Lycan's Affection
For the Love of Blades

Conaan watched Eleanor as she tied his robe around her, then pushed her hands through her hair, pushing it down. She gave a small sigh, barely looking at him, then started to tie the robe around her even tighter.

"Where are you going?" His voice was soft, his eyes even softer.

She gave a small chuckle. "I need to take a bath. It is morning and..." She bit down on her lips, then met his eyes. "There is the real life ahead of us."

He smiled. "Death to me for wanting to spend the rest of my life in this bedroom."

She laughed, shaking her head. "You are still king."

He nodded, then sat up, his demeanor immediately returning. The Conaan that was infused by her love and made tender was now gone, giving way to King Conaan once more.

"What do you want me to do with the council, Eleanor?"

She turned to him, her eyes steely. "You would not like my answer."

"Nothing that comes from you is dislikeable to me. What do you want?"

She swallowed. "I do not want to see them killed because I want them to watch me give you an heir, but at the same time, I am scared. What if I never do and they get to laugh in my face instead?"

"Anyone who laughs in your face would be laughing to the hereafter."

She gave a small sigh. "You know what I mean."

Conaan moved, his head tilting to the side, his lips sucked in. "If you never give me an heir...then I am content with being just a husband. Not like my lifetime is that short that they are so eager."

She smiled, a bit of sadness settling in her eyes. "I know you would be content. But I want to be the woman you..."

"I never asked for repayment of favors. Last night we were not making heirs. We were not seeking to please the council. You were in my bed because that is where you were forever meant to be. Because next to me is where your heart truly lies. Is that not so?"

Eleanor nodded, closing the distance, her hands cupping his face as she gently lifted his to meet her eyes. "That is true."

"So tell me what you want me to do with the council and it shall be done. Immediately."

She pulled away, a small smirk gracing her lips. It heightened Conaan's mood even more as he watched her, the wheels in her head spinning.

A servant wearing the logo of the house of Lucas ran along the large manor. It was damp. The floor sticky, and the mud splattered around the grey shirt and slacks. But he did not stop as he ran quickly towards the large meeting room.

All of the council members were there, each wearing grim expressions, Lucas flexing an angry jaw.

"What should we do now? I got wind that last night might be their first night together. What if she really breeds?"

"But what if she does not?"

"We can not take chances like that. Everything seems to be in Conaan's favor. He got Esmeralda out of the way, even Anderson is unavailable. Now look at us. The breeder is in critical condition and likely to never give birth and we can not tell if that was from Conaan's knife or Eleanor's sickle, and we are risking a feud with her family. Maybe we should abandon this if we want to keepp our heads."

"I agree. I think His Highness has been far too patient with us, an attribute we all know does not run in that family. Maybe we should plead allegiance.."

"I hate cowards," Lucas said, interrupting the argument. "Have you forgotten we have power to express the people's..."

"Power that was vested on us by the king's order. He is still sovereign."

"I do not care!" Lucas yelled, flipping the cup of wine he was drinking. "I shall not allow that little slut of a woman..."

"My lord!" Came the yell from outside.

Lucas stopped talking as he raised his head to the entrance, the rest of the council that had been sitting in a semi circle around him turned too, in curiosity.

The servant ran in, and immediately bowed, his unruly hair falling in front of him. He stood back, then heaved a sigh, his cheat heaving.

"His Highness has sent a message to the entire council."

Lucas's brows furrowed, and the rest have nervous gulps, each looking at each other for some sort of supoort.

"Glad to see he has decided to get out of bed. What did he say?"

The servant swallowed, his eyes meeting Lucas'. "He said, Good morning to all the former council members of this great kingdom. Did I say former?"

Lucas sat up, his mouth falling open. "What?"

The servant swallowed. "I am still in the hall of convenience, I realized the servants did not clean the breeder's blood. The person who crawls to me first might get the job. Everyone else goes rogue."

Like an instinctive response, the coucil mems stood, each wide with schock.

"Does that mean..." One started to say, his hand going to his greying hair.

"I said it. The king has run out of patience. From the looks of it, he will be taking back the power vested on the council. If he does that..."

Lucas swallowed hard, then moved, circling around the low table. They all followed behind him, a total of eleven aged men making their way to the palace.

Conaan sat, his fingers lightly dangling off his padded pillow, a small smile on his lips. He simply could not get Eleanor's completely evil smile out of his mind, and the anticipation made him smile even more.

"It is ready, your Highness, you only need to stamp here." The royal overseer said, passing a scroll towards Conaan.

Conaan nodded, then sat up, grabbing the royal stamp. It was a fang with the lycan sign in front and he turned to the ink slowly.

"Conaan!"

He raised his head, then leaned back, a sickly sweet smile on his face.

The councilmen entered, led ny Lucas, his eyes wide with untamed anger.

Conaan let his eyes examine each of them, then gave a small smirk. "None of you are crawling."

"You can not do this! We were created as a link between the people and the king..."

"And all you have ever linked me with is a breeder. When did the council ever reflect the neds of my people?"

"That is not true, Your Highness. We have been trying our bery best..."

"Well, your best has not been enough for me. I will withdraw all of the power vested on you aged heads, and all of you will go rogue. There is no more place for you in the Lucan territory."

"Why?" Lucas spoke up, his breaths short from all the pent up anget. "Is it Eleanor who does not want us?"

Conaan laughed, sitting up. "You are right, Lucas. This kingdom is apparently not big enough to accommodate you and my Queen. Unfortunately."

"But your Highness, please show mercy." Another councilman said, his hands coming in front of him. "Maybe we were..."

"I knew it." Lucas laughed, then took a step so he towered above where Conaan was sitting, his eyes flaming. "That little slut is behind this. How insecure and aware of her shortcomings can a woman be that she has to get rid of everyone who can potentially even show the king that the kindgom deserves a better..."

With insane speed, the shiny blade of Conaan's sword rested right at the base of Lucas's throat, Conaan now standing above him, his eyes wide with a challenge.

"Say the last word, I dare you."

Lucas swallowed, his nose scrunching Up. Conaan moved further, pressing the knife even harder. It started to pierce into Lucas's skin, blood staining the long blade.

The council fell silent, breaths held, Conaan's wrath threatening to burst at the seams.

Suddenly, a bladw rested on Conaan's neck, freezing and tensing up the atmosphere even more. Conaan raised a brow as he turned to the wielder of the sword, his eyes thinning.

"I am afraid you can not do that, Your Highness."

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