Beastmen Love
Chapter 232: Peacock Brothers

Chapter 232: Peacock Brothers

Astri and Masayori are talking about his feelings, sitting at a bench under a cherry blossom tree. Talking to her made Masayori realize the wrong things he had been telling himself, and it was probably the main reason his father didn’t choose him.

"Do you think that my father didn’t choose me because I’m someone evil?" He asks her.

"No. You’re not evil. And believe me when I say that. I know. Nature can see things you’re even hiding from yourself." She says, and he sighs relieved. "Your father saw that your brother cared about his people and would handle the pressure of being the Emperor. That doesn’t mean you’re not good enough for the position. Your brother is very attentive to those around him and can sense others’ energy very well. And he has Lord Renzai as his most trustful counselor. Do you really think that your brother keeps you here to make you suffer?" She inquires.

He looks back at his own hands, wondering about the answer. She smiles, knowing that he knows the answer and he’s just proud to say out loud.

"Some members of the council believe that I can betray my brother. And I won’t lie that I thought of ways to show that he’s not more worthy than I am. But I have never found something to put against him." He softly says.

"You didn’t find, or you’re pretending to look in a bottle you know that is empty? You’re trying to read a book that has no letters." She makes him face the truth. "You have a spouse and can have royal heirs, and he still doesn’t have a spouse. Why don’t you use that against him?"

He doesn’t answer, still looking down.

"You two are cute." She chuckles, and he looks at her impressed. "You protect each other. You prove my point. You’re perfect to keep your brother protected, and that is a very noble position because you’re also carrying the nation on your back. Your brother protects you because he knows who you really are. And you don’t ’find’ anything against him, because you know he’s a great Emperor."

He sighs, smiling, then nods.

"Kangki, my spouse, is an ancient beast like me. He’s a Quimera. We’re like day and night, as beasts. His kind feels comfortable at night, in the dark. All before me felt they would never be compatible to live along with him. All of us need the night to rest, and the day to live. None are more important than the other." She says.

"That male with black eyes?" He asks, and she nods. "He’s scary indeed. But I’m judging him by the looks."

"He is scary when he wants to be, but he has a very sweet side and is very protective. And also very caring. I have a Snake spouse and a Spider spouse. Most people judge them by their kind, but both are the kindest things. Beau, Cyprian, and Bono are bigger than the others, but they’re sensitive and also fragile in their hearts. None of us is entirely what we look like, and all of us are meant to be together and complete each other. The same with family. Galion is a guard, but plays a very important role in my family. If we didn’t have him, we would probably have a mess of a protection system, and Claud wouldn’t be as wise as he is if he didn’t have Galion to support him. They’re together longer than I’m together with Claud." She says.

He smiles. She’s trying to show him that even those who are not in the spotlight are important.

"Thank you.. I’ll act differently from now forward. Do you think that my brother would forgive me?" He asks.

"Why don’t you ask him?" She smiles, and then stands up.

When he looks in the direction from which they came, he sees Seijuurou coming, walking slowly.

"He didn’t hear us. I asked my spouses to send him here. Tell him your feelings, and take the chance to listen to his feelings, too." She says, then stands up.

Masayori got a bit anxious, afraid of facing this situation, but she brought the chance, and he needs to take it. Everything she told him makes sense, and she understood his feelings and reassured him that he’s not an evil male like people were making him believe.

She holds Seijuurou’s arm a little, smiling, and then walks away. Leaving them alone to talk. Seijuurou and Masayori stay in an awkward silence for some time. Seijuurou sits on the bench and sighs.

"If it helps. I’m not angry. Neither disappointed." Seijuurou breaks the silence first. "I knew you were unhappy, and I always ignored your behavior and also the council’s warnings. Even if you chose to go against me, or even rebel against me, I would understand... I wouldn’t be angry."

Masayori smiles, not happy, but sadly.

"That’s why you were chosen to be Emperor. I wouldn’t be as forgiving." Masayori softly admits. "I was angry. I felt humiliated because everyone believed I would be the Emperor, and when I wasn’t chosen, people already looked at me with disappointment and believing I was not good.. I was starting to believe I was indeed what they were painting me."

