NOT WORTHY TO BE KING: FEARLESS WARRIOR

36. DON'T LET HIM GET TO YOU

After the introduction to Axel's father, Logan, and Tiara were taken further to the palace so that they'll be shown their chambers.

Logan had doubts about whether he could handle the pressure of being a king. He had spent most of his life in Mercy and although he had been training for half of his life, he wasn't sure if he was ready to challenge his uncle or even be a king.

"I'm not sure if I'm cut out for this," he said, voicing his doubts to Tiara as they walked towards their chambers, some of the maids following behind them while others were walking in front of them. "I've spent most of my life in Mercy and I don't know if I can adapt to this new life."

Tiara looked at Logan and put her hand on his shoulder. "Logan, you've worked very hard to get where you are today. You should be proud of yourself. You've earned your people's respect and should believe in yourself just as I believe in you."

"I know all of that, my love but it's not as easy as you make it seem. I've never been a leader and I think it would have been easy if I'd lived my life as a prince but we both know the truth.

"At this moment, I think Clayton is better suited for the title, not me."

"Stop doing this, Logan. I've told you numerous times that you should believe in yourself. I've always known that you are destined for greatness and I think for you to achieve everything you've been destined for, you need to trust and believe that you will always be enough, that you will never fail, and if you do fail, you will make sure that you will never let that stop you from achieving your goal."

He smiled at her and came to a stop. He reached out and brushed her cheek, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. "I'm so grateful you're in my life," he said. "Without you, I don't know where I'd be."

Tiara grinned mischievously, batting her eyelashes at Logan. "Well, you'd probably be lost in the wilderness, surviving on berries and twigs," she teased, poking his arm lightly. "But don't worry, mi rey. I've got your back." She leaned in and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, her eyes sparkling with affection.

Logan chuckled at Tiara's playful banter, feeling grateful to have such a fun-loving and supportive partner. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side. "I don't know about that," he replied, his voice laced with amusement. "I think I'd be more likely to become a world-famous explorer, charting new territories and discovering hidden treasures."

Tiara rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of fondness in her expression. "Okay, Indiana Jones," she quipped. "But let's stick together, just in case you need someone to save you from the snakes and spiders." She squeezed his hand affectionately, letting him know that she was there for him, no matter what adventures lay ahead and Logan was grateful for that.

Tiara rested her head on Logan's shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm always here for you, Logan," she murmured, her voice soft with affection. "And remember, your people are thrilled to have you back. They believe in you and all that you can accomplish." She squeezed his arms gently, offering comfort.

He felt a rush of gratitude and love for Tiara, as he held her close to his body. Her words filled him with a sense of purpose, reminding him of why he had embarked on his journey in the first place. He wrapped his arms around her in return, holding her tightly as he leaned his head down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

"Thank you, Wifey," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "I couldn't do this without you." He felt a renewed sense of determination to succeed, knowing that he had her by his side and the support of his people.

Tiara smiled up at him, her eyes shining with pride and love. "You don't have to," she said, her voice confident and reassuring. "We'll do this together, Logan. I believe in you and I will always tell you that and I want you to know that I will always mean it." She leaned up to press a gentle kiss to his lips, sealing their promise to stand together and face whatever challenges lay ahead.

As they walked further to the east wing of the palace, Logan noticed the maids scurrying about, trying to prepare for his arrival. He smiled at them, hoping to put them at ease, but he could tell they were nervous.

"Your Majesty!" one of the maids exclaimed as Logan approached. But as soon as she spoke, he could see the confusion on her face.

Logan shook his head. "Please, just call me Logan. I haven't been crowned king yet."

The maid looked relieved but still uncertain. "I can't call you by your name, I'm afraid. But... what should we call you? Your Highness? Your Grace?"

Logan chuckled. "If you can't call me by my name then I think 'Your Highness' will do just fine."

Just then, Logan noticed a man standing at the end of the hallway, watching him with an unreadable expression. He walked towards him, hoping to introduce himself.

When the maids saw him, they all went onto their knees and said all at once, "Your Majesty."

Logan took a deep breath and walked towards him. "Uncle," Logan said, bowing his head a little. "It's good to see you."

His uncle snorted. "Is it, now? You certainly took your time coming back. Or did you need some more time to learn how to be a king?"

He then looked at Tiara. "I heard that you already got married."

Logan wanted nothing more than to punch him at that moment because of the way he was looking at Tiara.

"Don't tell me you want to add your niece-in-law to your endless list of wives." Logan hadn't even noticed that his mother had joined them.

"Ariel, you've grown. And of course, changed." Logan noticed the way he was looking at her that he wanted her.

