Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 799: Without Sin

The crown on King Oberon’s head had never felt heavier than at that moment. Standing just outside the door to the throne room, he could hear the ruckus from within—angry voices rising in a chaotic cacophony.

He understood their fury; it was justified to some extent. Aldric had gone too far, even if all he had done was protect himself. But the system was against him, and the cabinet members had long been looking for a reason to get rid of Aldric, an eyesore in their ranks. His passionate yet foolish son had just handed them that reason on a silver platter.

Oberon took a deep breath, steeling himself. Every ounce of emotion was pushed back, masked beneath the cold, piercing look of his blue eyes. His face was a study in royal composure as he stepped into the room.

As soon as the door opened, the noise in the throne room fell silent, replaced by an uneasy hush. The ministers turned to face their king, bowing their heads in grudging acknowledgment of his presence. Oberon could sense their insecurity, their reluctance, the way their greetings lacked true respect. They resented him, he knew—resented him for having protected Aldric for so long. Everyone in the Fae realm knew that the only reason Aldric was still breathing was because of Oberon’s intervention. And now, this happened.

Though they didn’t say it outright, Oberon could feel their thoughts. They blamed him for the situation, and their silence was more accusatory than any words could have been.

"Rise," Oberon commanded, his voice as cold as his gaze. The ministers obeyed, straightening up and waiting for him to speak.

"You must be aware of the situation in the kingdom."

At once, the ministers began to murmur amongst themselves, some making grumpy, discontented sounds. They had all been at the scene of the clash, and it had been a harrowing experience. Many had been caught in the crossfire, forced to make undignified exits to save themselves. For some, their anger was less about the lives lost and more about the personal embarrassment they had suffered. Now, they saw an opportunity to transfer their aggression onto the dark Fae prince.

Oberon turned his gaze to the General, standing at attention near the center of the room. "What is the situation?" he asked, his voice calm but demanding.

The general stepped forward and gave a detailed account of the damages, the injured, and, of course, the dead. At the mention of the dead, one of the more hotheaded ministers, Minister Barin, stepped out of the line.

"Your Majesty," Barin began, his voice quivering with barely contained rage, "Prince Aldric should not be spared this time—"

But Oberon cut him off, his voice as cold as a winter’s night. "I’m confused, Minister Barin. I don’t remember Aldric starting the clash between the Summer and Winter courts. Why then should he take responsibility for something he didn’t do?"

Barin was stunned into silence, his mouth working soundlessly as he tried to process the unexpected rebuke. Around the room, the other ministers exchanged uneasy glances, murmuring quietly amongst themselves. It was evident from their coordinated expressions that this attack on Aldric had been planned. But in his eagerness, Minister Barin had revealed their hand too soon, and now they were scrambling to recover.

One of the more cunning ministers, sensing the shift in the room, decided to take a different approach. "Your Majesty," he said smoothly, stepping forward with a bow, "riots have started across the city. The people are calling for the execution of the dark Fae scum—" He quickly corrected himself as Oberon’s cold gaze fell on him. "So they call him, unfortunately. They want Prince Aldric executed."

"And why is that, exactly?" King Oberon asked, his voice dangerously low.

The ministers were confused, looking at one another for guidance. Why was the king being this way? With everything that happened so far, this was not the time to be on Aldric’s side. But then, it should not be surprising. Queen Maeve had told them that Oberon would protect Aldric at any cost and that seem to be the case. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

The minister pressed. "Your Majesty, this is not the time to protect and defend Prince Aldric, but to calm the masses before the matter escalates. Astaria is on rocky ground—"

"And how exactly should the masses be appeased?" Oberon snarled, cutting him off.

His eyes swept over the assembled lords, daring them to respond. There was a tense silence before another minister, emboldened by the previous speaker, stepped forward.

"Prince Aldric must be executed," he said boldly, his voice firm. "That is the only way to satisfy the masses and give justice to the bereaved."

Oberon’s response was unexpected. He burst into a long, cold laugh, the sound echoing off the stone walls and unsettling everyone in the room. When he finally stopped, his eyes were colder than ever as he addressed them. "Since when does royalty bow to the demands of the masses?" he asked sharply.

"What?" one of the ministers managed to stammer out, his voice wavering.

"If the royal family gave in to every demand of the masses, would we still hold our authority?" King Oberon’s voice was like a whip, each word cutting through the air with precision. "Would we still command respect if we were ruled by the whims of the common people?"

The ministers were taken aback, their previous confidence now shaken. One of them, Lord Omani, tried to muster a defense. "Your Majesty, this is—"

But Oberon cut him off with a dark look. "And you, Lord Omani," he said with venom in his voice, "did you compensate the masses when you sexually harassed that human? When you manhandled her and sent her away from your mansion because she dared to speak out?"

At once, Lord Omani’s jaw dropped in shock. The room fell into a deathly silence and the ministers who had been so eager to condemn Aldric now found themselves questioning their position. The king had just exposed one of their own, reminding them that none of them were without sin.