Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 31: Return Prince Valerie Unharmed

Chapter 31: Return Prince Valerie Unharmed

Isaac should have been happy when he arrived at the palace, but shockingly he wasn’t, especially when the stable boy ran along to take the reins from him.

The reins of Maximus, the horse shifter.

It was kind of hilarious especially when he was hesitant to hand the reins to the young, confused boy, after all, there was no way he could ride the horse inside. However, having realized that the horse was not indeed a horse but a shifter, made Issac reluctant about leaving her with outsiders.

Issac had to remind himself that before he came to know about her secret, Maxi had been doing well on her own. Also, being this well would only bring more attention to Maximus, not that any Fae thought of it much except the cruel prince’s freak horse. But it didn’t hurt to be careful.

So when he dismounted from the horse, he brushed his hand across her crest while hoping she didn’t consider that an intimate act else he wouldn’t hear the end of it. He pressed his head to her side and whispered close to her ears, "Do not do anything stupid. Prince Aldric is not here to rescue you. Nor would I risk my head for you."

Maximus snickered and Issac didn’t need an interpreter to know that she was calling him bluff. Not that Issac believed himself either knowing he would be bounding out of that palace in a flash if he sensed that she was in danger. Whether he liked it or not, he was bound to protect the horse shifter.

It happened so fast but Maximus turned and flicked her tail in his face, snorting afterward in what would have seemed like laughter were she in her human form. Issac in question stood rigid with his teeth gritted as he glared at the horse shifter. He should have known that this would be what he gets for attempting to be nice to her.

Without a word, Issac sauntered away.

He should be mad at her for flicking him in the face with her tail - attached to her butt - but strangely enough, he couldn’t. Issac had spent enough time with her to know Maxi was being facetious. However, he erased all thoughts from his mind when his business in the palace was questioned by the King’s guards.

Issac came to realize that the news of him being gifted to the cruel prince had spread over the palace. Even now, while he was being led to meet the king, he found out that his former post had been replaced and his colleagues wouldn’t even look him in the face.

They had thought him foolish for attempting to show the dark prince the direction that day at the palace but it seems they had finally cut him off. The Fae were creatures of ambition and power and they wouldn’t want anything to do with a former palace guard now acquainted with the dark prince, Aldric.

Issac always knew the prince was treated like an outcast but being on the receiving end of it left a sour taste in his mouth. Surely, the same treatment hasn’t been extended to his family. He didn’t go to Aldric; he merely obeyed the King’s order of serving his rejected son.

Their actions stung but Issac did not let that distract him from the task at hand. If he fails, he has a dark Fae to face and that fate was scarier than meeting the king. Issac was not led to the throne room, but rather to the private chamber of his majesty, King Oberon.

To be honest, it was quite startling meeting the king, not when Prince Aldric had such an uncanny resemblance to him. Aside from the King’s long silver hair and older face, you could easily pass the both of them as twins. But father and son were similar in their threatening aura.

However, the King was not alone, and by his side was one of his lovely wives, the Queen, and the mother of the crown prince, Prince Valerie. As typical of the summer court features, Queen Maeve had long red hair with a golden circlet resting on her head, establishing her status as queen over her co-wives.

It was no secret that in a bid to unite the different Fae courts and bring about the kingdom of Astaria, the king had to marry from the four seasonal courts: Summer, Winter, Autumn, and Spring. Each had a son for him and while one of them would be king over Astaria, the others would be left to rule their courts. Not that the same could be said for Prince Aldric. Who would want to rule a court that detests him?

"Your majesty, Isaac at your service." He paid his respect to the king.

"You. I know you." The king noticed him, "I gave you to Aldric. Have you heard any news of the crown prince? My boy, Valerie? Where is he?" He looked around as if Valerie would appear from thin air.

"About that, your majesty...." Issac bit the inside of his mouth, hoping to not be killed for this.

"Your King orders you to speak up."

He has no choice then.

"Your majesty, Prince Aldric has other news. He found Prince Valerie in the human realm but he was injured in the attack and my master is nursing him to good health. However, Prince Aldric wishes for more time to care and bond with his brother in the human realm."

The silverware crashing to the ground was enough evidence that the Queen was not in support of this "alliance*.

"What?!" She roared, fixing him with furious eyes, "You left my son alone with that... that demon?!"

Issac lowered his face, looking submissive as he waited for the King’s response knowing only he had the final say and his majesty looked deep in contemplation.

"That doesn’t sound so bad." The king said only for the queen’s head to whip towards him with so much rage in her eyes.

"Tell me you are seriously not considering that!"

"There has been enough tension between Valerie and Aldric that the issue of bonding might not be so bad, after all, they’re brothers."

The queen’s lips pulled back in a sneer, "Have you forgotten what Aldric is, my king? What he is capable of? What he could do to Valerie?" She emphasized.

"While we should be wary of him, Aldric is not stupid enough to hurt the future king of Astaria," The king said, then turned to Issac with warning in his eyes,

"Tell Adric they can bond for a few days and Prince Valerie would be returned to the palace, unharmed."

Issac swallowed at that instruction, knowing that the unharmed part might be a tiny bit difficult for Aldric to obey.

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