21. A New Selection For The Heir's bearer

21. A New Selection For The Heir's bearer
Ashton's POV

Kylanor was always aggressive when it was just the two of us, but right now, he was using the rage that everyone was suppressing under their fear of me to attack me.
Passive-aggressive, but it was an attack nonetheless.
One that borrowed and twisted these people’s voices without them even realizing.
“You are trying to suggest?” I urged him on after he took that pause.
“Actually, not me, brother,” losing the title to appeal on a more familiar level. Way to go.
“It’s Minister Alfred who suggested doing this for the sake of peace and calm in the whole clan—also so that this thing can be taken out before it spreads.”
“Oh, really?” My eyes landed solidly on Alfred, who had gotten relaxed.
“Hmm, hmm.” He cleared his throat and straightened up.
“Yes. The representative can go with guards, but their lives would be his responsibility because the only time they agreed to a death clause is in case of war or sudden unrest. And just like you said in the beginning, we can’t be sure the plague is coming again.”
He said, and I felt another ten pairs of eyes on me.
“I see.” I nodded. How perfect.
“Does the border stay unguarded until then?”
“It won’t take long. After all, that’s why this meeting was called at midnight. It’s an emergency, so the representative has to leave immediately.”
“What else did you have planned before I entered this meeting room?” I asked even before the speaking elder could finish his sentence.
He chuckled, rubbed his hands, and eagerly answered without as much as taking a breath.
“You…” He raised his gaze to clash with my stern one.
I could hear how his heart thundered against his ribcage in fear.
“I’m sorry, Alpha Ashton.”
“It’s already been decided amongst all eleven of you that I would be the one going. If you’re apologizing with your head bowed, then would you expect them all to apologize as well?”
“N-no.” He was shaking in his boots, and I would have kicked him out for irritation if the stakes weren’t this high.
“Should the Luna come apologize for wanting to take the Alpha off his throne and use him as a scapegoat?” I asked again, and this time, he fell onto his knees. More pressure in the room.
“I’m sorry. Punish me, Alpha. Punish me.” He groveled at my feet, and I wondered how—just how—we managed to put this guy in charge of the finances if he was so weak as to cower.
But then I remembered that he was doing the most rational thing right now—and that’s how he landed the role.
However, he was spared that, seeing how this wasn’t exactly the best time to push for a younger, bolder, and more daring head of finance.
“Ashton, don’t scare the old man. How about this? I’ll go to the border and take a look.”
Kylanor stepped forward, using all the key words he knew would trigger everyone in the room.
And it worked like magic.
The tension eased into disagreement.
“No!” Mother immediately shot up to her feet.
I could hear the fragility behind the strength she tried to convey.
“Mother, it’s okay. I promise to return safely.”
“No. I can’t lose my son to those witches. Those witches.” She seemed delirious as she spoke.
“I will go with some guards, and it will be alright.”
“But this isn’t what we agreed on.”
Even the other elders were surprised, while Kylanor kept his smile on, having caught them with the element of surprise.
Myself included—but I was quick to recover.
Kylanor was always plotting against me, but this time, I feared this would be the greatest one yet.
Clearly, he had made this decision on his own before convincing them to nominate me for the death parade.
After calming everyone down, it was decided.
However, there was still an open end, which led the meeting to be adjourned until later.
“Before we leave, I think we should raise the issue of the Alpha’s inability to bring an heir.”
“That’s right. Ashton, my son, when will you bring an heir? Your deadline is close, and you might lose your throne. It would have been better for you to go to the border while your brother stays behind to look after the throne for you.”
She said, and I felt a tingle in my heart.
How did my mother suddenly know to call me her son now that she needed me to sacrifice the only thing keeping me alive?
“It has been decided, Luna Felicia. And with regards to my heir, I still have twelve months. How about you all exercise patience and focus on what truly matters?”
I said and walked out of the room, leaving them to look after the crumbs of their failed attempt at sending me to my death.
But I knew that even if I stayed behind, I was still in that much trouble.
It wasn’t until we were done with the meeting, and I was just a few meters away from my quarters, that I realized—
The timing was way too perfect.
I had just been in my room thinking about how getting rid of Kylanor was the best thing I could do for myself—to keep Mia on my side without any worries—and he straight-up volunteers himself.
Right after he agitated me and could very much know my wishes to get rid of him.
Something ain’t right.
The perfection and timing aren’t adding up well. But no matter how I try to look at it, regardless of the direction, I can’t pinpoint the actual error.
Then there’s the reminder to bear an heir.
The pressure is worse, and they have just said to either bring forth my heir within a year or give up the throne.
And with Kylanor volunteering to risk his life, I have no choice but to do that.
The stakes have just risen, and I have no one to have my back if I fail.
However, I still couldn’t expose the presence of the human to these power-hungry bastards.
So the best—and only—thing I could do is find one from our clan as cover.
