FOREDOOMED

Chapter 3.1

King Henric mindlinked the Lady Chamberlain and ordered her to bring Adira to the guest room. While waiting, the king stood unmoved, but his thoughts ran wild though centered on one particular woman-- her Inferus mate. Worry was far from his thoughts, for he was confident she would gain the High Council's approval and admiration. Anticipation swirled through her mind-- how would she look like and how would she interact with him in the presence of others. Howbeit it was, the king was certain she would not disappoint.

The three Inferus were also preoccupied-- the little girl was fixing her pink dress, so she would look nice and cute to the king's mate; the middle-aged man was rereading the files concerning the background of the king's mate on his phone; and the old man was staring at the door and only at the door, so he could firsthand scrutinize the king's mate.

Finally, the door opened and all eyes were fixed on the doorway. A glowing white light shined the dimness of the room when Adira stepped inside and glided towards them, her shiny white dress swaying as though spreading the brightness in every corner. With her sparkling dark skin radiating in glitters and her raven black hair glistening in gloss, she was like a deity that had just finished bathing in the River Fersc. Indeed, she was a deity that exudes a dangerous combination of innocence and sensuality with her right thigh peeking due to the slit of her white dress and her chest halfway exposed and only thin straps knotted a bit loosely were keeping it covered.

King Henric who had turned around the moment he heard the door open had his breath stolen away with her mate's ethereal presence. And he was least bothered if he stopped breathing as long as he could behold the most stunning paradise in the form of her mate.

When Adira stood beside the king, her eyes meeting his golden orbs that were giving tiny sparkles and her lips forming into a small smile, he finally breathed as she had seemingly provided him the air that she had unknowingly stolen a while ago.

Adira faced the High Council and offered a curt nod. None of the three could find their voice as they were besotted as well with her mesmerizing beauty. Then, she cleared her throat loudly when the king remained quiet for too long. As though reading her thoughts, King Henric lifted his gaze from her and turned to the High Council.

"I introduced my... soulmate, Adira Woodville," King Henric said with pride.

If a while ago, her feminine robustness powered every step she took toward them and strengthened her posture to stand straight with her head held high; but now, when she simply heard the king utter her name for the very first time, her strength was shaken up as the most exquisite shivers ran through her body. Still, she tried to fight it by shaking her head and pushing upfront her hands and clasping them together.

"I'm truly honored to meet you, Justices," she said, addressing them as the Lady Chamberlain had instructed her.

Only King Henric and a few majesties refused to address them that way: the youngest as the First Justice, the middle-aged the Second Justice, and the oldest the Third Justice. The High Council deemed honorifics and formalities trivial, therefore, encouraging the Dominus to address them as they saw fit.

"You're twinkling," the little girl couldn't help but marvel at the king's mate.

Adira did know about the make-up the Inferus used to beautify themselves. She simply added a bit of the shimmery eyeshadows into a body lotion, and viola, her body was now sparkling. "Thank you, First Justice," she said with a small smile that was returned sheepishly by the little girl.

"We are pleased to meet you, too," the Third Justice said when he found his voice. "Did the king inform you why you were called in the presence of the High Council?" he asked in a straightforward fashion.

"The king told me that for our marriage to push through, the High Council must approve it first," Adira answered him in a polite tone.

"Then, are you willing to marry King Henric," the Second Justice asked her.

Adira grimaced inwardly upon hearing the word 'willing'. If she had another choice, she would get away as far and quickly as possible. But this was the only way for her to be completely free.

"Honestly, I'm still trying to keep up with everything that's happening too fast. I mean, we just met and now we're getting married," Adira said, genuinely pretending to be an Inferus.

"You are free to refuse the king's marriage proposal if you have doubts. He cannot force you," the Third Justice reassured her.

Adira appreciated the old man's sympathetic words. But, her mind was already set. "I don't doubt him. It's just that I wish we could have more time to get to know each other first and--."

"And you can, if you will request for it. I'm sure the king will be understanding enough to grant your request," the Third Justice readily suggested. He might have accepted she was indeed the king's true mate, but his suspicion to the motive of the Dominus royalty in rushing this marriage had not been completely erased.

Without looking at the king, Adira could feel displeasure exuding from him. Truthfully, she was also getting suspicious of this marriage, as in their previous meetings, he had not offered or even hinted about it. But, that was his own business, not hers to mind, not for now.

"Well, I figured out we could skip that part of getting to know each other and do it after marriage. We have a lifetime to do that anyway," Adira explained with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"You will marry a stranger. Specifically, a stranger who is royalty," the Second Justice said while adjusting his eyeglasses and then looking straight at the king's mate. The High Council's duty was not only to protect the Inferus but the Dominus as well.

Adira understood his point, which she thought was reasonable enough. She was a no one, and well, poor, and a king proposing marriage was a great opportunity she could take advantage with. For King Henric, he did not mind, she could enjoy his wealth as much as she could.

"If I wanted to indulge in opulence, I wouldn't spend most of my life volunteering. If it were up to me, I'd rather live in modesty, Second Justice," Adira said truthfully. Not that she hated luxury, but it was a matter of preference, and a simple living was she would rather have.

"Then why would you agree to instantly marry a guy you have just met?" he prodded.

To be questioned this way, she had not anticipated. She thought the High Council would be in her favor, not because she was Inferus like them, but Dominus had been proven, historically speaking, to be cruel and abusive towards Inferus. She could give them a variety of reasons, but she knew, truth was the only weapon she could use to win over the High Council.

