Normal

Wearing a high collared shirt with that buttoned at the front, and gold embellishments everywhere, Jel stared at himself in the mirror before yawning.

"Are you alright, dad?" The woman teased, looking at the line of cloaks, trying to pick one for Jel.

"I am so sleepy, Lumi," Jel said, yawning again. "I suppose I will have to take as much rest as I possibly can now."

Lumi walked to the man, placing a hand on his head, "I hope you are not sick."

"Why would I be sick?" The man asked, indignant. "I am a vampire, one of the oldest and I have never gotten sick. Don't insult me this way."

"I have no intention of doing that." The woman chuckled. "I was just making sure. After all, today is important."

"It is the same old thing," Jel said dismissively. "Once every month I come here, stay for a day and do what I need to do. It's nothing special."

"Maybe to you." Lumi threw the cloak, with the fur along the stitching, around his shoulder and helped clasped it, the left side being a little longer than the right. "But to everyone here, it is a very special occasion."

Jel scoffed, looking at himself in the mirror again, adjusting the cloak. "How do I look?"

"Magnificent." Lumi grinning brightly. "Are you ready?"

"I am too ready I want it to be over already," Jel said, holding his hand out to the woman. "Shall we get going?"

"Yes, your majesty." She curtsied as the two walked out of the room, Taio waiting for them impatiently.

"Taio," Jel said immediately, grinning at the man. "You are here."

"Of course I am here, your majesty," Taio said, not another emotion written on his face. "I always am and have always been."

"Right," Jel said, looking between the two. "By the way, do you two know each other?"

"We do." The two said at the same time, coldly looking at each other.

"You have introduced us multiple times, your majesty," Lumi said, putting on a smile as she looked at him while Taio didn't even try.

These two. Jel thought, eye twitching as he stared at them not even casting the other a glance. Why can't they get along? I want them to be together so bad.

Kids these days are so damn annoying. But I won't force if they don't want to. Aren't I just a merciful and kind ruler? There will be no other rulers like me.

Taio and Lumi stared at Jel thinking to himself, smiling and nodding like he had no care in the world. That was the only instance they looked at each other with an expression of anything but coldness.

And Jel missed it, like an idiot.

"Your majesty!" The rainbow-haired man shouted, running to them with his luxuriously flowing hair. "There you are! Why are you so late?"

The man looked at Lumi and Taio who sheepishly shrugged at the man, relieving themselves of the responsibility of getting Jel to the place on time.

"Barrette," Jel said to the man, smiling pleasantly. "I completely forgot you even existed. Your hair looks incredible as always."

Lumi and Taio had to cover their mouth with their hands to keep from bursting out loud in laughter, in a poor attempt to keep their dignities as the King's Companions.

Not that it mattered, Barrette didn't even bat an eye. He could hardly care at this point.

"Thank you, your majesty." He said out of formality. "Shall we make our way to the main hall then?"

"Of course," Jel said, turning to Taio with a smile on his face and suggestive eyes.

Sighing, Taio held his hand out to Lumi, "Allow me to escort you, my lady."

Lumi stared at the man in disgust as he nudged his eyes at Jel who still had a smile on his face as Lumi looked at him.

Sighing as well, Lumi gave him her hand as they walked down the hallway filled with armour and paintings only of sceneries in the human world. All were done by Jel, each of them a memory he wished to not forget.

But that is not what we are talking about.

______________________

Stepping into the hall, Jel walked to the single throne in the very front. The throne was large and made of the finest wood, brandished with the purest metals found in the world.

The cushions on the seat were also the best, he felt like floating on clouds every time he sat on it. Or he should have anyway.

Staring at the throne, Jel sighed.

"Something bothering you, your majesty?" Taio asked, managing to escaped Lumi who ran to Barrette to discuss 'things', she said.

"What do you think of this throne, Taio?" He asked, hand on the wood carvings. "Do you think it's befitting a king of my status?"

"I don't think so. Nothing will ever be befitting you, your majesty." Taio said, earning a laugh from Jel.

"A generic answer I see." He said, taking a seat on the throne. "There are many people that I have met that want to inherit this throne. But they don't realize something."

Jel stared above him at the ceiling, the paintings on the roof morphing into hundreds of blades, ready to fall at any second.

"The price to pay to sit here is immense. Many are not ready to pay it."

Taio looked at the painted ceiling and then back at Jel, placing a hand on his shoulder. There was nothing else he could say that would make him feel any better and he knew it.

Jel had seen and experienced things he could only imagine so to try and offer advice would be arrogant of him. He knew that. So all he could do was offer his dearest friend a comforting pat on the back.

Reassuring him that he would always be there, rain or shine. He would serve this man, even if it is to the depts of hell that he has to go to for him.

Jel seemed to understand this gesture and smiled at him, squeezing his hands as though telling that he understands and is grateful.

"Your majesty, it is time," Lumi said, walking to the two and pausing for a second, a smile coming on her face.

I may not get along with him. She thought, seeing how relaxed Jel looks as compared to before. But I can't say that he is a bad person to Jel. That's the only reason why I am tolerating him.

"Oh? Lumi?" Jel turned to her, the two immediately looking at each other coldly again. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes." She said, smiling pleasantly at him. "Let's go. Everyone is waiting anxiously."

______________________

The entire place that Jel rules over is known as the Umber, or the Shade.

It was created with him and so lives and dies with him. Jel may leave as he wishes but he will never be able to be rid of this place.

It also does not help that this place needs his life essence to survive. It is a symbiotic relationship. The place exists to allow many people to live and Jel keeps it alive.

Simple.

In the room behind the throne room is a space created entirely for Jel. Grass filled the room and a lone tree stands in the middle of everything. A tree so big you could lay down on the ground and look up to never be able to see where it ends.

Other than Jel, no one knows anything about this room as he is the only one that the room would allow in.

Opening the door, Jel stared at the gloomy atmosphere in front of him. The grasses were wilting and the tree looks drier than it did before, even the skies in the room were dark and gloomy.

"Look at you." Jel scoffed, standing at the doorway. "Such a drama queen."

Taking one barefooted step into the room made the grass Jel stepped on instantly come back to life, all green and luscious.

Every step he took closer to the tree, life returned, making it brighter and brighter until he stopped in front of the large brown trunk.

"Did you miss me?" he chuckled, placing a hand on the trunk as the magic in his body slowly began to be sucked away into the tree until Jel was too weak to stand on his own.

Collapsing to the bottom of the tree, the man who does not sleep, closes his eyes in the scenic environment, with not another person by his side.

Lonely and wondering if this time, this absorption of his magic … this recharge, so to say, would be the last one he ever does as his eyes close, maybe forever at last.

Cursed existence. He thought, slowly drifting away. Cursed birth and cursed life.

I will be fine, I know that. He thought, nestling in the grass as the wind returned to the room. I know that I'll be fine. Yeah, I'll be fine.

This is normal. It's … normal.