Page 24 of Ruined by His Alpha King (Reluctant Fae Princes #3)

Stamel

They’d woken that morning and made their way downstairs, joining Alluin for an early breakfast as the king nursed the mother of all hangovers. He muttered as he glanced over the marriage agreement he’d signed, pending the goddess’s approval.

“Still can’t imagine the goddess actually approving this.” Alluin scoffed as he finished his bellflower gruel. Seidrik prodded at his, liberally scooping a spoonful of foxcane sugar into it.

“I understand, King Alluin. It was as much of a shock to my heart as it was to you, I am certain.” Stamel had paid good coin to swap Alluin’s seasonal wine out with a bland brandy. And that he didn’t notice the difference made Stamel genuinely curious as to if the king had a sense of taste at all.

“It’s no matter. The proposal was a useful one.

You did your footwork well on the matter.

I appreciate someone coming to me with all their boxes ticked.

It’s an honest trade.” He rubbed at his forehead and took a deep breath before standing abruptly, causing Seidrik to drop his utensil and fumble to stand, earning a withering glance from Alluin.

Likely Alluin had some dumb rule about his family treating him as king even during their private meals, meaning, none could sit when the king stood.

Stamel stood at a more leisurely pace but dipped his head with as much grace as he could.

Alluin nodded back in appreciation before sweeping his way out toward the front gates. He’d likely have a carriage waiting.

Seidrik followed behind at a nervous pace, his heart thundering in his chest so very hard that Stamel could sense it in their bond. The king would be the death of him in time if Stamel didn’t act. In due time, middenweasel.

From the castle, they rode to the church, the spired building conjoined with the conservatory. The echoing grand chamber made their every move whisper about them with great pressure on his ears as they strode toward the morning windows, catching the rising sun’s full presence.

“Mother Goddess, sun above, beloved is thy shine. Blesser of vitalis to the Liaberians and holder of all that is good and holy to the sun fae. We worship thee in darkness and in light—” King Alluin shouted boisterously as he spread his arms in a great display.

His hanging sleeves cast shadows across the golden carpet, split many ways as it threw over the polished wood benches.

Where on special occasions the nave was full, on this morning, they lay empty, no whispering voices, the loudness of fae silence, or the milling of anxious clergy.

They proceeded to the altar as he spoke and the goddess interrupted him, silencing his echoing words with her own booming presence.

Seidrik cowered as she spoke. Enough! What is it you ask for, Alluin?

“I—My Mother Goddess… I humbly ask—” Alluin cowered.

Cease the groveling. You irritate me, Alluin. Stamel. Ask your question.

King Alluin visibly deflated as Stamel cleared his throat and spoke up. “Mother Goddess, I bring forth a firstborn son of Liaberos, one you have bidden never sire a child. I wish to unite with him, to cement a union between Croatens and Liaberos, as we are meant to be mates. I seek your approval.”

You ask me to approve a union between you, one of my favored sons, and Alluin’s firstborn?

“And she’ll reject it because you never prayed to her, Seidrik! Look!” Alluin thrust his hand toward Seidrik and then the windows as if the goddess had already deigned it to not be.

Do not speak on my behalf, Alluin. You sat a poor example for your son. His lack of prayer was— She halted when Alluin shouted at her.

“My worthless son spat in your face! He refused to pray to you, and you cursed his existence. He would have a wife and be ready to take my throne upon my demise, have heirs and more. Why, Seidrik? Why would you do this? Why would you not offer your prayers? That was not my doing. I have urged you your entire life to pray to the goddess! How would you bless the fonts without her?” Alluin whirled on Seidrik, shouting coming at him from all angles as the acoustics amplified his vitriol. A hungover Alluin was amusing at best.

I approve of their union. I do not approve of you or how you treated your children. Why Seidrik and I have not spoken is entirely on you. He speaks to me, now.

“It is on himself. He embarrassed me. Had he sent his prayers to you, Lyrica may not have—She would have lived to defend herself. He spat in your face.” Alluin put his finger in Seidrik’s face as he seethed.

