Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 113: Last Warning

Chapter 113: Last Warning

Daphne’s heart began beating faster as she gazed up into Atticus’s face. He had an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him in a protective hold.

Prince Alistair spluttered, "I’m trying to help you! Don’t blame me when you find yourself cucked by her in future."

"That will never happen because Daphne is not that kind of woman," Atticus said. "Besides, if I did end up getting cucked, it would be my own fault for not loving her enough. Why would a woman leave if you’ve shown her enough love as her partner and are thus worthy of her love?"

Everyone’s mouth fell open at such a ridiculous statement. Even Queen Yvaine had to take a second to compose herself. This man... was so ridiculous!

Yet, none of them would outright deny that what the king of Vramid had said did hold some truth in it. While they wouldn’t admit it right now, they also wished to have someone that would love them for a lifetime, especially when it was someone that they loved as well.

Why would they go through all that and waste so much time for a love that wouldn’t last?

"Now that we are all present, I would like to address these nasty rumors floating around," Atticus said, attracting everyone’s full attention. "First of all, let’s start with what happened last night."

Atticus held out his hand with his palm facing up, waiting for Daphne to place her hand in his. While she wasn’t sure what he was up to, Daphne knew that she could at least trust this man. After all, even with a sea of people that were more than willing to smear her name into the mud, her husband was the only one that stood by her side.

Thus, she placed her hand in his, allowing him to do as he wished.

Atticus offered Daphne a reassuring smile before clutching her hand, raising it a little so that everyone’s eyes were now drawn to her fingers.

"My queen has no ring not because of the lack of love nor was it because I looked down on her," Atticus said. "But rather, I have been a neglectful husband ever since we were married."

"No..." Daphne murmured under her breath, ready to argue back but one look from him and she pursed her lips shut.

He was helping her.

"I have failed to notice the importance of the wedding ring. Years alone had deprived me of the knowledge and I hence had not prepared something worthy of my queen at the time of our wedding. That is my mistake," he announced. "Secondly..."

His eyes coldly scanned the crowd until it finally landed on Prince Alistair. Behind him, two women had just joined the commotion.

Atticus’s eyes narrowed when he spotted Princess Drusilla hiding behind her brother’s figure a short distance away. Beside her stood a woman with raven black hair, a face that Atticus was sure he hadn’t seen the night of the welcome banquet. Yet, the resemblance she bore to the infuriating crown prince of Raxuvia was enough for Atticus to connect the dots.

Princess Aurelia, Prince Nathaniel’s twin sister.

Paired with Daphne’s imbecile of a sister, Atticus had just found the two women that had started all of this commotion.

His eyes were fully trained on those three people― Alistair, Drusilla, and Aurelia. They were the entire reason why his wife was now the hottest topic in the rumor mill.

"Why do you care so much about what my wife gets up to in her private time?" Atticus asked the crowd, raising an eyebrow. Even though he addressed no one in particular, that trained gaze of his told the crowd more than what was needed. "Surely you all have better things to do than to watch my wife around all hours of the clock?"

"We were just worried about you, King Atticus," Drusilla spoke up from behind Alistair.

She took a couple of steps forward, albeit still using her older brother as a meat shield so that she wasn’t in Atticus’s direct line of sight. One glare from him would’ve put her six feet under if she didn’t have the status of Reaweth’s princess to protect her from his wrath.

"As the king of Vramid, you should at least know your wife’s history. And Sister Daphne―"

"I fail to understand," Atticus interrupted, "how any of this is your problem."

Drusilla’s lips parted, ready to retort when she was quickly cut off by her own comrade.

"With all due respect, King Atticus, if the target of your wife’s charms is my brother, I think I have the right to intervene," Princess Aurelia said. "Especially when you are currently in my kingdom."

She walked forward, stopping only once she was directly in front of Atticus. Immediately, the crowd burst into a new wave of gossip. Aurelia’s face was only inches apart from Atticus and the look she had in her eyes was of unbridled fury― something that matched Atticus’s own expression.

Yet, what everyone was eagerly talking about wasn’t the distance between them but rather, the fact that she even dared to speak up against the mad tyrant of the North.

Atticus didn’t even flinch.

"Do not forget your place, princess." Atticus practically hissed out the words. "This is your father’s kingdom, not yours. Furthermore, when the day comes for the crown to be passed down, Prince Nathaniel will be the new king whereas you will never be the queen."

Princess Aurelia’s face flushed red― the underlying meaning of Atticus’s sentence hadn’t gone unnoticed.

"You speak for her even when she has tumbled with another man in the sheets?" Princess Aurelia asked, thoroughly agitated. "She has had men in her bed chambers late at night before she was even wed to you, Your Majesty! How would you know she is still pure?"

"I don’t need a princess that holds lustful eyes for her own twin brother to preach to me about my wife’s supposed infidelity," Atticus said, his tone frosty. "Even if my wife is unfaithful, her romance with Prince Nathaniel wouldn’t be something you, as his younger sister, can make decisions about. Whoever your brother wishes to court or not isn’t dictated by you."

His words sent an arrow right through Princess Aurelia’s heart. She stumbled back in shock as if the proverbial arrow had actually struck her through the chest and dealt fatal damage. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her dress, crumpling the material as she gnashed her teeth and looked at the ground in defeat.

Atticus merely scoffed, his grip on Daphne’s hand tightening.

Without warning, he reached down and easily picked her up bridal-style, causing Daphne to gasp in surprise. Her arms came to wrap around his neck for support, meeting his gaze when he looked down to make sure she was alright.

"This is my final warning," Atticus said, his voice firm. "Whoever dares to utter one more unsavory rumor about my queen without basis will be openly declaring war with Vramid." His eyes gleamed with savage menace, the aura surrounding him causing many to quiver in fear. "To which, in that case, Vramid will answer in full force."

Leaving his parting words, Atticus left with Daphne in his hands. Sirona and Jonah followed behind them. That left the crowd alone, stunned, watching as the four people departed.