Page 140 of The Princess and Her Grand King

“I wish to court her,” Daemonikai announced suddenly. “To build something meaningful with her. Something that can, I hope, grow into something even more profound. So that one day, she may stand beside me as my Grand Queen.”

The court erupted intochaos. That, apparently, was the last straw.

Loud murmurs, gasps, and shocked exclamations filled the air, echoing off the walls.

“How could you say such a thing, Your Grace?” A voice rose.

“It hasn’t gotten to that!”

“Our Grand Queen… ahuman?!” one from the back exclaimed.

“After all they did to us? This cannot be happening!”

***

Daemonikai let the noise swirl around him, his watchful gaze sweeping across the court as he observed them. Then, he swiveled his head, meeting the eyes of his grand rulers.

Zaiper’s expression was a stormy scowl, his jaw clenched. As if he’d swallowed something bitter and couldn’t spit it out.

Ottai wore a beaming grin so bright his eyes crinkled at the corners.

While Vladya offered a more reserved smile.

Glancing back at the court, his voice cut through the chaotic murmurs like a clap of thunder. “Silence.”

The hall fell deathly still, leaving a ringing silence in its wake.

A nervous cough broke the quiet, drawing Daemonikai's attention to the right.

High Lord Jakal rose, stiff in his military uniform, as he raised a hand. “May I address the court, Your Grace?”

“Go ahead, Lord of Military Affairs.”

Jakal shifted uncomfortably, his hands clasped tightly in front of him. “I understand where you are coming from, Your Majesty. Many of us do… it’s just…” He hesitated, his eyes darting across the room before returning to the king. “It’s going to be incredibly hard for our people to accept the idea of a human as our future Grand Queen. I mean, we lost so many to their kind. Entire families shattered. Many of us still carry those scars—both seen and unseen.”

“Lord Jakal is correct,” Lord Belzebob added, rising to his feet, his chair scraping harshly against the stone floor. “We understand she is your destined mate, Your Grace, but this will truly be difficult for our people to accept. Humans are our sworn enemies. Their treachery has cost us dearly. Should we not be focused on eradicating their kind rather than elevating one to a position of power over us?” He bowed deeply, his head nearly touching the table before him. “Please reconsider, Your Grace.”

“Please reconsider, Your Grace!” came the shouted chorus from others in the room, their collective voices tinged with desperation and unease as they bowed.

An oppressive silence followed.

“I have served as the Grand King of Urai for five millennia,” Daemonikai began, his voice resonating authority and sorrow. “I have always placed my people first—above myself, above all else. There are none here who can claim otherwise. I love my people dearly.”

Heads nodded around the room. Some murmured in agreement.

“During the Eclipse Moon, I fought to save countless lives. Even as my strength drained and my sanity teetered on the verge of collapse, I fought tirelessly for your families. I gave everything I had to protect my people." His voice dipped into a somber cadence. "And in doing so, I lost my family. The ones who meant more to me than anything in this world. While I protected your loved ones, I failed to save mine.”

Guilt and pain flickered in their eyes.

Slowly, heads lowered, their gazes cast down, including Belzebob’s.

“I never blamed any of you for what I lost. Instead, I bore my pain alone, even after the loss drove me mad. Even in my darkest hours…" Daemonikai's voice held an ache that could be felt in every corner of the room. "However, for the first time in five thousand years, I am choosing something for myself. I am taking something that brings me happiness, something that reminds me of what it feels like to live rather than merely exist.”

His tone grew firmer. “Many may not like the idea of me courting Princess Emeriel because she is human. But that is something you will simply have to learn to accept. She is mySoulbond. The one woman in the entire universe made for me.” His eyes burned with fire as they swept across the room. “I will not forsake her. Not for anyone or anything. If accepting her as my woman is too much for you, then so be it. But make no mistake.I would sooner relinquish the grand throne than let her go again.”

Shocked exclamations rose, jaws dropping in collective disbelief.

A few pairs of eyes were on the verge of popping out of their skulls in sheer astonishment.

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