Lust & Loyalty

Chapter 13

Lionel remembered that night very clearly. He had been summoned to the palace, no information, just urgency in the message. He worked his way toward the King's quarters. The room door was ajar, which is unusual in itself, but what was frightening what's the lack of gods. Worried, he pushed into the room and immediately went to the balcony. Even when the King was just a Prince, he would often be found on this balcony. It is where they shared happy times and profound contemplated moments. The King stood at the balcony railing, hands pressed, knuckles white, head bowed and shaking. In 20 years of friendship, he has never had one scene of the King in such a state. Walking up to the balcony, he racked his knuckles on the wall to indicate his presence. Without turning, the King said, "It happened so fast, I couldn't stop myself. “

He turned around instead, Lionel with his bloodshot eyes. "I don't know what I've done, the consequences; I've done this all" With that, he fell to his knees, crying uncontrollably. Lionel kneeled down and gently put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Start from the beginning, my friend; tell me what has happened and how I can help you.” Said Lionel sofetly.

"I am beyond help, “ muttered King.

"I don't understand what is happening exactly?" Lionel asked, searching his friend's face for the truth.

King dropped his head and pointed towards the bedroom. Slowly Lionel stood and walked towards the main bedroom, with no idea what to expect. The first thing he noticed was the smell. It was a mixture of blood, wine, and smoke. Trembling, he pushed open the door, and only to gaze upon a scene out of a nightmare.

Next to his feet, there's a broken bottle of wine and wine glasses; next to the luxurious bed perched on the nightstand was an unmistakable black scorch mark with a distinct pile of ash. Indicating that somebody must have burned something there recently. Finally, he stepped forward into the room in search of the source of the smell of blood. Hidden from view, the other side of the master bed plays the crumpled body of the former Queen. Lionel had to steady himself on one of the bedposts. Not only was the Queen dead, it appeared she had been beaten to death. Her face had been smashed repeatedly on the floor.

"I did that to her” a raspy voice sat behind him, causing Lionel to jump to his feet again.

"The hell are you talking about?" Lionel cried out. "You're telling me that you killed your wife?" He turned around to face the Queen's corpse again and continued to say, "In such a brutal manner? What could it possibly possess you to have done such a thing?"

Turning back to the King, he said, "This woman was your wife for seven years she's the mother of your child, " before he could finish the sentence, he found himself bounding toward the King and grabbing him by the shoulders. "Tell me you haven't hurt the boy. Where is Primus?"

"No, he's fine. He's on a school trip, “ replied the King, still shaken.

"Then why just tell me why you did this?"

"She found out about Annabeth and Daedalus…" the King said with a deep sigh.

"oh…" replied Lionel, the picture forming in his head.

"How did that happen?"

"She suspected for a while because of my excuses to keep away from her, lied about why I had to be away for several nights at a time. But the last straw was when she heard me on the phone saying the past three years were the happiest of my life. “

The King left the bedroom and sat on one of the armchairs next to the fireplace. As if in a trance, Lionel followed him and sat opposite. What was once a regular, comforting gesture of the commodity had turned into a makeshift confessional. He didn't say a word but waited for the King to continue.

"I kept her occupied, ensuring she had parties to attend to frivolous events to oversee and unrestricted access to the family wealth. Don't get me wrong. She has enjoyed her life given by me. From that ridiculous wedding that cost more than the whole Kingdom probably makes in a year to get into both, she produced a male heir on our first try. Of course, she didn't mind that I lost interest in bedding her after four years of marriage. She knew she had me bound to her; whether she successfully pleased me or not was irrelevant now. “

The King stopped momentarily, turned around, and poured across Scotch. He silently handed the glass to Lionel before taking a deep drink directly from the bottle. After a few deep breaths, he continued. "You know I never who the love of a mate, not before Annabeth. This marriage was simply a way of adding families considerable wealth to our own" he took another deep drink from the bottle before laughing out loud. "I had no idea she found out about Annabeth, the only reason I approached her about anything was that our financial officer informed me, but the Queen was spending a fortune every time she went out, almost as if she deliberately wanted to bleed the royal family's wealth. She never even kept half of what she bought. She thought it would be funny, I guess. “

"funny?" Prompted Lionel

"whatever she could burn, she would burn. Designer dresses one-of-a-kind pieces of art. She even bought sports cars. Only two send them to a junkyard to be scrapped for parts. “

Lionel couldn't believe what he was hearing, and suddenly he was grateful for the drink in his hand. Taking a sip, he gently asked, "You asked her about his spending habits, and she confessed watching you about the fact that you found your true mate and even sired a second son. “

The King had finished his bottle and gently placed it back on the table. Staring into the fire, he spoke again. "I would have never married her, you know if I'd met Annabeth before. Finding your mate… there's nothing like it. The way Annabeth made me feel was pure happiness, “ tears flowed down King's face.

Something about his words disturbed Lionel. "What do you mean made you feel? Lucius, where is Annabeth?"

