Chapitre 27: Chapter 26

Oscar slid his hand round to the back of Hu Yetao's head and leaned in for a kiss. He gently stimulated Hu Yetao's mouth to open to him, allowing him to instantly deepen the kiss, yet keeping the pace slow and intense.

Hu Yetao couldn't help but moan breathlessly as he grabbed ahold of the thick lapels on Oscar's woolen cloak and kissed him back with fervor. They hadn't gone beyond a few lingering kisses since the incident in DADA, and Hu Yetao was certainly ready for more.

Oscar caught Hu Yetao's bottom lip in his teeth for a moment before pulling away. "I'll have to show you later just how alluring I do find you, Taotao," he murmured.

Hu Yetao felt his stomach flutter in anticipation. "I look forward to it. Oscar," he replied heatedly.

Oscar smirked then stepped back and took Hu Yetao's hand in his. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Hu Yetao dutifully followed Oscar up the steps to the front entrance doors, not nearly as tense as he'd been when they'd first arrived.

The considerable doors swung open soundlessly upon their approach and they walked inside without stopping. Hu Yetao assumed the doors were responding to Oscar's presence as there was no intrusive wave of protective magic this time as they walked through. Two small house-elves were standing on either side of the foyer and bowed to them in greeting.

"Master Oscar," the female one greeted respectfully. "Master Xiaocheng and Mistress Shui Xian are being in the front parlor room."

"Thank you Niao." Oscar turned to Hu Yetao and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before leading the way to the same sitting room in which Hu Yetao had first met with the Wangs.

Hu Yetao lifted his chin, readying himself for another battle, as he entered the room behind Oscar.

"Father, mother," Oscar greeted formally as he moved to kiss his mother on the cheek.

"Oscar," Shui Xian welcomed him with a smile that could almost be considered warm.

"You remember Hu Yetao of course," Oscar said, stepping aside and indicating his mate.

Hu Yetao blinked in surprise as Shui Xian immediately reached out to take his hand, the same half-smile she directed towards her son now presented to him. "Hello Mrs. Wang," Hu Yetao greeted with a polite smile. "It's nice to see you again."

Wang Xiaocheng snorted derisively and Hu Yetao turned to him as Shui Xian released his hand.

"Father, behave," Oscar admonished with a roll of his eyes.

Xiaocheng's smirk was a lot like his son's but without the attractive teasing light in his eyes.

"I always behave," he scoffed then turned to Hu Yetao and extended a hand. "Good evening Mr. Yetao."

"Mr. Wang." Hu Yetao swallowed and shook his hand, dropping it again as swiftly as possible.

"I hope you are prepared for tonight Yetao," Xiaocheng continued, still in the same falsely pleasant tone.

"In what way?" Hu Yetao replied stiffly, refusing to allow the man to frighten him.

"The Board are very… meticulous in their interrogations."

Hu Yetao immediately frowned. "Interrogation? I thought this meeting was called so that they could meet me?" he said with an uncertain glance towards Oscar.

Xiaocheng smiled but it was far from affable. "Yes, it is their chance to meet with you - and design whether or not you are a suitable Nundu mate."

"And as I've already discussed with Hu Yetao," Oscar interrupted evenly, "the Board is not here to approve or reject a proposed mateship, they are here to meet Hu Yetao; to set their minds at ease that he is a brilliant partner for me."

Hu Yetao relaxed into Oscar's side as his mate wrapped an arm around his shoulders. For a boy who once seemed to cow to his parent's every whim, he wasn't hesitant in the slightest to stand up to them when it came to matters concerning Hu Yetao.

Shui Xian stepped up to her husband's side and linked her arm through his, pale gaze on Hu Yetao. "I was sorry to see that dreadful article in The Prophet Mr. Yetao," she said, breaking the strained silence.

"Only the first of many I can assure you," Xiaocheng added, no longer looking at Hu Yetao but his son, with a pointed expression.

"I was sorry to see they dragged you into the article as well," Hu Yetao snapped before he could stop himself. "It's such a shame that the public at large doesn't trust Oscar because of you."