"There was this attraction, no... a natural, irresistible bond that seems drawing me to him, that I couldn't even stop myself. I've never felt this strong to any man, much more to a stranger. It's crazy and... just magical." she explained, stopping whenever necessary to create that dramatic effect.

Howbeit satisfied the two Justices were with her genuine response, the Second Justice remained impassive. "And my question remains, why marry him instantly?"

The "bond" was obviously not enough reason for the Second Justice, so Adira groped for another answer that was more truthful, more personal.

"Family," she whispered.

"Family?" the Second Justice repeated her answer in confusion

Adira realized she had unknowingly voiced out her inner thoughts, so she decided to stick with it although she had never opened that up to anyone. "My parents... they died when I was too young, so, I grew up in an orphanage. I was a very introverted child, and I rarely talk to anyone and didn't get along well with other children. Obviously, I was not popular to foster parents, so no one was interested to take me in.

And when I was old enough to leave, I worked for part-time jobs while moving from one city to another. Even when I was volunteering, I was mostly keeping to myself, maybe because I was so used to living on my own."

"And I might survive living alone, but I know deep within, there's that curiosity... no, a desire of wanting to know... what it feels... to have a family. And if marrying a stranger, a guy that I felt connected with could make me finally have a family, then I'd gladly take that risk." She endeavored to hold back her tears and refused to crumble. She needed not their pity nor sympathy, just simply understanding her point.

King Henric's hands twitched as he fought the desire to hold her, for that would be a hypocritical gesture. Howbeit pure was her motive for agreeing to marry him, he was, clearly, the opposite. And worst of all, he could never give her what she desired. "Family" was a foreign word for him, its meaning completely unknown to him. And how he wished, she was after his wealth, influence, and fame, like what that middle-aged Inferus was insinuating, for he would bestow it on her. Yet, she wanted of all what he did not have. Again, that unnamed feeling plagued him, and as he fought it, his hands fisted.

As the king battled over his emotions, the High Council were regaining their composure as their hearts melted upon the mention of "family"-- the weakness of the Inferus. The Second Justice was finally convinced, and he, along with the other two, hoped that she and the king would become a family, a real family.

"But what if you found out his... ugliness?" the First Justice asked. She knew that word was improper to describe the king being a werewolf, but there are far worst names his Inferus mate could come up with once she uncovered his secret.

Whatever turmoil King Henric was battling was abruptly ended when another surge of emotion -- so strong and intense -- had taken over him upon hearing that little girl's question. He felt his blood run cold, yet a bead of sweat had already broken out on his forehead. While gritting his teeth, he was unknowingly refusing to breathe, not after he heard his mate's answer.

"She meant the king's dark side, his, um, flaws," the Third Justice explained, interpreting her silence as confusion.

Adira knew what that "ugliness" meant, and she thought that was an understatement. He wasn't ugly; he was a monster. Still, she opted to feign innocence. "No one is perfectly beautiful. Each one has ugly flaws, and I have too many of them. I only wish he would accept mine... as I would do to his," she said, rushing her last few words.

She lied, the little girl observed. But the king saw it differently, he finally could breathe after her mate had confirmed she'd accept him.

"Shall the High Council pass its verdict?" King Henric asked, confident he would pass their approval.

"I give my approval to the marriage between King Henric Ulfric Richmond and Adira Woodville in a condition it will take place after a half of a year," the Third Justice said.

Both King Henric and Adira took that as an unfavorable decision. Adira had sworn the Oath to Doom, that she would marry the king within a month. Unbeknown to the Inferus old man, he had sentenced Adira to death.

"I give my unconditional approval to the marriage between King Henric Ulfric Richmond and Adira Woodville," the Second Justice said.

Both King Henric and Adira breathed a sigh of relief almost simultaneously. Now, they looked at the little girl, whose life and fate of Adira was at her mercy.

The little girl bit his lip, clearly torn in her decision. Her mind was insisting to delay their marriage and strengthen their bond, so when the truth was revealed, she could come to a decision whether to spend her lifetime with the king of werewolves; her heart was pleading to let them get married as they were each other's mates, and their bond will help them overcome the obstacles they might have to face. After a few minutes of deliberation, she finally came up with a verdict.

"I give my approval to the marriage between King Henric Ulfirc Richmond and Adira Woodville on the condition... that the bride will be informed beforehand of the truth by the groom himself," the First Justice said.

"Does the betrothed accept the two Justices' conditions?" the Second Justice asked.

"I rest the decision with the king," Adira wisely said.

"We accept the last condition but refuse the initial," King Henric said.

"Then, refusing the condition stipulated by the Third Justice corresponds to negation. But, securing two affirmations from the Second Justice and the First Justice, granted the stipulated condition would be met, the High Council hereby approves the marriage between King Henric Ulfric Richmond and Adira Woodville," the First Justice declared.

"Thank you, Justices," Adira said, bowing her head. She was indeed grateful, for her life was spared.

King Henric refused to express his gratefulness, for they were only doing their work. And he was displeased with the condition specifically appropriated to him by that little girl. An Inferus girl.

"Is the wedding set a month later?" the Third Justice asked with his brow furrowing. He was obviously irked with the marriage taking too soon.

"Yes," King Henric answered.

"Then the High Council declares the Wuna to commence. May the King and Queen of Werewolves triumph against all odds." the First Justice said.

"Aye," the two Justices acceded.