Chapter 20: THE KING'S MATE IS A SILENT LUNATIC WITH A SHATTERED MIND

SARGIS' POV

Court of Elders – Grand Hall, Morning

The room buzzed with low murmurs as the kingdom's most influential voices gathered at the round obsidian table. Sunlight slanted through tall windows, casting the royal crest in golden hues upon the polished floor. The tension in the High Court was so thick it clung to the air like damp fog.

I sat at the head of the obsidian table, surrounded by twelve court officials, all draped in ceremonial robes except me. My parents sat to my left, looking every bit the ruling monarchs they once were.

"The Eastern Riverlands are restless again," General Tavrek began, his gravelly voice was laced with irritation. "Bandit factions are creeping toward our borders and testing our patrol lines."

"And that's because they smell weakness," High Chancellor Elra added.

My jaw ticked in annoyance, but I remained silent.

"Trade has suffered severely as a result," Master Callon, the court's economic advisor, added. "Caravan routes through the northern passes have seen delays, and the Merchants are unsettled. We need to reassert strength and show them the Crown still governs with order."

"I've doubled the patrols," I responded definitively. "The Northern Lords have been summoned, and I've sanctioned aid to stabilize the merchant guilds. You speak as if I've been absent from the throne, and yet I sit before you, overseeing every matter this kingdom requires."

There was a beat of silence.

"You've ruled efficiently, no one disputes that," Elra responded. "But with all due respect, Your Majesty, you cannot rule in halves. The people look to your mate. Your Queen. And she has yet to show herself. A king's silence can be interpreted as indifference. Or worse, fear."

So it begins, I thought bitterly. We've moved from bandits and borders to the real reason for this gathering. I folded my hands in front of me calmly.

"Are we done discussing my kingdom?" I asked, sweeping my gaze over the table. "Or have you all simply gathered to ask why my mate hasn't stepped into a ballroom yet?"

No one answered.

I leaned forward. "Because if you've come to advise me on war, trade, or diplomacy, I welcome it. But if you've come to pass judgment on a woman you've never met, you insult both her and your king."

"Your Majesty," Elder Varn began, ever the most vocal of the traditionalists. "It has been months since the girl was brought here. The kingdom is uneasy. Rumors continue to spread, and there is still no formal announcement, appearance, or ceremony. We cannot delay tradition much longer. Your people are growing restless."

I sat tall in my seat, with my fingers steepled beneath my chin.

"Hmmm." i hummed, trying to keep my cool.

My mother cleared her throat softly. "Sargis, no one here doubts your devotion, nor your instincts. But this secrecy? It only breeds suspicion. They say she's mute. That she's unfit. And worse, that you hide her because you're ashamed."

My eyes flashed to hers. "I am ashamed of nothing."

"Then why keep her hidden?" one of the generals pressed. "Why isolate her, Your Majesty, if she's truly to be our queen?"

I inhaled slowly through my mouth, keeping my temper in check. Barely.

"She's not a pawn to parade around," I reply coldly. "She's healing."

"And what of diplomacy? From across the table, the Minister of External Affairs interjected. "The other great Lycan kings are watching....."

"I haven't neglected my duties," I cut in sharply. "Trade routes are steady. Patrol lines have tripled. I've personally sanctioned negotiations with the Eastern Clans. This court may be fixated on ceremony, but the kingdom is not crumbling because I chose to protect my mate."

"She is not the only one in need of protection," Varn said pointedly. " What of your people? A queen must be more than a symbol. She must be strong, vocal, and capable."

"She is capable," I growled. "More than any of you realize."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," Chancellor Tyrus chimed in, "this isn't merely about capabilities. This is about tradition, order, and the future of the kingdom. It's about the strength of the bloodline and the integrity of the Lycan crown."

I leaned forward. "Are you questioning mine?"

His lips twitched. "Never."

"You're all toeing a dangerous line." I gritted out.

Someone dared to scoff. A low, bitter sound that scraped across my nerves. "So the rumors are true then? The king's mate is a silent lunatic with a shattered mind.."

I felt a surge of indignation rise within me, and before I could think, I shot to my feet. The chair I had been sitting in crashed against the stone floor, producing a screech that echoed ominously in the hushed room. As I stood tall, waves of Alpha energy radiated from my being, the power swirling around me like a tempest. I could see the immediate reaction from those around me; grown men visibly flinched, their bravado deflating in an instant as they registered the force of my presence.

"You forget yourselves. Doubting her is doubting me. I will not be questioned like a reckless boy. I am your King." I growled, the power in my voice reverberating through the hall, amplified by the force of my title.." And I've ruled this land with fairness and strength long before I even found her, while you all sit and pass judgment from the comfort of your chairs."

The elder who had spoken lowered his gaze immediately, bobbing his throat.

"I have given this court the benefit of transparency. But if you question her again... if you question me again, or hear anybody speak ill of my mate," my voice thundered now. I leveled the elder who dared call her a lunatic with a hard look, "You will not leave this chamber with your tongue intact."

A beat of silence followed.