Chapter 22: The tiny walls of secrecy

I had to call myself to order, as everyone's attention was on me. I sat down slowly.

A murmur of surprise and curiosity went through the council. As some exchanged glances, some heads were bent, whispering in hushed tones.

The first to voice their opinion was the head of women's affairs. "Your highness, while I try to understand your choice, we must consider traditions, as we all know there is a bond between you and your mate, and we follow that strictly. The goddess has bestowed our fate on us, and bringing in someone who isn't your mate while the Queen is alive is not good enough". 

The king nodded, acknowledging the validity of her concerns. "Traditions are the cornerstone of our kingdom's stability. I value them greatly, but I believe it is also essential to adapt to the changing times. You all have been pestering me for an heir, and I thought of this as a solution since we haven't been able to produce one.".

The head of security spoke. "We all talk about traditions and the moon goddess; if the moon goddess bestowed a mate on us, why did she not bestow a child on the king's, knowing quite well that an heir is essential to the kingdom? The future of the kingdom rests on an heir, and if the king decides to take matters into his own hands, as long as it produces an heir, I think it's a good decision".

The king nodded, taking in every point.

One of the council's members spoke next. "My King, we must also consider the impact on the morale of the court. If you decide to bring in a new wife, I fear everyone who looks up to you will want to follow your path, and the bond of mate won't be followed again. This decision may be met with mixed reactions from the citizens".

The seer, who hardly speaks, voiced his thoughts.

"You all speak about the kingdom and citizens; you seem to have forgotten the wrath of the goddess; bringing in someone who is not chosen by the goddess to sit on the throne is like inviting death to ourselves; you all seem to have forgotten the days of ruins in our pack. We seem to have forgotten the struggle we faced then, the famine, and how it took a lot of pleas for us to be back again. Our traditions are not to be taken lightly. She has guided us through centuries of prosperity and stability. The goddess is not blind to the king's situation; patience is all she asks for".

The whole council became silent; no one dared speak against the seer. The seer is a man of great wisdom, and he is the only link we have to speaking with the goddess.

The king spoke after a minute of silence.

"I value your perspectives and the diversity of thought you bring to the table."

One of the councilors known for his blunt mouth. "My king, I hope you haven't gone ahead with this; I hope it isn't just for the formality you are telling us".

The king cleared his throat, and I stared at him, trying to see his reaction.

"Of course not; I dare not do anything without your agreement; the decision of the kingdom rests on us; it was just a thought that crossed my mind".

Everyone signed in relief, including me. I knew it was a cover-up, but at least the girl will remain hidden or silent forever.

I smiled victoriously at the outcome of today's meeting, hoping the king held on to his words. As we were about to leave, the king called me.

"Kira, wait behind". I waited as the others left, and he spoke.

"You will stop the visits for now; the council will have their eyes on us after today's meeting; I will look for ways to move her out of this pack and Kira."

I raised my head as the king stared at me. "None of these ever happen; the guards will be sent away, and I still need you, but I trust you to keep your mouth shut". 

"Your royal highness, who am I not to heed your commands? My mouths are sealed".

Leaving the palace was like dropping a huge burden off me. I have been feeling uneasy about this, and seeing the king come to a conclusion makes me happy.

On getting home, Lola sat patiently waiting for me.

"Child, sorry about that; I had to go see the king."

"Child, you call me a child. How could you, Kira? You claim to care for the Queen, yet you did this to her". Confused at her outburst, I stood looking at her.

"What is this about? How can you confront me over what I know nothing of? What's gotten into you, Lola?"

Her gaze met mine as she stared intensely.

"I know, Kira," Lola began, her voice steady but tinged with sadness. "I know about the King's affair with another woman."

My eyes widened, and I had to compose myself before Lola could notice. "Lola, I don't know what you're talking about," I replied.

"Don't deny it, Kira."

I never imagined Lola confronting me with this; I have been careful enough to keep things from her.

"I asked you, Kira; I asked what you were doing with the king; you said it wasn't my business; that night, I saw you in your most vulnerable state; Kira, you almost died because of that girl".

It was no use telling her my incident wasn't about the girl.

"Lola, you must understand; it's not as simple as it seems," I finally replied, my voice a whisper.

"I know it's not simple, Kira," Lola said, her tone softening. "I know you have nothing to lose, but you have me, Kira; you need to stop all these. Yes, you may be forced into it by the king, but you need to stay by the truth, Kira; this isn't you".

My eyes bore into Lola's silent plea for understanding.

I know I'm not on the right path, Lola, but sometimes the path to righteousness is shrouded in shadows. I hope you can find it in your heart to understand my actions. I did what I could to survive. Trust me, Lola, I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you. Don't worry about the girl; she isn't going to enter the palace, but Lola, I need you to keep your mouth shut; it's a royal matter, and if word goes out, you will be killed.

The king has realized his mistake, and he is going to cut ties with the girl soon. Please Lola.

Lola shrugged. "I may be young, but I'm not stupid. Whoever cuts ties with the one who holds their child—oh, wait, Robin does—but the king is desperate for a child; he can do anything.

I held Lola's eyes as they peered into mine.

"She won't come into the palace; the Queen is the rightful owner. I have realized my mistake, and I'm taking it as my responsibility to prevent the king from bringing her in".

Lola nodded as I released my hands. "Besides, how did you know about this?"

"The Queen told me", Lola said nonchalantly.

"The Queen, how did she know about that". I realized the consequences that lay ahead.

"You once said the palace has no secret; maybe your little secret isn't actually a secret".