The Claiming of a Virgin King (17 page)

Maylor let out something
that was half-roar, half-terror. He didn’t ask what the bracelets
were because he knew, it was obvious to him then, Dragan saw it in
his eyes. It was just a flash, just a moment, but he
knew
…and then that was
all, because the ship activated, and the bracelets reached full
power, and the next thing Dragan knew a great light filled the
sky.

Dragan lifted a hand to shield his
eyes, turned his face away from the source, but a heartbeat later
and it ceased. When Dragan blinked, when he opened his eyes fully,
everything was different.

He stood alone on the eastern coast
with William.

The ship had taken Maylor and his
people aboard and was setting off, away from here, its sleeping
occupants held tight in their stasis units, never to return. The
plan had reached climax.

“
It’s over,” William
whispered.

“
Yes,” Dragan replied.
“It’s over.”

William let out a cry then, pulled
Dragan into his arms, placed a kiss on his half-open lips and
cheered in a way that Dragan had never heard him do so before. And
the king didn’t even seem to notice the cheers coming from the
hills, or care about the fact that their people could see them
embracing and kissing.

He was happy.

Relieved.

He was glowing.

And at that point Dragan knew, no
matter what was to come, no matter what would happen from here on
in, that whilst the war might be over, he and William were only
just beginning.

Epilogue

The capital had been waiting anxiously
for their king to return for weeks. The majority of them had not
even known at first that he’d travelled to the islands. Such was
the secrecy around that mission. But after the fall of Maylor and
his armies, after the liberation of the north, word had somehow
spread that it was all down to their king and his new general,
Dragan, the alien lord and leader of the islands.

From that moment the people in the
capital, and those above and below it, awaited his return with
baited breath. They had all known they insisted, that the king
would free them from the alien rebels in the end. They had never
doubted it. And if they were surprised that the Dragan, one of the
peaceful aliens, had been part of that, none admitted
so.

Dragan was a hero.

Niahm had made sure that everyone was
aware of that fact.

And so, none would dare to say a word
against him.

It was to this mood that Dragan and
William arrived in the capital. The two beleaguered guards, those
that had stayed with the king during his time on the islands, did
not return. Their time on those icy plains had been as eventful as
William’s. They had both fallen in love with females and would be
remaining on the islands for the foreseeable future, and William
was happy to let them.

Happiness was somehow everywhere in
this new time, and he was both excited and nervous to return to his
home. More so when he actually arrived at the city
gates.

Dragan was sat right next to him in
the craft that had taken them from the capital docks. His solid
form comforting to William in a way that he could never have
imagined just a short time ago. Their time travelling to the
capital had been a time of discovery for William. Now that he had
admitted his feelings. Now that he felt comfortable with them.
Their passion, their love, took on a whole new
dimension.

William could not imagine being
without his blue-skinned alien now. The very thought was
horrific.

And his people? William grinned
slightly as they came to a stop at the city gates. The people,
including Bertram, who had greeted them at the docks had been all
stares and open mouths when they had looked upon Dragan’s blue skin
and solid physique. They would get used to it though, William told
himself.

Because they would have to.

That was the decision that he had
made.

“
Are you worried?” Dragan
asked as the gates opened and the waiting crowd surged
forwards.

“
Worried?” William asked.
“No.”

“
Then what?” Dragan
prompted.

“
Nervous,” William said.
“This is a new time and there is much that will happen now. What of
you?” he asked. “Is it strange being away from the
islands?”

“
It is,” Dragan said. “I
miss them already. But for you, my king, I am willing to deal with
that. I would miss you far more.”

He reached out then to take William’s
hand, pausing only at the last minute. William did not let him
though. He took it in his own, and then as the cheering crowd
surrounded them, he held it aloft, showing his people exactly what
they needed to know.

The crowd loved it.

They pressed around the craft,
chanting William’s name, and some even chanting Dragan’s. The look
on their faces was everything that William could ever have hoped
for.

Relief.

Excitement.

Happiness.

It was the whole reason he had
travelled to the islands in the first place. For this, for his
people, for the new world.

Eventually, though it took some time,
they made it through the crowd and all the way to the castle. Once
there, William stepped out and Dragan with him. Niahm was waiting
for them, and she immediately pulled William into her
arms.

“
How I have missed you,”
she said.

“
And you also,” William
said giving her a squeeze.

“
And Lord Dragan,” she
said, with a grin. “How welcome you are.”

“
It is a pleasure to see
you again, Niahm,” Dragan said and her grin widened, because she
knew what Dragan’s presence here meant, and she was nothing but
pleased for her king.

