The art of asking questions

Two weeks, two weeks that's how long they were on the road before Avery had allowed them to sleep in a tavern.

In those two weeks Aethelstan's magic hadn't replenished at all, the bits of magic that did immediately went to the bond and neither Adrian nor Aethlestan knew how or where it went.

They didn't have much privacy as the eyes followed them everywhere.

Facing Aethel's backside he breathed in deeply, gathered his magic and let it flow through his hands.

The feeling of magic was thrilling, always so magnificent and it was still cool how his golden strands slowly intertwined to then solely become silver.

It was their specialized method, a dangerous one yet Adrian had deemed it high time to replenish some of Aethel's magic.

An elf without magic was like a pig for slaughter.

Defenseless!

So while they had stopped in the only tavern available, in a place far from society as even their population was considered small in comparison to other villages.

Weird, considering there were plenty of visitors who passed by to visit the magic portal in the city.

A portal they will use to get to the academy.

They were all tired from their journey, so they had settled in without unpacking. Passing weeks had been hard as Avery kept the breaks to the minimal as he didn't want to waste time.

And the more time passed, the more annoyed he got. So badly that he just began interfering between Adrian and Aethelstan's conversations.

They had both been aware of his intentions, so they had decided that he would innocently let things slip.

One way they had done that was Adrian asking why Aethelstan was annoyed when he neither mentioned that or showed it in his facial expressions.

Once they did something like that enough an inkling had planted and rooted in Avery's brain.

The only thing he needed was confirmation of his suspicions.

So he did just that and followed closely behind them.

Even though Adrian had taken advantage of the darkness to sneak into Aethelstan's room, Avery should have noticed.

"I thought I told you not to come?"

"You did?''

''Don't pretend with me, little devil.''

"Fine, fine I won't. Let's just get this over with so we can go to sleep."

Surprisingly Aethelstan hadn't complained and that was about it for the small talk.

It had just been a half hour yet both their brows were covered in sweat, the method was in theory rather easy yet practical was something else.

One needed , in this case Adrian, to transfer their mana to the other's magic vein while the other needed to keep a tight grasp of their magic, making sure it doesn't come in contact while also ,within the time limit, convert it from gold to silver or the other way.

Too long and you become sloppy, the time limit of converting combined with a limit of how much one could take made it rather exhausting.

Adrian ,merely on a whim, decided to test how much Aethelstan could take.

He was aware of how disastrous this could turn yet his own curiosity made him continue.

He had started with one strand yet that one had already turned into nine, nine strands of mana that flowed at the same fast space to the other's core.

All in need of changing their very essence, a painful and exhausting process.

And while Adrian was aware of that he didn't stop even with the grunts of effort.

In fact he added another, the gritting of teeth was a sign of the burden Aethel carried.

He had to do most of the work after all, Adrian merely needed to split his mane so it was easier to convert it and make it flow to the other veins.

Minutes passed in silence, aside from the painted huffs as both of them did what needed to be done to make Aethelstan's core function like it should.

Eleven.

"That's plenty, Adrian stop." Another fact was that the one on the receiving end couldn't forcibly stop the connection. Their mind was already focusing highly, so to suddenly misdirect everything would cause an explosion.

One that they had caused , just once, accidently. Result was actually worth crying for as it took apart most of the west wing.

All that with just one strand and they were forbidden from testing that destructive power as no one wanted to see what could happen.

Thirteen.

Adrian could feel Aethelstan's shock through the bond,the sudden increase made it obvious that if he wanted to he could knock the other down like a feather.

Muscles restricted as he once more called out for Adrian to stop.

''Just two more, if we stop now it won't last long enough.

Just till we get to two-third alright."

"Adrian.."pause"...This..this is enough...I will lose control.''

"Hold on for one minute, then it should be enough."

Fifteen strains caused Aethelstan to breath in harshly, the effects were immediate.

Already pale face turned paler, clammy as his body went rigid.

Worry was the main emotion in the bond as the time it took for the strands to turn silver took longer, barely before Aethel's core did it completely switch.

Retracting his mama with a sigh of relief he let go, slipping from the bed. Muscles aching from sitting down the whole time in lotus position.

Stretching, a crack went through his body and with a satisfied look he watched Aethelstan as he slumped with a breath of relief. His eyelids drooped with how heavy they were, heavy from weariness.

"Adrian, that wasn-''

They heard the door click open before it effectively did, the intruder stood there with a grand smile as he welcomed himself further in the room. With a small finger twitch the door closed again.

"A party, without me? I feel hurt."

"Avery, not now."

"I must say, elf you look exhausted.

What were you two so busily discussing?

Do tell, I won't gossip promise.''

With a flicker between silver and blue they developed an understanding before guarding their eyes.

''None of your business."

''Whatever you were doing, it will not take me by surprise, you know.

It is after all rather obvious."

''It was nothing, we were doing nothing."

Avery regarded Adrian with half lidded eyes, waiting for whatever else that would come out of the boy's mouth.

"That didn't sound like nothing.''

"Training, we were training!"

He didn't even regard Adrian for another second as he turned to Aethelstan with a lifted eyebrow.

