Free Web NovelChapter 283: Chapter 283
There were guards everywhere. They were stationed at every entry and exit, posted at every corner imaginable. They moved across the palace grounds in an endless, restless stream, much like ants swarming over a discarded loaf of bread. The queen had tightened security in preparation for the festivities that were set to span the next three days, as well as for the influx of noble guests who would soon flood the palace halls. No detail had been left to chance.
Hairan watched them absent-mindedly from his open window, a cup of rum clutched loosely in his hand. It was his third cup already and the sun had barely climbed high enough to warm the palace spires but he hardly cared as he lifted it to his lips once more. If anything, he hoped to be blissfully, blackout drunk by the time his sham of a betrothal was announced at the banquet. At least then, he wouldn’t have to suffer through the ordeal while being fully aware of it.
He was not alone in the room.
Somewhere behind him, his mother’s voice droned on endlessly, unwavering and sharp all at once. Nheera had a talent for making even the most insignificant matters sound like royal decrees.
She could be unbearably tedious to endure, and Hairan had learned long ago how to block out most of what she said. Today was no exception. He continued staring out at the palace grounds, his expression distant, his thoughts far removed from her words.
"Will Father be in attendance?" he asked suddenly after being quiet for a long moment, cutting her off mid-sentence.
Nheera paused for only a second before replying. "He is the king, is he not?" she said coolly. "I see no reason why he wouldn’t attend a celebration being held in his own palace."
Hairan could almost hear the irritation beneath her composed tone. It was subtle, carefully controlled but unmistakably there.
He did not respond. Instead, he took another slow swig from his cup. In any other circumstance, he might have believed her certainty, but the king had missed important celebrations before, ones far more significant than a mere banquet. And he had done so with increasing frequency in recent months. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Hairan wouldn’t be surprised if he failed to appear. If anything, Hairan would envy him for it.
Nheera resumed speaking as though the interruption had never happened, but it wasn’t long before she realized he was barely listening.
"Have you heard a single word I’ve said?" she asked sharply. There was little Nheera despised more than being ignored.
"I was deep in thought," Hairan replied evenly, still refusing to turn around. "The situation you’ve placed me in has left me with much to consider."
"Situation?" Nheera laughed, the sound harsh and devoid of warmth. "There are men who would kill to have a woman as beautiful as Elka for a wife. And yet here you are, sulking like an ungrateful wretch."
Hairan was so accustomed to her barbed words that he didn’t even flinch.
"I hate her a little more every time you say her name in front of me," he said, his tone as cold as ice.
"Whether you hate her or love her matters very little to me," Nheera replied. Her voice drew closer as she spoke, each step deliberate, until he knew she stood only a few paces behind him. "You will marry her, and you will do your duty to this family by producing legitimate heirs to continue your line."
Hairan glanced down at his now-empty cup, watching the last drops cling to the rim before slipping away.
"Is that how far I’ve fallen?" he asked quietly. "That you now see me as nothing more than a breeding bull."
Bitterness seeped into his words despite his efforts to restrain it. He already knew he would need a fourth cup before noon. If Nheera noticed the edge in his voice, she chose not to acknowledge it.
"You will take one of the carriages to Elka’s home and escort her here for the banquet," she said instead. "It will show how serious and committed you are to making this match work."
"I will not," Hairan replied flatly. "It would be a complete waste of my time. Feel free to send one of the twins in my place. Better yet, one of them can marry Elka instead."
He knew the moment the words left his mouth that he had gone too far.
"I have had enough of your endless complaining," Nheera said calmly, far too calmly. "Defy me as much as you wish once you are king. Until then, I am both your mother and your queen, and you will do as I say."
She did not raise her voice. Her tone was as smooth and deadly as a frozen lake, and Hairan knew from experience that this version of her was far more dangerous than when she shouted.
Tension settled thick and heavy in the air. He could feel the weight of her piercing gaze burning into his back, but he refused to move. In this silent standoff, they were equally obstinate, each daring the other to break first.
A sharp knock sounded at the door before another word could be exchanged. freёwebnovel.com
"Enter," Hairan said, his voice clipped.
A second later, the bedroom door creaked open.
Azul stepped inside, his gaze flicking briefly to Nheera before settling on Hairan, who still stood by the window.
"I hear congratulations are in order, brother," Azul said lightly. "Though I must say, I would have preferred hearing the news from you rather than from the mouth of a servant."
His presence immediately eased the suffocating tension that had lingered between Hairan and their mother, if only slightly.
"You don’t pay me to keep you informed of anything, least of all what happens in the palace you also live in," Hairan said coldly.
Azul clicked his tongue, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. "So it is an arranged marriage after all. And from what I see, you could have done far worse. Halric’s daughter is very beautiful." His gaze flicked briefly toward the far wall, thoughtful. "It makes me hope she has the spine and wit to outmatch you. Otherwise, it would be like handing a fenrir a fresh rose. It wouldn’t know what to do with it."
Hairan had had enough.
He spun around sharply. He glared at his younger brother, jaw tight, eyes burning. His free hand clenched into a fist, knuckles whitening as his temper flared.
"Are you calling me beastly?" Hairan sneered, his voice edged with barely restrained fury.
But Azul remained unperturbed, his posture relaxed, his expression infuriatingly calm. "Only if the shoe fits, brother," he replied evenly.
Hairan snapped his gaze toward where his mother stood. Whatever he saw in her expression only darkened his mood further, a shadow settling over his features.
"You want me to bring her here for the banquet. You want me to spend time with her." His lips curled. "Fine. Pray she doesn’t run screaming before these three days are over."
With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room, footsteps thudding against the stone floor with sharp finality.
