Back in Gorkaki

 

For the first time, I sit on one of the stone chairs around the meeting table. Uncomfortable. Especially wearing these goblinoid rags.

But even more uncomfortable are the glares that the members of the Council of Folks cast upon me. Or rather, upon my "elven" form.

"Isn't anyone going to say anything about this?" Hobgoblin Vadod interrupts Kheldash as she tries to carry on with the meeting as if my appearance is not an issue.

"What does this mean?" He asks angrily. "An elf! A synalari elf!"

I look without understanding the tantrum the hobgoblin is throwing. I knew goblinoids didn't like elves and humans, but this is just ridiculous.

Kheldash sighs deeply and turns to Farat.

"You didn't say anything to him?"

"My spirit faltered. He seemed to like this shape." The orc shaman speaks, embarrassed.

"And I thought he paid attention during my history lessons." He laments.

"What do you have against this appearance?" I ask. Despite being an elf now, this form is 99% of my original self. I feel offended.

"Your Majesty... The thing is, this appearance is a bit... controversial." Bubali Umara tries to justify the virulent reaction of her peers.

"Elves usurped magic and used it as a tool of war to enslave the world. Nobody in these lands holds them in esteem." The unicorn Oberyl speaks, through his magic.

"It sounds like a mockery against us, King Akalani. I ask that you no longer transform into this." Hobgoblin Vadod pleads. "I'd rather be ruled by a goblin than by an elf."

"Funny you say that." Goblin Omad joins the discussion. "After all, hobgoblins are elven offspring. Not true goblinoids..."

"Take back what you said!" The hobgoblin shouts as he rises from his stone chair in a fervent manner.

"I just spoke the truth..." The goblin provokes.

"Your Majesty!" Kheldash's voice echoes through the underground cavern, silencing everyone. "You don't just look like an elf; you resemble a synalari. The high elves of Synalarion."

She begins to explain the context of the prejudice against elves.

"The high elves were the first humanoid race to unravel the secrets of magic. They first made contact with the fairies of the Astral and aided them with their Lents. This weakened the veil that separates the planes and allowed various astral beasts to enter Erdonya, including Gwenuin, the Purple Demise.

The synalari used the power of magic to build an empire that conquered almost the entire world, including this distant continent. To increase their numbers, they interbred with various races. First with the dwarves, creating the Halvean. Then with humans, resulting in the forest elves of Merenil, the black elves of Shandor, the desert elves of Althar and Elana, as well as the numerous common elves scattered throughout the world. They also interbred with goblinoid races. From their crossbreeding with ogres came the orcs." She says as Farat stares into space, with an empty gaze.

"From the union of high elves with trolls, the infamous trows were born. And from breeding with goblins and bugbears, the hobgoblins emerged."

Vadod grinds his teeth upon hearing this and then retorts, "Breeding is a pretty euphemistic term for what they did."

What? So, does this mean that elves are the villains and these beasts are the victims? Sounds like the kind of thing that woke mouth of Camilo would spit during history and geography classes.

"The atrocities committed by the elvenkind resonate throughout time." Umara states. "If it weren't for the great hero Verak Barun, the Empire of Synalarion would never have been defeated."

"Indeed!" The wolfman Sodin agrees. "Glory be to Verak Barun, the greatest of wolflings."

"Wolfling?! Ha Ha." The bubali laughs. "Everyone knows that Lord Verak was a minotaur."

"In truth, to this day, there is no consensus on the true race of Verak Barun. Only that he was a beastman." The gremlin Diluk chimes in.

"Your Majesty!" Once again, Kheldash's firm voice puts an end to the discussion, silencing everyone.

"You cannot participate in the negotiations with the lords of Ialdai in this form." She pleads.

"They are on the brink of surrender. If Your Majesty provokes them with this appearance, it will only motivate them to fight a lost war, wasting valuable resources."

I let out a deep sigh.

"I'll think about it. Proceed with the other topics of the meeting."

For now, I decide not to decide anything.

Tempers calm down as other topics are brought up for discussion.

My eyelids begin to feel heavy. It was a long journey from the desert to Gorkaki without the ability to fly. And this body tires much more quickly.

My eyes start to close as the bubali and the wolfling begin to argue again about Verak Barun's race.

Verak Barun, Verak Barun.

Where have I heard those words before?

