To Love A King

Chapter 27

Dreaming was for those who could afford to dream. Dreaming was for those in positions where they could afford to dream.

I didn't dream back when I lived in my village. Sometimes I slept, though barely but it was always dark with rage, tinted with tragedy. I was of those who could not afford it.

Things change. Things have changed. I can dream now, I have the ability to. The wolves have taken countless things from me and they'll take countless more. 

But they'll give me power. The power I need, the power I can taste on the tip of my tongue. 

For a moment I imagine the wolves bowing to me as they made me do many moons ago. I imagine Anula placing a crown upon my head. I imagine sitting on a throne as I burn their kingdom down.

+++

Playing nice....Is extremely more taxing then I thought it would be.

The wolf kings clever eyes dig into the side of my face. Sometimes it is as though he is more fox then I am and that scares me.

I'd rather face what I know than what I am.

One last time I let my eyes scan the room, making sure not to linger too long on many of the faces. 

I pass over the shadows of the vampire king, he's distracted today. Strange. The dragon king looks as though he might explode from anger. I think of the fire building in him I wonder if it will kill him before his queen does. She has a sharpness about her features today. Her anger makes her even more beautiful. The witch queens are radiant. I think of the history between the wolves and witches. I may find allies in them yet. 

My eyes find there way to the queen who wears the crown of bones. I find a darkness in them. The same darkness in me. For a moment we're nothing but mirrors to each other. Connected in a way that only comes from grief so profound that it's weaved into the soul, flows through the blood and singes hearts. 

She breaks away first drawn in by the dark-haired witch queen. 

'More wolf then your king' I think back on her words.

I pray to Hylla and Onja that I am anything but. 

+++

The meeting was over rather abruptly around eleven at night. The dragon king had stood rather dramatically to announce his mate was tired and they'd be leaving and they left.

Slowly the rest trickled after them. Well, all but the wolf king and the bloodsucker. 

The vampire stares us down from the end of the table.

"I've lived through many wars and uprising my old friend. Seen empires fall and rise then fall again. I find these things have certain smells, and I smell it. There's a revolution on the horizon." For a moment I see through the vampires careful facade. The ancientness of him, the age that pulls at him. An age that pulls at us all.

My wolf kings hand is tight around my arm, "You are paranoid Aesir. The kingdoms are at peace."

I couldn't help myself as I said, "There is never such a thing as peace among kings."

I wonder if they truly know how much blood coats their hands.

Aesir's eyes shoot towards me, "They say only true wolves can smell danger, the type that hums under the skin." Aesir's gaze does not waver from me, "Perhaps you should learn something from her."

I'm no wolf, I want to say, I want to scream it. I'm not a fox either or a bird or a dying flower. 

I'm an angry girl with scars that go deeper than skin. I'm something that haunts. I'll leave your land in ashes.

But instead of saying all that I simply remark,"I'm a mortal girl. Nothing more. Nothing less."

Aesir smirks, "What's less than a mortal girl?"

The men who dare to claim us.

+++

Our room is cool from the night air the moon wanes above our heads.

"I don't think I've ever seen you hold your tongue like that." The king comments. 

"I've decided I will not be making enemies with the bloodsuckers."

The king tilts his head in an almost humorous way, "Smart choice little fox."

"If I am to be queen soon, smart choices are the only ones I'll be able to make."

He grabs my wrist in a way that makes it hard to tell if it's a threat or meant to reassure me, "You won't be making them alone."

I look into his eyes and I see a softness there, a softness I can use. Manipulating a king is easiest when they think they are the ones doing the manipulating.

So I lay down softly beside him on the bed and stare at the ceiling. I try to think of my mother in that moment and I pray she would understand. 

I decide to use a truth in the moment. Make it easier on myself and harder on him.

"I never had a real childhood. And neither did most in my village. I've been having dreams lately, of false memories. Things I'd contrived. Visions of a dawning sky. I remember seeing the little wolf children running around Anula's hut. Smiling and laughing. Chasing each other around. I was thinking it was strange and unfair that they got that and I didn't. No one in my village did."

Images of Anthony swarm in my mind, I see Rose's laughing face morph into her screams, pleads. 

The king stays silent for a moment, "You'll never have to live like that again."

He truly thinks that is the answer I'm looking for. 

No one should have to live like that and I'll make sure they don't have too. 

Aesir was wrong, there's something dangerous about mortal girls. Because even without powers, enhanced speed and agility, without immortality, without the disguise of men, we survive.

And eventually, we'll rise. 

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BET YALL WEREN"T EXPECTING ANOTHER UPDATE SO SOON!!!! WELL GUESS WhAT !! U GET ONE !!!

i feel like this was a pretty good chapter, oh btw this chapter is dedicated to @kittie1 because her comment inspired the line 'darkened with rage and tinted with tragedy' :D so thank you for that bc personally i think its ups there with some of my top lines !!

anyways PLEASE dont forget to vote/comment if you enjoyed this chapter, it seriously means so much to me. i read each and every comment, so please if you have thoughts feel free to leave them down below, everything counts! (and who knows maybe you'll inspire a line and get a chapter dedicated to u too!)!!