Chapter 5 Let’s Find You a Queen
Let’s Find You a Queen
Stellon
Music filled the ballroom at Seaspire. So did hundreds of beautiful Elven women.
Unbonded women, all dressed in their finest, all vying for my attention.
Giving in to the urging of my advisors, I’d finally agreed to allow a bond-mate ball.
Everyone kept reminding me how important it was for me to make a politically advantageous alliance with a powerful lord and seal the deal with marriage.
That meant only a handful of the women here tonight were actual candidates. I didn’t really care much about which one ended up as my bride.
Mareth sat beside me on the dais, scratching the neck of a spotted jaguar. It was rubbing its large head against her leg like a house cat.
Glancing over the assembly, she pointed out her favorites among the noblewomen in attendance, trying to help.
“There’s Lady Tansette,” she said. “I’ve known her for years. She has quite a good sense of humor, and she’s a shapeshifter. Her Transformation glamour is exceptional.”
I responded with a bored harrumph, and Mareth gave me a tolerant smile.
“Lady Carlen over there is a very talented artist. Also, I happen to know she’s always fancied you.”
“I noticed Lords Sillery and Hyland aren’t here with their daughters,” I said.
“Why? Are you interested in them?” my sister asked. “Do you remember them from the Assemblage Opening Night ball?”
“Barely,” I answered.
“Why do you mention it then?”
“I just find it interesting that several of the prominent houses are not represented tonight,” I said.
My minister of security had warned me there was some unrest in the kingdom following my father’s death. Many of the regional leaders felt he had used his Compelling glamour to take unfair advantage of them during his reign.
While they’d been afraid to challenge him, my advisors warned the lords might see an opportunity to reclaim power for themselves now that he was dead.
I wasn’t nearly as scary as the old king was.
And people were aware that my father and I were not exactly seeing eye to eye there at the end.
There was also a threat from the other Fae, who were reportedly raring for a shot at ruling the Sixlands.
Thanks to the death of King Pontus the Powerful, the kingdom was ripe for being overthrown or perhaps split into factions again.
Thus, the bond-mate search tonight. I’d put it off as long as I could. Now it was time to do my duty.
“The royal event planner did an excellent job with the decorations,” Mareth commented. “The ballroom really is resplendent tonight… fitting for a new king to find a new love.”
I managed a smile for her. “I’m glad you’re here.”
She smiled back sadly, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “I only wish Pharis was. I know you two fought, but still, I miss him.”
“Me too,” I admitted.
“I wish I’d gotten the chance to know Raewyn,” my sister said. “She must have been quite a woman to drive a wedge between you two… and to inspire Pharis to do what he did to try and save her.”
“I don’t really want to talk about it,” I said.
But of course I couldn’t help but think about Raewyn, especially on a night like this, in the very ballroom where I’d fallen in love with her.
The seams where I’d just begun to cobble together my shattered heart split open, allowing the grief to flow freely again.
Months had passed with no sign or report of her. Though everyone had assured me it was beyond time to give up, I still had men out searching for her and had ordered her image to be posted from one end of the Sixlands to the other.
Honestly, I was losing hope. But I hadn’t lost it entirely.
Something kept driving me to pursue even the slightest possibility Raewyn was still alive.
The searchers were concentrating their efforts up north, where witnesses had seen the dragon fly that day, but really, it could have gone anywhere.
If the creature had crossed the kingdom’s borders and flown all the way to the Icelands, there really was no chance of ever seeing Raewyn again.
For now, the search teams continued to push north and canvas the residents of each village and estate.
In the meantime, I would delay the royal wedding as long as possible, praying they managed to turn up some good news.
“You’re as grumpy as Father these days,” Mareth accused. “I certainly hope you won’t behave like him when it comes to who I choose to love and marry.”
“You still haven’t told me who your mysterious beau is. Is he in attendance tonight?”
“Oh no, he’d never come to a gathering like this one,” she said.
The answer startled me. I sat up straighter and twisted to face her.
“Mareth… have you fallen in love with a human as well?”
She gave me a cheeky grin. “Not exactly.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’ll tell you when it’s time to tell you—if that time ever comes. I don’t even know if he loves me back at this point.”
“But you love him?” I asked.
It seemed strange to think that my baby sister could be in love with someone, though she was eighteen and of bonding age.
“Maybe.”
“Well as soon as you’re ready, I do want to meet him,” I said.
And make sure he’s worthy of you.
Mareth laughed. “Ever the big brother. You’re going to make a wonderful King, Stells. Everyone will see that soon.”
“I hope so.” The task seemed impossible without the woman I loved at my side and without the support of my brother.
Mareth reached over and patted my hand then turned and began surveying the ballroom once more.
“All right now… let’s find you a Queen.”