Chapter 3: Marriage Announcement

PRINCE KLOUD’S POV

“What is so urgent that it needs me to be there for the council meeting?” I asked the messenger from the palace.

“Your Highness, the King never delved as to why he summoned you.” The messenger's voice shook slightly with each word.

“Tell him I am busy.” I raised my hand to dismiss him as I drowned myself in liquor, leaning back on the chair recklessly staring at the new painting on the wall that I had acquired.

“Your Highness, the King said that he will behead me if I don't leave your royal chambers with you,” he insisted, clutching his hands together nervously.

“That is not my problem.” My voice was laced with boredom.

The messenger went down on his knees and begged, “Your Highness, my mother is old. And I am the one taking care of her. Please, I am begging you.”

“Oh, for f*cks sake.” I stood from the seat and threw the glass against the wall, shards of glass flying across the room. My beast rose to the surface and demanded blood. I growled at him.

“Please, your highness,” the man begged as he sobbed at my feet.

“F*ck,” I cursed. My nails elongated as I stretched my hand ready to snap his neck.

“Don't even think about it,” Randale’s voice rose from the door. Randale was my best friend and a member of the royal family. He walked over and lifted the messenger from the ground, who wiped his tears and sniffed, making my eyes roll.

“What is it?” he calmly asked the messenger.

“His Highness has been summoned by the King to the royal court,” he whispered.

Randale's eyes widened and he nodded. “Step outside and wait for us.”

The messenger bowed and left the chambers hurriedly. Randale raised his eyebrow and stared at the shattered glass on the floor and laughed. “Liquor early in the morning?”

“Why ever not?”

“What has irritated my prince?” Randale smirked.

“If the old Lycan summons me it means that he wants to add some duties to keep me busy instead of wasting my life away,” I snickered.

“Why take it out on the messenger, Kloud?” he tsked.

“He was getting on my nerves, begging and sobbing,” I stated as the nails that had come out receded and my eyes calmed down.

“Now that is a better look,” Randale laughed, making me snicker. “Get dressed. I will be waiting for you.” He pushed his robe aside and sat down on the seat I once occupied.

I nodded and walked into my chambers, stepping on the glass, the shards cutting into my foot, but I welcomed the pain.

Randale called out, “You are so extra, Kloud.”

***

Two hours later, Randale finally managed to drag me into the royal court. The ornate marble floors, high ceilings, and large windows surrounded the room. Father and Mother's lavish seats were decorated in gold. The court officials were already seated on each side of the large table with liquor placed in front of each of them. They looked rather annoyed that I had kept them waiting but I was the least bothered by all this. Oclan Relic, Felicia’s father, stood by the left side of Father, Mother, and Uncle Marrok.

“Greetings, your majesties.” I bowed and Randale followed suit.

Standing tall, I looked over most of the heads of everyone. My six-foot height always came in handy and only Randale was close to matching my height in the palace. Being in the military increased our body strength and the secret training we took made us lethal. I had purposely dressed in black robes to show my displeasure. I ignored the royal council members and could see the displeasure on their faces and how they shook their heads in scorn. Unlike everyone else, Felicia smirked and I winked at her as she suppressed a laugh from how naughty I was being.

Her father's eyes sparked with anger and I snickered, looking back at my mother, Queen Araceli. Something was off. She was fidgeting with her hands and the hairs on the back of my neck rose.

What the f*ck had Father planned?

“Kloud, you have kept us waiting for hours,” Uncle Marrock spoke up. He was my father's only brother and the General of the army.

“I arrived on time,” I responded, rolling my eyes.

Father leaned forward and raised his hand at Uncle Marrock. “Read him the edict.”

To say I was surprised was the least of my worries. What the f*ck was the edict about? I went down on my knees and Randale followed suit. His wide eyes told me he was s clueless as I was. This was bad.

“Prince Kloud. His Majesty is pleased to announce your marriage to Prince Ulysses of the East Kingdom. The marriage will take place in one month. Received and accepted the edict,” Uncle Marrok announced and the uproar in the court was comical.

The thing about Lycans was that we were tempered and the anger made our beast rise to the surface. Growls could be heard in the whole court but Father and Mother remained stoic.

