A Bastard's Allure-Chapter 99: Succession Dispute

"You’re nervous?" Gabriel asked.

Elena clutched her trembling hands behind her back and gave him a nod. "A little," she admitted.

Gabriel’s eyes traveled her length and settled on her knees, a naughty idea invading his thoughts.

"Isn’t it amazing that your hands are trembling instead of your knees?"

Elena met with his gaze and the smirk on his face was all it took to decipher what he was talking about. Her cheeks flushed instantly when she remembered they’d just made love staring at the sea a while ago. Embarrassed to look at his face any longer, she cast her eyes forward and lifted her chin.

"Stood like a true queen," Gabriel teased, turning sideways to stare ahead just like her.

"Might emerge as one the next moment I step out of this hall," she said, her eyes still cast on the double doors. "I wonder what sort of punishment I’ll give you this time."

"Tie me to your bed all night," Gabriel introduced an idea.

"Trust me, I’m worse than my brother," she teased when the double doors swung open. With a smile planted on her face, she walked in the hall leaving Gabriel rooted at the same spot, a smirk dancing on his lips.

"We’ll see about that," he said to no one in particular and followed her inside.

"Princess Elena Thornhart and His Highness, prince Gabriel..."

"Crown prince," Gabriel interrupted to correct the herald. Everyone eyes shifted to him and he bathed in the glorious attention.

The herald cleared his throat before continuing, "Crown prince Gabriel Sinclair of Eldoria."

The court officials were not seated in the gallery as was their custom. Today, they encircled the empty throne as maids served them wine. Gabriel noticed that most of them were grey of hair. There were three empty seats at the end of the circle.

Elena chose the seat between the three empty ones while Gabriel stood beside her, his hands rested on the back of the chair.

"Should he be here?" One of the court, an old bent man with a small bald in the middle of his grey head asked.

"Gabriel’s my husband," Elena voiced, her chin raised to intimidate the flock of old shells.

"If that’s the case, we could have brought our wives along," Lord Atticus said. He was the oldest amongst the court officials and had served three kings consecutively.

Gabriel’s knuckles cracked as he took a firm grip on the seat. Humans were just big talk and nothing to show for it. Patience was a virtue he lacked but he had to exercise it here before he snapped someone’s neck, most of whom the grave would be much of a solace.

"Lord Atticus, right?" He asked, walking around towards where the old man sat. He gently squeezed his shoulders and bent closer. "I’ve done a little research about you, you know. Imagine how pleased your wife would be if she found out..."

He let his eyes travel across the circle, engraving the face of each court present. And whispering into Atticus’ ear, "Visiting a pleasure house for a married man. The shame in it, especially for a man your age."

He gently slapped Lord Atticus shoulders and didn’t need to look at his face to see the horror. And why would he when he heard his heart race like a wild stallion?

The herald stood inside the circle, a scroll in his hand. Gabriel continued walking around the outer path of the circle and he could tell he was making the court officials uncomfortable.

"With our king departed, it has been tradition to choose the next ruler a day after a ruler’s funeral. Normally the ruler has always been male but since His Majesty didn’t have any children, his sister was the first natural choice for the throne." The herald paused to clear his throat.

"This has undoubtedly been met with opposition and some members of the court felt the need of a male ruler. They, therefore proposed some two males to rule instead of the princess."

The double doors swung open and a man in his mid fifties walked in. One couldn’t deny his resemblance to Andrian, especially the beard and eyes. Judging from his looks, Gabriel knew he must be a Thornhart.

Next walked in a boy, probably ten years old. His eyes were blue and judging from Elena’s reaction, he was not one of the family members. Even some of the court officials appeared awestruck by the little one’s presence.

The two sat on the empty chairs before the herald continued.

"This here," he said referring to the man seated on Elena’s left side, "is Lord Leonard Thornhart, brother to the late king, Andrian’s father, and princess Elena’s uncle."

"To the right...," the herald’s eyes narrowed at the pages as if not believing what was written on it.

A chair creaked from the far end of the circle as Lord Atticus supported his aged frame into a standing position. With short and unsteady steps, he walked towards the child.

"This here," he began, his bony hand rested on the child’s head, "is Michael, King Andrian’s bastard son!"

There was a little murmur in the hall before it died shortly. Everyone’s eyes were on the little one now. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"That can’t be true!" Elena burtsed, now standing up. "My brother had no wife or whore!"

"How do you think His Majesty sated his canal desires? Do you think he could just walk out of the palace and go into a pleasure house?"

"Look at his eyes," Atticus said, lifting the boy’s chin. "The blue eyes of the Thornhart’s."

"Anyone can have blue eyes," Gabriel intoned.

"This is no son of my brother!" Elena said. And she wished it was not with her very breath. The bastard would be controlled by the court officials however they wanted until he became of age!

"If he is, you have to prove it," she added.

"It’s not everyday you walk into a throne hall with a succession matter on the table and present a bastard out of the blue without some concrete evidence, do you?" Atticus asked. And turning to the knights by the double doors, he said, "bring in the whore."