“I—Father, the goddess has spoken. I speak with her. I pray to her. I worship h—” Seidrik reeled as Alluin drew back and slapped him across his face.

The crack echoed around the nave, and Stamel rested a hand on Alluin’s forearm, fingers gently curling as he pushed his hand away. “Alluin. The goddess gave her word. He is my mate, and you have struck my mate.”

It was all Stamel could do not to throttle Alluin where he stood. Before the goddess and all.

“I am his father, and I will do as I please as his pater and his king.” Alluin stared Seidrik down as he jerked his hand from Stamel’s gentle grasp.

“Why would you refuse to speak to her? Why would you pretend to pray all these years? Why would you—” Alluin drew back as if he wanted to slap again, but this time Seidrik didn’t cower.

The red imprint of his father’s palm glowed red over his cheek.

Anger twisted his mate’s face as Seidrik shouted at the top of his lungs, wings shredding from the back of his beta tailored tunic.

His great horns lifted free of his hair, the sun elk, a mark of their nation.

Even his hair, having had time for the darkwash to run thin, appeared fair and beautiful.

In his anger, there was glory. “Because omegas are not to speak to the goddess!”

Alluin stumbled back, face a twisted mass of horror.

The goddess had said they would fail to follow all her commands. And Seidrik couldn’t withhold his words.

“Vile… Unclean…” Alluin’s shuddering whisper made Stamel feel sick.

“I didn’t pray because I didn’t think she’d listen.

I didn’t speak to her because you told me not to.

I listened to you, Father. I had not prayed to her, even after she accepted Virion.

I was afraid.” Seidrik’s eyes welled with tears that poured over his marked cheek. “I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

“And yet you have. Severely. There will be no mating between you. There will be no union. From this day forward, you shall be confined to the conservatory and forbidden from leaving the walls of it!” Alluin’s arm poised as if he wanted to hit again, but his wild gaze flicked to Stamel before flicking back.

“And you should be sent back to Croatens where you came from because you knew .”

Stamel steeled his jaw and stepped around Alluin before pushing Seidrik a few steps back. He then stood between them and stared the king down .

“Alluin. You always wished for an alpha son, did you not?” Things clicked in his mind.

Alluin had never wanted a beta son, or he would have treated Seidrik better, too.

“I come to you as an alpha. I have royal blood. I have the approval of the goddess, and your omega son will yield true. My thalms outnumber his and outnumber yours as well. I am a perfect match to spread Liaberian royal blood.”

Alluin huffed and glared at Stamel. “I cannot trust you. I cannot trust any of you. Even the goddess has hidden this from me!”

Do not blame me. When Lyrica bore you an alpha son, I told you that the moon had cast favor over her unborn. You sent him away. I gave you the alpha son you wanted. And because you did away with him, I owed the moon a child, and so Virion, who held my blessing had to be given to her favored son.

“You’ve forsaken us.” Alluin did not shout to the goddess, only spoke so weakly. “You cursed me with two omega sons. A son that no one would believe was mine and a whore of a daughter.”

I blessed you with a strong omega son with a mind for bureaucracy and a love of children so fierce he would make kings.

I then blessed you with a daughter with a golden tongue who had more heart than could be contained by just one mate.

Then again, I blessed you with the strongest omega son that your line has ever seen with a mind so keen, he could solve the world’s problems if given the right tools.

That was never enough. And so, I gave you a powerful alpha son, blessed of heart and mind.

I made him kind and loving. I made him gentle.

I blessed him with all I could, and my sister, too, sought to give you, her gift.

Had you kept him, salusis would have been yours, too.

Lumic would be a prince consort, and the Liaberian line would flourish .

Alluin’s mouth fell open, face a mask of confusion and anger. It quickly turned to disgust. “All to spite me.”

Here are the promises I have made. I blessed your line to have vitalis if you promised to never war.

