The Princess and Her Grand King (Beasts of Wrath and Madness #3)

1. AS TIME PASSES…

Chapter one

AS TIME PASSES…

TWO YEARS LATER.

"Are we going to keep ignoring the elephant in this court, Your Highness?"

The court had been busy all day with talk of negotiations and upcoming festivities. You would think after such a long deliberation, the ministers would want nothing more than to leave, go home, and have a hot bath.

But no. Court was never truly complete until ‘the elephant in the room’ was addressed. The last time, King Orestus’s fury had been so frightening the ministers scurried away, like rats fleeing a sinking ship.

Six months since it was last brought up, but now here it was, rearing its head again.

All eyes turned to Minister Jacques, who was glaring at Aekeira. Who met that glare with one of her own.

King Orestus, about to leave his seat, paused. With a sigh, he settled back down. "What do you mean, Jacques?"

The overseer of military affairs broke his glare at Aekeira long enough to stand. "I mean those girls , Your Highness. At this point, our people are distraught. We once discussed sending them to the breeding houses, which—"

"I adamantly refused," King Orestus added.

"Indeed you did, Your Highness. We suggested the brothel—"

"I refused that too."

Minister Jacques nodded. "It’s… quite baffling at this point. We have not one, but two females in this kingdom who refuse to serve the land. They will not fulfill their roles in society, and you, sire, are enabling them. Look at them, they are getting old, approaching the end of their ripe years. Aekeira is—"

"You will address them properly," the king snapped.

"I-I apologize, Your Highness. I was not thinking straight." Minister Jacques jumped, clearing his throat nervously. " Princess Aekeira is twenty-seven, her sister twenty-four. Most girls their age have four or five children by now. Yet here they are, where they have no right to be… in the court of men. Listening, even contributing verbally to court proceedings. It is beyond appalling."

A murmur of agreement swept through the court. Some ministers glanced at Jacques with pure admiration. He had voiced what they were too much of a coward to.

Aekeira almost laughed. Here we go again.

"I… umm… I would like to second what Jacques has said, Your Highness." Minister Murphy stood stiffly. "We do not have many females. We cannot afford to let those we have go to waste. Princess Emeriel deceived this court for over twenty years, and in the two years since, you have said nothing of her punishment. If she is to be spared for the sin of deceit, the least she could do is fulfill her duties to the kingdom."

"You mean she should let you between her legs," King Orestus said crudely.

Minister Murphy flushed a deep red, his eyes darting around the room. "I mean… it would be for the betterment of the kingd—"

"What would be for the betterment of the kingdom is to have the likes of you strung up and hung in the square!" Emeriel shot up from her seat, furious.

The room exploded into disorder. Aekeira winced as Emeriel glared daggers at the high-ranking ministers.

"Men like you,” Emeriel seethed, cutting through the noise, "who roam the kingdom violating everyone you come across, sticking your organ in both young and old, all in the name of ‘the betterment of society.’ You should be hung, and your organs cut off!" She pinned each minister with a frosty glare. " That would be for the betterment of the kingdom!"

Roars of outrage surrounded them.

"How dare she!?"

"Such disrespect!"

"What an insolent little brat!"

King Orestus grabbed his gavel and struck it hard, roaring above the mayhem. "SILENCE!"

The murmurs faded to a low hum but didn’t entirely stop.

Another minister rose, looking stern. "Your Highness, you cannot let such insolence go unpunished. She insulted not just one of us, but all of us. Such defiance must be met with consequences."

Emeriel didn’t flinch, her cold eyes locked on the vultures of court.

Times like this, Aekeira found it difficult to reconcile this Emeriel with the sister she once knew. Who was this angry bull of a stranger facing off the court?

Over the years, Emeriel had… changed.

Aekeira had seen each gradual shift, witnessed every small difference until the change was complete. Now, Em was warm with only one person, Aekeira herself.

With everyone else, she was either frigid or burning with anger. Her defenses were constantly up, and the caring, compassionate Emeriel was long gone.

This Emeriel didn’t care about others’ feelings. She spoke her mind with no regard for the fallout, daring anyone to challenge her. It was almost as if she wanted to be punished.

Like now.

No one, absolutely no one, mouthed off to the ministers. Others who had dared were either banished or executed.

They were known as the Ministers of Doom for a reason , just as King Orestus was known as the Tyrant King.

"We cannot condone such an act," a minister sneered. "We demand punishment—"

Emeriel scoffed, crossing her arms. "A bunch of scums hiding under the veil of power—"

"Em…!" Aekeira hissed, fear prickling through her. Stop before you go too far!

"That's enough," King Orestus snapped. "Leave the court, Emeriel."

Emeriel looked ready to defy him, her jaw set, eyes burning . But then her gaze met Aekeira’s.

