Chapter XXXVI: Proposition
Lady Belet stood before the Dragon King in the solemn confines of his royal office. "Your Majesty," she began, her voice measured and respectful, "I have news from the harem."
The king regarded her with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. "Speak," he commanded, his tone betraying none of his emotions.
"Lady Isabella is pregnant," Lady Belet revealed, her words hanging heavy in the air.
The king's brow furrowed as he processed the news, a flicker of resignation and turbulence crossing his features. It seemed as though he had anticipated this, though he made some effort to conceal his disquiet.
Observing the king's subdued reaction, Lady Belet dared to voice her observation. "Your Majesty doesn't seem pleased with the news of your heir," she remarked, her tone carefully neutral.
A heavy silence settled between them as the king weighed his response. "It was unwise of me to sire a child with her now," he admitted reluctantly, his words tinged with regret. “If the child is a boy, my heir will be my enemy’s grandson.”
Lady Belet regarded him with a steady gaze, her expression unreadable. “With all due respect, your Majesty, your harem has earned its reputation as The Court of Fallen Queens for a reason," she remarked pointedly. "It was your choice to consort with your enemies."
The king's gaze hardened, his words laced with a hint of frustration. "She is not merely any enemy," he conceded, his tone clipped. "She is Aldrus' daughter."
The king regarded Lady Belet with a contemplative gaze, seeking her counsel. "What are your thoughts on her?" he inquired, his tone betraying a hint of uncertainty.
Lady Belet paused for a moment, carefully considering her response. "As you said, Your Majesty, Lady Isabella is not easily controlled," she remarked. "But therein lies both the challenge and the opportunity. Despite her young age, she possesses a sharp mind and a good spirit, qualities that could prove valuable if properly harnessed." The king nodded thoughtfully, mulling over Lady Belet's assessment.
Lady Belet's inquiry hung in the air, laden with an unspoken tension as she broached the delicate subject. "With all due respect, Your Majesty," she began, her tone measured, "if you have such heavy concerns about Lady Isabella's child, why have you not sought to conceive with another concubine?"
The king's expression hardened, a glimmer of frustration flickering in his eyes. "Most of those girls are ill-suited for the task of bearing and raising my heir, you know them well enough to think the same," he replied tersely, his words betraying his exasperation.
Lady Belet regarded him with a steady gaze, her expression unreadable. "Your Majesty, do you wish to get rid of Lady Isabella's child?”
The king's expression darkened as Lady Belet's proposition hung in the air, the weight of her words settling heavily upon him. "I do not condone such an act," Lady Belet continued, her voice tinged with disapproval. "But if it is your wish, it could be done discreetly. Isabella would remain unaware, she would think she miscarried, and the pregnancy itself need never be known beyond the walls of the harem."
The king's thoughts raced as he grappled with the enormity of the decision before him. The notion of erasing his own bloodline filled him with a profound sense of dread, yet the specter of King Aldrus loomed large in his mind. In that moment, the reality of Isabella's unborn child being his own flesh and blood crystallized, sending a chill down his spine. Despite his reservations, he could not bring himself to entertain the idea of extinguishing the life of his own heir. The thought alone was abhorrent to him, a betrayal of his own blood that he could not countenance.
The king's response was firm and unwavering as he rejected Lady Belet's suggestion. "No," he stated resolutely, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I have no intention of disposing of the child."
Turning his attention to practical matters, he acknowledged his impending journey. "I depart for the Theran Islands tomorrow," he informed Lady Belet, a note of urgency in his voice. "Is it wise to announce Isabella's pregnancy so soon?"
Lady Belet considered his question thoughtfully before responding. "Under normal circumstances, it would not be prudent to make such an announcement at this early stage of pregnancy," she conceded. "However, given the uncertainty surrounding the date of your return, it may be better to do so. It will allow for proper preparations to be made in your absence."
The king nodded in agreement, recognizing the wisdom in Lady Belet's counsel.
As the morning sun cast its golden rays upon the palace grounds, a throng of eager subjects gathered to witness the departure of their king. With his majestic dragon towering above, the king stood tall, surrounded by the formidable ranks of his Fire Army.
His concubines, clad in their finest attire, stood in solemn reverence, their eyes fixed upon their sovereign as he prepared to embark on his quest for vengeance.
With a voice that echoed across the courtyard, the king addressed his loyal subjects, his words ringing with conviction and determination. "My people," he declared, his voice commanding attention, "the time has come to reclaim what is rightfully ours. Revenge for what we have lost!"
As murmurs of anticipation rippled through the crowd, the king spoke of the treachery of the Therians, who dared to challenge the might of the Fire Army. "They have sown the seeds of their own destruction," he proclaimed, his words punctuated by the fervent cheers of his followers.
With a steely gaze and a resolute heart, the king vowed to lead his army to victory, to crush the enemy beneath the fiery wrath of their dragon's breath. "We shall give them no mercy," he declared, his voice resounding with the promise of retribution.
As the crowd cheered, the king's voice cut through the tumult like a blade. "My loyal subjects," he boomed, his words echoing off the stone walls of the courtyard, "I stand before you today not only as your king but as your avenger! And I am leaving behind the seed of my legacy, the legacy of the Dragon!"
With a regal gesture, he beckoned Isabella forward, his eyes ablaze with determination. Isabella was startled, she wasn’t expecting this at all. "My concubine," he declared, his voice ringing with authority, "Isabella, daughter of the fallen king of Allendor, carries within her the future of our kingdom, my child, my heir."
As the cheers of the gathered subjects filled the air, Isabella felt a surge of emotion welling up within her. She didn’t even know the king already knew of her pregnancy, Lady Belet didn’t tell her anything. She stood by the king's side, her hand clasped in his, her gaze fixed upon him with a mixture of reverence and uncertainty.
As the crowd erupted into cheers of "Long live the king, long live the heir," the king turned to Isabella, his expression softened by a rare tenderness. Bending the knee before her, he pressed his lips to her hands, then to her stomach, a gesture of reverence for the life growing within her.
With a final flourish, the king rose to his feet, his figure bathed in the warm glow of the morning sun. He mounted his dragon, Kallirion, a majestic beast with blueish scales and gray eyes, and soared into the sky with a triumphant cry.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
