A story about a prince and his pretty consort presumptive.
Crown Prince Raffe, as the only son of High King Alizade and sole heir to the High Throne of the Ruemri Empire, is bound to fulfill one important duty for the crown. Even if that duty involv...
¡Ay! Esta imagen no sigue nuestras pautas de contenido. Para continuar la publicación, intente quitarla o subir otra.
THE HEAT of the day had given way to the hallowed coolness of the velvet night. With it came the sweet fragrance of the seasonal flowers carried by the light breeze as it cooled off the lingering sweat off Raffe's temples. He let the scent fill his senses while he stood on the stone balcony beyond Soren's window and gazed down at the stirring trees around the enclosed garden below.
That afternoon, a raven arrived from Ruemreon bearing a message from his father, High King Alizade, not only promising three but five thousand soldiers. The letter was unequivocal in its encouragement for Raffe to obliterate the rebels in the southern kingdoms. It painted a clear picture in Raffe's mind—it was going to be a comprehensive sweep. He recollected their initial strategy: first, the rescue of Julian's children; second, an investigation into the potential abduction and enslavement of the faie; and finally, the eradication of every rebel lurking in every hidden corner of the southern countries.
Enclosed in his father's letter was a small, tightly secured pouch. Raffe opened it and couldn't contain the astonished gasp that escaped him when he laid eyes on the pair of earrings nestled in his palm. They were instantly recognizable, a design he'd seen adorning his parents' ears since he was a child. The earrings, set with adamant and snow sapphires encircling a diamond on white silver and gilded with gold, were the symbolic matrimonial insignia of the empire's rulers. Their unique combination of sapphires, diamonds, and gold was exclusively reserved for the High King and his consort, a jewelry emblem forbidden to anyone else within the empire.
Surely his father did not mean to—
But his protests were cut off when he spotted a small piece of parchment inside the pouch and read its contents.
"Give the other one to your faie. Wear it. It's the only protection I could give you both from here. Come back hale, son. Take your victory with you. Be safe.
Your proud king and father."
Raffe, for once, had lost his words literally. He stared at the earrings, wide-eyed and frantic. Isn't it a bit too soon? His mind objected. But the thought was later vanquished by a persistent memory, that he wished he would soon forget, creeping in the back of his mind: The faie in his arms appeared fragile, his pale form trembling, blood staining his white shirt, arms hanging weakly by his sides.
It was a stark contrast to the sharp-tongued faie Raffe had known before. The encounter in Gasi Eil had shifted something within Raffe, leaving him feeling unexpectedly protective and unprepared for the storm of emotions that had awoken in him. He found himself contemplating the situation deeply.
If the single earring in his possession could serve as a symbol of Soren's protection under the Crown, deterring any harm toward him, then he would utilize it. It was crucial that the people of the empire understood that harming Soren would not be tolerated in the least.
He turned around when the bathroom door clicked open and the scent of fresh apples invaded his nostrils. If he's going to see Soren limp and shivering, it would rather be on his bed, his long flaxen hair sprawled out across the white sheets, lust-filled icy-blue eyes bold and daring, lush lips and white naked skin inviting him to—