Ah yeah…

Barun is the name of a country ruled by the beastfolk on another continent. It waged war against the Elven Empire of Synalarion. The name must have come from its founder.

And verak is a unit of distance used by the beastfolk. Probably because of their hero as well (?).

A significant portion of goblinoids prefers the measurement system of the beastfolk rather than the one created by the elves.

1 verak is equivalent to 1.5 meters or 5 feet.

1 elven step is equivalent to 1 meter.

"As I stop to think, I prefer using meters rather than feet, although I'm sure the country I lived in used feet…" I think as my eyes finally close.

"I wonder why that is?"

 

§ § § § § §

 

Freshman year of high school. Three years before the bus accident involving Jean's class.

 

Freshman Jean struggles to make friends. No familiar faces from middle school. Not that it would make any difference. He didn't exactly have friends in his previous school. And apparently, he won't have any here either.

However, the first chance to make a friend arose in a science class. The teacher divided the class into pairs for a botanical fieldwork assignment.

Jean was paired, obviously, with Camilo.

This was the first close contact they had, and it's when most of Jean's tribulations began.

The young man usually found his classmates idiotic and shallow. They weren't worth befriending. Camilo would probably be the same.

However, to Jean's surprise, that classmate turned out to be quite... interesting.

Camilo was intelligent, despite having, at first glance, a frivolous appearance. He was also funny, but in a polite way, not vulgar or silly. And he had that sweet scent. Very sweet.

"Most of the other pairs will pick branches from trees near the school or from trees low enough to be easy to collect their samples." Camilo starts analyzing the type of tree samples they should collect and press for their biology assignment. "We need to collect from tall trees only. Not so tall that they are too dangerous to climb, but not as low as the ones the other pairs are collecting from."

"What height do you suggest?" 

"Something around 3 to 5 meters. Something reachable with a ladder." 

"Meters?" Jean asks, confused. 

"Yeah. Something between 10 to 15 feet." Camilo translates. 

"Do you use meters in real life?" 

"The whole world does. The whole world, except the best country..." Camilo responds wryly. 

"Feet and inches seem to be simpler. Sounds more... natural..." 

"You know we'll have equations in physics class where we'll need to use the metric system, right? The feet and inches system might be good for everyday use, but for doing science, it's best to use the international metric system. Centimeters, meters, kilometers. A perfect scale using..."

As Camilo chatters, Jean leans in slowly to better smell the sweet fragrance emanating from him.

"Is there a problem?" Camilo asks, noticing his classmate getting closer to his nape.

"... Do you wear... women's perfume?" Jean asks after a few moments of hesitation.

"Uhm... No?... I think that's enough for today." 

"Shall we meet here again tomorrow?" Jean asks innocently.

"I think it's better if we each work on our parts separately and then bring it all together at the end. I go after the gymnosperms and you go after the angiosperms. Are you okay with that?"

"Fine by me, I guess."

"I hope you'll reconsider your opinion about the metric system. And about other things too..." 

"I'll think about it." Jean promises.

"Sure... Go get those meters, tiger. Bye bye."

Jean waves shyly as Camilo hurries away.

From that day on, the boy would start using the metric system instead of feet and inches.

He would also develop a troubled relationship full of ups and downs with that classmate.

A relationship that, unfortunately, did not have a resolution due to a bus accident.

 

§ § § § § §

 

I wake up with Farat's hand on my shoulder. I slept through the rest of the entire meeting.

"Your Majesty has finished your beauty sleep?" The orc chuckles. "I thought I'd have to wake you up with a kiss."

"You're too poor for that. Go get me a real prince." I respond to the teasing in a lighthearted manner. Funny how if someone made that kind of joke with me in my past life, I would have punched him in the face right away. Nothing like dying and being born again to change your perspective.

"A dragon kidnapping princelings... But kidnapping members of royalty from rival kingdoms is a more suitable job for Kheldash." Farat quips at the cambion who returns after dispatching the last council member.

"Why kidnap a prince when we can turn him into a puppet?" She responds seriously. Always professional.

So I better start taking things more seriously too. 

My name shall be praised more than Verak Barun by the non-demihuman races.

"Kheldash, I've made up my mind." I say as I stand up, fully awake now. "If the ialdai won't bow to an elf, then I'll show them my true form."

 

"I'll show them the true dragon that I am."