Mated: An Enemy King

A Uniting Factor

"For that you have to speak to the king, child." That had been the answer furnished by Liira when I'd inquired over why she thought I'd be making a trip to Leif. My mother and grandmothers had also simply refused to say anymore, insisting that I needed to speak to my father. For a moment I had thought it was nothing more than a ploy to get me to leave my chambers and to talk to the man I'd been avoiding since discovering his betrayal. But when I had sent word to my father, he in turn had invited me to the throne room instead of one of the places we usually spoke as father and daughter, making me realize that whatever this trip to Leif was about, it was some official undertaking I would not be able to refuse. Unless I wished to dishonor my king before the nobles who’d be more than glad to point out how unfit to rule I was if I could not even do as asked.

“Princess, will you be proceeding?” A royal guard inquired, reminding me that I hadn’t yet issued any command since my arrival at the throne room’s entrance.

“Y-Yes of course.” I nodded, but still hesitated, heart twisting with pain as my feet simply forgot how to move after Eugan's cursed words echoed in my heart with a heaviness I had not expected.

I Eugan, king of Leif, do hereby reject you Aryn…

This would be my first visit to Xatis’ throne room since that dreaded day and while I had thought I would simply not think about the matter of my rejection as I spoke with father, the ringing of Eugan’s steady voice in my head made me realize that it would not be that simple at all.

“You may take your time, my princess.” The guard probably meant that for my good, but I hated how it sounded and what it meant too. I hated that the entire palace knew and actually felt this sorry for me. I’d known it when many of them, servants and guards alike had unusually kept their countenances on the floors of the palace while I made the trip from my bed chambers to the throne room.

“I need nothing of the sort.” I mustered the warmest smile I could before clutching tightly onto my gown and taking in the deepest breath. “Besides, I have no intentions of keeping his majesty waiting either.” I nodded at the guards to open the doors which they did hastily.

"Your majesty, our armies should be storming the gates of Leif right this minute!” Loud arguments greeted me the moment the doors swung wide, giving me an idea of what I would be in for. I would have groaned at the thought of facing those insufferable seasoned generals whose art of war had brought Xatis so many victories to be questioned, but a few steps in, I realized that the hot headedness currently being displayed in the gigantic room would be the perfect distraction for my poor heart.

“We should have pursued and struck down the traitors before they had a chance to escape.” Someone pointed out with obvious regret at the missed opportunity.

“Leif itself is not that far. The wretched kingdom can be taken even with a small fraction of your armies and no one would know, your majesty.” Lord Fal's excitement instantly brought a bitter taste in my mouth even when I should have shared in it. Xatis was my kingdom after all and everyone of its enemies was my enemy too.

“Perhaps, we should send spies before a more defined conclusion is arrived at–”

“Spies?!” The sound of my father’s voice finally filled the room, bitter and sharp, silencing every other. “Word has already spread of how the mighty Xatis almost lost a war to an insignificant kingdom, I refuse to give my enemies another reason to think Xatis to be more weak than they already do, which is what going around sniffing Leif like dogs would clearly portray.”

"Are we to let them go scot-free then?" Someone huffed.

"When have I ever been known to let live an enemy deserving of death?"

"Father..." I greeted the king before he said anymore to stir the strange feelings in my heart that made me wish to speak for Leif. Even when I knew that the enemy in question was Eugan, it seemed that did not matter for how I felt for the small kingdom and its people. “You called for me?”

“You came?” Father mind linked the moment he laid his eyes on me and the relief and joy that painted his face struck a chord in my heart, sending the walls I'd erected around it cracking. In that moment I knew I could not stay upset at him for however long I had intended and only the judging eyes present kept me from rushing to embrace him as I had done countless times before.

“Did his majesty think I would not heed his call?” The thought of that brought a fresh bite from my rejection as I realized that I may have been selfish for thinking of me being the only one to have lost something that day. Watching the king and the dark circles under his eyes, I knew he hadn’t been sleeping well and not for the fact that Xatis needed him. Where matters of war were concerned, father could go for days without sleep and still put up an impressive fight during battle. If he was here looking like that then whatever ailed him had to do with his heart…with me. The truth of that shed light on something that had not occurred to me. The impossible choice Eugan's treachery had presented him with. One of choosing between his beloved daughter or saving Xatis, knowing either choices would have bitter consequences. Realizing that I’d punished him for it, for Eugan’s misdeeds, more than pinched my heart.

“For the betrayal a father lavished on his daughter? Yes.”

"Perhaps the king should keep personal matters out of the throne room?" My father's lips twitched hearing his own words used against him. It was the thing to ease his heart and assure him that whatever this was, we would work it out beyond the walls of the throne room.

"I thank the gods for readying my daughter to take up the throne."

"Wait, take up what? I never said–"

"My lords…" Father began, completely ignoring my protests "...while everyone's cry has been to punish Leif for its betrayal, I'm afraid the matter cannot be resolved as easily as that. According to the signed treaties at the council, an attack on Leif will bring on the very war we are trying to avoid." Displeasure registered on many of the lord's faces, but none dared to interrupt their king while I struggled to understand where father was going with this. It did seem as though he was choosing the lenient path even to me.

“It would be justified, your majesty.” Someone finally dared to argue.

“Not at the cost of the realm.” The king growled through gritted teeth, surprising everyone.

“The realm? We do not understand, your majesty.” My father only sighed at that, but the weight of what he had not spoken yet was oh so clear.

“What is it, father? What are you not saying?” I gently inquired on behalf of everyone.

“Let’s just say Leif’s actions may be just a tip of a much larger threat.”

“A much larger threat, how so? We have heard of no such thing.” Skepticism graced the face of a well decorated general.

“Because Evarius’ boldness at wanting to rule our species did more than inspire quite a few individuals and kingdoms to keep that cause burning all these years.” My mother, the queen, graced the throne room with her presence. Trailed by the rest of the female royalty of Xatis, she wore a fierce look that left me more than surprised to see her actively taking part in such a discussion. But perhaps more than that, it was the name to leave her mouth that was shocking. A name that belonged to the darkest time in her life as the chosen. One that had left her fighting unending demons.

Evarius… The grand-uncle I never knew. The one everyone refused to speak of, not only in my presence, but in every corner of the realm. And if he was being mentioned in the heart of Xatis now, it only spoke of the gravity of the matter. That and the heaviness that had settled in the throne room’s atmosphere at the mention of him.

“Forgive me for asking your majesties, but how do you know this?” At Lord Fal’s question, both mother and father held each other’s gazes before father turned to everyone else.

“When you carry a gift such as this, you tend to feel the realm groan when any force attempts to upset the balance.”

Someone had attempted to steal the chosen’s gift? My eyes grew wide at father’s statement even as a rackus ensued among the lords.

“Clearly the chosen have kept the realm safe, so why would his majesties worry now when the perpetrators have known no success over the years? And why would the traitors risk coming to light now if all they have done has been shrouded in darkness all this time?”

“Because we believe that they have finally found a uniting factor. Someone who would guarantee their success even without knowing.” Familiar eyes shifted in my direction, inspiring the rest to do the same.

“M–Me?” I stammered as I thought my family to be insane for even thinking that I would steal my own parent’s gift or better yet entertain the thought of massacring thousands upon thousands. “I swear– I wouldn’t– I do not even know these wolves–”

“Not you, dear child.”

Oh thank the gods! I let out a breath after Liira’s answer only to take it right back when a person I had not been expecting to be mentioned in the throne room came up.

“We speak of your mate.”

Eyes wide and unblinking, I took in the serious gazes of my own family. “My m– Eugan?”