Fated - Book 1 (Completed)

Chapter 18

"Lord Crastil was what?"The voice beside me echoed and boomed around the grand hall; his heavy chair was pushed back from his sudden and heavy movements. Aziel, across the table from us, hid behind Artemis' chair as the lord shouted at him."Now, my lord, surely you heard me; I know you're not a man with bad hearing."His voice was strong and stern but riddled with his usual accent and sarcasm. The beast beside me growled at the general, whose face twisted into a look of disgust."Lord Boden, take your seat and settle down; now, as my general has said, I will repeat this once and once only."His cold tone matched his even colder eyes as he sat in his seat, eying the beast of a man beside me. The lord grumbled under his breath and took his seat with a heavy huff. The smells of home wafted off of him, making me smile slightly at small fond memories."Lord Crastil has been arrested under the dragon's throne; he is being charged with treason due to his attempt to take my life. We are here to vote on his execution or exile."My eyes darted from the brute beside me and landed on my husband, who was leaning over the table and rubbing his temples. His cold eyes were pulled shut and scrunched up as he tried to rub away his headache.Since the arrest of the vampire, the dragon's halls have been bustling with crude life. Leaders that were signed under the dragon banner were flooding in from around the lands and taking up space in the once-quiet castle.Artemis has been shuffling between the different leaders, while Aziel had to put out fires amongst the warriors that followed their lords or kings to the south. This was the first time in a week that I had seen them together and somewhat settled."What evidence do you have to arrest the Lord? And what about his people? They will retaliate with full force with these accusations."A lord from the West, a human, to be more exact, one of their twelve kings; beside him were two others; they were the only humans under the dragon's banner, the only ones who chose this path.The man was small with a weak build, no older than Artemis, but he looked as if he belonged in a sick bed or possibly a grave. His was burnt from years in the sun; his golden hair was thin and cut into a strange style that hugged his face. Humans were such odd creatures."I lead the interrogation, my lord."Aziel responded on behalf of his prince, who was now groaning as he dug into his temples slightly harder. My heart ached at the sight of him in this state."That leads to such little faith, boy."A leader from the East grumbled at Aziel, who only glared at the elderly man; he looked like the general, but he had a head full of white braided hair and golden piercings littering his ears and face."I assure you it was done correctly; I had a squire hide within the shadows, to listen in on the conversation and follow the Lord's breathing, as we all know vampires have no heartbeat."Aziel snapped at the man, who simply puffed out a grumble in response."What about his people? For them to even reach the South, they will have to cross several lands of the West; most of us reside in that path, and being under your banner, they will eradicate us just to get to you!"This time the human was shouting towards the king, whose heavy green eyes were focused on the empty seats where his two generals usually sat. He ignored the shouting human, who started grumbling amongst the other lords.All I could do at the moment was sink further into my chair to avoid any swinging arms as the lords grew restless. Neither the king nor Artemis were giving the answers to the men's questions, and neither was budging to settle their minds."We haven't heard anything; my uncles have made their way to the vampires to inform them of their lord's arrest and discrepancies."His head was hanging as he spoke with a groggy voice. Slowly, he lifted his head to look up at the beings glaring at him. He seemed unfazed by the cold stares locked on him; my poor husband had no colour on his face as his eyes landed on me."We are here for a vote, my lord; should we continue with that?"My voice was steady as I locked my eyes with his. He nodded and slipped a small smile onto his lips at my words. I could see that he wanted to get away from the grumbling men and lay his head down to rest."Yes, Princess Aurora, we are here to vote for Lord Crastil's final fate. By our laws, as a council, we need to vote on whether the lord is to be executed or exiled to the East."The low grumbles started again, his blue eyes lazily watching me from across the long wooden table. The king now pulled his green eyes to the centre of the table and then slowly scanned the room before clearing his throat. Just this motion settled the voices in the room."All hands show for exile."A heavy silence fell over the group of members as the king spoke, and the heavy shadow behind him shifted slightly, making the room shake slightly from its heavy movement. Slowly, two or maybe three hands rose into the air to cast their vote."All hands show for execution, by beheading."In a swift motion, the remaining hands of the council shot up. My hands curled together and locked as the lords made their final vote. I kept still and hidden."Three days, Lord Crastil will be executed for his murderous attempt on the prince's life and treason towards the Dragon's banner."The king's words were the final decision, and the lords around us settled once again."With this being said, his people will retaliate."All attention rolled towards the king, who now shifted his body to turn his eyes towards his son, who returned to massaging his temples with a heavy sigh."Yes, we are aware of this, and precautions have been taken. As we speak, our army is being dispersed across the roads to assure the safety of the villages and towns between us and the vampires' lands."As he continued to dig into his temples while he spoke to his father, the chatter around me grew slightly. Despite spending time between the lords, he would sit till late with Aziel, planning, marking routes, and considering the possible outcomes of today's vote."How did