Chapter 50: The send off

The two weeks went by in a blur. Darius had everything packed, and he just waited for Anastasios and Prisila to say their goodbyes to their own parents, so that the three of them could go to Orestria Academy together. The young demon couldn't help it, his tail was wagging like mad behind him.

Rey chuckled from his place on the couch. So far, the Fey boy has only seen the vampire children through the mirror. To think, he would see them in the flesh for the first time in his life, and the next time he saw them, they would be adults.

Rey didn't know how to feel about that. On the one hand, he was glad that the three got this chance. Not just everyone got accepted at Orestria.

On the other, he was worried. What if Darius decided that he didn't need a child for an assistant, when he was all grown up? Many things could happen in two hundred years. The young demon boy's mind might change, and with it, Rey's future.

"Hey, kid, smile a little. You will soon have a very responsible task ahead of you," Alek said, from his seat next to Rey.

"I know. I won't let Dari down," Rey said, and Alek petted him on the head.

"Hey, kid, I know that your room is prepaid, but Andy and I have been talking," Alek said, and then Rey turned to him. "How would you like to move into this house? We can set up the guest room as your room."

"I can have... a family?" Rey asked, and that got Darius's attention.

"You will be adopting Rey?" Darius asked, a huge grin on his face.

"Well, we want someone to baby," Andiel said, and Darius's grin widened.

"I get to have a brother!" The demon boy exclaimed, and went to hug the Fey boy. "Say yes! When I grow up, I will take you to outings to the different realms. It will be fun."

"But I am just your assistant," Rey argued, as Darius snorted.

"You can still be my assistant, even when we are brothers. Come now, Rey. Be a part of my family," Darius's tail began to wag slowly, and he hit his brother with his best puppy eyes. The Fey boy looked around. When he saw the looks of approval on the adults' faces, he let out a sob.

"I get to have a job, a family, clothes and food, and..." Rey began to sob then, and Darius held him close.

"Don't cry. You deserve to have a family. Andy is going to adopt us more brothers and sisters. Alek will nag him until he does," Darius stated, as Andiel sputtered.

"Darius, I will not let Rey in the Realms of the Forgotten Times until he is fully grown. So, I will raise him until that time. That means no additional brothers and sisters, until then," the elf protested, but Alek just chuckled.

"I will have you know, Andy, that I want a tribe of children," the Fey teased, and then looked at the elf suggestively. "That doesn't mean that we have to stop trying to make them the traditional way."

"We are both men," Andiel told him sternly, but Alek just send him a smirk.

"That said, you enjoy it when we have alone time in my house," the conversation was something that confused the two boys. Darius tilted his head to the side, and eyed his parents up and down.

"How do you try to make children?" He asked, and Rey nodded along, wanting to know as well.

"That is something the people at Orestria will tell you about. And you, Rey, won't get to know until you are fifteen," Andiel said, his face going red.

"But we want to know now," Darius whined, and Rey nodded again, too shy to whine as well.

The doorbell rang, and Andiel rushed to the door. It was Orion and Baliel. The pair walked inside, and presented the two packages they were carrying to the elf.

"We brought some sandwiches for the kids," Baliel said, and then handed the bigger package to Andiel. "This is for the kids that will be going to the academy. The smaller package is for Rey."

Rey's ears perked up at that. The two hadn't forgotten to include him? He allowed himself a smile, and vowed to return the favor, as soon as he got access to a sandwich toaster. Which would be soon, seeing as he planned to move out of the tavern and into this house as soon as he was adopted.

Soon, the doorbell rang again, and this time it was Darius that answered. Before him were his friends, with Antoannete and Octavian. Darius bowed respectively, and his hair was ruffled by the vampire king.

"None of that," Octavian spoke, and walked inside. "Well, are you kids ready to go? Your array opens in five minutes."

"Dad got me a bottomless bag," Darius said, showing off the backpack on his back.

"We also have them," Anastasios showed off his own backpack, and Prisila turned around to show off hers.

"Oh, hi, Rey," Prisila waved at the little Fey boy, who waved back.

"Princess," the Fey said, as Prisila pocked out her tongue at him.

"Prisi, Rey. Call me Prisi," she insisted, and the two shared a laugh.

Lines appeared on the ground, and the array began to form itself.

"We will miss you," Antoannete said, and then hugged her children first, before moving to Darius, and finally waving Rey over. The Fey came on shaky legs, and let himself sink in the hug.

"We expect a stack of photos, remember? If your image savers give up the ghost, just buy new ones," Octavian said, and then wiped an imaginary tear from his cheek. "The kids are all grown up."

The array finished forming, and the three friends stepped inside.

"Remember, do your homework, and don't argue with the instructors," Andiel said, and Alek chuckled.

"Oh, of course you would be the one to say that," the Fey said, as the three disappeared. An hour later, the vampires also left, and Rey was told to wait in the living room, until his room was ready. By the time night fell, the Fey boy was officially out of the tavern and adopted. Which went to show that when the lord of the town knew you personally, things happened quickly.

End of book one: A Demon's Childhood.

Book two: A Demon's Academy Days.