To Wed A King

Loot

Adeline let her eyes dart across both of Lucan's, her chest heaving. She took a step forward to him, then grabbed his arm, bringing the knife to her throat. She then held the blade so tightly that her blood quickly stained it, running down the knife to tint the edge of Lucan's sleeve.

"You are a coward, Your Majesty. You could not possibly work through to earn my heart, and that is why..."

"I do not want your heart. Neither do I need it. You have fascinated me, and I can not help my curiosity. I wonder if you will fascinate me between my sheets."

Her eyes widened with even more anger, her grip tightening on the blade. "You seized an entire kingdom in order to satisfy your dirty desires?"

"Yes," Lucan answered, a small smile lifting the edge of his lips. "And I shall do it again. I am not used to losing, and I am not about to learn."

Adeline let go of the knife and stepped back, her eyes filled with tears. She could not imagine letting this man take her honour. Something she had been keeping for Evander. She turned to Evander, whose eyes were now open, his lips parted.

"Angel," Lucan suddenly said, and Angel walked forward with a cloak. Amidst protests from Adeline, Angel wrapped it around her waist, closing off her exposed legs.

"I happen to be possessive," Lucan said, obviously enjoying the spectacle. "And very impatient too."

Once the words left his mouth, his soldiers went around the palace, forcing everyone to their knees, their already blood-stained blades ready to get tainted even more.

Adeline gasped as Angel brought his knife to rest on King William's neck and brought him to his knees, too.

King William closed his eyes, his fists clenched, his chest heaving as his pride shattered completely. Nothing would ever be the same again.

"Make a decision immediately, Adeline. Or I will start from the lowest servant, kill my way up the ranks, and then take your father too."

Adeline swallowed, then took the steps forward to him again. Slowly, her lips parting, her eyes filling with rage and defeat, she grabbed the knife again. He watched her, his eyes cold, his brow raised.

She brought the knife to the side of her torn dress, then pulled it sharply down to the cloak wrapped around her waist.

Lucan's eyes thinned as the clothes fell off to the floor. The only thing that remained was the corset and the silk transparent undergarment she wore under the dress.

"Take me here and leave them alone."

He raised a brow. "What did you say?"

"I said... take me here and leave my family. Leave my people!"

Lucan broke into a small laugh and grabbed her neck, his eyes still a cold layer of blue, his grip so strong that Adeline thought he would kill her.

"I happen to want you back in Vahrenhall, princess. And you are treading on my patience."

Angel immediately pushed the sword closer to King William's throat, drawing blood.

"Please. Please, do not do this."

"One minute, princess. Or my troops know exactly what to do. I need you in front of my stallion in one minute."

Adeline opened her mouth to speak, but Lucan turned away, his eyes falling on King William's.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." His tone was mocking, and he turned away, leaving his soldiers counting down to a minute.

Adeline stood there, shaking in anger and fear, her own blood dripping next to her. She turned to her father once, her hands clenching into fists, her body lightly trembling.

He had warned her. He had asked her if she was ready to bear the consequences, and she had been so sure back then. She turned away, tears rolling down her cheeks.

She could not even look at Evander. She had done this to him. It was all her fault.

Slowly, she walked forward, her chest heaving.

Her handmaiden broke away, risking her neck, then grabbed her own cloak and wrapped it around Adeline.

"Please be safe, Your Highness!" The woman cried, but Adeline did not stop or say a word.

She marched down to Lucan's stallion, her eyes filled with tears she had no means to cry.

Lucan watched as she walked to him, his eyes taking her in. He had done her quite the favour, in his opinion. Olyndria was still safe. He could have burnt it to the ground instead of persuading her.

He gave a small snicker as she reached him, her eyes flicking up to meet his gaze.

Slowly, she went on her knees but kept eye contact. The fact that she was on her knees did not make her any less stubborn, and the eye contact was meant to show him that she was going with him to save her people, but not to succumb to him.

The thought made him laugh as he gestured to Angel. Angel lifted her, then pulled her to the carriage they had arranged, knowing fully well it would not come back empty.

She sat in, her eyes wide, her heart numb. Her people looked on as the carriage closed, and even though she tried her best to tell herself that she was doing it for them, she could not help the tears that filled her eyes. The pain that stung her heart.

Lucan swept his gaze over the terrified people, the king who remained on his knees still, Evander, who was now sitting, his eyes wide.

He gave a small sigh. Evander looked like he would fit right in the Featherstone Fort as one of his slaves, massaging his feet and carrying apples on his head so Lucan could practice archery.

He turned to Angel, who had learnt to read his master so well that he could tell exactly what he was thinking.

Angel nodded, then walked forward with two soldiers, while Lucan turned away, the separated lovers, now his slave and his woman, following closely behind him.