The court was waiting for them too,
and they were all congratulations and relief also. Even Bertram,
who had travelled behind them, could think of nothing bad to say.
The relief was too great, the excitement too palpable.

Of course, there was much work to be
done, everyone knew that. The last of William’s generals, alongside
Chauce, the alien heroine whose efforts had sealed the win for
them, were busy detaining the last of Maylor’s armies. And his
people, those that had been bullied and cowed into doing as he
demanded, were now being relocated to the islands which were
currently in the charge of Lei. There was no help to be had for
that, because William knew it would take time for the north to
recover from what had happened to them. In time those aliens could
return if they so wished. In time they would continue the process
of blending their people. But in the meantime…

William waved at the crowd, waved at
the people around him, and then Dragan by his side, he entered his
castle. Niahm followed him, as did the court, and they were full of
suggestions, requests, things that needed to be done. But it had
been a long journey across the sea and William wanted nothing more
that to feel Dragan’s arms around him.

He held up a hand to halt their
words.

“
I know we have much to
discuss,” he said. “And we will do so. But for now there are some
urgent actions that must be taken.”

“
Your people have planned
a party tonight,” Niahm said. “The whole country is involved. Up
and down there will be feasting and partying.”

“
And I will join them,”
William said. “But for now…” He pulled Niahm aside. “As I said,
there are some urgent things that need to be seen to. I want you
are to travel to Chauce’s camp. I want a full listing of everything
that is happening there. A full undertaking of everything that we
have left to do.”

“
The heroine of the
north?” Niahm asked.

“
That’s what they are
calling her?”

Niahm nodded. “She is much
admired.”

“
Then you are the perfect
choice,” William said. “I trust you to take care of this, and I
have no doubt that you will be a match for her.”

“
I will leave
immediately,” Niahm said. “And will hurry back.”

“
Thank you, Niahm,”
William said. He turned to Bertram. “I need you to put together a
group who will help with the relocation of the northern people to
the islands. This must be done sensitively, for it is likely that
some have wed to our own people. Where that is the case the choice
to go or stay must be in their hands. Decide also who will be based
on the islands to see this through.”

Bertram nodded, and the respect in his
eyes, so different to the last time William had seen him, was
obvious. “It would be a great honor to take care of that myself,
your grace.”

“
You must leave
immediately.”

Bertram nodded again.
“Immediately.”

William then picked out envoys to the
south, to the emerald isles and to all the other strategically
important parts of his kingdom. The people he chose were happy to
be picked, happy to see that there was still a part for them to
play in this new world.

“
But before you leave,”
William said, and he took a deep, steadying breath, the moment on
him at last. “You must be aware that Dragan will be here in the
castle with me for the foreseeable future.”

“
Of course,” Bertram said.
“He is your general.”

“
He is not just my
general,” William replied, and he wrapped his fingers around
Dragan’s.

There was no need for him to say more
than that. No need at all. Some of the court gasped slightly, some
let out a sigh, others simply nodded. Because, unbeknownst to
William, Dragan had already started to a campaign to ensure he was
accepted among the people in this new world. The stories that were
now racing their way up and down the country spoke of a daring
king, full of purpose, seducing the alien lord to do his
bidding.

They spoke of how, once that had
happened, the king knew that Dragan was a fitting companion for
him. For who else, would be a match for their brave king but the
lord who had helped rid him of the alien rebels?

Love songs were already being composed
in honor of the new couple. Females, and males alike, were already
sighing over their handsome king and his equally as handsome
consort.

There would be no resistance to their
relationship. Dragan had made sure of that.

The court dispersed a moment later,
off to undertake their jobs, off to forge their place in the new
world. Once alone, William turned to Dragan and shot him a
smile.

“
My chamber is at the very
top of the castle.”

“
Of course it is,” Dragan
said with a laugh. “So you can look down on all you
rule.”

“
You rule it with me now,”
William said. “And between us we are growing to build a great
society.”

“
We will do more than
that,” Dragan said. “We will build a happy one.”

William’s smile deepened and he
wrapped his arms around Dragan’s neck. “What was it you said? That
my people would take their lead from their king?”

“
I did.”

“
And if their king is
ridiculously happy?”

“
Then they will be too,”
Dragan said. “And are you?”

“
More so than I could ever
have imagined,” William replied. “I love you, my alien
lord.”

“
And I you,” Dragan said.
“My alien king”

And they did, and they would, and the
society was not just great, it was happy, and would be for a very
long time to come.

THE END

COMING SOON

The Hunt

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The Warriors of the World
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The Claiming of a Virgin
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