The Bride He Hates

Chapter 133: Political Sacrifice

Lyanna continued walking normally, but her mind was racing.

Cassius had allies who were even ready to dethrone Azrael if necessary, which made this whole succession crisis even more serious. Their refusal to consider political courtship was being seen as a weakness rather than a strength.

In the evening, when she returned to her chambers, she had thought about the situation from every possible angle.

She had concluded that Cassius had an upper hand. The question of succession gave him legitimate grounds to question Azrael’s leadership, and their refusal to consider traditional solutions looked like personal stubbornness rather than a principled stand.

Removing a king who couldn’t provide an heir had historical precedent in vampire society. She knew reporting him to Azrael would need solid proof and they had none. They were trapped.

Azrael entered the chambers shortly after sunset, looking exhausted.

"How was your day?" He asked while pouring them both some blood wine.

"Complicated." Lyanna replied. "We need to talk about something I overheard."

She told him everything she had heard. Azrael grew angrier with each word.

"Cassius is discussing treason." He said when she finished. "We need to arrest him for conspiracy and try him before the council..."

"On what evidence?" Lyanna cut him off. "My testimony about a conversation I overheard?That’s not enough, and we both know it. We’d look paranoid and weak."

"So you want him to plot against us while we pretend we don’t know anything?"

"No." Lyanna replied. "We’ll give him what he wants or pretend to."

Azrael stared at her.

"What?"

"The political courtship. You need to court a few noble daughters and perform for the court. It will buy us time to find a real solution."

The silence that followed was terrifying.

"You can’t be serious."

"I’m very serious." Lyanna replied. "If it buys us time to find a solution and expose Cassius, then it’s worth it. Moreover, we’ll just be pretending."

"You want me to court other women?" Azrael’s voice rose.

"I want you to keep you throne." Lyanna replied. "I want to prevent a succession crisis that could tear apart everything you’ve built."

"No. Absolutely not. We already refused this option in council."

"That was before I knew Cassius was plotting to remove you!" Lyanna said. "But the situation is different now."

"I won’t court other women, Lyanna. I won’t treat our marriage as a political convenience to set aside when things get difficult."

"Even if refusing costs you your throne?" Lyanna asked.

"Yes!" Azrael shouted. "Even then! What’s the point of keeping the throne if I lose you in the process? If I compromise everything that actually matters for political power?"

"I’m not asking you to leave me." Lyanna replied calmly. "I’m just asking you to pretend for some time while we work on real solutions.

Azrael, you need to be practical. Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do because they’re necessary."

"And you should stop being so willing to sacrifice yourself!" Azrael snapped back. "Stop treating yourself as expendable, stop acting like your feelings don’t matter."

"My feelings are already...!" Lyanna shouted, but then stopped herself. "I mean, I can control my feelings. You really don’t need to worry about it."

Azrael stared at her with a broken expression.

"You really won’t feel anything watching me court other women?" Azrael knew she couldn’t, but still, he was devastated.

"I care." Lyanna replied. "I just... I’m seeing this as a political solution that gives us time. Maybe I’m wrong but I’m only trying to protect you and everything you’ve worked so hard for, for four centuries."

Azrael turned away from her, his hands clenching at his sides and his entire body rigid with controlled anger and pain.

"I need time to think. I don’t want to talk about this anymore."

"Azrael..."

"Please. Just... give me space. Let me think about this without you standing there."

Lyanna wanted to argue, she wanted to push him until he agreed but the pain in his voice stopped her.

"All right." She said. "I’ll be in the library if you want to talk."

Azrael stood alone in their chambers, trying to process the conversation he had never expected.

Lyanna, his wife, the person he loved more than he thought possible was asking him to court other women because her lack of emotions made this sacrifice easier for her.

He understood her reasoning. The succession crisis was indeed serious and political courtship could buy time but the part of him that loved her was screaming that this was wrong. She doesn’t deserve this, no matter how much she wants this.

Hours later, Lyanna returned to their chambers and saw Azrael sitting and staring at the wall in pain.

"Have you decided? She asked.

Azrael looked up at her. His eyes were red-rimmed. He stood up and walked towards her, pulling her into his arms despite the anger.

"I’ll do it." He said. I’ll agree to the political courtship but only for six months while we find a real solution. And it’s only because you asked me to."

"Thank you. I promise I’ll find a solution as soon as possible."

"You don’t have to do this alone. We are partners, right? We’ll do this together." Azrael said.

"We need to do something about Cassius first."

"Don’t worry. I’ll call a council meeting tomorrow and announce our decision. That way, he and his supporters won’t be able to do anything except wait." Azrael explained.

"Perfect. And I will start working on the solutions."

"What are you planning?" Azrael asked as he broke the hug but still held her in his arms.

"I had read about blood bonding rituals in an ancient vampire text. I don’t know why Elder Maia didn’t mention that to us. But there’s still hope for me to conceive, Azrael."

"Lyanna...you don’t have to. You don’t have to stress yourself so much for this. I don’t care about biology. I’m okay with..."

"But I want to try every option available before giving up."