The Bastard Princess

32.

A/n> Hey guys!

 The Fiction Awards are back! 

This year they are back but with some new categories and I think you should definitely check them out and nominate your favourite books and writers. Search "The Fiction Awards 2020" to get to the book. In case, you are nominating me then *shamelessly self-promoting* please nominate The Bastard Princess :D

Thanks for your support!

~

-HIM-

"You're here," Father breathed as the goddess strolled into the courtroom as if she owned the place. A smile was playing on her lips but her eyes were simmering with rage capable of destroying anyone.

"Of course, I am," She tipped her chin high as she looked the king in the eyes, "I've always presented myself whereupon my presence had been needed... or demanded," She said the last bit while looking at me.

Her red eyes regarded me with a combination of rage and excitement.

"Then I believe you know why your presence had been demanded here," The king spoke demandingly, his deep voice boomed through the walls of the quiet courthouse.

"No, I don't," She answered right away. Her words elevated the tension in the room to another level. As her eyes skimmed at me, I clutched the hand rest of my throne. The corner of her lips tipped up in a satisfied smile.

"My prince, how are you?" She asked humorously. I had to suppress a growl before I answered, "You know how I am," I grounded my teeth.

"You're aware of your blessings, aren't you?" The king pressed. The smile on her lips widened before she threw her head back and laughed, "Ah, yes, yes. I am very much aware of that and I know that my prince likes it, doesn't he?" She teased.

"Inanna, it almost killed my mother!" I couldn't hold it anymore. My voice shook the walls.

"Ah, she is quite different than you expected, isn't she?" She teased.

"She is dangerous to my people," I growled. It only made her chuckle as she shook her head at me. I couldn't believe that she had the audacity to do this to me. I and my people had their faith in her and she was betraying us like this?

"My prince..." She trailed off before a stern look slowly climbed on her face. The rage in her eyes intensified as she continued, "I told you that you weren't ready for her yet, didn't I?"

I froze at her words as soon as I recalled meeting her in one of Ezekiel's parties just before the Calanthe Ceremony. There I had asked her about my mate and she had dismissed the conversation without giving it a second thought.

"I had warned you about her, didn't I?" She asked, "And not only me but I am sure your seer saw her coming too," She added, glancing at the old witch, Cynthia.

"We saw her and whatever we saw about her was mostly evil," The king said. Mother was silent all the time. She had been silent for the past days, watching, studying and judging us but not speaking a word to us. She was mad at us and everyone.

"Of course, she is. She is bound to be," The goddess mused with her eyes settled on me.

"You paired the crown prince with an evil being? Are you following your sister's path?" The king questioned. His voice was stern and powerful, capable of bringing any mortal to their knees.

"She is evil... but for whom?" The goddess questioned back. My temper was slipping through my fingers like sand.

"Inanna, she tried to harm the queen. She couldn't be any eviler," I spoke with my teeth clenched. Her eyes gleamed with mischief before she questioned, "Do you know why she did it? Do you know who sent her?"

"Cleopatra is behind her. That mortal queen has lately been audacious enough to consider herself equal to us," The king spat. The look on the goddess' face clearly spoke of her disappointment in us when she questioned next, "Do you know who she is?"

Her question left the whole court silent while the tension escalated. My wolf was pacing inside me. He was restless. We have been trying to find answers to that, to put a name to that beautiful face behind which the evilest being hid.

"She is a slave," I answered, clutching my fists. I couldn't believe Inanna paired me with a degraded human being while my wolf was finding it hard to believe her reality. He wanted to run towards denial but the shreds of evidence had him tied to the pole of reality.

My words knocked the look of disappointment from her face before it was being replaced by ire. The air around us already thick and buzzing with tension. The whole court was watching the exchange silently.

She closed her eyes and breathed before she uttered out, "How could you be so ignorant,"

"We aren't the ignorant ones. Maybe it's you,"

"So, you are questioning my judgments?" She drew out slowly, her voice held an undertone of eeriness to it.

"Yes," Several gasps followed my answer.

"ARES! HOW DARE YOU!" It was mother. She had spoken after days. Her electric blue eyes burned with rage as she spoke, "I cannot believe you are my son! You disgust me!"

"My prince, be aware of the consequences of your words. As much as I am capable of showering you with blessings, I hold the capability to take them away as well," She warned me lowly. Her eyes still closed.

"Then take her away! I don't want a mate like her!" I roared. Several more gasps followed before mother spoke beside me, "Your people will have to pay the price for that,"

She was right but I decided to ignore her words for now and concentrate on the goddess instead.

"Are you sure, my prince?" She asked, opening her eyes. The red in her eyes were prominent, blazing with determination and anger, "Don't you want to know who she really is? What is she called and why I chose her for you?" She asked lowly.

"Yes," My answer took me by surprise. It was my wolf who had spoken on my behalf. He was constantly finding ways to free himself from the shackles of reality. He was staring at the abyss of possibilities while I had my eyes tied with the fragile cloth woven out of the reality that I perceived.

A smirk climbed on the goddess's lips before she questioned, "Who's the queen of Egypt?"

"Cleopatra," The king grounded his teeth.

"Cleopatra wasn't the only one," Inanna countered.

"Tryphaena," The queen answered this time, "The women of Ptolemies are very clever," The goddess smirked as she shook her head.

"Indeed, but there was another woman... rather a girl. Cleverer and powerful enough to have overthrown Cleopatra and put the whole kingdom in chaos. She reigned for only a few days and even then, she outsmarted the powerful mortal king Caesar,"

"Who's she?" The king demanded. The descriptions given by the goddess didn't match anyone who could be a slave. It was rather pointing to someone opposite.

At this, the goddess' lips stretched into a wide smile before she answered, "The other queen of Egypt... the bastard princess,"

...

vote. comment. share. follow me

Read the next 4 chapters on Inkitt for free. To binge-read up to chapter 53, go to Patreon. The links are in my bio.

Also available on Patreon: Caught, The Trident's Legacy

The next update will be on Thursday. Thanks for reading and stay safe!