I was so stunned that I sat back on my feet and laughter erupted from my chest. I howled in laughter rendering the council members shocked. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Did you say marriage?” I spoke in between the bouts of laughter, shaking my head.

Uncle Marrok calmly responded, “Yes, my prince.” But the warning in his eyes was clear.

“To Prince Ulysses?” I snickered as the laughter died down.

“Yes, my prince.”

I turned to look Father in the eyes and saw nothing but the usual cold chill that was stagnantly laced there. The look he gave me did not show any emotions and remained cold and astute. Mother's eyes pleaded with me to give in, making me roll my eyes with frustration. I had only one weakness in life—my dear sweet mother, Acelia the Queen.

I took the edit from Uncle Marrok’s hands amidst the gasps in the room and stood up.

“And this Prince Ulysses has agreed to the marriage?” I inquired.

“Yes,” Father finally spoke up.

“And?”

“To unite the two kingdoms, Aloysius proposed a marriage alliance. We agreed to it,” Uncle Marrok asserted. With his tone of voice, he should have just said, “You have no f*cking choice.”

“Marriage alliance? Marriage,” I snickered. “Is this your order, Father? A marriage alliance? Why does it have to be me?” I demanded.

“The Princes of the Kingdoms were the deal,” Father stated and I felt his beast rising to the surface to suppress me.

I heard the sniff of Felicia and turned to stare at her. “Why the f*ck are you crying?” I snapped. “I’m the one being married off without a choice.”

She stood up, bowed, and left the court in tears.

What kind of messed up situation was this?

“Permission to speak, your majesty,” Oclan Relic requested and Father raised his hand in agreement.

“Your majesty, are you going back on your promise to marry my daughter to Prince Kloud?” Oclan asked.

“Oclan, we must protect the kingdom of the West. The monarchy has to be protected. Your daughter can marry anyone else in the royal family. We need to put the needs of the kingdom before our personal needs,” my mother said, her voice deep and thick with authority.

Oh, boy, I was stuck in the middle of a fight in the royal court power struggle. They had sacrificed me. I knew that my father always thought Oclan was ambitious. Could he be doing this to me to suppress Oclan? Was I just a chess piece?

“So, I don't have a choice or say in this matter?” I seethed.

“No,” Father's cold voice rose and his eyes turned golden.

“Your majesty, permission to speak,” council member, Ulfang Mei, requested.

Ulfang Mei was one of the powerful council members. His voice of reason kept the council sober and at peace.

Father was silent for a moment before he finally said, “What is it, Ulfang?”

“Your majesty, retract your edict. Prince Kloud might be reckless now but the court has faith in him. In terms of military expertise, he came top of his class. He is a genius in accounting, business, and architecture. Why would we give our best bet to the succession of the throne to the East?”

I raised a brow as I stared at Ulfang in surprise. So the damn royal council had hope in me?

I turned to look at Father's reaction but what I saw in his face made me sick to my stomach.

Displeasure! Father’s face was filled with displeasure.

“It is precisely this reason that I am sending Prince Kloud to the East Kingdom. Do you think I don't know my son?” Father stood up.

“Your majesty, permission to speak,” royal council member, Kardia Glenda, bowed.

My mother raised her voice as she said, “And what are you going to say, Glenda? Plead for your nephew too?”

“Your majesty, this has come as a surprise to the council. We are allowed to express our opinions.”

Father’s cold laughter made my skin crawl. I watched as the rest of the council members looked at him in fear.

“That's enough.” Mother stood up. She walked over to Father and took his hand in hers. “Kloud, my son. You already accepted the edict. Go and start the preparations. You will be leaving for the East Kingdom in three weeks. This matter has already been decided.” Her voice was calm and soothing.

Not giving a f*ck, I walked out of the court without courtesy or a word as the council members stared at me in shock.

“Please excuse us, your majesty.” I heard Randale speak up and then seconds later he was behind me.

We arrived at my chambers and I threw the damn edict on the floor. “How dare they sacrifice me as part of the power play?” I growled in anger. “F*ck!” I ran a frustrated hand down my face, trying to control the anger boiling inside of my chest.

I was screwed and for the first time in my life, I felt fear creeping into my body.