight, and appearance. Hell, I have to concentrate every morning when I wake up just so I look the same. My powers shift with my subconscious during my sleep. A constant reminder of my heritage."
"Quartus..." said Nerek, trying to determine how to best respond.
"Save it," he snapped. "You have no idea what I go through. I can't even tell my father without him realizing that I'm a bastard. Now if you're quite through, I want to be left alone."
Nerek had little choice but to turn around and leave. Not more than five minutes later, he felt the rune on the back of his neck pulse.
"Pardon my boldness, Quartus, but I expected you to be downstairs."
"Yes, well," he said, turning his whole body to look at the stranger in his room. "I might say the same to you. I'm not sure you're even allowed to be here."
"Yes, well," replied Nerek. "My employers wish for you to have this, no matter how much effort I must exert to put it into your hands." Nerek tossed the small potion bottle onto his bed.
"This... this is a potion of disguise or transformation, isn't it?" said Quartus, looking up at Nerek after a close examination of the bottle.
"Yeah... that's right," he replied.
"I don't need it," said Quartus, throwing the bottle to the ground.
"Why did you!?"
"I told you, I don't need it!" yelled Quartus. "I've known about my father's little excursions for about five years now. But it wasn't until my eighteen birthday that I found out just how far they went. I have dragon blood in my veins.
"I'm only a bastard, so I don't have full shape-shifting powers. But as long as I stay human, I can affect my height, weight, and appearance. Hell, I have to concentrate every morning when I wake up just so I look the same. My powers shift with my subconscious during my sleep. A constant reminder of my heritage."
"Quartus..." said Nerek, trying to determine how to best respond.
"Save it," he snapped. "You have no idea what I go through. I can't even tell my father without him realizing that I'm a bastard. Now if you're quite through, I want to be left alone."
Nerek had little choice but to turn around and leave. Not more than five minutes later, he felt the rune on the back of his neck pulse.