you know?"My eyes jumped towards the all-too-familiar voice of the human king. He was watching Artemis now with narrowed eyes; his voice was low now, with a quiet accusation to it."I planned for all possible outcomes of the Lord's arrest, and either way I looked at it, his people are going to retaliate and will most likely make their way here in the next two days; if anything, they have already started their match the day their Lord was arrested."Artemis groaned as he pushed himself up from his seat. Aziel kept near the prince as he made his way around his seat and sluggishly dragged his feet across the stone floor."Where the hell are you going? You can't say that you have arrested a Lord and sent your men to our lands under an assumption. What is your reasoning? How do we know that this wasn't your plan all along?"The room we were in vibrated as the shadow behind the king let out a heavy growl at the lord's raised voice. All eyes darted towards the king, who was now frowning and trying to look at the shadow behind him."It seems Neim is awake. Go and rest, boy. This meeting is adjourned."The best that clung to the wall wasn't the king's dragon; it was Neim. Artemis' largest dragon was the one watching the council meeting. A heavy pit formed in my stomach as I realised this.Lords and kings slowly made their way out of the hall; their heavy wooden chairs dragged on the stone floor and filled the room with hollow noises. I never followed their suit; instead, I sat there in my seat, my eyes locked on the king, who returned the favour and had his eyes locked on me.The once-busy room fell into a cold silence. The two of us were the remnants of the council, neither budging nor making a noise. Neim's shadow slowly slithered away behind the king, allowing the room to fill with light.Despite the colour of his eyes, his features resembled those of Artemis. Like most lords, the king had small scars littered over his face, hidden under his heavy beard and tanned skin. He had seen his fair share of battles over the years."Has the boy been sleeping?""Not much, my lord; he has been too busy running between the castle's guests."The man across from me was the opposite of my father, who took his duty as king not as seriously, but as we sat there, it slowly dawned on me that he cared for his son but simply couldn't show it due to the way the dragons have portrayed themselves."And you, my dear? Have you settled in your new home?"His eyes slightly faltered as they dropped to the wound on my exposed left arm. The wound had healed but left behind a pink scar that was prominent against my pale skin."Princess Apollo has helped me a lot this week; she has kept me company while the prince has been preoccupied with his duties."I had to force a smile on my lips; I had no choice but to follow the princess around the castle and tend to her classes and studies."My daughter has grown fond of you; the queen has informed me about your time together, so thank you, my dear, for caring for my children when I can't."My cheeks flushed under the king's complement, and I was stumped for words as he pushed himself from his seat and made his way out of the hall. I sat there alone in the quiet room, and I was suddenly exhausted from the bustling energies of the day and busy week.Apollo found me in the grand library the day the lord was arrested, and since then she has daily met me at our bedroom door and dragged me around with her to her classes and through the castle halls, telling me stories and showing me ways to sneak out of the castle without guards seeing me.Today was the first time we were separated this week. I sat there staring at the glass art of the first rider, contemplating whether I should find my husband and make him rest or saddle a horse and ride the fields with his sister.The chair scraped and bounced against the stone floor as I pushed it out. My chest was heavy as I decided to find my husband and get him to sleep for the rest of the day.The halls were littered with odd faces, scents, and uniforms. My face ached and I had to force a smile as I made my way past them. The sudden sight of a familiar face caught my attention. Princess Apollo was looking up and grinning at her taller mirror image, Artemis."I believe the king gave you an order to go and rest, not to harass your sister."My arm easily looped with his as he stood there with his hands tucked into his pockets. Apollo's eyes darted towards me, her lips slipped into their bright smile, and my lips curled back in response to the woman's bright face."Finally, you are here to take him and get him to bed; he is an utter mess; he has even asked me to join his first garrison."I pulled tight on his arm at her words, and my face dropped as I looked at her with utter shock."I'm serious, Apollo. I need your skills, and you have a natural bond with Serina. We will need all the riders we can get out there.""What's this now?"My attention danced from Apollo up to Artemis' face. Being closer now, I could see light rings under his eyes. He hadn't shaved this week, so his tanned skin was littered with dark stubble. It made my heart flutter slightly."My brother believes that there is a war on its way, and he would like to prepare a counter defence before this one possible outcome becomes true."The arm I was holding on to tightened at his sisters' words—what was he hiding from us?"Apollo, I need to know that you are with us, should that one possible outcome play out.""Yes, fine, I'll be there, assuming you will let mother and father know.""Yes, I will, thank you."His voice was soft as he spoke to her, and with a small nod from her, she slipped away and vanished down the passage. I turned back to face the man I was attached to, but before I could voice my concerns, I was pulled on by the man and led down a quiet passage that was dimly lit.We found ourselves in the quiet garden where I was supposed to have tea with the Queen. The scent of the flowers filled my nose immediately, making my tense body ease. I released the arm I was holding so that I could face him and get the man to answer the questions rolling in my head.Before I