His to Save

Chapter Forty-Nine - Irene

I sat in my seat, shuffling uncomfortably as people rushed around me, many came up bowing and expressing their gratitude for my return, but many were just happy to see me alive and well.

I also noticed their anger and weariness of Brand, his eyes scanning the room dangerously as he refused to leave my side.

It also didn't help however that Brand was hanging over every word I said, his chair even closer to mine than it was before. His hand held onto the side of my throne as I grit my teeth, willing down the growing anger within my body.

"Is there I reason you have to be so close to me?" I muttered under my breath as a couple villagers walked away and back into the crowd. Brand turned to look at me as he smirked,

"This is our kingdom now? Isn't it?" he said patting my hand as I looked at him scowling, "Remember Lillian, I do hold someone very precious to you at home, we wouldn't want that to go to waste would we?" he said as I clenched my fists, my eyes flashing red as I turned away,

I looked up as I saw Damien wandering around the top of the balcony which overhung the room, his gaze meeting mine as I bit my lip watching him.

As soon as I did however, I saw Hyde step right in front of Damien, quickly ushering him away from my line of sight and I almost whimpered in response.

I guess I was no longer going to be able to enjoy the small mercies of his look anymore, even that had been stolen from me. All because of Brand.

"So Lillian, when we get back, there are a few rules I wish to lay down" Brand said pulling me out of my thoughts as I grabbed a glass from a nearby waiter and threw it down quickly, hoping the slight numbness of the alcohol could make his presence less nauseating.

I turned slowly to look at him never lowering my gaze as I stared him down, "And what would they be?" I said trying to keep my calm as he looked all over my face, searching for some kind of reaction.

"You will be mating with me when we return, whether you like it or not." He said as I scoffed, "I already thought you were a low scumbag of a person, but stooping to rape? That's a level not even I thought you would reach." I said quietly, hate coursing through my words as he shook his head sighing,

"I'm not going to rape you Lillian, there doesn't need to be sex for the mating, that part happens to be optional." He said quietly and slightly strained as a couple walked up towards me,

"My Queen" they said as they bowed and turned to face Brand, "Your highness" they said quietly and I tried to hide my smile at their clear distaste, "Thank you so much for your return, if you wouldn't mind our goat hasn't been very well and we rely on her for our living" the man said as I smiled and gripped his hand,

"First thing tomorrow I will come out to your farm and check on her, you have my word" I said smiling at them as they grinned at me and hugged each other,

"Thank you so much my Queen, we are eternally grateful for your kind rule" they said as they bowed again and walked away,

"Lillian, all I need to do it bite you and mark you, I will not force myself upon you. I hope even you would know I'm not that evil" Brand whispered quietly as I felt rage well up within me again,

"No Brand, I don't know that" I growled as I turned to him, my eyes prickling with tears, "There is nothing I know about you anymore, absolutely nothing" I said as he recoiled from me, "I mean you have my baby sister chained up somewhere, suffering with her new life as a vampire and you constantly throw me around like a rag doll, would you like to see the bruises that you have created?" I remarked as he turned away from me,

I felt a spark of anger flush down mine and Damien's bond as I cursed silently in my head, fuck Damien was not meant to hear that. I saw him storming across the hall away from us as the room shook slightly, his rage becoming too much to contain.

Brand clenched his fists as he contained himself and I turned my head back, watching intensely, "When we return to the capital I will present you to the court as my mate and my new Queen. We will not have to speak outside of our duties or sleep in the same room, but you will do your duties as a Queen and as my mate." He said as I looked away,

"You will help me with the dragons, and you will do as I say. There are much bigger things in motion than you could even comprehend, things that you wouldn't even understand. Things that mean much more than you and your problems." He said as he stood up and looked at me,

"You just have no idea what's going on, and when you do. It will be too late" he said quietly as he turned and walked away into the crowd.

I tapped my fingers on the throne as I noticed a shift in the crowd and a sharp tingle ran down my spine.

I sat up straight as I looked around, my magic running through my body as I felt it begin to warn me, something was wrong.

I stood up at the crowd stilled and turned to face me. "My people, thank you so much for joining me today, it is so lovely to see all of your faces and be able to help out again, as much as I can." I said as I scanned the room, trying to find the origin of my problem,

"I just wanted to say, I may not be around as much as I would like to be, so whilst I am gone, I will be leaving Irene in charge, to help us stay on track and to store for winter. I will try my best to be here as often as possible, but as a Queen, my duty is to protect all my people, all over the world." I said as the people watched me quietly,

"I am not only Queen of the North," I said as I saw Brand watching me from the side of the room, my stomach in knots as I realised what I had to declare,

"I am the Queen of Ezerene, and-" I froze as I felt a lump grow in my throat, Brand narrowed his eyes as I played with the ring on my finger, the ring that Damien had gifted to me so long ago. "I am the mate to Brand Vorigan, the King of Ezerene. That is my duty. Everyone in this world is under my protection, and I have not been doing a very good job whilst I hid away up here." I said as I saw Damien, who had only just returned to the hall, storm away from the balcony, away from me.

I gulped down the lump in my throat as I gripped my hands together, "I must admit to my mistakes and to my duty. The gods made me a Queen to protect those who cannot do so themselves, and I must live up to that gift." I said as the crowd bowed their heads,

"To the Queen" someone shouted as the room began to erupt with noise and I smiled widely, tears prickling again once in my eyes,

"I would now like to introduce Irene, just so you can get familiar with her and get to know her as you will probably be seeing a lot of her in the coming months" I said as Irene smiled and walked up the steps towards me, however as she did, the tingle once again rushed through my body and I snapped my head up looking around,

The room quietened noticing my action as I felt a tension fill the air, Irene continuing as she stepped up next to me and smiled at the room,

"Evening all, I would just like to say a huge thank you to our Queen. She has put so much trust in me to guide you, and I could never repay that. She has just been so helpful to me, in ways that you could only even imagine." She said as I felt alarm bells begin ringing in my mind,

"But I would like to start by thanking my dear now" she said as my eyes widened and I saw Hyde begin to run from the top floor, fear coating his features.

"Lillian RUN!" he yelled from up above,

Before I could move her hand wrapped around my throat and I felt a blade push against my neck,

People began screaming as they rushed backwards and I was pulled tight against Irene's grip,

"GET TO THE QUEEN!" the guards yelled out as they tried to push through the chaos,

"What are you doing?" I hissed as I looked up at her, the blade continuing to press deeper into my throat,

"Oh my dear sweet child, I would have thought that magic of yours was stronger" Irene said as she twisted her head morphing back into a face that was all too familiar,

"Mother" I gasped as the doors swung open and men began to run in, screams filling the air.

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oh dear.

hope you enjoyed this chapter!

lots of love

Lily