"Hu Yetao…" Oscar uttered warningly before turning to his father. "Father, you know we must show a united front to the Board, if they sense discord in our family they will not trust Hu Yetao. And if you cause complications for Hu Yetao and me..." he trailed off threateningly.

Shui Xian raised a hand, the sleeve of her elegant gold dress robes sliding down to expose a slender wrist. "No need to worry my darling, your father shall conduct himself most respectfully whilst standing before the Board members."

Hu Yetao chewed his lip; he hated the tension he'd created in Oscar's family. He certainly didn't regret his decision to be with Oscar but it was troubling to witness the detrimental effect his presence was having on a family that was still obviously recovering from the events of the war. Now that he knew the background on why Xiaocheng had made the decisions he'd made, he didn't blame the man for those choices, he just wished Xiaocheng would make it a bit easier to bloody like him.

"I would appreciate it in private as well," Oscar responded, leveling a look at his father.

"Something to work towards, hmm?" Shui Xian said lightly, pink lips curving up into a diminutive smile.

As she stroked a hand down Xiaocheng's arm, Hu Yetao noticed that she seemed to always touch him in some way when he needed to be calmed or his behavior modified. He stored that information away to ask her about when they were alone, wondering if the same trick would work on Oscar when he was upset.

The small female house-elf who had greeted them at the front doors appeared and bobbed an uneven curtsy. "Master Xiaocheng? The members are all being here now sir."

"Yes, thank you Niao. Shall we?"

Hu Yetao raised a brow at Xiaocheng thanking a lowly house-elf but didn't comment. He figured he was in enough hot water with the man tonight as it was.

Oscar slipped a hand into him and they followed behind the elder Wangs.

Hu Yetao looked around with interest as they walked, trying to remember the directions to Oscar's bedroom from his last visit, but he was hopelessly lost already. He only recalled that it was upstairs and then down a long network of corridors to the… east wing? Or perhaps it was west?

Oscar had filled him in on as much as he could think of regarding the procedure and protocols of the Nundu Board meetings. Hu Yetao knew that he and Oscar must always enter behind Xiaocheng and Shui Xian, until such time that Oscar becomes head of the household - which would only happen upon his father's death or mental incapacity. Oscar told him that elderly Nundu must be closely watched and are generally segregated from non-Nundu as a precaution against letting something slip to the wrong person.

Hu Yetao knew they were making their way towards the grand ballroom, as it was the largest space the Manor afforded and had no windows to speak of, so no prying eyes. He also knew the full contingent of house-elves were on duty tonight, watching every conceivable entrance or exit, as well as keeping an eye on the guests themselves. Every Floor connection had been shut down and all post owls diverted until morning.

It was quite the operation and Hu Yetao was impressed. In his weaker moments, he irrationally worried that he might accidentally divulge something to the wrong person and then be blamed for the genocide of an entire group of people. With that hanging over his head, he wasn't even tempted to tell Zhang Xinyao or Jing-Long about it.

Part of him suspected that they would disapprove; Jing-Long because of his knowledge of how violent a past the Nundu had, and Zhang Xinyao because he was, at heart, a bit of a staunch Ministry supporter. Hu Yetao thought it had something to do with his dad working there, along with the fact that Zhang Xinyao himself wanted to work for the Ministry one day.

They rounded a corner and the sound of low chatter from a large group of people reached Hu Yetao's ears. He instantly felt his heart speed up. Oscar had warned him that there would probably be more members in attendance than was customary, as they all knew the meeting was being held to introduce famous Hu Yetao to the Nundu clan. Oscar had told him that with a smirk on his face but Hu Yetao was not amused. He hated being the center of attention - especially to be judged by a group of people whom he did not want to disappoint. He did want to make Oscar - and even his parents - proud, or at the very least, not embarrass the fuck out of them.

Hu Yetao unconsciously shifted closer to Oscar as he walked into the impressive ballroom. The elder Wangs were obscuring his view of the raised platform at the far end on which he knew the Board to be situated, but he could see all around the sides of the mirrored room and the quite a few faces were staring at him; some curiously and some with narrowed, distrustful eyes. Hu Yetao startled when he saw that some of the gathered group were in their cat form; large feline beasts prowling the edges of the crowd, dark tails slashing, and noses lifted as they sniffed the air upon his entrance.