"Really now?

Already so fragile that you need help with your training? From a child no less?

You could have just asked me, you already kneeled for me so everything else should be a piece of cake. ''

Avery's face lit up with how much he enjoyed it, shoulder against the wall and mouth curved into a smile as he continued probing.

"Wait...what....Aethel what does he mean?"

Adrian knew what he meant, Aethelstan had after all told him everything he needed to know.

Sometimes it was better to just act like he didn't know or didn't understand.

Saves him a lot of trouble and for futuristic events it was better to let Avery form his own thoughts about the events on display right now.

''You didn't tell him, you didn't tell your bonded? How could you do that to the child you bonded so closely with?'' Avery waltzed over towards Adrian with a dramatic swagger, hand gripping the boy's shoulder tight as he only watched Aethelstan with a triumphant gaze.

Uncomfortable Adrian spoke up or at least tried to. ''Wait yo-''

"What do you want?" The shocked expression from the vampling and Aethelstan who intervened made Avery all the wiser.

Aethelstan ,who was still seated in the middle of bed, retracted minimally when Avery found his way right in front of him. Once more distance was something straight out of fantasies as a wide ass grin was nearly shoved in the elf's face.

"How can you regard me this coldly?

After all we've been through, the hardships, the bowing for over an hour.....oh no wait that was just you.

Don't mind me, just like your body is old, things seems to slip from my mind ever so easily lately.''

"An hour!! Aethelstan!!"

Indignated Adrian turned harshly, glaring at Avery for one second and then with blaming eyes at Aethelstan.

"Don't you glare at him like that!"

Surprised at Avery's sudden interference he gulped, flickering between the two figures on the bed.

"Don't talk to him like that."

''Hey! I'm teaching your kid some manners!

Something that you should have done years ago."

While he tried to at least mask it somehow, it was rather...well not working.

What is happening, what kind of dynamic is this?

With a sigh Aethelstan turned to Adrian.

''Go to Dawn, make sure he's alright. After what happened he had started blaming himselfs and won't go to sleep or rest without you. While you're with him, get some sleep."

"But.."

"No buts child, go do as your bonded said!"

"I don't listen you.'' Contrary to his words, he still turned and left the room. Loud footsteps echoed through the building as he felt the bond close off, the last shared feeling telling Adrian to listen and leave.

"Does he have that childishness from you?

If so, should I expect you to be stomping away when you're sulking?"

Hands with bulging veins gripped a few strands of blue hair, twisting it before said hand was promptly flung away. The strands of hair falling back on Aethelstan's knees in slow motion.

"Rude but going by how you taught the boy it is not surprising.

Look at how he ran for safety, whatever safety he could get from that vampire anyways.

He's about as useful as an elf without magic."

"Keep such words out of your mouth.'' There wasn't a silver of being mad in Aethelstan's voice, unlike his eyes where a storm brewed. A frown even stayed, like a scar carved into skin.

''Touched a nerve?"Now that smirk seemed to be a permanent feature on Avery's face when he was dealing with Aethelstan. "You have two options.

One; you tell me about this thing you and that vampling have or two: I go and visit Dawn and see just how fangless he really is."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me!"

It was no longer just a storm, silver eyes glowed heavily as a hurricane seemed to swirl left and right yet Avery was still disappointed as even that was not enough for the elf's body to shudder in anger or frustration.

''What does it take for you to actually show emotion?!!''

He was getting frustrated instead of the elf, in an attempt to deal with that he walked around but the silver glow from the elf's eyes did not dim they only narrowed they did.

Ha, he must be tired from the past weeks.

''A warrior hurting innocents over and over again. How disgraceful!"

A short burst of laughter left Avery as he sat behind Aethelstan and slowly let his fingers through the strands again and again.

It seemed the elf didn't bother with another word, so he decided to fill it himself.

''He filled up your core pretty well.

Bonded huh?''

"Would you forget about it if I said no?''

He didn't even get graced with a reply as Avery just kept messing with his blue hair, freeing whatever knot he came across and slowly turning his non mess into a long braid.

"Since when?''

"Since he was young."

"That's weird. Did he already have anything similar to magical maturity?"

"....not really.''

''Not really? That's your answer?

You really do keep getting more interesting by the day you know.

How intriguing."

As if to seal his words, he silently kissed the strands in his hands. Recognising that the elf noticed yet didn't look impressed. The stillness persisted between the two of them as Avery went over the new information.

"It's unlike you to know how to braid.

Since when?"

''I don't know. Ten or so.

I agree though, it is unlike me but it was either that or slicing the throaths of all those who annoyed.

So instead of killing my knights and such I decided to torment them in another way. ''

"The princess decided that?"

There was a slight pause before he huffed in amusement.

''Tell me about it.

They all are really just a waste of air. What they do I can do ten times faster."

''Sure you can, they probably think the same of you.

I sure do.''

''Really now?

You don't act like it.

''You have blackmailed me multiple times."

"We all go through hardships.

Now sit still so I can finish it."

"Why? It's night?''

''Shh, not important.

Be good now."