Chapter 12 Facing The Council
Isabella hummed lightly as the elevator descended in silence.
She clutched her purse tightly, her sweaty hands on her blue silky dress. The one Lucien had specifically chosen for her. The necklace, his mother's, sits pretty on her neck, its cold pendant in a weird way, offering her some semblance of comfort.
The dress hugged her every curve, detailing an outline she didn't even know she had within her. She'd tried to object, but Lucien had shut her up with a kiss.
“They need to know you're my wife.” He'd whispered into her ears before walking into the bathroom, leaving her stunned.
She hadn't seen this possessive side of him.
And now her mouth moved silently as she counted the minutes till the door opened, till she was placed on trial like a dog slaughtered on the altar, till she was left to these old men, waiting like wolves ready to pounce on her.
“Breathe. You're going to be fine.” He whispered just as the doors opened.
Isabelle glanced at him, before looking straight ahead. The view in front of her was too magnificent to be described by mere words.
Lucien held out his hands to her, and she nodded gratefully, before intertwining her hands with his.
She couldn't walk into the magnificent building alone. Not even with him by her side. Her insides were a mess.
“Do not show them your fear.” He continued as they made their way to the council chamber.
“I can perceive it. It is very obvious.” He stopped, making her bump into him.
She shook her head, the tears pooling in her eyes. “I…”
“Look here…” he whispered, his voice softer than normal, soothing. “Isabelle.” He called again, but she looked at the grounds.
Lucien tipped her jaw slightly to face his eyes.
“What are you most afraid of?” He asked softly.
“What?” Isabelle jerked. That had been the least question she'd been expecting from Lucien. She hadn't even expected this level of softness. She'd thought he was going to berate her for showing her fear.
“What are you most afraid of?” He asked again, his eyes not leaving hers.
Isabelle took a long breath in. “Elias was being treated the same way I was.” Her voice was tightened with resolve.
Lucien held her gaze. He was surprised that she could be this firm. He nodded approvingly. This was exactly what it would take to fight the Council.
“Good.” His fingers left her Jaw but she didn't look away. “They're going to say a lot of things to you. Hurtful things. Things that'll make you want to run away. It's up to you…”
Isabella nodded firmly. The light in her eyes was back. She'd had no one to fight for her, but she was going to make sure to give everything to Elias. He would not be subjected to the same humiliation she'd gone through.
“I think I'm ready.” She said softly, her grip tightening on her clutch as she nodded.
Lucien smirked. “No, you're not.”
Isabella jerked her head in surprise at his words. He'd been the one encouraging her just now.
She shook her head in amusement. “I think…” She stopped in her tracks as the door to the Council level opened.
“Oh my…”
She whispered, mouth opened, eyes widened.
“You should close your mouth.” Lucien teased, his hot breath making her skin tingle.
“This is…scary.” She whispered.
Lucien nodded. She was right. The place was both magnificent and scary.
“...and beautiful.” She managed to utter, her eyes taking in every detail.
“It's time.” He said, just as the inner doors opened, revealing the Council.
Isabella nodded, the look of surprise wiped off her face, replaced by determination, as they walked down the aisle.
She could feel all eyes on them. There were a lot. Powerful men, who made important decisions for the kingdom had gathered on her behalf. They all exuded power and royalty.
“Eyes ahead, Isabella,” Lucien whispered into her ear as they walked. His hands were placed on her waist, protectively as if he was daring the men to do or say something.
She could feel his cold aura matching the Council's. Lucien stopped, and she almost walked into him, save for the fact that he was skilled and had stopped her in time.
She looked ahead. She and Lucien were standing in front of over a hundred elders.
“Welcome, Vampire King.” An Elder at her far distant right said softly. He was smallish and if he had not spoken, she would not have seen him.
He was seated in a secluded space, yet as smallish as he looked, all the other elders seemed to defer to him.
“That's the Head Councillor Sloan,” Lucien whispered into her ear.
Isabella nodded, amazed that Lucien was trying to fill her in.
“You know why you were summoned.” Sloane's tiny voice sounded all over the hall, and Isabella watched, amazed at the kind of authority he wielded.
Lucien nodded, his eyes narrowing as he took in all of them.
“I present my mate.” Lucien began, as he stepped forward with full authority. Isabella gasped softly. The Lucien speaking to these people was a completely different Lucien.
“Isabella Thorne, Your Queen.” His voice reverberated all over the hall as his palm landed on Isabllas's waist protectively.
There was silence.
Absolute silence.
It seemed someone had commanded everyone to be quiet.
Then the whispers began.
It was soft, but the voices were floating, and Isabella could hear every one of them, these voices were inconsequential as one face stood out for her in the crowd.
Harlan Thorne.
She glanced at him, her eyes begging him to hold her gaze, but he just wouldn't.
“Silence!” Lord Sloane's voice sounded over the room, silencing all other voices. “Anyone who has something to say would get the opportunity to speak.”
“You should change that to everyone.” A man said from the side. He was seated two seats away from Lord Sloane.
There were scattered laughs all over the room.
“Maybe you should begin, Blackburn.” Lord Sloane said, eyeing the man who'd cut him short.
He was big. No, bulky would be better used to describe him. He had some scary marks all over his face. He was the dreaded Blackburn. The one she'd been told stories of as a child.
Lucien's arms tightened around her waist, his own silent way of reassuring her that he was still there.
Before they'd left his mansion, he'd told her. “If you need me to step in, just say the word.” She'd nodded and had brushed it off.
But it seems, she could take him up on his offer before Blackburn opened his mouth to speak. He looked like he'd come ready for her.
However, as sweet as Lucien would be, standing up for her, or whisking her away like her prince charming. She knew she needed to stand up for herself. If she didn't, they would never accept her. Heck, they wouldn't even respect her.
She nodded, her chin straight as she anticipated Blackburn’s antagonising question.
But instead, he turns to Lucien.
“I have a question for you, Your Majesty.” He said, a small smile playing at his lips.
“Blackburn…” Sloane’s voice held some warning. The questions are for our Lady Isabella here, not the king.
Blackburn nods, his gaze not leaving my face. “I know, Lord Sloane. But this question also concerns the King's beloved.”
He'd said the beloved with a small smirk on his face, as if taunting Lucien.
Sloane nodded and waved his hand in resignation.
Blackburn nodded, his expression grim, his eyes not leaving me.
“Doesn't your Majesty think, his lady Isabella is beneath his status?”
The hall erupted noisily. Everybody was giggling excitedly, talking to their partners and in all this, Blackburn held my gaze.
“I mean,” he continued amidst the noise. “We all heard that she was almost auctioned off…”
Isabella bit her lips to prevent herself from crying out loud. It had not been general knowledge. Only very few people knew that and now, he'd just announced it.
“Shouldn't his Majesty, go for someone well within his class and not someone with moonlit blood. Someone who's a ticking bomb in disguise.”
She felt Lucien move beside her and held him, before stepping forward.
“Your concerns are very valid, Lord Blackburn.” She'd swallowed all the pains and looked straight at him.
“I mean, if I were an elder, I would not allow my king to make such an uninformed decision.”
She took a few steps forward. Looking at the elders before returning her gaze to Lord Blackburn.
She could feel Lucien's gaze on her back but she continued, undeterred.
“But the question I think we should be asking, Lord Blackburn, is this coming from a place of concern or greed?”
The now silent hall erupted into noise, but she continued.
“After all, it's not a new thing, that you have been grooming your daughter…” She stopped, cocking her head to one side as if in mockery, before resuming.
“Or should I say daughters for the king's pleasure.”