My arrogant ROYAL.

Chapter seventeen.

(I shed a tear.)

Simon's POV.

I found myself meticulously prepared for the meeting with the king, his father. I in a suit, stood nervously in the throne room, the atmosphere tense and solemn. We had agreed to disclose our relationship to the king, but the absence of the guards and other attendants suggested that the king was feeling apprehensive. As the we knelt before the king, i could sense his surprise, adding to our already heightened anxiety.

The king's voice echoed through the throne room as he asked with concern, "What's the meaning of this? Where is the bride I was expecting to meet today? And why is there a servant accompanying you?" His questions hung in the air, demanding an explanation from us. The tension was palpable, and the i could feel my heart racing, unsure of how the king would react to the truth.

I watched as Melus bravely spoke up. "You wanted to meet my wife. Here he is... Well, husband actually," Melus said with an awkward chuckle.

The king commanded, "Stand up!" I quickly obeyed, bowing in fear.

"Father!" Melus exclaimed.

The king responded sternly, "You can't just wake up and disrespect me like this, Melus. Find a wife and bring her to me. I don't have time for your fooling around."

Turning to me, the king continued, "And you, you're fired. I don't want to see you next to my son ever again!" He banged his fist on the armrest for emphasis.

To the king's surprise, Melus laughed, seemingly unphased by his father's outburst. "I don't get it," Melus started. "If I don't marry someone, I can't be king, and you can't step down even though you want to." His tone was serious, challenging the king's expectations.

The king sighed, seemingly at a loss for words, and suggested, "I'll speak to Evan. Perhaps he would be interested in becoming king."

Melus laughed again, his demeanor unfazed by the king's suggestion. "Good luck getting him to marry a woman when he's interested in men, just like I am," he said, staring straight into his father's eyes.

The king looked between Melus and me, his face contorting as if he was about to have a heart attack, but he remained silent. The tension in the room was palpable as we waited to see how the situation would unfold.

"I may not fully understand this, Melus," the king began, "but the royal court won't accept this. It's not as simple as you make it out to be."

Melus, determined to convince his father, said, "You're the king. They listen to you, so I doubt they'll go above your decision. Please, father, I love him so much it hurts. I can't imagine my life without him. We're already engaged; can't you just let us get married?" His plea was genuine, filled with raw emotion.

The king appeared to be deep in thought before he turned his gaze towards me. "Come here," he ordered. Trembling with fear, i knelt beside Melus.

"I am giving you my blessing," the king declared. Then, he turned back to Melus, a hint of doubt in his voice. "Are you sure this is what you want? No more surprises?"

"No," Melus answered confidently, drawing his father's attention away from me"I'll call the royal court. You don't have to be present for that. And I believe that the next day, you'll ascend the throne, and the wedding can follow. Is that acceptable?" the king said, his tone suggesting a semblance of resignation.

Melus couldn't help but grin, a mixture of relief and joy washing over him. He embraced his father tightly. "Thank you, father. You have no idea how much this means to me."