The Crown's Entrapment

Quickly moving behind, Darius immediately caught Xen's falling body in his arms. Xen's face was troubled, worry staining those usually beautiful features.

"Why are you so stubborn?" Darius murmured while he lovingly gazed at the person in his arms.

He was too exhausted last night that he dozed off quickly the moment he had his back on the comfortable bed. He almost went crazy when he woke up and found out that Xen was already gone.

Worried as hell for Xen's safety in traveling alone, he instantly shifted to his Wolf-Man form to look for Xen. Thank the heavens that he arrived just in time.

Darius turned to Gideon, "I need a room. I will see to Xen first before anything else."

"But Your Majesty," Gideon quickly spoke up. "King Nikolai and the Council are waiting for yo-"

"Not until I set Xen down on a comfortable bed!" Darius growled.

Doing his best to play the concerned diplomat, Gideon approached his King and offered, "I can carry Xen for you-"

"No!"

Darius barked aloud, ignoring all reason as he promptly walked ahead towards the castle hallways.

Spotting a Valcrez soldier, he then told him to call for an Ebodian servant that could assist him with locating an appropriate chamber for Xen.

Soon, a servant came, and Darius gave the woman a scrutinizing look as she slightly bowed her head.

The King almost barked out, "Lead me to one of your guest chambers."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the servant commented as she slightly tilted her head, only for her face to contort as a horrified look etched itself onto her face.

"What's wrong?" Darius asked with a frown, noticing how the servant's gaze locked itself onto Xen.

The servant stammered, "Uhm… I-I'm probably just mistaken, b-but he l-looks like-"

"Dolly," a woman's voice suddenly interrupted, grabbing both of their attention as they turned their head to look at the newcomer.

Looking on, Darius squinted at the woman wearing a regal outfit rapidly approaching them. With a crown sitting prettily on her head, he instantly recognized the figure as the respectable Queen of the Kingdom of Ebodia.

"Your Highness, King Darius, I was informed of your arrival, and my husband, King Stephan, asked me to leave the meeting hall in order to escort you to the-" Queen Dana interrupted herself, her eyes lingering on Xen's unmoving figure in his arms.

Taking note of the Queen's sudden pause, Darius gave her a scrutinizing look. Somehow, he saw a hint of surprise flash through her face before it quickly disappeared.

The Queen was now expressionless as she promptly continued, "I see that you have an unconscious companion. Is he ill? Would you like me to get a healer to check on him?"

"Yes, please," Darius politely replied "And would you kindly show me to a room where I can have Xen rest and be guarded by my men before I see Nikolai and King Stephan?"

"Please follow me," Queen Dana said with a timid smile as she walked ahead of Darius.

As they walked through the halls, Darius couldn't help but speak up.

"I've heard about the situation from my men, and you must trust Nikolai on this. I know I'm an outsider, but I know him enough. He's with the Council and the other royals, so it was inevitable for him to do what he must to pacify them," he explained.

"He will surely handle everything in a calm and careful manner, and he will be considerate to Ebodia's plight…"

Darius didn't know why he said those exact words, but Queen Dana somehow reminded him of his own mother. He was pretty sure that the Queen was worried, and he wanted to give the woman some comfort, knowing how his friend Nikolai's mind works.

Surely, the Vampire King wouldn't abandon Ebodia and let it be doomed just because of a runaway bride.

"That's thoughtful and considerate of you, Your Highness," Queen Dana smiled.

"However, I am confident that my daughter will come back for us. She can be reckless at times, but she will not let anything happen to her family. She will return and fix everything for sure."

Hearing her words, the King was a bit surprised at how confident the Queen sounded. But either way,  he was glad to hear it. At least he wouldn't need to meddle in this affair after all.

In the end, he would just finish his business talking with King Stephan and be on his merry way. His fellow king's personal request for his presence was the only reason he was in Ebodia in the first place anyway.

Showing his respect to his fellow monarch, Darius quietly followed the Queen until they found themselves entering a spacious bedchamber. Walking forward, he gently laid Xen down on the bed.

"Hmm… You seem to be a bit attached with this lad, Your Highness," the Queen commented, her soft gaze lingering on Xen's unmoving body.

"I guess you could say that," Darius commented, an unknowing smile spreading across his face.

"I see," the Queen nodded. "No matter. You can safely leave the lad under my care and-"

But before she could finish her words, Gideon and Bartos had suddenly entered the bedchamber. She kept her tongue as she watched on.

"Apologies, Queen Dana, but these are the men who will guard Xen for the time being," Darius explained. "Xen has the tendency to run away…"

Looking at the two imposing men standing guard, Queen Dana could only nod as her eyes fixated themselves on the unconscious lad.

"I see. I guess he loves running away then," she closed her eyes. "Very well. Come now, and I will escort you to the meeting hall where everyone is gathered."

Giving her a nod, Darius followed suit, giving Gideon and Bartos a knowing look as he telepathically relayed, [Make sure you won't lose Xen, or you two will have to face my wrath.]

His two knights could only gulp, bravely nodding at the same time as they stood guard.

Walking back out to the hallway, the two monarchs fell into lockstep as the Queen asked. "How did he fall ill, Your Highness?"

"Xen ate a poisonous berry, the Tatar berry, by accident while we were on the run through the forest," the King told his story. "I already gave Xen a few drops of my blood to fight off the poison, but Xen's body is still adjusting to the treatment."

Darius let off a small breath as he continued. "I will appreciate it if you will send for a healer with magical power to tend to Xen's injury. I will need Xen to be in good condition as soon as I am done talking with His Highnesses."

"I see," Queen Dana let off a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. We will have the best healers in the kingdom to attend to him."

After a few moments of walking, the Queen finally stopped in front of a door guarded by the soldiers of Valcrez. Moving forward, the soldiers bowed to the two of them, opening the door as they ushered them inside.

Darius thanked the Queen for her time before walking further into the meeting hall. There, he shook his head upon seeing the commotion currently taking place as soon as he entered.

Already, Darius could see a few familiar faces coming from Valcrez. His eyes then darted towards the woman sitting beside King Stephan. He could only assume that she was the second daughter, but her face was currently covered by a veil obscuring her from vision.

Despite his annoyance at the accessory, he still understood how it was a part of the customs of Ebodia for the wife-to-be to cover their faces on their wedding day.

Quietly observing, Darius noted that Nikolai was quiet, his non-answer to King Stephan's offer still being the most pressing topic in the room.

"This is unacceptable! How could you expect us to settle with the second daughter when you promised us your eldest?!" one of the Valcrez Elders pointed out. "Isn't she the cursed Princess?! Are you belittling our Kingdom?!"

Darius shook his head upon seeing Nikolai's unbothered expression. His fellow King turned to him as he scoffed, "I see that you're here to witness this mess, my dear friend."

Darius chuckled, not bothering with the current situation brewing around him as he said, "I guess nobody would want to marry a bloodsucking bat, huh?"

"And as if any human would want to marry an ugly barking dog," Nikolai jokingly scoffed as he stood in his chair. Approaching his friend, the two Kings shared a hug. "It's good to see, my friend."