I blessed Liaberos with the means to feed, clothe, and prosper all in its bounds.

I promised that as long as Liaberos stood, there would be plenty.

The sun flared brightly; the windows flaring at the goddess’s anger.

But Liaberos will end with you, Alluin. From two kingdoms united was Liaberos made.

Liara and Behros. From Liara spreads life and Behros, the earth.

These two shall wed. They shall fruit, and their firstborn will be a great king.

And from Virion’s line shall spring the children of Liara, who will bless the fonts and continue to spread life.

With their union, the time until Ahran will seat the Liara throne will be all the time Liaberos has left.

You have doomed your people, Alluin. Give them their grand wedding, for it is at their mercy that you will seat the throne until then.

Alluin whipped his gaze away from Seidrik and stared at the bright windows, forgetting to show any sort of humility or humbleness to the goddess. His breath sawed out in ragged pants of frustration before he hissed through his teeth. “As. You. Wish.”

“You understand why I hid— Why I didn’t. Don’t you?” Seidrik’s small words earned a grunt of frustration before Alluin marched out. As he did so, the goddess spoke after him.

Let us not forget the contracts have been signed pending my approval.

Alluin screamed at the top of his lungs as he flung the doors open, marched to the carriage and rode off, leaving the two there alone .

I thought it prudent not to tell him until after the marriage, but such is the way of the world. You have broken my order, and his ire will be your punishment.

Stamel sighed, his heart heavy in his chest. “And your edict about the salusis?”

Seidrik wilted as Stamel asked, but waited for the goddess to speak. In a small voice, he said, “I understand that you do not trust me.”

Those words broke Stamel’s heart. He had been given his trust back. He should have believed him, but he had to know.

He didn’t partake, but he had every intention on doing so until my sister spoke to him. Instead, she took an offering for the font.

Stamel drew Seidrik into his chest to hold him tightly. “I apologize for doubting you.”

“I understand. I’ve been a flat snake in tall grass.” He huffed.

Because you sought the font and intended to partake, I think my sister intervened on your behalf. Your offering to her was that of the nightflower in your veins, drawn into your tears.

“That explains so much.” Stamel traced his hand over Seidrik’s fine wings, reveling in the papery texture of them and the way the sun’s light reflected off them. They truly were a princelings wings, fit for the goddess’s high esteem. “But I will trust you.”

I think both of you have a lot of healing to do.

Stamel needs to learn to trust once more.

And, Seidrik, you should stop trying to throw anyone under the carriage wheel to hide your fears.

You have apologies to make, so when Virion comes, apologize.

It will not make things right, but it will be a start.

“Yes, Mother Goddess.” Seidrik bowed to the windows. “I owe you so many years of prayers. I will endeavor to pray every day and try not to be ashamed of what I am. ”

Then you will accept the burden of royalty and that of an omega.

Your duty is to your people. Your body will birth a future worthy of the kingdom’s name.

No longer will you be Liaberian one day, but Berian, a fine delegate of those cast aside and disgusted by all that Liaberos has done.

Alluin’s legacy will be that of the midden.

Seidrik expressed no joy at this, only nodded. “I dedicate myself to you, my mate, and my child to come.”

I will do for you what I did for Lyrica when she begged for blessings for her children. Your son will be alpha. His purpose is the purpose of all great kings—to advance a prosperous kingdom.

“As you command it, so shall it be so.” Seidrik bowed his head, and Stamel bore his horns and wings before offering the same bow to her holy glow.

“Thank you, Mother Goddess, for all you have done.” Stamel closed his eyes as her warmth rested on his skin.

And I shall take more from you, Stamel. Your firstborn Kimbel.

He shall lead the new conservatory, and be a true scholar to my name.

And Tyran, when he manifests, will be instrumental in a new world.

Foster his studies, for the words that live in him will grow and he will write stories for a new generation.

“As it is your will.” Stamel couldn’t argue. The goddess would do as she promised. She always had and always would.