The War Lord's Prize

Chapter Thirty One

Lucien 🥀🥀🥀
~~~

...The tension between our kinds has reached an all-time high...

...Our people are filled with fear...

...We need more originals to join this fight. We must protect our people...

...What is the stance of the fairies in this matter?...

...The fairies have chosen to stay out of this...

...But they aided the werewolves in preventing the king from teleporting...

...The fairy king accused the fairies responsible of treason and demanded their execution, revealing his lack of involvement in this war...

...We should launch an attack against the wolves...

...Launching an attack would provoke the fairies to join the war and defend their land. We cannot afford to have two kinds against us...

...We, as originals, are immortal and invincible. They cannot defeat us, and we can ensure the safety of our people...

...You overestimate the curse...

Lucien massaged his temples as barrage of sentences filled the meeting room from different originals. They had been at this process for over a month now, preparing for the werewolves' anticipated attack and devising strategies to safeguard the people.

He had not only focused on making decisions, or attempting to make them, but he had also been actively engaging with the people- both vampires and humans. He had trained young men, gone hunting with fathers, comforted mothers, and spent time with young women. Unfortunately, that particular act had led to rumors suggesting that he was in search of an eternal bride.

Despite the discomfort of having every eligible woman throwing themselves at him from all corners of the kingdom, he believed it was better to divert their attention away from the impending war.

With this in mind, he had a sudden idea and clapped his hands, drawing the attention of everyone. The room fell silent.

Turning to his sister, he inquired, "When was the last time the people were allowed into the palace grounds?"

She seemed puzzled but responded, "Centuries ago, when...," she paused, he understood it was the man whose name shall not be mentioned, "he organized a festival for the people."

"We shall host a grand ball," he declared.

"A ball?" Almost everyone in the room exclaimed in astonishment.

"Yes, a ball," he reaffirmed. "Not all the people will be able to attend of course, but we can plan something more inclusive after the ball."

Gerald interjected, "Organizing a ball in this palace will take weeks."

Lucien surveyed the room and realized his friend was correct. He wondered when the palace was last adorned, and the servants who had carried out the decorations were undoubtedly long gone.

Nevertheless, he smiled. "Then we shall plan a ball in the upcoming weeks."

His sister regarded him skeptically as murmurs erupted throughout the table. "Why are you so cheerful about this?"

"Who doesn't enjoy a ball, sister?" he replied.

But more importantly, who wouldn't appreciate a break to finally spend time with their favorite person, he pondered.

...Later that day🌹
Phaedra

The palace had proven to be a captivating and very different experience. She had entered a whole new world, and despite its strangeness, she embraced it. King Lucien, however, had been preoccupied with his responsibilities, and she only saw him on certain nights. He was always engrossed in meetings, tasks, and other obligations she would never understand. She missed him, but understood that he was the king and had duties to fulfill.

He had assigned her a guard who initially seemed determined to drive her mad by constantly following her. However, they had developed an unusual friendship, and his human nature had made him more tolerable.

Just this morning, she had requested, "Please don't follow me."

"But I will Miss," he had replied, and indeed, he had trailed behind her. Even her favorite spot, the library, no longer felt as enjoyable with him constantly shadowing her.

"Is there a specific book you're searching for?" one of the library attendants inquired, wearing the widest smile she had ever seen.

She offered a genuine smile in return for the attendant's eagerness to assist her. "Thank you, but I would prefer to browse on my own, perhaps explore the library."

The attendant didn't take the subtle rejection and persisted, "Oh, I would love to show you around. We have thousands of books, and the library is vast. It can be difficult to find what you're looking for."

She forced a smile, her lips curving upwards. "Of course."

She didn't want to point out that the attendant had already given her a tour multiple times.

Glancing over her shoulder, she caught a glimpse of her guard's face, which revealed his amusement. By now, he understood how much she disliked these situations.

With an internal sigh, she followed the attendant, who began recounting the history of the palace library. She had heard the story at least ten times already and was tired of it. She let the attendant talk, but her mind tuned out the words.

"So," the attendant turned to her, "what genre would you like to explore today?"

Finally! "Something with a touch of romance."

"We have plenty of those, follow me," the attendant said, walking briskly and purposefully.

She struggled to keep up with the attendant, surprised at how fast her short legs could move. Eventually, they arrived at another section of the library, and the attendant gestured towards the shelves on either side of her body.

"Here they are!" the attendant announced, and Phaedra's eyes scanned the various sizes and colors of books. It would take a lifetime to read them all, she thought to herself.

She voiced her thought out loud, and the attendant suddenly appeared in front of her. Living among vampires had made her accustomed to their teleportation, so she didn't jump as much anymore. The attendant held out a thick black book that seemed like it would take ages to finish reading.

"It is widely known," the attendant said, extending the book towards her, "that this book was a favorite of the Queen."

"The queen," Phaedra echoed, gently taking the weighty book in her hands. The cover was made of leather, and she ran her fingers across its surface.

"Yes," the attendant repeated, her voice filled with a heaviness that Phaedra recognized as sadness. "She was an extraordinary woman, the best thing to ever happen to our land. It has been centuries, but future generations will mourn her."

Phaedra listened to the attendant, wondering how the queen had died. Was it the king who had killed her? She couldn't help but wonder if King Lucien and his sister were present when it happened.

As she gazed down at the book, knowing she would treasure every word and sentence within, she looked up to find the attendant had disappeared. She chuckled quietly to herself. Typical vampire behavior.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her waist and spun around with a gasp, horrified that Drow, her guard, had dared to touch her. King Lucien would not be pleased. Her book slipped from her grasp and was caught by King Lucien.

She locked eyes with the only vampire who could make her body tingle and her heart soar. She smiled, understanding the sudden disappearance of the attendant and Drow's absence.

He pulled her closer, and she willingly pressed herself against him. He took her hand in his free hand and planted a kiss on her knuckles. "You don't seem very pleased to see me."

She playfully whacked him on the shoulder. "I thought you were Drow."

~~
...Vote🥰