The Crown's Seduction-Chapter 73: Out of His Life

Mineah could feel the energy draining off of her, but the smile on her face didn't falter as she heard the loud cheers and well wishes of the Valcrezians that witnessed the Coupling Rites.

"Long live the Queen!"

"All hail the King and Queen!"

"Long live the King and Queen!"

The had rain stopped as well, and if not for Nikolai's arms keeping her upright, Mineah knew that her knees would give in from how much the mood around her all seemed to just line up to her favor.

Nikolai, having probably noticed her current disposition, whispered into her ear, "Hold on to me tightly."

Mineah did just that, and in one swift motion, Nikolai picked her up and picked her up and carried her in his arms.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

"It's been a long night… Continue with the Royal Feast," Nikolai declared as he began walking out the stage with Mineah in his arms. "I will personally bring my Queen to Amaranth Palace."

Mineah smiled as she comfortably snuggled herself into Nikolai's embrace. She loved how he was calling her 'my Queen' now. She never thought she would ever appreciate being owned like this as if she was his property. It should be offending and annoying to her, but as a cursed princess who was used to being shunned anyway, the attention was overwhelming.

Before long, they arrived at Amaranth Palace. It was one of the many palaces located within the extensive precincts of the larger Corvus Palace complex. It was also the Queen's residence where Mineah would be staying while waiting for the Midnight Sun.

The Midnight Sun Waiting was honestly quite an amusing tradition of Valcrez. But still, it was a tradition that she should respect regardless of how she might see it. Besides, there were other ways and other places to be with Nikolai aside from the king's bedchamber if she really wanted to…

Mineah blinked, and she blushed hard as she caught the corrupted and silly thoughts that were currently running through her mind. At the same time, she flinched when she felt the lingering sting of Nikolai's bite. She couldn't wait to see what his mark looked like on her neck.

"What are you all doing?!" Nikolai suddenly burst out.

Taken out of her reverie, Mineah turned her head and saw a few high-ranking officials blocking Nikolai from moving forward. But before she could even get worried, all of them suddenly bent down on their knees as if to stop them from getting past them.

"Your Majesty, you're not allowed to set foot on the Amaranth Palace as soon as the Coupling Rites are completed," one of the ministers chided. "Please don't break the tradition that we've been following since the time of our ancestors."

Blinking, Mineah stared at the man who she recognized as the Minister of Rites, Minister Marion. From what she could recall, he was the one that handled rituals, culture, diplomacy, and the national civil service examinations in the kingdom.

He had a look of a man in his early forties, and he was a Scion from the Rossi Clan that married Sage, an Exordium from the Wagner Clan. Mineah knew this since she had memorized everything about any important people that she would encounter in Valcrez in her head.

And upon receiving Niran and Laura's report regarding the Wagner and Rossi Clans being in opposition to King Nikolai's ascendance to being the ruler of Valcrez, she made sure to pay even more attention to what they might be doing in the background.

"I am simply leading the way to welcome my wife to her temporary residence, Minister Marion," Nikolai calmly explained. "I will leave as soon as I've delivered her to her bedchamber to rest. Besides, I just marked her, and we all know that such an event can have adverse effects on humans. Can you blame me for being worried about her?"

"Son," a graceful woman interrupted.

"Mother… I.."

"Son, we need to follow the traditions," the newly-introduced Queen Mother reiterated. "We want your union to be blessed, and such traditions can allow you two to bear fruit sooner rather than later."

"Lai, it's alright. I'm good," Mineah murmured, having had enough of being helpless in his arms even if she really didn't want to be let go at that moment. "I can manage to walk on my own. You can put me down now."

Nodding, Nikolai gently helped her back to her feet. As soon as she was standing on her own two legs again, Mineah gracefully and respectfully bowed down to the beautiful woman before her.

She had the same winter-gold hair like Nikolai, but she had sharper features like Princess Ezme. Looking at her husband, she could only assume that his gentle aura was something that he probably got from his father.

"Your Royal Highness, Queen Mother…" Mineah politely greeted.

"Please rise, Your Majesty," Queen Mother Rania commented with a straight face. "Come now. Let me escort you to your residence personally."

Mineah gulped at the blank expression on the face of Nikolai's mother, but she still managed to give out a smile in an effort to show confidence. She then turned to Nikolai, giving him a reassuring nod before quickly following his mother who had already started walking towards their destination.

"I've already made arrangements in the Amaranth Palace," Rania stated. "If you need anything, you can send a word to me or Lady Rosela directly."

"Lady Rosela?" Mineah unknowingly whispered. She would've loved to try reading her mother-in-law's mind at that point, but she couldn't afford to faint in front of her right now.

'Some other time,' she mentally noted as she stared into Queen Mother Rania's cold eyes.

"Rosela…" the Queen Mother called out. Promptly, Rosela appeared before them. "I trust that you two have already met on the ship on your way here. Lady Rosela is a part of our Ichor Clan, and she's the one assisting me in handling the inner court."

Mineah bit her inner cheek upon seeing that playful smile dancing on Rosela's face again. She looked so proud of being introduced to her like that by Nikolai's mother.

"I understand, Mother. But I'd prefer to go to you directly for any concerns I might have," Mineah stated with a smile. "Of course, if that wouldn't be of any inconvenience to you, Mother."

Queen Mother Rania simply nodded at her. "You can do anything as you wish and exercise your authority as this kingdom's queen, and I will support you…" she casually remarked.

"However, make sure you understand well that I will not tolerate any circumstances that can bring down my son and cause him to lose the crown he's wearing right now. And if you ever become a threat to Nikolai, I will not hesitate to personally take you out of his life."

Mineah felt her body tremble at the threat just given to her. Balling her fists, she gathered just enough strength in her to give Nikolai's mother a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Mother, I will heed your warning carefully," she sincerely stated.

"Also, please be assured that I advocate the same goals as you. I will do everything to protect Nikolai and stay by his side by any means. I will be his greatest support, and I'll make sure that nothing will happen to him so long as I draw breath."