Something in Aekeira's eyes seemed to reach through the fury. Was it the fear, the concern, or her pleas? She had no idea, but some of the anger seeped out of her sister, her shoulders deflating.

Without another word, Emeriel whirled around and stormed out. Thank the gods.

King Orestus faced his ministers. "As I have said before, this matter is not up for discussion. The princesses were my brother’s children. Now, they are mine. They will not be treated in such a manner."

His gaze swept across the court. "Aekeira has transformed the gardens and plantations. Thanks to her, we’ve had bountiful harvests over the years. The overseer of agriculture will bear witness to that. Isn’t that right, Minister Edward?"

The minister flushed, clearing his throat. "V-very correct, Your Majesty."

"And Emeriel has returned to the soldiers, training and hunting. She is exceptional at that, having taken down more men in battle than most of our warriors. Many of you have witnessed her skills firsthand, haven’t you, Minister of Military Affairs?"

Minister Jacques shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet the king's eyes. He gave a stiff nod.

King Orestus clucked his tongue. "Just because they do not part their thighs for men and breed children doesn’t mean they do not serve this kingdom. Do you hear me?"

"But they are of marriageable age," another protested. "Well past it, actually. If they will not serve in the traditional ways, then they should at least marry. They could bring happiness to some of our males—"

"I will not condone this discussion in my court again," the king hissed, his patience visibly thinning. "I am the king, and I make these decisions. Until I devise a solution, no one— no one —is to bring up this conversation about the princesses ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

Everyone straightened immediately, bowing deeply. "Yes, Your Highness."

Aekeira released a slow breath. It will be brought up again . If not tomorrow, then in another six months, yet again. Because the truth was, everyone truly was talking about it.

Since returning to Navia, Aekeira had been reminded of the curse plaguing humans. Scarcity of females.

The way these vultures eyed them, hungry for the prospect of more women in their midst, was a constant reminder of how much they wanted her and Emeriel in the brothels or breeding houses. And yet, she couldn’t quite believe how safe they had been since their return, thanks to King Orestus.

The same king who had once pawned them off to the highest bidder now stood as their biggest protector. Ironic, really.

He had provided them with bodyguards who took their roles seriously, making sure no harm came to them. Aekeira's heart alternated between grateful and suspicious.

There had to be a catch. A motive. Men like King Orestus did not change overnight.

The problem was, she had no idea what his motive could be.

Her greatest worry upon their return had been Emeriel’s punishment for her years of deceit. Yet King Orestus never once brought it up. Not in public, not in private.

He treated them as if a lie of that magnitude hadn't occurred. As though Emeriel hadn’t suddenly transformed from a boy to a girl.

The kingdom, however, was a different matter. The court was in tumult, the city in uproar. And for two years, King Orestus turned a blind eye.

Even his son, the crowned prince, had taken notice, developing a strong interest in Emeriel's gender revelation.

He confessed his feelings for her, and been relentless in his pursuit. Using charm to mask an iron-willed determination to have Emeriel, that, at times, unsettled Aekeira.

Was this why King Orestus protected them so fiercely? Aekeira had once asked herself. Did he want Emeriel for his golden prince?

But that theory quickly fell apart when the king discovered his son’s courting. He had not only erupted in a fit of rage, but also forbid Prince Daviel from getting close to Emeriel and Aekeira.

As though they were more precious than his favorite son. Or, perhaps, the king believed they carried some deadly, contagious disease. Aekeira was more inclined to believe the latter.

King Orestus’s protectiveness seemed less like the doting care of a guardian and more like the calculated caution of a man harboring secrets. But what could they be?

What was driving him to shield them so fiercely?

Not that Daviel had taken his father’s command to heart. If anything, his chase had tripled since then. Only more discreet, slipping through the shadows and around corners to find moments with Emeriel.

Aekeira shook the thoughts of the past away, back to the present.

Just how long before the people rebelled because ‘they were not fulfilling their roles in society?’

It worried Aekeira more than she cared to admit.

***

Sliding the needle through the linen, Aekeira pulled carefully until the thread emerged from the other side.

Embroidering had always been her peace. A calming ritual that helped steady her thoughts. After a long day of tending to the gardens, she needed this quiet moment to work on the needlework she’d been piecing together for weeks.

How was he?

Is he doing alright?

Her hand stilled.

A familiar crash of longing blasted her, threatening to pull her under.

Deep breaths. Take deep breaths. She closed her eyes, fighting to steady herself.

"Are you alright, My Princess?"

Aekeira blinked, opening her eyes to clear the blur of unshed tears. Otto stood before her, gazing at her with worry.

"I'm fine." Aekeira forced a smile at the older man.

