The Elf King & His Complicated Mate (The Hybrid Series) Book 11

Chapter 6: Sacrifice

Lamira

I woke up inside a room I did not recognize, I saw what appeared to be a healer getting water, I looked at her and she smiled, she said, "You are awake, drink." I drank the water but it had a sting, and she said, "Don't worry, it won't hurt the baby," I froze up and said, "Please, tell no one." She said, "I understand, I am sorry what happened to you," she got up as I heard a knock on the door, it was my father and he came in and hugged me. He said, "I am so sorry, Papa," he said, "it's okay, we will raise the baby, I know it's Emile's, no one will know," I tensed up and looked at him. I was shocked and asked, "Did you know all this time?" He said, "Yes, I knew, I found out a few years ago and approved, I saw the love you both have for each other until his uncle ruined it for you, let's go home, we can move to the next town so no one knows who the father is."

I smiled and got off the bed, I said, "No need, we will keep it under wraps and spread the rumor that it's because of Matthias I am this way." I walked down the hall, I could hear the festivities going on, celebrating the new King, we had a guard escort us out the back of the Palace. I looked back and saw a figure looking at us from the tower and I knew it was Emile, I held in my tears and whispered, "I hope one day you forgive me." I left never to return, once back at the cottage, my father promised to protect my secret for as long as he lived. I woke up to the sun shining through the window, this was a new chapter I would face alone as I rubbed my belly, I eventually started my chores and felt my father behind me. He had started getting baby stuff and I said, "We don't know if it's a boy or a.......," he cut me off, "Ooh, it will be a grandson."

He started preparing the small room turning it into a nursery and I knew everything would be okay, as the months went on, I was days away from having the baby. I started to see the changes around the Kingdom since Emile became King, there were rumors of women in and out of his bed but I didn't care, I still loved him. I felt a slight pain in my chest, something was wrong and I was worried about my papa. I saw Matilda coming up the path and she had tears in her eyes so I ran to meet her at the door, she said, "We need you quickly," I followed her barely able to ride the horse into the town square. I saw everyone part the road for me seeing my dying father on the ground, I panicked, when she said, "He defended your honor with a drunk calling you a w***e but he turned his back to him."

I held my head high and didn't care what they thought of me, I knelt holding my father's hand and he smiled bleeding out, the knife was a guard's knife, a special knife, and no one could save him. I felt my water break but I held my composure placing his head in my lap, I had finally lost everything when I felt his bloody hand on my cheek, he linked me, "Take care of my grandson, tell Emile, this wasn't just a bar brawl, they will come for him." I closed my eyes as my tears flowed, he died in my lap, and I didn't know what to do or who to trust, I looked around me when the guards arrived wanting to know what happened. I was numb as they picked me up, Matilda saw the blood run down my legs and yelled for help, and then I saw black. I woke up hearing a baby cry, there were midwives around me, and Matilda looked at me and said, "Welcome back."

******

Five Years Later

I was washing the clothes by the lake, I watched Zack trying to fish and I smiled, he had Emile's eyes and his blonde hair had streaks of silver. He has the royal mark but I had his aura hidden, Matilda did me a solid when I told her and she swore to keep our secret, my father knew I should protect Zachariah but if Emile's guards' killed my father, they would kill me and Zack to cover up what we had. Emile hates me and I don't know what lengths he will take to spare the Kingdom from scandal. I had finished with the clothes and yelled, "Zack, it's time to head home," he runover with his little fish and I said, "We can have it for dinner." He said, "No, this is my pet fish," I said, "But he is dead already," he was so disappointed and I stooped to his level hugged him, kissed him on his cheek, and said, "We will get a live one tomorrow. I felt a presence and horses behind us, I turned around to see an angry King with his brother Mendai watching us.

******

Emile

I was heading back to the Palace when I passed the road leading to Lamira's cottage, I felt like I needed to go there and told the men, "Wait here," as Mendai went with me. He linked me saying, "You promised to leave her alone," I said, "I know but I never got to give condolences about her father." Mendai smiled saying, "Or you wanted to see how she was doing, it's okay to check and see that she is okay, you had history despite how it turned out." He was right, I had dreams about a boy but something still felt off as I rode up to the cottage, Eva was my girlfriend now, I made her a lady so we could date out in the open instead of hiding like I did with Lamira, that did more harm than good. The house was silent and we decided to let the horse drink from the lake in the back and that's when I saw her talking to her son, our son.

I knew it right away with the hair and his eyes, they connected to mine and I instantly felt the parental bond with him, Elves know their children, it is hard to lie about it once we meet. I didn't know what to say, my heart was heavy and I was angry she lied to me or never told me when she pulled the boy behind her and pulled a knife ready to defend him. Mendai linked me, "Why does she think we will harm her and my nephew?" I saw the fear in her eyes as she dropped the clothes basket and said, "I will leave with him, you don't have to kill us," I saw her fight back tears, she was scared and it annoyed me she thought I would harm her, let alone our son. She said, "No one will know, please, if you ever cared anything about me at all, let us go," as her hand shook with fear. I slowly walked towards her and mind-linked her saying, "I could never harm you, Lamira, despite what happened," I looked at our son holding on to his mother just as scared.

I stooped to his level and asked, "What's your name, little one?" He looked up at his mother who nodded for him to answer and said, "It's, Zachariah, but everyone calls me, Zack." I smiled and so did Mendai, Lamira started to relax and looked at me saying, "I will leave if that is what you want." I looked at Zack and said, "Go son, and play with the horses," he ran off as Mendai watched him. I looked at her and asked, "Did you know you were pregnant the night of the Coronation?" She lowered her head and I tilted it with my finger under her chin making her look me in the eyes, she said, "Yes, I was going to tell you but you hated me after what happened and I wanted to protect our son." We turned around after we heard Zack jumping and clapping with joy as Mendai magically gave him a pet fish in a jar, she said, "Long story," as we headed inside to talk because I was a father, and things would change.

We were having tea as my men settled outside by the lake, Zack was talking to Mendai, he took to his uncle very easily but Mendai was great with kids. I guess it was because of the fish, he turned to me and said, "Papa, can I visit the castle?" I smiled and said, "Of course, you can," I felt Lamira tense up, I mind-linked her, "You need to tell me everything," she nodded for us to go into the bedroom. Mendai linked me, "Do you want the cottage for yourself? The kid doesn't need to hear this," I shut him down saying, "Nothing will happen." She told me about what her father said with his dying breath, I was shocked and appalled they would think I would kill them to hide our relationship, I loved her back then, things changed since giving my heart to Eva but I still had a soft spot for Lamira.

I told her, "Zack needs to be raised with me and I will protect him because his aura will be felt eventually," she cried but knew I was telling the truth. I offered to give her a room in the Palace but she refused, she told me, "Make sure that Zack knows that I will always love him," I promised her she could visit him anytime, no question asked but she would have security from now on and she agreed to that. I informed Levi about the traitors we have within the armies and he will look into it with Mendai, we sat Zack down telling him what our plans were, and I was surprised he took it so easily but he kissed his mother and got on the back of Mendai's horse. I promise Lamira her sacrifice is not in vain, I will raise Zack to be a loving man making her proud, I wish things were different but we decided to co-parent the best way we could.