Page 83 of The Princess In A 'Prince' Disguise

So, a slave then.Emeriel noticed that the slaves in the household appeared to be well-dressed and healthy, unlike every other slaves.

Lord Herod turned to Emeriel. "Are you hungry?"

Emeriel nodded quickly before he could talk himself out of it.

Lord Herod smiled. "Come, let's go eat."

During dinner, Emeriel began to relax. Could it be that this lord hadn't summoned him here for a sordid affair, where his body would be taken in exchange for keeping his secrets? It all seemed too good to be true.

"I can see your mind working," Lord Herod remarked.

Emeriel decided to be honest. "This is not what I expected."

"I get the idea of what you might have expected, but I want you to know that not all lords in Urai are heartless."

Emeriel tried to suppress the skepticism in his gaze, but Lord Herod noticed it nonetheless and nodded firmly. "I know it may appear that way, but not everyone is like that. The people are hurting, and they are projecting their pain onto others."

Emeriel paused, contemplating a question that had always troubled him. "Why should we be punished for the sins of our ancestors? Urekai treat every human as if we were the ones who invaded their land. We shouldn't be held accountable for the actions of others just because we belong to the same species."

Silence fell over the table and Emeriel lowered his head, focusing on his food. Well, now he would find out if Lord Herod was merely pretending to be kind. Knots formed in Emeriel's stomach.

"You're absolutely right," Lord Herod responded, and his head snapped up in astonishment.

The lord shrugged. "It's the truth. No one should have to pay for the sins of their forefathers. However, Urekai have long lifespans, and unfortunately, our people hold grudges for a long time. A human's life is short. Fleeting. And since we still suffer from the consequences of what humans did that night, forgiveness becomes incredibly difficult. We lost the most important person in every Urekai's life that night—Grand King Daemonikai. He had been our grand king for over four thousand years. Our people are lost without him.”

A shiver ran down Emeriel's spine at the mention of that name. He brushed it aside. "But what about the other grand lords? Surely, one of them could take his place. Delaying the decision only prolongs the people's pain."

"The struggle for power lies between Grand Lord Vladya and Grand Lord Zaiper,” Lord Herod explained. “The latter is truly cruel and would not be of any help to the people. Many wish for Lord Vladya to assume leadership, but according to what I've heard, he has no aspirations for the throne. Moreover, heis still wounded—he suffered great losses that night and is still grieving. He doesn't know how to recover from that pain. It has changed him."

After the events of the previous night, Emeriel couldn't discern much of a difference between Lord Zaiper and Lord Vladya, but he kept his opinion to himself. "And what about Lord Ottai?"

"Grand Lord Ottai is fairly good-hearted, but he lacks political acumen. Also, in Urekai society, only the strongest among us is deemed fit to be king, and while Lord Ottai possesses incredible strength, he is not the strongest. Furthermore, he has no ambitions for the grand throne."

Emeriel pondered for a moment before another question arose in his mind. "Forgive me for asking, but how did your late bondmate live for hundreds of years when she was human?"

A soft, nostalgic light entered Lord Herod's eyes. "When a Urekai forms a bond with a syren, their lifespans become intertwined. The remaining years the Urekai has left are shared with their bondmate. So, if I had three thousand years remaining, half of that would go to my non-Urekai mate."

"Wow," Emeriel exclaimed, amazed by the revelation. "Did you ever regret sharing your lifespan?"

"Never." Lord Herod shook his head firmly. "I would do it all over again in a heartbeat if it meant she would have survived her illness. Every Urekai wants the fulfillment that comes from being bonded to another and sharing our lifespan with them.”

Emeriel hesitated, his curiosity still lingering. "What happens when the bondmate passes away?"

"Some believe the remaining shared years return to the Urekai, but the truth is unknown," Lord Herod replied. "Since Urekai lifespans can vary greatly, with some living for only two thousand years while others for twelve thousand, there is no definitive answer. However, we Urekai are ageless. We do not age like humans."

Emeriel was fascinated. What would it feel like to live for hundreds of years? The concept was mind-boggling.

"My son, Dale, resides far away due to his deep love for nature and a passion for studying.” Lord Herod's expression softened. “After Vera's passing, loneliness settled within these walls. I have taken a liking to you, Emeriel, and I hope we can grow close to one another."

As Emeriel made his way back to the fortress, his mind filled with thoughts of his visit to Lord Herod.

For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of calm and tranquility. He had tried to read Lord Herod's eyes when he declared his likeness for him, and while his gaze was intense, it wasn't predatory.

The rest of the dinner had passed in comfortable silence, and then Emeriel had left. Lord Herod had given him permission to visit again, and Emeriel knew he would. If only for the good food.

Perhaps Lord Herod could be the answer to his and Aekeira's situation. He might be the only Urekai capable of providing the assistance they needed. Lord Herod stood out as the first genuinely kind-hearted Urekai Emeriel had encountered.

He had taken the time to engage in conversation with Emeriel, seeing him as a person rather than a mere object to be tossed around. Speaking with Lord Herod had proven surprisingly easy, far from the terrible encounters Emeriel had come to expect from Urekai.

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