"She killed her. She arranged for her to be kidnapped, tortured, r***d, and killed. “ Anger flared, and the King's eyes once more.

"Wait, “ Lina said, unintentionally jumping to his feet, his drinks spilling onto the floor. "You're telling me that Daniella not only learned that you had found your true mate but went out of her way to eliminate her?"

"Did you not hear what I said" screamed Lucious. "She didn't just kill her; she destroyed her, that b***h hurt my love, my mate, my everything!!"

"How did you not know Annabeth was taken?" asked Lionel quietly. The King fell back and replied, "She was meant to be visiting her aunt and parents for two weeks. And you know her family had only recently started talking to her again, having had a child out of wedlock whose identity remains secret. None of this was easy, so we decided to limit our conversations until she had calmed her family down. “

Lionel sat back down and whispered, "What about Daedalus? Where is he? “

"he's still with his grandparents. She had been taken when she went shopping with her aunt. They killed her aunt on the spot and dumped her body in the sewer system. “

Lionel ran his hand through his hair feeling like he had just aged ten years in 10 minutes. "Danielle's family may not be as powerful, but their wealth gives them a sense of privilege. Once they learn of her death and that it was you, I doubt they would even spare Daedalus's life in revenge. “

He continued thinking through the laws and rights involved in the situation. "You have effectively created a blood debt, the price of which…. “ He couldn't finish the sentence as the King began laughing again. "It will bankrupt us; paying back the blood debt would result in the royal family having status but no power to back it up. It would have been fine had she not drained so much of the family wealth. “

Lionel thought for a minute before asking, "Do you intend to bestow Daedalus the title of prince and honor him with his birthright?"

The King frowned, not following the train of thought. "Why does that matter? “

Lionel carefully chose his words: "If you were to give him his birthright, you could create a promise contract. “

The King stared at his friend and asked, "Why does it need to be Daedalus who is promised in marriage to a family with wealth?"

"Primus will be King one day. Having him promised in marriage to a family with wealth won't be good. It would compromise his seat of power and destroy the balance" If you can promise Daedalus as a Prince to marry into a family of wealth, then you can hold back the payment of blood debt under the terms over 21st birthday full moon wedding. “

The King sighed and said, "Speak plainly. My head isn't right enough to follow you're complicated ideas. “

Lionel leaned forward and took a moment to compose his thoughts. Finally, he said, "Danielle's family has the right to ask for blood debt, considering you took their child's life. This debt effectively bankrupts the royal family. The idea that you have a side child out of wedlock with another woman would also need correcting in their eyes. You can therefore have Daedalus promise a marriage to a family of wealth. By having the wedding performed on a full moon on the 21st birthday, you will also effectively promise the first born of Daedalus to serve Danielle's family. “

The King stared at Lionel, "You are saying my grandchild will be a slave?"

"No, not necessarily; we can avoid that based on the wording of the contract and the power of the family Daedalus marries into. “

Lionel leaned back and waited for his King to respond

"marrying Daedalus off to a family of wealth one day, how does that solve the blood debt now?"

Lionel did a quick calculation, and he said before replying, "Thus promising a two-fold repayment of the blood debt, it can be broken into installments, part of which can be paid as part of a wedding contract from the family, but Daedalus marries into. You promise to pay double the blood debt amount in time and ensure Danelle's blood remains on the throw.”

"I hate everything about this said the King, cup in his facing his hands. How am I meant to explain the birth of Daedalus? How am I meant to explain that I had found a mate and killed my wife? “

Lionel sputtered, "You can simply announce that Daedalus is your son when you announce the death of the Queen. By stating no questions will be asked regarding the Queen's memory, no one will question the origin of your second son. “

"I can't openly love him, can I, “ asked the King,

light on you where he was going with the conversation, and nodded.

"Danielle's family will expect Primus to be showered with unconditional love and respect to his mother. Any sign of affection towards Daedalus could result in the family bring further enraged. I'm so sorry, my friend. What's your second son muscle always remains at arm's length? Keep him away from the palace life. Involving your business and leave him to work on building the empire. And make sure that Primus never knows, that Daedalus is born from a mated pair. “

The King flinched. "That's right, Annebeth being my mate would mean Daedalus would be more powerful in a true fight than Primus. Even if Primus found a true mate that would amplify his power and strength, it would never compete with Daedalus. “

Lionel gasped as the King did something never before seen; he knelt in front of Lionel and asked, "Do me this one kindness, my friend, your daughter, have her be the one Daedalusis promised to. I cannot force you to do anything or ask your family to give up my wealth. But if I've ever been a good king to you and our people, do this one…"

Quickly Lionel stood up and pulled the King back to his feet. "Never is a King meant to kneel before one of his subjects. And need I remind you that my family's wealth stands primarily from your kindness. Granted, we have grown our wealth since then, but we never would have gotten anywhere close without the generosity of your family and the influences they used 2 pave the path for my family. As for my daughter and your son, I've always considered us brothers. This would only ensure that. “

The King smiled and embraced his friend. "Thank you, he whispered.