Chapter 38: Convincing Octavian

 The next morning, two small figures crawled out from underneath a blanket. Darius looked refreshed, and Anastasios was smiling softly, almost dreamily. To think, if he got his father to transfer him to Westermire, he could get to share a room with Darius almost every day until they were fifteen. 

"I need to convince him," Anastasios said, not clarifying who he needed to convince. He stood, and gave Darius a parting hug. "You stay here and take a bath. I am certain that your father would want to leave soon." 

"Wouldn't it be better if I come with you?" Darius asked, but Anastasios shook his head. 

"Father doesn't like it when someone questions his decisions. Being in the Baskia Royal Academy is a Vicente family tradition. A Vicente grounded the Academy, and all of my ancestors after that one went there," Anastasios explained, and then sighed. "Still, being in the same Academy as you sound way more fun." 

"I like the idea too," Darius said, and then yawned. "Five more minutes of snuggling?"

"Not even a second longer. I must go and speak with my father," the vampire prince turned around, and exited the room. As he walked to his parent's apartments, he was deep in thought.

How does he propose this to his father, without it coming off as the fancy of a little boy? Maybe he should have asked Darius about all that Westermire Academy had to offer?

Before he could turn back, he saw a figure approaching his room. It was his father, and the moment of truth was upon the young vampire before his doubts could make him turn back. 

"Dad, I want to speak to you about something important," Anastasios said, straightening up. He may be six, but he had to act like an adult for this conversation to go the way he wanted it to. 

"Sure, son. What is it about?" Octavian asked, and then nodded to a drawing room that was off to the side. "If it is important, we should sit down." 

Anastasios followed his father in the room, and sat on a red velvet chair. His father took the seat opposite him, and smiled brightly. 

"So, what is so important that you came to me in pajamas?" Octavian asked, and Anastasios looked down at himself. In his haste, he hadn't thought about dressing up. 

"I want to go to Westermire," Anastasios murmured, and berated himself in his mind for not being able to sound more demanding. 

"And why is that?" His father's expression was clear. He looked to be waiting for the answer, rather than to shot down the idea on principle. That gave Anastasios hope. 

"Dari is going there and we are soulmates. If I don't go there, then we will have only the mirror to speak with," Anastasios gave his first argument, and his father grinned. 

"Ah, he is your soulmate now, is he? No longer denying it?" The vampire king teased, and Anastasios's cheeks colored red. 

"I drank his blood. He promised he would never give blood to any other vampires. But, if there are any in Westermire, what if one of them attacks him? I must be there to protect him. Apart from shooting with the bow, he doesn't know how to fight," Anastasios said, and then took in a deep breath. 

"Darius Loreth is not helpless, son," Octavian said with a chuckle. "He has been through more than you can imagine. I spoke with his father, and he told me a thing or two." 

"I want his life to be nice, from now on. As his soulmate, it is my duty to make him happy," Anastasios protested. He knew that Darius was a quick learner and that he was going to pick on any weapon that was placed before him. Still, before he had time for that, he was just an average archer. 

"Duty? Anastasios, duty has nothing to do with a soulmate," Octavian said, and then sighed. "Soulmates are your best friends, first and foremost. The other half of your soul. The to go to people, when you are confused, or hurt, or happy." 

"Dari is my best friend," Anastasios agreed, and his tone took on a more whining note. "Which is why I have to be with him to Westermire. Until we are fifteen, and then we can be bounty hunters together." 

"You want to be a bounty hunter?" Octavian asked, brows furrowed. 

"Dad, you will live forever. You will always be a king, and I will remain a prince. So, I don't really need to take the throne, ever. What is the problem with me sharing Darius's dream? We already share a birthday," Anastasios asked, and his father chuckled. 

"Is bounty hunting really what you want? I was thinking of rising you to be the lord of your own hold fast, until I stepped down from the throne," Octavian said, and Anastasios shook his head. 

"Where Dari is, I must go. To be his rock, and the shoulder he can always lean on. In happy times, and in the bad. His blood..." A hand rested on Anastasios's shoulder. He looked into the eyes of his father. 

"His blood shouldn't have anything to do with your decisions, son," the king said. Then, he chuckled. "Be that as it may, I can always make compromises, to keep you happy. How about this. The two of you go to Orestria Academy, in the Northern Outpost of the Realms of the Forgotten Time? Then, I will see you grown up in a month." 

"You'd let me there?" Anastasios asked, and Octavian nodded. 

"Not only will I let you, I will foot the bill for the two of you. Granted, Orestria Academy does more hands-on practice, and it will be two-hundred years' worth of studying, rather than only until fifteen. But you are both immortal, or would become, when you age to your proper age bracket. So, I don't see a problem," Octavian opened his arms wide, and waited, until Anastasios rushed into the hug. 

"Just promise me one thing," Octavian murmured, as he kissed his son's brow.

"Anything," Anastasios said, as he hugged his father tighter. 

"You will use an image saver, and send us pictures of your various stages of growth. Every year, without missing a single one," Octavian demanded, and Anastasios nodded. He could do that. For his father's sake. 

doravg

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