Free Web NovelChapter 262: Chapter 262
"That is horrible," Circe said sharply, a scowl pulling at her lips.
"It is," Ragnar agreed without hesitation. "Yet many still agree with Marzen’s ideals. That is why the practice remains."
Multiple thoughts churned through Circe’s mind at once, each darker than the last as she searched through all she just learned. She swallowed reflexively and slowly closed the book, her gaze never leaving his. "So if your father dies before naming his heir... you will go to war with your brothers."
Seconds passed in silence.
Ragnar did not look away. The answer was written plainly in his eyes long before he spoke.
"I will fight, if it comes to that," he said simply. "I don’t have a choice."
Circe’s heart began to race at the thought of him marching into battle—the possibility of him never returning. A tight lump formed in her throat, making it impossible to swallow.
It was a future that might never come to fruition, yet the fear of it curled painfully in her chest all the same.
Before she could stop herself, she reached out and placed a hand against his cheek. Her touch was gentle as her thumb brushed lightly over the scar that marked his face.
"If that ever happens," she said softly, her voice barely sounding like her own, "know that you are not allowed to die." She frowned harder, emotion tightening her expression. "I won’t let you leave me all alone in this kingdom."
A wide smile spread across Ragnar’s face at her words. He lifted her hand from his cheek and pressed a kiss into her palm before guiding it to rest over his heart.
"Is that worry I hear in your voice, Princess?" he asked, still smiling.
Heat bloomed across Circe’s cheeks. She held his gaze despite every instinct urging her to look away, knowing full well that her feelings were written plainly on her face.
"Yes, I— I—" She faltered, frustration creasing her brow. She never stuttered. "I have come to care for you as well," she said finally, once she found the right words.
The smile on Ragnar’s face slowly faded, replaced by something far more intense. freewebnσvel.cøm
He looked at her as though he were seeing her for the first time, his gaze tracing every line of her face with quiet wonder.
"You have no idea how long I have waited to hear you say those words," he said, his voice low and earnest.
"Then I will keep saying them," Circe replied softly. "Because they are true." She wanted him to know it as deeply as she did. She cared for him so much it made her chest ache.
***
Nheera sat at a round table, her posture regal and composed. Hairan occupied the seat to her right, while directly across from her sat Lord Halric, one of the most influential men in the capital. Beside him sat his eldest daughter, Elka, her hands folded neatly in her lap.
There were several noble houses that could offer an advantageous match should Hairan marry one of their daughters. Yet among them all, Lord Halric’s family fit the vision Nheera had crafted perfectly when she set out to choose a wife for her son.
The Halrics possessed not only immense wealth but formidable political power and great influence within the kingdom.
Elka herself was beloved among the nobility. Her charm and reputation afforded her significant sway over the court and it was precisely the leverage Nheera intended to exploit. A union with her would solidify Hairan’s standing among the courtiers and strengthen his influence in the kingdom.
Nheera could not imagine a more advantageous match.
"I will host a ball soon to formally announce our children’s betrothal," Nheera said lightly, a radiant smile curving her lips. "Wedding preparations will commence shortly after. The nobles will expect nothing less than a lavish affair, and I intend to give them exactly that."
Beside her, Hairan’s expression remained carefully blank. He wasn’t enthusiastic about the whole arrangement and it showed. Yet Nheera spoke of his future as though he were not seated beside her at all. "Hairan and Elka can use the time between now and the wedding to become better acquainted," she continued smoothly. "It will be good for them to grow familiar with one another before the ceremony."
"I agree wholeheartedly. A period of courtship before the wedding would be most prudent. Spending time together would strengthen their relationship. Still, I have no doubt that His Highness would make a perfect husband for my dear Elka," Halric said warmly, patting Elka lightly on the shoulder.
Elka offered a small, polite smile but said nothing. In fact, she had barely spoken more than a handful of words since the meeting had begun, content to sit quietly at her father’s side.
Nheera watched her closely, eyes sharp and assessing. She wasn’t certain whether the girl’s silence was born of respect as she allowed the elders to dominate the conversation or if Elka was simply timid by nature.
That would not do, Nheera decided.
A future queen could not afford softness. She would need a spine of steel, a voice that carried authority, and the courage to stand her ground. Anything less and Hairan would trample over her without even realizing he was doing it. Worse still, the court would sense weakness and exploit it mercilessly.
If Elka was to survive as queen, let alone rule beside Hairan, that shyness would have to be trained out of her long before the wedding.
Halric and Elka eventually took their leave. Polite farewells were exchanged, though Hairan barely managed a few muttered words in Elka’s direction before they disappeared beyond the doors. The moment they were gone, he reached for the wine with thinly veiled irritation, gulping it down before slouching back in his seat as though the meeting itself had sapped every ounce of energy from him. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Nheera observed him in silence for a moment before speaking.
"What do you think of Elka?" she asked, watching as he leaned forward to refill his cup.
"Would it matter?" Hairan replied flatly. "You’ve already made up your mind. Nothing I say will change it."
"Why do you act as though taking a wife is some kind of punishment?" she snapped, snatching the pitcher of wine from his grasp before he could pour another drop. He would have drained it dry if she had allowed him. "Everything I do, I do for you and for the future of this family. I have already shouldered the difficult task by finding you a suitable bride. All you must do is marry her and produce enough heirs to secure your line."
She stepped closer, her voice lowering but losing none of its sharpness. "Your children will be vampires. And to many, that alone will be enough to earn their loyalty."
Elka was undeniably beautiful, and Hairan held no personal dislike for her. Still, she had not been his choice, she had been his mother’s.
Hairan released a slow, weary sigh and leaned back, rubbing a hand over his face. He didn’t bother to argue further. Experience had taught him that such an effort would be entirely futile. His fate was already sealed.
