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Power and Seduction

Sara_Akua
7
chs / week
The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 7 chs / week.
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Synopsis
Lycan King Thornak of Vargorath is feared by enemies and revered by his people. He is a battle-forged ruler bound by duty and blood. To secure peace between Vargorath and the powerful Starborn, the court commands him to marry Princess Selene, a woman with celestial magic in her veins and dangerous secrets behind her smile. But everything changes when Lara, a fierce orphaned warrior with no memory of her past, is saved from a rogue attack by the King himself. Drawn to him by an unexplainable force, she is pulled into a world of prophecy, betrayal, and forbidden truths. Lara soon discovers that Thornak is her fated mate. As her hidden powers awaken and whispers of her true bloodline, the long-lost and legendary Moonguard, begin to rise, she must confront the dark forces hunting her and the truth locked inside her very soul. As shadows gather and darkness draws near, Selene will stop at nothing to claim the King's heart, even if it means drowning the crown in blood. With war looming and love caught between loyalty and destiny, the fate of Vargorath rests in the hands of one woman. One who might save it, or set it ablaze.
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Chapter 1 - A royal Envoy

The sun was still rising when the guards at the castle gate felt something strange in the air.

Then they saw them.

Seven riders appeared on the road, moving slowly towards the entrance. At the front rode a prince of the Starborn. His hair was golden, not just in color, but shining with real light, as if the sun had touched him. His clothes were rich, dark blue and covered in tiny stars that seemed to move when he walked.

He rode a great dark steed, but this was no ordinary horse. It was taller, stronger, and more powerful than any the guards had ever seen. Its eyes glowed faintly, and when its hooves touched the stone road, small sparks danced beneath them.

Even the bravest among the guards took a step back.

Behind him rode six other nobles, three women, three men, all dressed in robes and gowns of impossible richness. Their skin glowed faintly, their eyes bright with power. They looked like they belonged to another world.

Which, in truth, they did.

The starborns came from a distant realm.

Then came the rest of the envoy. Velvet-covered carts rolled in behind them, pulled by strange animals. The carts were filled with gifts: glowing crystals, fine silks, silver boxes, rare wine, golden statues, and books with jeweled covers. Servants walked behind the carts, all dressed in grey. They didn't speak, didn't look around. They were perfectly trained.

This was not a small visit.

This was a royal procession.

At last, the prince dismounted. He moved like someone who knew the world belonged to him. A servant stepped forward, holding a white jade scroll case, a message sealed with power..He looked up at the castle gates and smiled, slowly and proudly.

The Starborn Realm is a magical land far away, hidden from the rest of the world. It is old, full of power, and touched by starlight. The sky there is always clear, with glowing clouds and soft winds. At night, everything shines a little, trees, rivers, even the stones underfoot.

Their cities are beautiful and strange. Some are built into glowing cliffs. Their towers shine like glass, and lights move without fire. Gentle music often fills the air, even when no one is playing.

The Starborn are, in many ways, like any other people, save for their royal bloodline. Born with hair that can shine like sunlight and eyes that shine like the stars themselves, the Starborn royals are long-lived and steeped in ancient, potent magic.

But for all its beauty, the Starborn Realm was not soft. Its rulers were known for their pride and power, for making alliances not out of love, but strategy. Though they rarely set foot beyond their own borders, recent years have seen them forging alliances with powerful kingdoms across the realms. Their sudden interest in the outside world is unexpected, and their true motives remain shrouded in mystery.

When they sent envoys, they sent splendor. When they made offers, they expected to be heard.

And when they offered a bride… they expected a crown in return.

....

The sun rose over the castle, filling the rooms with soft, golden light. Servants moved quickly through the halls, their clothes rustling as they worked. In the kitchen, pots clanged and ovens gave off steady heat.

The sound of sparring and loud voices filled the training yard. In the stables, horses snorted and stamped their hooves.

Up in the eastern wing, all was quiet. Curtains moved gently in the breeze, carrying sweet smells.

Vargorath the southern kingdom capital where the castle stood, was already awake.

At the heart of the castle, in the high chamber where the council met, King Thornak stood in silence.

He wore no crown, only a deep charcoal cloak. It was fastened at the shoulder with a silver clasp shaped like a flame.

His eyes were fixed on the long table before him. Around it, his advisors waited, some with folded arms, others shifting in their seats.

Lord Elric, a wise, old Lycan, shifted in his seat. "The Starborns extend an offer of peace, Your Majesty. Their daughter's hand… could strengthen the kingdom."

Thornak's gaze turned sharp. "Peace? Are you so sure of their true intentions? I've seen the Starborns bargain before."

A few councilmen stirred. One cleared his throat. "To deny them may be taken as an insult. Possibly a provocation. This could mean war. And you know it, Your Majesty."

Thornak stepped down from the high seat, his cloak trailing behind. "So be it," he said with a low voice. "Let them be insulted."

Then Lord Erwin, once his father's loyal Beta, leaned forward, his voice mild, too mild.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but is there already someone you favor for the crown?"

The question landed like a blade laid gently across the table, meant to draw blood.

Thornak's gaze swept the chamber, meeting every pair of eyes with a steady, unyielding intensity.

"I have no intention of choosing a bride for political gain," he said. "Not now. The throne will not be traded like grain on the market floor."

His words hung in the air, a declaration of independence, a refusal to be bound by the expectations of others.

Lord Erwin rose from his seat, hands braced on the table. "Then abdicate, Your Majesty. If you will not protect this realm through alliance, you betray your crown."

The words hit the chamber like a thunderclap. Several councilmen looked up, shocked. A few looked away.

Thornak's eyes didn't flinch. "And to whom shall I abdicate, Lord Erwin? You?"

Erwin's jaw tensed. "To someone willing to act. If you will not consider this match, the council must consider what is best for the realm."

Thornak raised a brow and said, "Is that a threat, Lord Erwin?"

"I do not dare threaten the king, but if you leave us no other path..."

The king stepped forward, slowly.

"You'd do well to recall the limits of your power, Lord Erwin. I'm not afraid of your council. I've worn the crown since birth," he said with a low growl. "Try to take it away and you will find the crown heavier than you imagined."

Lord Erwin's face paled, but he stood his ground. "We're not trying to usurp you, Your Majesty," he said, his voice steady. "We merely seek to ensure the kingdom's stability."

Thornak looked around the room, his gaze stopping on each man before settling on Lord Erwin.

"I am king," he said calmly. "And I won't be pushed by fear or gossip."

"What does the Queen have to say about this" Lord Edrion, the Queen's brother asked.

"My mother's thoughts will be heard. When I choose to hear them."

A few of the councilmen exchanged uneasy glances.

Lady Calienne's voice broke in. "Your Majesty, no one doubts your strength. But the Starborn are not like other courts. A refusal could be taken as insult, or worse, weakness. If they feel slighted..."

"Then let them feel it," Thornak snapped, not raising his voice but sharpening it like a blade. "The Starborn do not rule this kingdom. Nor will they dictate who I take to my side."

"And yet," she continued, "they offer a bride said to be favored by their high priests. A daughter said to carry the light of the old stars in her veins. If you dismiss them outright, it may not be war that follows, but something subtler. Trade. Influence. Isolation. All drawn away, quietly, until we find ourselves in a big mess."

Silence stretched between them as he measured the weight of what she'd said.

"Having a bride changes nothing about your reign," she added with calm clarity. "Her power would be symbolic, restrained by tradition and law. Yours remains absolute."

"If a bride is the cost of peace, then I will pay it," Thornak said, the words slow and heavy. "But let no one mistake silence for surrender. She enters this court as a guest, not a queen."