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The dining hall was awkwardly quiet, only the sounds of cutlery against the plates. Usually the dinner table would be filled with talking and catching up, especially Eira who loved telling her father about her day, a new spell she has learned, or new skill in archery or sword fighting she has acquired.

But today she was as quiet as a mouse, keeping her head down and making no eye contact with anyone as she ate.

“So darling..” Melissa spoke out, hoping to lighten the mood in the room. “How was your day today?”

“It was fine,” Eira responded without looking up at who was speaking to her.

“Did anything interesting happen?” Melissa asked her daughter.

“No,” the princess responded flatly.

Melissa looked to her husband for help. She bopped her head towards Eira indicating that he should say something to her.

Gareth turned to his daughter and gave her a small smile. “So princess, did you learn any new spells

.....

today? Or maybe you learn a new battle skill when training with your uncle Zander?”

“I did not have the time,” Eira responded as she finished up her food. “I was busy meeting random men all day who do not even know the first thing about modesty, so I had no time to practice my magic.” She put down her fork and knife and looked up at her father. “And after the whole ordeal, I was both physically and mentally exhausted so I couldn’t join Zhel and uncle Zander for training. So to answer your question your majesty, no, I did not learn any new spells, and neither did I learn any new battle skill.”

Eira got to her feet and curtsied towards her parents and then to everyone else at the table.

“I am finished with my meal and will be retiring to bed now,” she spoke in calm emotionless tone. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Everyone at the dining table watched Eira walk out. It was clear that she was still not for the idea of meeting different men and finding a husband, but there really wasn’t much they could do now, especially after a royal decree had been passed.

Gareth felt downcast, just a few days ago he had made it his mission to bond with his daughter, and to seal whatever rift had formed between them. But now it felt like they had drifted apart even more than before, was he really doing the right thing by keeping Eira from Elric? Even though the man had crossed him on so many occasions, there was no changing the fact that Elric was Eira’s blood half.

“Don’t look so beat up,” Tauriel spoke as she continued eating her food. “The princess is a grown-up now, and she has her duty to the kingdom and her parents as well. She may seem a little upset right now, but she will get over it like any other adult would.”

Melissa held her husband’s hand and rubbed it gently. She gave him a sweet smile, and Gareth knew from the way she was looking at him that she was telling him everything was going to be all right, and that this was for the best.

“Do you have an idea of which men are to meet Eira on which day exactly?” William asked in a subtle attempt to change the topic.

Gareth shook his head. “The Royal guards are the ones with that type of information,” The Elven king responded to his brother-in-law. “I have been much too busy to go through the list of candidates, I left everything to them. So if it’s that type of information that you require, the Royal guards will have it for you.”

Melissa turned to her brother and gave him a skeptic look. She knew William well, it was rare that he brought something up without a valuable reason.

“Why do you ask?” Melissa inquired.

“There is a certain young man who has caught my attention,” William responded as he sipped the last of his wine. “The young elf, Ivan’s son.”

“You mean Jacob? What about Jacob has you so intrigued?” Melissa probed further.

William put his cup down, leaned back on his chair, and studied Melissa’s face, as if trying to decide whether to respond to her question or not. His delay in responding peaked Melissa’s interest even more. Was there something that Jacob had done that had caught William’s eye?

“I merely noticed that the young man has a bit of a crush on my niece,” William responded calmly. “He seems like the kind of young man who was given whatever he asked for growing up. And never takes no for an answer...”

“I did notice that Jacob was a little attracted to Eira,” Melissa admitted. “but why point it out now? What significance does him liking her have to do with any of this?”

Jacob nodded his hand before rising from his seat. “Nothing of much importance,” he responded. “But if it is alright with you, I would like to be present when Jacob has his hour with the princess.”

“Damien here and Zhelimir have been escorting Eira on her meetings with her suitors,” Melissa responded. “I suppose you could join them whenever Jacob is around.”

“I appreciate that, thank you very much.” William responded and then bowed respectfully to everyone at the table. ” I too will retire to my sleeping chambers, enjoy the rest of your evening everyone.”

*

Elric walked onto the carriage and sat down across from his father. As the carriage man closed the door, he peaked outside at the Gavarian terrain one more time.

“This is for the best,” alpha Edron spoke to his son upon noticing the disheartened look on his face. “That little hybrid princess would’ve brought you nothing but trouble my son. And you have already been through enough already, it’s time we go home where you can rest and have a peaceful life.”

Elric did not want to respond to his father, because he knew that his response would anger only him. The lycan knew that this would not be the last time he would be in Gavaria, how could it be, when his mate was right here.

“When I was your age,” The alpha spoke to his son, in hopes that a story from back when he once thought he would never have a child, would comfort Elric. “I was lucky enough to have already met your mother. But unfortunately, your mother has been through a lot of trauma in her life before we met, and many physicians had told me that it would not be possible for her to bare me a child.”

Elric kept his eyes focused on the small window of the carriage, watching the capital slowly fade away as they moved further and further towards the road that led to the snowlands. He was not a child, the lycan knew why his father was telling him this particular story in this moment. All he hoped, was that the man would not bring up trying to replace Eira with another woman, because that is something Elric would never allow.

“I was devastated of course,” Edron continued to speak, even though he could somewhat sense that Elric was paying no attention to the story. “But eventually I came to terms with our situation.” The alpha of the silver pack looked up at his son who was now leaning back on the carriage wall. “do you know why I am telling you this tale son?”

“if you are insinuating that I should find another woman and make her my wife...” Elric mumbled without turning to face his father. “I am sorry to disappoint you. But I would rather die alone, than end up in another loveless marriage. Especially while I know the woman meant for me is out there.”

“But it is unheard of for a man, a future alpha for that matter, to live a life without a partner.” Edron insisted. “Even if she may not shire you heirs, it is mandatory that you have a Luna to rule by your side.”

“Mandatory?” Elric asked with an arch of his eyebrow, for the first time that morning turning to look at his father.

“You are a lycan, it is the rule of the pack.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m going to be alpha one day,” Elric mattered more to himself than to his father. “I will do away with all those ridiculous rules. If the world does not allow Eira and I to be together, I will happily die alone, as long as I know she has not been forced to wed a man she does not love.”

“Well you cannot do much to change what is, my son,” Edron spoke with a hint of sympathy in his voice. “She is the crowned princess after all, and just because she will not be with you does not mean she will not be with anyone else. She will need a husband who will ascend the throne after her father steps down, that is the duty of a princess. It is the same with you, just because you will not be with Gareth’s daughter, does not mean you will not have a Luna. You have a duty as the crowned prince of the silver pack.”

“To hell with duty..” Elric mumbled to himself as he watched the last building of the capital pass. “I will come back for her, I have a duty to her as well, as my mate.”