Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 828: Family Meeting With Aldric —3

"Of course, there’s a catch. Haven’t you learned enough? Nothing comes free in the Fae realm." King Oberon’s voice carried a hint of pride as he spoke. Had it been his other sons, they would have eaten this up—Theodore especially—without thinking it through.

But Aldric wasn’t like his brothers. He had foresight and shrewdness, qualities befitting a king. Oberon let out a wistful sigh. Aldric would have made the perfect ruler for Astaria, but such a move would tear the kingdom apart. Not that Valerie was a bad choice. In fact, he would have been perfect if he could overcome his doubts and be more open-minded.

Aldric, however, possessed a hunger for achievement and a certain streetwiseness. It was the same hunger that had laid the foundation for Astaria— the unification of the Fae realm.

Valerie was born to rule it, to maintain what had already been built. But Aldric? Aldric was born to lead, to conquer, to unite in ways he couldn’t. And Oberon could see the dark Faeries becoming part of that unification.

The dark Fae had been a terror in the past under their previous leaders, but Aldric was not like them. He could lead them, control them. No dark Fae was stronger than him now, a child born of light and darkness.

It was amazing how a change in perspective could alter everything. Once, Oberon had thought of Aldric as a curse. Now, he couldn’t help but wonder if Aldric wasn’t, in fact, a perfect orchestration of the gods, a messiah who could unite them all.

Oberon exhaled deeply, his thoughts weighing heavily on him. If the others knew what he was thinking, there would be accusations of treason and protests across his kingdom.

"Fine. What is the catch, then? Say it, let’s all hear it," Prince Aldric demanded, his voice tinged with irritation.

"Swear to me you will not go to war with the light Faeries. Not one single court will you lay a hand on," King Oberon said, his tone serious.

"What?" Aldric was dumbfounded.

"You heard me," Oberon continued. "Swear that once you are crowned king, you will keep your people under control. When Valerie is crowned king, the two of you will rule side by side as allies, contributing to the success and growth of Astaria for all Faekind."

Valerie let out a groan, his face twisted in a restrained protest, but he said nothing more.

Aldric, however, wasn’t so easily convinced. "And if I agree to this rule, what happens when Astaria itself turns on me? I’ll be bound, helpless to defend myself because of this pact. How is that fair?"

King Oberon nodded, acknowledging the point. "There will be rules to tackle that. Just as you couldn’t attack Astaria, Astaria wouldn’t be able to attack the dark Fae as long as both sides adhere to these rules. They will be drafted once you agree to the offer." He gave Aldric a pleading look. "I know I haven’t been the perfect father, but this is the perfect way to prevent my sons from killing each other."

Two kings cannot rule one kingdom, and to prevent such tensions, once Valerie is crowned king, the other princes would return to govern their respective realms. Unless invited for special occasions or royal meetings, they would have no place in the palace anymore.

Aldric glanced around the room, his eyes scanning the faces of his family. "Do I have to make a decision immediately?" he asked, his tone cautious.

King Oberon shook his head. "No, take your time. After all, there’s a lot to prepare. We have to go over laws, bills, and other matters. Preparing your coronation and Valerie’s coronation is no small feat."

The tension in the room was palpable, each member of the royal family absorbing the gravity of the situation in their own way. Valerie shifted uncomfortably, his desire to leave evident. "Is that all?" he asked, clearly impatient.

Oberon’s lips pressed together in a thin line. "Not quite." He paused, and Valerie’s annoyance was palpable.

"What is it, then?" Valerie asked.

King Oberon took a deep breath before delivering the final blow. "Aldric and Islinda will stay at the palace until his coronation is settled, and he has his kingdom to rule."

All hell broke loose.

The announcement was met with immediate resistance. Queen Maeve, Queen Nirvana, Valerie, and Theodore all erupted in protest. It was bad enough that they had to endure Aldric’s presence at this table; now it was going to be permanent?

Queen Maeve was the first to voice her outrage, her voice shrill with anger. "This is madness! Have you forgotten what happened the last time Aldric stayed here? He nearly killed Valerie!"

Valerie, his voice cold and hard, added, "I cannot share the same space with Aldric. We’ll tear each other apart." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Queen Nirvana’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What is your true purpose for this, Oberon? Is it really just about the coronation, or is there something more?"

Theodore crossed his arms, his voice laced with distrust. "I don’t trust Aldric around my daughter. What if he decides to play one of his cruel jokes on her?"

Only Queen Victoria and Andre remained silent, sitting with their arms folded and expressions of indifference, as if they were not part of the family drama unfolding around them.

King Oberon stood firm, his gaze sweeping over the room. "This is not up for debate. Aldric needs to stay close to the palace to learn how things are done. He is, after all, my son."

Aldric, ever the provocateur, couldn’t resist the urge to stir the pot further. "You’re all just jealous," he said with a smirk, his tone mocking. "Afraid of what I might achieve while you all wallow in your little comfort zones."

The room exploded into chaos, voices rising in a cacophony of arguments and accusations. The air was thick with tension, so much so that Islinda began to feel the weight of it pressing down on her.

Her head started to pound, the noise becoming unbearable. She rose to her feet, intending to defend Aldric, but the world around her started to spin.

The last thing she saw was Aldric’s concerned face before everything went black, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.