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“I asked you a question councilman,” king Elric had asked, “and I expect an answer.”

The man was shaking in fear, he regretted ever speaking and wished he had just kept quiet and agreed to everything the king said, because being singled out like this felt like a death sentence. “I... your majesty I...”

“Use your tongue and produce words councilman,” Elric demanded, “or do you no longer have need for it?”

Those words made the poor man choke up, before anyone knew what was going on.. the man fell of his chair and fainted.

Elric sighed and shook his head, “leave him,” he instructed the other council members who were about to pick up their comrade. “We need to find a solution to this threat that we have received from the elf first. We have no time to worry about men who cannot hold their ground after being asked a few questions.”

He looked up at rest of the men at the table and sighed, “I need to know your honest opinions on this matter, that is why you are sitting on those seats after all.. to be the king’s council.”

The rest of the afternoon was spent hearing out what his council had to say, and every suggestion added on to his already existing headache.

“Your majesty the elf has power beyond our own right now.. it would not be unwise to go against him and let him march on Meria, we have more to lose.”

“Changing a few laws here and there will not hurt your majesty, in fact it will be in our best interest to be in everyone’s good graces including the humans. They are a commendable work force after all.”

.....

“I feel if you foster equality your majesty, not only will people fear you but respect you as well. Respect outranks fear in all aspects especially for a ruler.”

“I second your majesty, it may seem cowardly but we are putting the wellbeing of the entire kingdom before our own pride, that is after all the role of a king.”

Elric listened carefully to all their suggestions while Theo took note of some of the important points. He noticed that all of them where focused on one part of Gareth’s demands, to end tyranny, and were completely ignoring the other, him giving up his wife.

After everyone had a turn to speak, Elric leaned forward and thanked all of them for their contributions. “You all are right, fostering peace between the races under our reign will truly be beneficial for all of us, and that part of the demand I have no problem complying with. But the other one, the one that involves my wife, none of you have said anything on that matter.”

The men at the table exchanged nervous glances, they knew how overly protective king Elric was of his wife, some even said he was a little obsessed. He had once lost his temper and rendered one of the council members unconscious because of a comment he made about the queen, hence to avoid any serious injury or possibly death, they had avoided the topic.

An older councilman cleared his throat before turning to the king, “your majesty on that decision we cannot have a say,” he explained. “Queen Melissa is your wife after all, so we leave that decision in your hands, as the king we know you will come to some sort of agreement with king Gareth.”

Elric sighed and then dismissed his council, telling them he would let them know of his final decision before the fourteenth days elapsed. They probably thought Gareth’s main aim was to foster peace, please, king Elric knew that was just the mask behind his true goal, he wanted Melissa. And Elric knew that even though he agreed to ending his tyranny, Gareth would still march to Meria for Melissa. This whole peace treaty was just for show, Gareth was already willing to go to war, and not for the sake of peace.

*

When Melissa returned to her chambers, she found the lycan king sitting on the edge of the bed with his head bowed and his hands resting on his knees. From the his aura that was filling the room she could tell that the meeting had not gone well. Should she ask him how it went? Or should she just ignore him and go speak with Julia.

“My wife..”

Melissa gasped in surprise before looking at the man, “your majesty?”

He tilted his head up and to Melissa’s surprise there was a smile painting his face. “Caught up with your family?”

“I did your majesty thank you.”

He reached out to her and gave her a warm smile, but Melissa could tell from the stress lines on his face that he was just putting on a facade.

“Come,” he spoke as he reached for her, “it’s been a long day. Might I request a private dinner in our chambers tonight? Having work dropped on me upon arrival has tired me out.”

Melissa took the man’s hand a nodded. He drew her close, wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into her stomach. The redhead felt uncomfortable with how drawn he was to her stomach but she didn’t have the heart to push him away right now, he seemed genuinely stressed, but now that he was leaning into her like this, she could feel his corded muscles loosen up.

“What would you like to have for dinner?” Melissa asked the man who looked physically defeated. She wondered what kind of message it was he had received from Gareth that had made him so dejected, she almost felt sorry for him. “I can have the maids prepare some roast duck for you.”

Elric looked up at Melissa, “I love roast duck.”

“Yes I’m aware of that, I’ve known you a very long time you know.”

Elric smiled and buried his face back into her tummy, “roast duck would be lovely, and maybe a hot bath when we’re finished with dinner?”

Melissa stifled a sigh, “of course your majesty, I’ll have Carol prepare everything as soon as possible.”

*

As Theodora walked through the hallway towards Aiden’s chambers, Finwe appeared from a corner and stood on front of her. “Theodora is it? I don’t believe we’ve been well acquainted.”

“I’m sorry but I’m in a bit of a rush.” The woman walked around Finwe but was stopped by a thick wall of solid air in front of her. She turned back and saw the blonde elf prince smiling at her. “What is it you want?”

“I just want to talk that’s all,” Finwe explained. He took two steps forward and stood over the nosferatu woman, his purplish brown eyes intensely glaring at her. “I know you and Aiden have other agendas other than helping my brother,” he whispered, “and it’s a shame that unlike me, he sees the good in everyone.”

Theodora tried to take a step back but was blocked by the wall of air behind her.

“Now I’m not saying stop doing whatever it is that you’re doing,” Finwe continued, “what I am saying is whatever you are doing better not bring harm to anyone that I care about, or else you will know the true power of a high elf, do you understand?”

Theodora nodded, from the very first time she knew Finwe, she guessed that he was a very keen and rather ruthless man once you get on his bad side, so she didn’t wish to have a confrontation with him all on her own like this.

The wall that Theodora was leaning against crumbled behind her, making her stumble backwards. Finwe grabbed her hand and helped her stand up straight. “Pass on the message to your little boyfriend as well, I’ve got my eye on you two.”

When Finwe left, Theodora made her way to Aiden’s chambers and knocked, a faint ‘come in’ was heard from within after which she gently opened the door and walked in.

Aiden was sitting in a chair in front of a fireplace holding a small picture of Estel in his hand. He looked up at Theodora and arched a brow at her. “You knocked?”

“Of course I knocked, you wanted me to just barge in? What if you were indecent.”

Aiden tucked away the picture in his coat before fully turning to look at Theodora. “And you’re fully clothed?”

“Winter is upon us Aiden I don’t wish to catch a cold,” she responded curtly.

She had to admit, Aiden had every right to be surprised of her behavior. It was all become of that stupid human Renly. She once walked in on him when she was from washing and felt completely embarrassed, now she had grown accustomed to knocking. And because Renly had once commented on her dressing, she now covered herself more.

‘Aren’t you cold?’ Renly had asked her. ‘You know, I feel you would look very attractive if you covered up a bit more. Leaving some things to the imagination can be just as alluring as walking around naked if not more.’

Tch, that stupid human.

“Is there a reason you are here at this hour?” Aiden asked the woman

“He told me,” Theodora spoke simply. She honestly couldn’t believe Renly had given her Estel’s location. And the reason he gave for disclosing it, it made her spine tingle. Theodora looked up at Aiden, “Renly told me the location of Estel and your son.”