Looking closer then, there wasn’t much to go by unless I myself went to the border and saw how many of Sirius' men had
arrived.
“And what are we doing about this?” I asked, looking at Nora at the other end of the table.
“I have sent more men to protect the outskirts of the borders as well as to show strength to our people in the villages
surrounding the barrier.”
Nodding in agreement, I didn’t need to question Nora as she’d been doing this job a lot longer than I’d been king. Why
however this required a meeting of the council I did not understand. When I was busy or indisposed, April dealt with things as
she was next in line. Only being removed if and when Ornella and I had children, which was a conversation for another day.
“And if that is so, why have I been called here?”
“We, sire,” Lord Wallace began to speak.
“We?” I interrupted.
“We, all of us,” Wallace gestured to the entire room.
“For the record, Lord Wallace—Myself, her highness and Lady Nora are not included in this,” Percy spoke, clearing his
throat and making sure I heard him.
“Yes, yes, Lord Percy we have all heard you voice your opinions many times already. Now, sire, my king.”
My eyes turned back to Wallace as he stood from the table, obviously trying to make his presence and voice seen and
heard. His grey hair poked out over the top of his pointed ears and his eyes appeared to have more wrinkles around them. Fae
aged slowly once they hit adulthood but there were always still little signs that showed time was slowly catching up.
“My king, we believe if you were to just hand over Princess Ornella this act of war would leave our shores.”
Pinching the tip of my nose in frustration, I slammed my other hand palm against the table, rattling the crystal glasses. I was
definitely not entertaining this idea again.
“Wallace, I have already had this conversation with both you and Lord Foster. I will not be sending my wife anywhere. She
is to be protected at all costs.”
“Even if the cost is you and your family's lives? Our lives?” Foster spoke under his breath and a snarl escaped my lips.
“If only you’d listen to reason.”
Another lord spoke this time, Lord Berwick, one of the newly appointed lords. Who’d recently inherited his lands after his
father passed a couple of years ago. We’d been the same age when our parents had died. Although kindred spirits in our job
roles, I despised his face and if I was able to dispose of him, I’d have been happy to have done so years ago.
“Lord Berwick, the man who only watches, listens but never says a word unless it will benefit him.”
“Never to benefit myself, sire, always to benefit this kingdom. Now I must speak up. I believe you may well have doomed