Another selection would have to happen soon.Kylanor was always aggressive when it was just the two of us, but right now, he was using the rage that everyone was suppressing under their fear of me to attack me.
Passive-aggressive, but it was an attack nonetheless.
One that borrowed and twisted these people’s voices without them even realizing.
“You are trying to suggest?” I urged him on after he took that pause.
“Actually, not me, brother,” losing the title to appeal on a more familiar level. Way to go.
“It’s Minister Alfred who suggested doing this for the sake of peace and calm in the whole clan—also so that this thing can be taken out before it spreads.”
“Oh, really?” My eyes landed solidly on Alfred, who had gotten relaxed.
“Hmm, hmm.” He cleared his throat and straightened up.
“Yes. The representative can go with guards, but their lives would be his responsibility because the only time they agreed to a death clause is in case of war or sudden unrest. And just like you said in the beginning, we can’t be sure the plague is coming again.”
He said, and I felt another ten pairs of eyes on me.
“I see.” I nodded. How perfect.
“Does the border stay unguarded until then?”
“It won’t take long. After all, that’s why this meeting was called at midnight. It’s an emergency, so the representative has to leave immediately.”
“What else did you have planned before I entered this meeting room?” I asked even before the speaking elder could finish his sentence.
He chuckled, rubbed his hands, and eagerly answered without as much as taking a breath.
“You…” He raised his gaze to clash with my stern one.
I could hear how his heart thundered against his ribcage in fear.
“I’m sorry, Alpha Ashton.”
“It’s already been decided amongst all eleven of you that I would be the one going. If you’re apologizing with your head bowed, then would you expect them all to apologize as well?”
“N-no.” He was shaking in his boots, and I would have kicked him out for irritation if the stakes weren’t this high.
“Should the Luna come apologize for wanting to take the Alpha off his throne and use him as a scapegoat?” I asked again, and this time, he fell onto his knees. More pressure in the room.
“I’m sorry. Punish me, Alpha. Punish me.” He groveled at my feet, and I wondered how—just how—we managed to put this guy in charge of the finances if he was so weak as to cower.
But then I remembered that he was doing the most rational thing right now—and that’s how he landed the role.
However, he was spared that, seeing how this wasn’t exactly the best time to push for a younger, bolder, and more daring head of finance.
“Ashton, don’t scare the old man. How about this? I’ll go to the border and take a look.”
Kylanor stepped forward, using all the key words he knew would trigger everyone in the room.
And it worked like magic.
The tension eased into disagreement.
“No!” Mother frantically shot up to her feet.
I could hear the fragility behind the strength she tried to convey.
“Mother, it’s okay. I promise to return safely.”
“No. I can’t lose my son to those witches. Those witches.” She seemed delirious as she spoke.
“I will go with some guards, and it will be alright.”
“But this isn’t what we agreed on.”
Even the other elders were surprised, while Kylanor kept his smile on, having caught them with the element of surprise.
Myself included—but I was quick to recover.
Kylanor was always plotting against me, but this time, I feared this would be the greatest one yet.
Clearly, he had made this decision on his own before convincing them to nominate me for the death parade.
After calming everyone down, it was decided.
However, there was still an open end, which led the meeting to be adjourned until later.
“Before we leave, I think we should raise the issue of the Alpha’s inability to bring an heir.”
“That’s right. Ashton, my son, when will you bring an heir? Your deadline is close, and you might lose your throne. It would have been better for you to go to the border while your brother stays behind to look after the throne for you.”
She said, and I felt a tingle in my heart.
How did my mother suddenly know to call me her son now that she needed me to sacrifice the only thing keeping me alive?
“It has been decided, Luna Felicia. And with regards to my heir, I still have twelve months. How about you all exercise patience and focus on what truly matters?”
I said and walked out of the room, leaving them to look after the crumbs of their failed attempt at sending me to my death.
But I knew that even if I stayed behind, I was still in that much trouble.
It wasn’t until we were done with the meeting, and I was just a few meters away from my quarters, that I realized—
The timing was way too perfect.
I had just been in my room thinking about how getting rid of Kylanor was the best thing I could do for myself—to keep Mia on my side without any worries—and he straight-up volunteers himself.
Right after he agitated me and could very much know my wishes to get rid of him.
Something ain’t right.
The perfection and timing aren’t adding up well. But no matter how I try to look at it, regardless of the direction, I can’t pinpoint the actual error.
Then there’s the reminder to bear an heir.
The pressure is worse, and they have just said to either bring forth my heir within a year or give up the throne.
And with Kylanor volunteering to risk his life, I have no choice but to do that.
The stakes have just risen, and I have no one to have my back if I fail.
However, I still couldn’t expose the presence of the human to these power-hungry bastards.
So the best—and only—thing I could do is find one from our clan as cover.
Another selection would have to happen soon.