My mind reeled with the information. It was so much to keep track of and yet all I cared about was seeing him. As I looked at the nurse he seemed to read my thoughts. He was visibly sweating.
"The Healer said I shouldn't let you out of bed—"
I raised an eyebrow and that was all it took to convince him.
——————————
I had somehow ended up in the throne room. It wasn't where they were keeping my love and I wasn't sure how they had convinced me to sit in the stiff throne instead of curling into bed beside my injured mate. I winced as I shifted again in my throne.
"Your Majesty, if you please, there has been discussion of—of the suitability of—of the slave for the position of Luna." The nobleman who spoke stood near the front of a small group of others.
Some how it had been spread that I was holding council and it was a good time to bother me with problems of the empire.
I squinted at the man, ignoring my pain thanks to my anger. "The suitability of 'the slave'?"
The man flinched, ducking his head into the layers of his cloak. "It's not my words your Majesty."
"Then you have no qualms with my mates history." I say.
"Well—"
"It's illogical your Majesty." Lord Tremaine stepped forward. He had a lot of nerve. "He's lived his whole life bending to the will of another, it's not safe to give him so much power. I respect your decision to save him from death. It was very honorable and I'm sure the boy will be grateful but it would be seen as a weakness to your subjects and to other kingdoms if you were to marry him."
I ground my teeth together. "Do you think me weak Lord Tremaine?"
"No, your Majesty. But all men are susceptible to evil creatures."
I gripped the arms of my throne. How dare this man disrespect my mate in such a way.
He didn't bow. Princeps' voice was something I was still getting used to but I thankfully didn't startle.
What?
This puny lord did not submit in the courtyard.
I growled aloud. Part of it was Princeps. An overwhelming sense of pride thrummed through me. I was Alpha, I was king, he would bow.
"Submit to me Lord Tremaine."
"Excuse me, Your Majesty?" His face contorted to rage. Did he really believe I would let him live in my castle while talking about my mate in this way, while defying me as Alpha?
"Submit." Nearly everyone in the room obeyed my order. Sliding to a knee and showing me their necks.
Lord Tremaine, two other nobles and three knights remained standing. One of the knights was Florence. I glared at him and he flinched.
"Each one of you still standing will either choose to submit to me as your Alpha and thus comply with all of my choices from here on out—including making 'that slave' my Luna—or I will sever your heads from your bodies."
YOU ARE READING
Of Soot And Cinders
Werewolf[boyxboy] [completed] [unedited] Soot is a slave at the royal palace. He earned his name from his job of cleaning away the cinders and soot that cover the many hearths of the castle. Though he is locked up at night, worked to exhaustion and barely a...