Otto had cared for them when they were children, having served as their mother's personal servant. After their parents’ deaths, he had been dismissed, leaving Aekeira and Emeriel to fend for themselves. King Orestus had never provided them with servants, guards, or much of anything.

It had been… surprising to say the least when, upon their return, the king not only reinstated Otto but also assigned troops of bodyguards to protect them.

"Are you sure?" Otto pressed.

"Yes." Aekeira took a shuddering breath. "Yes, I’m fine. Worry not, Otto. It’s nothing."

He looked skeptical, his eyes searching hers for the truth. His concern was genuine, a kindness that made Aekeira ache for the simpler days of their childhood.

Unlike King Orestus, whose motives were a mystery, Otto's care was real. He had been there the night her and Em were born, tending to their mother in one of the hidden underground rooms. Since their return, he had become their silent protector, always fretting over them… especially since they refused to speak of Urai.

“Really, I'm fine,” Aekeira reassured him once more.

"Your sister hasn't been in her chamber all day." Otto shifted uncomfortably. "She joined the hunting party, but they returned hours ago, and she hasn't."

Case in point.

Aekeira sighed, placing her needlework carefully on the table before standing. He does have a point though. She hadn't seen Emeriel since her abrupt dismissal from court earlier. "I’ll go find her."

After searching all the usual places, Aekeira finally found Emeriel in Prince Daviel’s garden. She had avoided searching there, making it her last resort. Emeriel usually stayed away from this place.

Hands crossed, her sister stood motionless before the meadows, eyes watching the twinkling stars above. The night was beautiful, glowing softly, giving the sense of serenity. But Aekeira knew it was never truly safe.

Stepping up beside Emeriel, Aekeira turned her eyes to the sky as well.

“We are not being married off,” Aekeira said at last, breaking the silence. “Orestus put a stop to it. I’d say we’re safe for another six months, Em.”

"Don’t call me that," Emeriel mumbled, her gaze never leaving the stars.

Aekeira ignored that. Her eyes followed her sister’s line of sight, but her thoughts were elsewhere. "Do you think they are alright?"

Emeriel remained silent.

"I can’t help it sometimes," Aekeira admitted. "Has he gone feral? Is he doing better? Has the darkness consumed him yet? Does he think of me?"

The longing rose again. Approaching like a forceful tide, hell-bent on sweeping her away.

She fought to keep it from spilling into her words. "Sometimes, I fight for hours on end not to think of him."

"Why are we talking about them?" Emeriel asked, coolly. "We agreed not to."

"Maybe it’s time we did."

"I don’t think so," her sister stated firmly, her face devoid of emotions. "It's best not to."

They never did, not anymore.

Aekeira swallowed the lump in her throat. It was a double-edged sword really, because forgetting helped her move on… but at the same time, she yearned to reminisce.

It was the only way she could feel alive again. To remember what it had once felt like to truly live.

For Emeriel, it was easier to block it all out.

In the beginning, Aekeira had almost lost her. The Soulbond had been so terrifying; she had watched helplessly as it tore Emeriel apart. The pain of being separated from her beloved had pushed Emeriel to the brink of madness.

Emeriel didn’t eat for days, barely slept, and spent most of her time in tears.

When she wasn’t crying, she would fall into a hollow, distant state, staring into nothing for hours—sometimes days—on end, barely leaving her bed.

Those were dark times. Dark, dark times.

Aekeira shuddered at the memory of the worst of it. The time Emeriel disappeared.

King Orestus had turned the entire kingdom upside down looking for her. They found her two days later at the great mountains, the natural border separated their lands from the Urekai territories.

By the time they reached her, she was dehydrated, unconscious, and almost dead. That place had almost swallowed her whole.

That had been two years ago.

Since then, Emeriel had gone… numb.

As time passed, she stopped crying over him, stopped asking for him, stopped letting the memories claw at her. The more she ate and ventured outside, the more she buried the grand king and everything Urekai.

Now Emeriel was a ball of icy anger. A force no one could break through.

And she had become reckless. Throwing herself into dangerous pursuits without a second thought. Hunting games, fight arenas, anything that could provide a thrill or a challenge.

Emeriel had always been someone who felt everything too much, but to survive now, she had learned to feel almost nothing . She was stronger. Harder. Empty.

Aekeira couldn't say she regretted how things had turned out. Emeriel had to survive. It was that or let the Soulbond 's agony swallow her whole and spit out her carcass.

But still, there were moments… quiet, heart-wrenching moments where she missed her sister. The one who used to laugh. Used to care. To live.

She missed her Em, the one who didn’t shield herself behind a wall of ice and anger.

This Emeriel didn’t even like to be called Em .

Aekeira glanced at her sister, standing cold and distant in the moonlit garden. Aekeira wondered if she would ever see that side of Emeriel again.

But at least she was alive.

That had to be enough.