could open my mouth, let alone escape his arm, I was pulled hard into his body, his warm lips melted into mine, a deep kiss forced my words down, and the tickle of his stubble made my body melt.His hands wandered around my body, for once I wasn't in some dress; I was in a simple loose shirt and tight pants. I could feel his hands melt over my figure and end up wrapped around my waist, holding me in place. My hands found their home on his chest, my fingers itching to pull on his shirt to deepen our slowing kiss.Warm lips parted from mine and hovered close; his usual musky scent was mixed with the sweet scent of the flowers around us; and his hands held me in place, never allowing me a chance to move."Don't move, just yet."His voice vibrated through me; I could only hum against his lips. I missed his taste. By the time he would slip into bed with me, I was asleep, so all I would get was a light kiss on the head or cheek."I want to etch this very moment into my mind. I want to remember everything about this moment: how you smell, how you feel in my hands, how your lips taste, and how your tongue feels against mine. I just want to remember you as you are now, sweet, innocent, and perfect in my arms."My heart fluttered under his words, but as the warm sensation filled my chest, fear rolled in right behind the warm feeling."This moment is all I want to think about right now—you in my arms, nothing between us."I hummed at his sweet words, and despite the fear pitting in my stomach, I stood there and agreed with him. We stood there for what felt like hours, listening to each other breathe and drinking in the very moment he wanted.His lips pressed against mine once again; it was simple and innocent, only adding to the painful memory we were creating."My uncles sent a crow in the early hours of this morning; no matter the outcome of the vote today, the vampires will be making their way down to the south to fight for their lord's release, and they won't be alone; two human clans have joined them."His usual honeyed voice was raw as he spoke, and the fear in my stomach grew at those words."No one else knows, besides the king, myself, Aziel, and now you. We hope that there is no need for the army, but we need everyone alert, and I need Apollo on the dragon with you, so that the two of you can fly to the dragon's nests and stay there for your safety."My body jerked against his sudden words. His voice was heavy in my ear as an animal-like growl left his chest. The hands wrapped around me held me still and steady."You will not fight me on this, Aroura; this is the one time I demand that you follow my order without any retaliation."I finally broke from his arms and stumbled back. My jaw pulled tight as my hands curled into tight fists."Fuck you!"I snapped at the man before me. Rage boiled inside of me, and my magic swirled and fought against my chest as it ached to be released."I am a warrior, and like hell am I going to run away from a fight like some coward? Who the fuck do you think you are demanding that I don't stand on the battlefield?"He just stood there, his eyes cold as he looked down at me, not flinching as I cursed and yelled at him."Well? Don't just stand there and tell me, In what mind do you think you have the right to keep me away from the battlefield?"My voice broke as tears formed in my eyes. My rage was turning into a thick, horrid sensation of frustration that made my chest and throat pull tight while tears formed and rolled down my cheeks, all the while he stood there in silence.As I whimpered, he closed the gap between us, wrapped his arms around me, and attempted to pull me in for a tight hug. My fists hit hard against his chest as he pulled me in closer. Despite my attempt to cause him harm, he continued to pull me into his chest.He held me tight as I sobbed against him. I couldn't understand why I was crying or why I allowed my rage to turn me into a whimpering wife."I won't be able to live with myself, knowing that my sister and wife were harmed under my command."His words vibrated through me, but they were lies, which I could hear in his broken voice. I tried to fight against his arms and tightening grip, but I failed as I grew weaker under his warmth."Aurora I can't. I can't have you on the battlefield. The very idea of you in harm's way makes me sick. I can't lead my men when all I can think about is your safety."My tears flowed down my cheeks at his words, and my throat ached as I finally released the sobs I was holding back. I wasn't upset about his order; I was upset about the fact that he didn't believe that I could defend myself."I can't lead my banner to victory, fully knowing that the very being that I exist for is in danger."His honeyed voice melted into my ear, only making my sobs hitch against his chest."I can barely focus with you in the same room. Who knows how messed up my thoughts would be in the midst of a battle? I won't be able to hold my weapon, let alone focus on the enemy, knowing that you would be in danger under my orders."My chest ached under his words."And what about me? How am I supposed to sit and wait for the news of your fate?"Arms tightened around me, squeezing more of my sobs out along with tears—tears I never realised I had."I just need you to. I need to know that you are safe and away from any harm, and should my fate be cruel, I need to die knowing that you are in the right hands when you hear the news."My heart ached at his words, and my body stiffened at them, allowing him to tighten his grip around me, pulling me in deeper and tighter against his body. He was doing to me what most warriors back home did with their families.Those who were called to arms in the North would spend hours with their loved ones, creating sweet memories before they would leave, so that they could have something warm to remember amid battle or as they took their last breaths.I nodded against his chest in silent agreement with his order. I wasn't going to allow him to leave with the memory of me fighting against his word and crying in his arms. He slowly let out a heavy breath over my head."Thank you, my sweet love."