His Decision

3. The Ultimatum

---Marco POV---

I was standing in complete shock and listening to my father surrounded by the Elders. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

Half an hour ago, I walked into my father’s meeting chamber after being summoned by him and the Elders. Walking in I felt like was I walking into something extremely tense.

My father looking furiously at the Elders and arguing in a vicious whisper turned at my entry. They hushed and I bowed at as soon as I reached my father’s desk.

“Ahhhh…. Marco you are here!”

“Yes, Father! You summoned me; how can I be of service?”

My father threw a nasty glare at the Head Elder and stood up from his chair, walking over to the large window behind his desk with his hands behind his back, he said nothing for quite some time.

 Finally, he sighed and said, “Son you were summoned here for a very important reason.”

I stood up straight listening carefully I might be getting another assignment to go on a wild goose chase looking for my mother’s killer. I was trying hard to not let my frustration at the pointlessness of it all show. My mother died a long time ago, she died in an accident along with a maid servant while on a walk along the cliffs on the edge of the castle’s land, she would’ve survived the fall if it hadn’t been for the lava pools found at the bottom. The mystery lying in why she was walking along that dangerous path and nothing else, no one goes there it was forbidden as anyone who accidently falls in can disintegrate to nothing in seconds. Our histories tell us that the lava pools appeared as Erebus entered this world to place the Blood Throne on the earth. The pools cannot be rid off as it is the product of a god and no one really cared of it being there as it added to the magical mask for securing the capital. Everyone just avoided them at all time until absolutely necessary.

“Son, the Elders have decided that it is time for you as my heir to take your rightful place on the Blood Throne.”

I was dragged from my remembrance of the details of my mother’s death with a jolt. I couldn’t believe my ears was my dad really ready to step aside for me to take the throne. My mouth hung open in complete shock.

“I know this must come as a shock, but if you are not ready then let it be spoken now before we say anything further on the subject.”

Before I could so much as utter a word in response, the Head Elder Cristos spoke up, “Sire, you need to heed what we said before if Prince Marco is not willing to take up the responsibility for any reason, then the throne will be offered to Prince Antonin, your sister’s son, the next in line for the throne.”

“I AM NOT MAD YOU POMPOUS BLOOD DRINKING OLD FOOL. STOP IMPLYING IT!” My father screamed at the Elder. A mad gleam in his eyes more pronounced then when I entered.

The elders stayed calm during the onslaught.

“I accept the throne and my responsibilities as your son and heir father, but what is going on. It doesn’t seem like you want to step aside so what is happening?” I asked directing the last question to the Elder.

The Elder bowed and replied, “Young Prince we have made a unanimous decision that your father is in no state of mind to continue on the Blood Throne and needs to step aside to sort through his grief of losing our beloved Queen. We cannot sit aside and not take a stance at the blatant disregard of the duties that come with the throne and the depleting treasury looking for something or someone that none of us believe exists.”

I was shocked, the Elders are usually very respectful but them actually doing their job in taking care of the Kingdom was complete direct, I have never seen them do this before. I understood now why the God of Darkness Erebus didn’t hand choose a few of the most wise and strong vampires with magical powers to keep the King in line and be immune to the powers of the Blood Throne for nothing. However, this was a surprise I do not think that in the entire history of our race has a King ever been asked to step aside.

“I WILL NOT BE FORCED FROM MY THRONE!” My father ranted in reply.

“Sire we are requesting you to step aside for your heir, please do not make us invoke the Great Erebus as that will indeed be forcing you and it will also be very public.”

My father slumped in his chair, dejected at the very ominous threat, if they invoke the powers of Erebus, he will be forced onto the throne and publicly stripped of his powers.

“Father, if this is something that needs to be done then please listen to the Elders. I am your son and I will still consider your opinion above everyone’s else.” I pleaded.

“You will not and of that I am certain. Everyone thinks I am mad including you and after I am dethroned no one will spend even a small amount of their energy in finding your mother’s killer.” He replied with a soft dejected voice.

“Sire, I am sure we will be able to reason out a solution without affecting the Kingdom in the way it is currently doing.”

My heart went out to my father, sitting at his desk desperately looking for a solution to keep him on the throne. I will admit there is a lot of mystery revolving around the death of my mother, but there was no one’s scent in the area no plausible explanation and proof to his claims.

I was still trying to think of a way to console my father, when he stood up with far more enthusiasm then called for in this situation.

“Fine you can have the throne.”

Everyone sighed with relief but me, how was he suddenly so accepting.

“You can have the throne son; on one condition it states in our laws that a king cannot ascend to his throne without his Queen as counsel. You currently have no Queen and you will have the throne if you accept the hand of Maria Machiavelli the General’s daughter, he has expressed his interest in the alliance and I think it will be a good match.”

I paled at this, I couldn’t marry Maria she was not even a close friend of mine leave alone a love interest, “F-Father that is an obsolete law, we have never enforced it for centuries.”

“Be that as it may it is still one of our laws, so you will be able to ascend to the throne only once you accept and marry Maria. Is that acceptable?” he asked me knowing full well that I have been waiting for my mate and have not even entertained a single female in anything other than brief flings that were purely s****l.

 I turned towards the Elder, begging them with my eyes for some way out of this. They looked like they were contemplating what to do because what my father said was true although it is an obsolete law and has never been enforced for many centuries, it is still a law and can be enforced by the current King of Tauleran. They sighed in defeat and replied, “Very well Sire! As you wish we will uphold the law, it will in any case take about 3 months for the power of the Blood Throne to be passed on to the next heir.”

My father looked completely baffled by where they were going with this.

“If the Prince accepts than he will have three months in which he will have to wed and with his Queen by his side he can be crowned King of Tauleran – Squire of the Blood Throne and Lord of All Vampires.”