The King’s Tainted Mate
Chapter 53

"Carene had always been a safe haven." Gol spoke of the once peaceful yet powerful kingdom that had fallen unexpectedly. In a matter of hours to be exact. Despite the heaviness of his words, he smiled. It was the first time I'd seen him do that in the absence of my mate. The pain was evident on the edges, but it was a smile regardless. "The noble house of Alde was it's proud protector. Under Alde's watch, Carene had known peace, abundance."

I'd learned of Alde. The famed warrior house of Carene as early as I had began my own military training.The house of Alde, descendants of noble warriors and protectors of the royal house. It was a task they prided themselves in generation after generation and with good reason. They were perfect at it. Some even believed that the moon goddess together with the gods had shared their very essence with the first Aldean warrior of whom the house of Alde had descended from. They were gods in their own right. For generations, plots against kings had been foiled, wars waged had been won, battles that raged had been quelled with so much ease that choosing to anger Carene by any kingdom had been considered a suicide mission.

So then how did a perfect generation of perfect warriors suddenly fail and let its kingdom fall in a matter of hours?

"Everything had began just as simply. An angry mob here. Unhappy kingdom folk there. Unhappy over the simplest of things. It is such that saddened the king the most and he had wished for nothing than to ensure his own people were always happy." Admiration for his king dripped with every one of Gol's words.

"To keep the king happy, one of such had taken me from his side. I'd gone on a diplomatic mission when a seemingly simple boundary dispute had tensions rising between the northern region of Carene and our neighbours. Those present at the negotiations from our neighbouring kindgom had demanded for nothing less than a lord from Carene and being the lord of the house of Alde, I had been the one to ride north.

Confident of my own expertise and knowing of the approaching feast of the moon, I had only ridden north with two of my best riders. Leaving my brother as per custom to stand in for me as lord of our house and ensure the royal house's safety. It was the worst mistake of my entire life." Anger came off in waves as Gol narrated what I was already beginning to comprehend as the worst betrayal to befall a man, a leader. "The dispute was resolved quicker than I had even planned and armed with good news I had ridden back to the capital in haste. The views of smoke, of burning buildings in the capital had been the ones to greet me on my arrival, however. The news I bore forgotten, I rode for the palace as one mad, all the while trying to link my brother. My mind link has never been as silent as it was that day. It was only when I'd been refused entry to the palace gates that what had befallen Carene had dawned on me." Gol finally held my gaze. His, was marred with pain. The sight of a man who had been burdened by his own failure to do the very thing impressed upon his heart. "It is always those close to you, those that covet what you possess that are the most dangerous. With the entire royal house poisoned during the feast of the moon, my brother had ascended to the throne without opposition. Those of the house of Alde who refused to stand with him were met with the same fate as the royal house. My own household included." A deep painful sigh and he was done.

I could only store ot the mon thot I now held in deep respect. Not only becouse he was the true lord of the house of Alde, but becouse he'd remoined strong even ofter the poin. Strong enough ond losted long enough to be my mote's sovior when she'd woshed up in the devil's river.

His wos o trogedy. One thot could hove driven mony wolves insone. How he hodn't gone mod only the gods knew. Whot did one soy to such o mon?

"Xotis does not hove to suffer the some fote." Liiro declored, thonkfully.

Gol nodded with more conviction thon I hod expected. "It doesn't." The sound of o sword ond onother being unsheothed brought my guord up instontly.

"Drop it, or I'll send your heod tumbling owoy from your wretched body." Rokon let out o menocing growl os the tip of his sword rested on Gol's neck. The two men's movements hod been like o flicker of light. Gol's own sword glimmered in the light.

"It is not whot you think, soldier." The outlow did not even flinch, disploying the feorless Aldeon blood thot flowed in his body.

"Drop it." Rokon moy not hove been o lord nor o descendont of Alde, but the heod of my king's guord wos equolly impressive. Spurred on by o weopon being drown in the presence of his king.

"Oh knock it off you two." Liiro scolded ond only then did the two relent, with Rokon returning to my side reluctontly.

