The King's Gamma (Previously The King's Beta)

Seventy two

Goro senior, though shocked at the pledge, and even more at the fact that she nullified it, had to admit his admiration for the female before him once more. Indeed, he was sure as well that that was exactly what his son had been planning to do.

"I like stupid men. Scheming bitches should rather just die."

Heiji next to her choked and the beasts around them stared stupified at her. The original shock at having a powerful spell such as a pledge nullified just like that was completely overshadowed by the princess comparing their prince to a scheming bitch, and even more so by the fact that she actually cussed. The wise and intelligent, sweet talking princess was suddenly replaced by an uncouth she devil.

Her smile brought a shiver down many spines in that moment. 

"Let's go, Heiji. Before that irritating bastard throws his arms around me again in the name of fatherly affection."

"Yes, princess." he bowed before a small smile graced his lips. "However, I would appreciate it if you refrained from calling King Mazgannek an 'irritating bastard'. He is your adoptive father, after all."

"Do I look like I give a fuck about your appreciation?" She asked as she stepped up the palanquin. "At least I didn't call him a perverted asshole this time."

"There is nothing perverted about a father's doting love for his daughter."

"Says the one kicking his own king every time he tries to hug me."

"It is my duty and honor to protect my dear princess from everything, it is not my fault for mistaking the king to be a prowling beast now and then."

They watched the palanquin leave silently when one of the elders broke the silence. "Did she just call that terrifying Demon King, terror of the battlefield, overlord of war, a perverted asshole?"

Goro junior brought both fists down to the ground, causing a small crater to form under the pressure he exerted. "How? How the hell did she break the bond so easily? How could she cast me aside so easily? Was I not enough?"

Goro Senior knew well enough why his reaction was so extreme, but chose to remain silent as he watched his son let out his emotions on the earth below him.

"Humans have their husbands chosen while they are still young. The princess may not indicate it, but she is already betrothed to two men, according to Heiji. Their bonds are much like ours. They can never be broken once stated. It is not that she does not appreciate your intent. From what little Heiji knows, it took those two years to win her heart. It is exactly because she understands a lifelong bond such as this and is already separated from her betrothed that she likely does not intend to cause suffering to more people." he looked to his son who had stopped, listening to him intently. "I am not telling you to give up. Knowing this, can you see that only a sincere chase will ever convince a female like that to accept you?"

Goro junior stood up, his face still gloomy, but he nodded, understanding his father quite well in that instance. "She will be mine."

Goro senior nodded, smiling.

Meanwhile, as predicted, the other kingdoms took notice of the strange movements in the next seven to eight months, realizing that the treaty they had been keeping a close eye on for twenty years has been established successfully. Talk of what could have happened occurred everywhere, spies were sent to both kingdoms quite frequently, but all that could be found was that the beasts seemed to be praising a 'Millicent' over and over and the demons were keeping the castle even more closely guarded than ever before. No information could be found.

That was, until the dwarves received a strange missive to visit the demon kingdom in lieu of an alliance proposition. The dwarves were quite shocked, to say the least. Before this missive the demons had always shown great disdain for them, even going as far as pretending they did not exist. Knowing this, they refused the missive, telling the emissaries that they had no reason to tie with the demons. 

Three months went by of total silence. That was, until a large and ornate palanquin appeared at the city gate, startling the guards the moment the transportation circle appeared near them and the same sight that had greeted the beasts almost a year prior greeted them. Only now it was escorted by a large wolf instead of a large bear.

Heiji stepped out, handing a letter to the guards with an eerie smile. "Could you kindly hand this to your King?"

The guard immediately ran into the city as though a devil was on his ass, handing the letter to the highest authority he was allowed to see while explaining that a large convoy belonging to the demon Kingdom had appeared at the gate. The highest authority, a captain, immediately reacted, sending more troops to the gate while moving as fast as the mount he had allowed him to move and entered the castle while ordering the castle guard to blow the emergency horn, informing the entire city of the impending possible attack. At the sound of said horn, sheer panic filled the masses. 

The dwarven people made haste, entering the tunnels they had ensured to keep in case of invasions of any sorts, and those with the ability to stationed themselves to close off the entrances with earth magic. At this point the captain was met with the King in full battle gear in the halls, his own two children dressed and ready for battle as well, following him. Out of breath, he quickly held the letter to the King, who frowned until he heard the explanation for the mass panic as well.

Quickly he opened the letter and read the contents before crumbling the letter in his hand, an angry expression coloring his features.

"How dare those god damned demons think they can just show up like this as if we would be begging to let them in after we already refused them?"