Mated: An Enemy King

A Gift

“A war?!” My temporal chambers at the boarders of Leif vibrated with the sound of Zakariel's voice when we both entered with him hot on my heels. He'd waited until we were in the confines of my tent to demand answers from me. “What happened to trying to figure out the real reason they are really in Leif? Why she is here? To take advantage of whatever they seek before taking any actions?” That had been the plan. Unearth the real reason Elian would let his precious treasure come so far out and exploit that weakness for my own revenge, but that was before the princess so passionately sided with her father when the matter of the deaths Leif had suffered at his hands surfaced.

I did not expect any less of the heir to the throne of Xatis, but I was not prepared for the anger that consumed me as realization that she’d forever side with Elian and not me, her mate. It did not even matter that referring to myself as her 'mate' after I'd rejected her was totally ludicrous. My anger had merely soared, triggering those deadly waves of emotions, leading me to grant her what she desired. Because, apparently, that was my weakness. And perhaps a part of me bore disappointment too at the fact that she was not here for me either. Despite her reaction towards me, I'd hoped– God! She simply made me mad and roused my own need so deeply I was beginning to regret my actions altogether. Getting lost in her kisses. Tasting her. Rejecting her– Argh!

"They are already in Leif, no one leaves!" I barked the order in my mind link as though that would pacify the annoyance I felt towards myself and her.

"Will you stop that?" Zakariel stared at me as though I'd lost my damn mind. "That is not how you wage a war, you risk getting us all killed." That was highly unlikely. Getting us all killed, I mean. It would never happen on my watch. At the very least, we'd only lose some men. Good men. Men who didn't deserve to die because their king refused to reason while his mate couldn't care less.

"She is being reckless and I merely wished to teach her not–"

"And you choose to do that by being reckless too?" Zakariel looked appalled at my own decision making and nothing was more chastising. God, he was worse than Koberic at times.

"It was her fault!" I grouched, sinking in my seat. I was alone in this, I realized. Even my wolf refused to offer an ounce of support. No surprise there, however. The beast in me had practically melted into a lovestruck pup each time we were in our mate's presence, plunging me into even more trouble. "What?" I could feel Zakariel's gaze from miles away.

"Nothing. What now?" Glad to be judged by only his gaze, I sighed, running a hand over my face, thinking of the only thing I could do.

"I will go and meet with the princess." Annoyance prickled even more at the thought of seeing her again, but that was not all. The flutter in my belly made me shift in my seat. When the hell did I begin getting those?

"How wise of you, my king."

"Nuela?" I snapped my head to the tent's entrance, surprised at not only her presence here, but by her tone that dripped heavily of her approval. Something I'd thought I would have to wait until hell froze over before I got a drop of it. "What brings you here?" I raised a brow at Koberic who'd clearly led her here.

"She insisted on seeing his highness?" Koberic himself wore a pleased look. I rolled my eyes at all the unsaid words in his gaze as the two walked further into the room at my invitation. There was no doubt that the news of Aryn being here had already reached the old wolf’s ears.

"What can I do for you?" I expected her usual snort at my offer of help, but Nuela merely beamed, surprising me even more.

"A gift, your majesty."

"A gift?" What was this? Had she come all this way to offer me a gift after all those missed opportunities when it really mattered? “While I appreciate your gesture, now is really not the time to–”

Now Nuela snorted and rolled her eyes before placing a precious box that held a bracelet in front of me. "I'm sure a gift will pacify the princess' mood and soften her temper.'

"A gift for Aryn?" And not just any gift! I stared suspiciously at the older wolf, but I couldn't help how giddy I felt too over her suggestion. My wolf was definitely agreeable to the gesture too. He’d perked up and made his presence known now that our mate was the focus of the conversation. “Offering gifts has never been my style for averting any kind of trouble.”

"It has been known to be very effective, your highness." I didn't doubt that. I was well aware of what the precious stones from the mountains of Sandroy did to stroke the hearts of mates when presented with one. Whether that would have the same effect on my mate, I was not sure. She wasn't from Leif after all and did not share in its beliefs. Then there was the matter of me having rejected her. Something I was secretly wishing to change now that she was here. A sentiment I was sure that every wolf currently in the tent shared. I was not about to indulge them, however, or give them any false expectation.

"What's in it for you?" I arched a brow at Nuela instead.

"Oh thank God for not insulting me by thinking I would ever do this without expecting anything in return." Beside her, Koberic's lips twitched. "I wish to offer my tribe's expertise. The intruders maybe long gone, but if anyone can sniff them out, our trackers are up to the task." I would have been insulted at what that meant for my own men's capababilities, but the Doisle tribe was renowned for their tracking skills and I was still too shocked at Nuela’s decision to finally offer such direct support. One I'd been longing for for too long. One she'd refused to offer until now.

"Why are you suddenly being so generous?"

"That is not all-"

"There is more?" Koberic was just as surprised as I was while Nuela continued without offering any explanation.

"Wrenyth."

"Wrenyth?" Why was my childhood home suddenly popular?

"We can watch over the king's castle while the Princess resides there."

"I will pretend not to have heard the Doisle tribe’s leader confessing to eavesdropping on their king." It was no surprise Nuela was aware of what I and Liira had spoken about in private. It proved the perfection with which her tribe executed their tasks. Spying being one of them. And truthfully, if there was anyone I would want protecting my mate, it was the Doisle tribe's warriors that could easily blend in both the shadows and the light with one never suspecting they were really there. "And dare I ask again why you are being this generous? Because this does not really count as ‘something in return’.”

"Trust me, your highness. It counts for much much more." Of course I could trust her as she’d never do anything that was of no benefit to her or her tribe and as Nuela sat smiling, I couldn't help but wonder what she’d gained in not supporting me over the years.

"Very well." Itching to get this done before my mate led her sizeable army here, I nodded.

"Very well." Nuela finally handed the gift to me and as fierce a king as I was, my eyes went wide at the sight of it. Where I'd thought it was the precious stones from Sandroy alone, the presence of an even rarer gem fused into it made the piece an actual treasure and something that would mean so much more than just a gift meant to avert a war.

My gaze darkened at the older wolf. "Are you perhaps trying to get me to propose something I shouldn't?"

"We are trying to stop a senseless war, your majesty."

“Was this your idea?” I narrowed my eyes at Koberic. I couldn’t put it past the wolf to connive with Nuela. He’d hounded me about Aryn from the moment I’d realized she was my mate after all.

“I do think going to war at the moment is not in your best interest, your majesty.” I snorted at that, knowing how much he was enjoying this.

“Lead the way then.”

“M–Me?” Koberic’s eyes went wide. “I’m not exactly the right candidate to be gifting the stones of Sandroy to the princess.”

“Of course not, but she already asked for you and I have a feeling she’ll keep holding tight to the ancient sword of the kings if your countenance is the first thing she beholds on my return to her camp.”

“She wields the ancient sword of the kings?” Koberic and Nuela’s shocked expressions inspired the feelings of pride that flooded my soul and left me standing taller.

“And she is perfect at it.” I couldn’t help the pride that dripped with my words too.

“Let us make haste, then.” More than satified with what he’d heard, Koberic eagerly headed out of the tent followed by Nuela.

“Ready the men. I’ll not rely on Sandroy alone.” I addressed Zakariel.

“Of course, your majesty.” He nodded as he headed out, leaving me alone in the tent staring at the bracelet. It’s beauty stared right back at me, the glow therein speaking nothing of war, but everything about hearts.

There were better ways of negotiating an end to any war, but as I reached for the bracelet and rejoined my men, I decided that for this particular one, the chosen path was just perfect.