Gol on the other hond took on on unexpected position os he dropped to one knee before loying his lorge sword on the ground before him. Surprised by his oction, my goze dorted to Liiro before folling bock on the outlow. "The house of Alde moybe no more, but I, os its lord, todoy offer to be protector of the royol house of Xotis."

Liiro grinned, Rokon goped ond me? Well, I couldn't wrop my heod oround whot would moke him chonge his mind ot oll. I recolled his demonds cleorly when he'd ogreed to remoin by Shylo's side. His recent ones when he'd ogreed to help in exchonge for revenge. I could only stare at the man that I now held in deep respect. Not only because he was the true lord of the house of Alde, but because he'd remained strong even after the pain. Strong enough and lasted long enough to be my mate's savior when she'd washed up in the devil's river.

His was a tragedy. One that could have driven many wolves insane. How he hadn't gone mad only the gods knew. What did one say to such a man?

"Xatis does not have to suffer the same fate." Liira declared, thankfully.

Gol nodded with more conviction than I had expected. "It doesn't." The sound of a sword and another being unsheathed brought my guard up instantly.

"Drop it, or I'll send your head tumbling away from your wretched body." Rakon let out a menacing growl as the tip of his sword rested on Gol's neck. The two men's movements had been like a flicker of light. Gol's own sword glimmered in the light.

"It is not what you think, soldier." The outlaw did not even flinch, displaying the fearless Aldean blood that flowed in his body.

"Drop it." Rakon may not have been a lord nor a descendant of Alde, but the head of my king's guard was equally impressive. Spurred on by a weapon being drawn in the presence of his king.

"Oh knock it off you two." Liira scolded and only then did the two relent, with Rakon returning to my side reluctantly.

Gol on the other hand took on an unexpected position as he dropped to one knee before laying his large sword on the ground before him. Surprised by his action, my gaze darted to Liira before falling back on the outlaw. "The house of Alde maybe no more, but I, as its lord, today offer to be protector of the royal house of Xatis."

Liira grinned, Rakon gaped and me? Well, I couldn't wrap my head around what would make him change his mind at all. I recalled his demands clearly when he'd agreed to remain by Shyla's side. His recent ones when he'd agreed to help in exchange for revenge. "For her." Gol spoke and I knew who he meant. "Because of her, the house of Alde can once more reclaim its glory. I no longer wish to run from the ghosts of my past." I could do nothing but nod, yet not out of pity, but out of admiration and respect and the fact that I knew that even though he was one man, he was a worthy ally.

"Well, that was unexpected." Liira was beaming as Gol and Rakon walked out, so much one would think we had just won the war. I on the other hand was still overwhelmed by what had just transpired and I couldn't help my mind shifting to my mate. No lands, kingdoms, not even titles and yet a lord swore to protect me in her name. And what had I done?

"This should make you happy."

"It does."

"It doesn't seem like it."

"I am." And that was the truth, but-

"When will you stop punishing yourself?" Liira looked askance at me.

"I am doing no such thing."

She scoffed. "Because burying yourself in all these kingdom matters just comes naturally to you and it is something you desperately need to do."

"Incase you have forgotten, I happen to be this kingdom's king." I shoved at whatever lay in front of me on my table, rearranging them in no particular order as Liira's words struck a nerve. "You forget that I have known you since before you were barely a pup in your mother's belly. Spit it."

"There is nothing to spit and I'm afraid-"

"You have barely slept in like forever, working day in and day out. Do you perhaps think killing yourself will right your past wrongs and maybe magically mend what has been broken?" "Believe me, if I even thought there was a slim chance that such a thing were possible, I would have slit my own throat-"

"Don't be ridiculous." Liira scolded. "If you think that your death would somehow undo what you have done then you have so much to learn about the bond that binds you to your mate." She'd hidden it. To someone who did not know her, they would have clearly missed the quake in Liira's voice, but I hadn't. It had been years since grandfather had passed and even when she spoke not of him, coming close to speaking of him in a conversation had always given me a glimpse of the pain Liira had tucked away in the crevices of her heart.

Lips pursed, not knowing what to say, I merely stared as her words made me realize how stupid my decision to stay away from Shyla had been.