The Vampire Prince's Toxic Consort (bxb)

Chapter 27 The Quarrels

"Have you heard about the rumor?" Duke of Northcester, Darius Mahmound, remarked as he entered Dorian's study. He was Dorian's cousin and shared some similar features with the Ashdown princes, though older in age, and had a refined scholarly look about him.

Duke Darius was Dorian's most important ally in the court as he was the head of the Mahmound family, one of the oldest and most powerful Bloodlines and always had intricate nuptial relations with the Ashdown family. King Cosmo's mother was a Mahmound lady, and Darius was the King's older sister's only son.

Dorian was still reading the daily brief sent from the cabinet. He raised his eyes and glanced at Darius, "there are hundreds of rumors flying around every day. You need to be more specific."

"The one that involves your consort whipping Earl Keaton for a slave."Darius leisurely sat on the chair on the other side of the desk.

Dorian finally raised his head, "what happened?"

"Earl Keaton and his friends decided to test some of the verbal commands on the slave and pissed your consort off majorly. He ordered his guard to whip Keaton fifty times because of his 'insubordination.'" Darius tilted his head, "It has stirred up much gossip and conjectures and will reach the King's ears sooner or later. Isn't your consort a bit too fiery for a priest? You may want to consider putting a bridle on him. "

Dorian's finger tabbed on the desk a few times, and he chuckled, "sounds like Keaton deserved it."

"You cannot consider condone such behavior. How will it reflect on you? A weak Crown Prince who ingratiated himself to the werewolves and couldn't even manage his own human pet."

"Weak? Now I have support from both the army and werewolves. Anyone who still thinks I'm weak is a fool whose opinion does not matter to me."Dorian leaned back into the armchair, "it's time for them to understand that Julian is my consort. They should treat him with as much respect as they show me. Anyone who offends him is offending me."

Darius chuckled, "You've grown fond of your little human pet, haven't you."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"You are risking undermining your delicately balanced relationship with your father for him, what other explanation is there?"

"He is my consort and thereby an extension of myself. Of course I need to defend him."

Darius tabbed his long fingers several times before shrugging, "suit yourself. Just be prepared that the King will upbraid you."

"My father is getting weaker and weaker. His body is rejecting blood and starving itself. It won't be long before he falls into hibernation."Dorian said slowly, and a glint of iciness flashed across his eyes.

"Maybe, but he still has enough strength to amend the Edict of Succession."Darius leaned forward and lowered his voice, "you just need to be a little more patient and wait a little longer. Don't do anything impulsive."

"I am never impulsive." Dorian's eyes fixed on a spot on the desk, and his thought went somewhere far and abysmal, "but letting him fall into hibernation thinking that he had control over who would succeed him is not what I want." He paused for a second, and his voice tinted with a sinister tone, "I want to take it all from him when he is conscious."

"I thought we talked about this! Even if you succeed, your legitimacy will be questioned!"

Dorian only grinned, a smile colder and darker than the polar night sky, "They will only question it if they think I am weak and they have a chance. After what I will do to my mother's murders and their bastard sons, no one will dare to question my 'legitimacy.'"