"And you're still the arrogant asshole that you've always been. How has life been treating you sitting on a throne that has never been yours?" Logan was surprised to hear his mother say all that. She was different from what he was used to.

His uncle's expression turned dark. "Watch your tongue, Ariel. Remember who you're speaking to."

Logan stepped forward, standing protectively in front of his mother. "I won't let you talk to her like that. She's my mother, and she deserves respect."

Logan's uncle sneered. "Respect? She left the family and ran away with your mother. Both of them disgraced us all. What kind of queen runs away from her duties like that?"

Logan felt his anger rise at his uncle's words. "That's not true," he said firmly. "My mother left to protect me and spare my father from your scheming. She did what she had to do to keep us safe."

His uncle's expression turned dark. "You dare accuse me of scheming? I am your father's brother. I would never do anything to harm this family."

Logan's mother stepped forward. "You might not have done it in the open, but you and I both know what you did behind closed doors. And now you're standing in the way of Logan becoming king."

His uncle's eyes narrowed. "You're treading on dangerous ground, Ariel. Remember that I have allies in this court."

Logan stepped forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his mother. "We're not afraid of you or your allies. We'll do whatever it takes to protect this kingdom, even if it means going against our own family."

His uncle's eyes flicked between Logan and his mother, and then to Tiara, who had been silently watching the whole exchange.

"And what about you, new daughter-in-law? What do you think of all this?" his uncle asked, his eyes full of contempt.

Tiara stepped forward, her voice steady. "I think that we all want what is best for the kingdom. And if that means standing up to those who would harm it, then so be it."

Logan felt a surge of pride for his wife. She was truly the perfect partner for him, both in love and in ruling.

His uncle snorted. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. There are forces at play here that you can't even begin to comprehend."

Logan's mother stepped forward, her voice low but forceful. "We are aware of the dangers, we came here knowing what we were getting ourselves into, and we will face them together as a family."

His uncle walked away but stopped and looked at Logan, "You're treading on dangerous ground, boy. You're not even king yet, and you're already making enemies."

"I don't care," Logan replied firmly. "I won't let anyone disrespect my mother, or Tiara, or anyone else I care about. And I will be king, whether you like it or not."

Logan's uncle didn't say anything else, but the look he gave them was enough to send a chill down Logan's spine.

As he watched his uncle walk away, Logan knew that they were in for a fight. He really wanted to punch the man.

Tiara put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't let him get to you, Logan. You're better than that."

"I can't help it. I've never hated someone who's family like that and that says a lot. When I looked at him, I couldn't help but get angry at him. Besides destroying this kingdom, he killed my father."

"I know it's a lot to take in," Tiara said, noticing Logan's expression. "But you'll get used to it. Eventually, you will learn to realize that sometimes it's okay to hate your family."

He smiled at his wife. She was keeping her promises, she was there with him.

Logan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Tiara was right; he couldn't let his emotions get the best of him. He needed to stay focused and level-headed if he was going to be a good king. He turned to his mother.

"Mother, we need to start planning. We can't just sit back and wait for something to happen. We need to be proactive and take control of the situation."

Gail nodded in agreement. "You're right, Logan. We need to gather our allies and make sure that we're prepared for whatever comes our way."

"And Axel's father said that your return has already made a big impact on the people of Eclipse. If we can continue to show that you're a capable leader and have the best interests of our kingdom at heart, your uncle's minions will eventually see that they've been betting for the wrong horse all this while." Tiara added.

"I'll start making arrangements," Gail said. "I know my brother has prepared for whatever may come and threaten your coronation. Your uncle might want to ruin it but he is not the rightful king of this kingdom."

Logan watched his mother as she paced around the hallway, saying a lot of things that Logan couldn't understand sometimes.

"Are you doing alright?" she asked him once Gail was out of earshot.

Logan nodded. "Yeah, I'm just a little tired."

"I understand," she said with a smile. "I can give you a massage."

Logan looked at her curiously but with a smile on his face. "Why do I feel like I know where this conversation is going?"

Tiara laughed. "Because you know me too well. And you can't blame me, this baby of yours is making me horny!" She said as she brushed her belly.

Logan's smile widened as he followed his wife to their chambers. As he lay down on the bed, Tiara began to massage his shoulders. He closed his eyes, letting out a content sigh. Tiara's touch was gentle yet firm, and he felt the tension slowly leaving his body.

"You know," he said, "I never thought I'd be in this position. Who would have thought I would be here today?"

"I know," Tiara said, still working on his shoulders. "But you were meant for this. You have the heart and the mind of a true leader. And you have the love and support of your family and your people."

Logan couldn't agree more. His family was his everything.