"You’re not evil.. I always believed in you. I knew you were hurt. And I apologize for that."

"Don’t apologize! That will make me angrier!"

Seijuurou smiles and nods, looking down.

"I’m the one who needs to apologize for everything. Our father was right to choose you. You’re the best Emperor. I was just greedy and envious." Masayori says.

After some more seconds in silence, Seijuurou breaks the silence again:

"I found myself... kind of attracted to a 12-year-old female." Seijuurou says, looking at the blooming blossom above them.

"...Really? The Goddess’ daughter?"

Seijuurou nods in response.

"Of course, not in a carnal way, even if I can see that she will become as beautiful as her mother. I do not desire her body.. Normally, even at her age, she would already be starting to select suitors. Do you know what she said to me when I asked if she had suitors?"

Masayori stays in silence, waiting for the response, and Seijuurou knows that he’s not quiet because he doesn’t care. It’s Masayori’s way to show he’s paying attention.

"She said that she wants to learn everything she can before finding a male. Just for being the Goddess’ daughter makes the wrong males come look for her, and she doesn’t want males who only care about her status. I understood that she wants to grow her mind and live the way she sees fit, and does not by the need to have heirs or spouses. She wants to think about what she wants to think. I think I got attracted to her because that’s what I would like to do, too. Does that make sense?"

Masayori smiles and nods.

"Yes, it does."

Masayori now understands that his brother was put in this position very young and that he never had the liberty of just being himself, but he gladly sacrificed himself for his people. However, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t wish to have freedom.

"Call me a bit rebel, but I’ll also wait for when the time is right to have a spouse. If you have hatchlings before me and I die for any reason, you can become Emperor in my place." Seijuurou says.

"You want to wait for her to become of age to court her." Masayori says.

"In other words.."

Masayori chuckles.

"I understand. You’re the Emperor. Do what you believe is right. And I promise I’ll be by your side, because our kingdom deserves more than the pride of one male." Masayori says.

They look at each other, smiling.

"You said the right way. By my side. Not beneath me. We’re not protecting what is mine. We’re protecting what is ours. As we were always meant to." Seijuurou says.

Masayori sighed, relieved and light after this talk. He knows it went lightly because his brother never held any hard feelings towards him.

"You have some years to prepare to court a Goddess’ daughter. I can teach you when it’s time." Masayori jokes.

"No, thank you. You accepted a female just because she was healthy."

"What! It’s the least I could ask. Better than a female who could die in labor."

"Is that courting? I don’t want to learn that." Seijuurou jokes.

They chuckle together, as they finally, after years, could talk like brothers again.

On the next day, everyone could notice that the energy between the Peacock brothers is way better. It’s like they naturally understood each other without even needing to put words.

Astri noticed that her spouses were not very happy, while they looked at Seijuurou sitting next to Yuki, who was drawing as usual.

"What are those faces?" Astri asks.

"He’s interested in Yuki." Wayde answers in a low voice, showing that he’s not happy with that.

Astri looks at Yuki and Seijuurou and smiles.

"They’re just talking." She says, trying to tell them there’s nothing for them to worry.

"Kangki saw in his mind that he’s attracted to Yuki." Dieg says.

"However, he won’t try anything because he will wait for her. He’s attracted to her, not in a sexual way. It’s more because she lives the way he would like to live and also because she treats him as a friend." Claud says.

"See? He’s respectful. When it’s time, things will flow naturally. As more it also hurts me, but our girl will grow. And I trust her judgment with my eyes closed." Astri says, then throws herself on Lee, Bono, and Tyr’s laps. "You! Pillows!" She says, stretching on their laps like a kitten, making them smile.

She never changes. Always expressing her love in different ways, and makes them love her even more.

"I have a gift for you. But I’ll give you later. And don’t you try to check my mind to know what it is, Claud and Kangki." She says and points her finger at Kangki and Claud. "I learned to sense when you’re prying into my mind."

Claud and Kangki smiled, but all of them looked at each other curiously, wondering what this gift she wanted to give them was.