Imperial Fate (Veredian Chronicles, #7)

by Regine Abel

As per my father’s request when we first met six years ago, although Zerien could court me, he had to wait until I reached legal adulthood before he could try to convince me to become his wife… and Queen. As a twelve-year-old girl, to have a gorgeous Prince declare you were his soulmate felt like a fairy tale.

When we first met, Zerien was fifteen to my twelve.

At first, it scared me. Being at the height of my phase of insecurity, I began imagining he was refusing me because he already had some other female sating his needs back on his homeworld. After all, the Sarenians were an extremely sensual species where younglings became active as young as eleven or twelve. By all accounts, Zerien had been extremely active before we met.

Um. ew.

Although he had personally never used his powers against me, was that something he might one day do? What of his people?

Foreshadowing, dun, dun dun..

Granted, her desire for me couldn’t be denied. But the nagging question at the back of my mind was whether true love and passion fueled her responses to me, or if the mere curiosity of a virgin was the cause.

🙄🙄🙄

It shamed me to feel so insecure about her feelings for me. I watched Siona grow from a shy, slightly traumatized, teenage girl into a breathtaking and assertive young woman.

I'm giving side eye right now, a lot of side eye.

Not for the first time, I deplored Krygor’s insistence that she be raised on Braxia instead of Sarenia. On top of allowing her to familiarize herself with our culture, it would have given our people a chance to get to know her and love her. And I wouldn’t even talk about growing into the many responsibilities that would befall her as my Queen.

Knowing what I know now about your culture, it's a very good thing. Good call parentals!

“I love you, Siona,” I said in a fervent voice. “I’m obsessed with you. From the moment I laid eyes on you, six years ago, you’ve had my heart.”

When she was 12. Let's be clear.

Despite the many years during which I’d courted her, and how comfortable we’d grown with each other, I had expected my Siona to be quite timid if not skittish during our first time together.

Barf. Why?

He nodded. “You will have a very important and busy first year. Aside from learning our culture and endearing yourself to our people, your main priority will be to give us two heirs in the first year.”

um. Esqueeze me? This is information she should have had ages ago. Two is too much. Whaaaatt...

Zerien smiled reassuringly. “No, my love. It’s not. Remember that Sarenian pregnancies only last three months, then you give birth to the tadpole who will care for itself until it can walk.

:(

I shifted uneasily in my seat. “Right, but we’re newlyweds. Shouldn’t we have a bit of time to strengthen our relationship and get me better situated with your world before we start building a family?”

Yeah. This.

“You’re a Queen now, Siona. As rulers of Sarenia, our personal lives take a backseat to the Empire. We will make personal time for each other, but we have a duty that we’re already years late on. By now, you and I should have five or six heirs,”

Um. She was too young?

“But so long as we have two males within a year, we can slow down after and space them out more if you so wish.” “But what if we get a girl?” I challenged. He shrugged. “Then we will have to keep trying until we get two males.” “Why couldn’t our daughter be the ruler?” I argued.

🤮🤮🤮

I beamed at him. “That’s fabulous! I’ve been itching to go into engineering and was hoping to enroll after our wedding.” My stomach dropped when Zerien’s face went blank for a couple of seconds before taking on a hesitant expression. “Hmmm, sure… That can be arranged. We will get you a tutor,” he said gently.

Cheese on a cracker, compromise you idiot! So she has to pop out two babies aaaand can't go to college? A tutor? You don't think much of her skills do you?

“You should have been raised on Sarenia. I should have put my foot down when your father demanded you remain on Braxia until adulthood. Or at least, we should have married two years ago. Then things would be easier for everyone, and especially for you. This wasn’t how I wanted you to start your life among your new people. But this is what we have now. And time isn’t playing in our favor.”

.....

the fact that my future life would be nothing like what I had imagined. Am I ready for that? I hated that I couldn’t honestly answer it with a definitive yes. I should be ecstatic right now instead of being constantly on the verge of having an anxiety attack.

His people’s high libido was legendary. From all accounts—and of his own admission—Zerien had been extremely active sexually before meeting me. By Sarenian standards, it was normal. Their young began coupling around the age of eleven, and Zerien was no exception. Judging by his insane sexual appetite since our first night together here on Venus Hive, it boggled my mind that he managed to remain celibate over the six years he courted me.

11?????? 🤢

“I cannot let my seed go to waste like this. I want you pregnant as soon as possible,” he continued, some of the playfulness giving way to a more serious tone. His words struck me like a boulder to the chest. I stiffened, and my stomach dropped.

Eeew. Way to ruin your Honeymoon dude

“I can’t get pregnant right now,” I said, surprised by the firmness with which I spoke the words. “I have a contraceptive implant.” Zerien visibly recoiled. Shock, confusion, and a sense of betrayal warred for dominance on his features.

Oh buddy

“We have one month of courting before I make a decision about us getting married,” I said defensively. “It doesn’t make sense for me to get pregnant before our union is confirmed.”

Smart. She is being smart. Why are you mad bro?

Feeling annoyed, I shook my head with a mix of discouragement and irritation. “I literally just turned eighteen two weeks ago! You and I just finally got together as a couple in the real sense of the term. Shouldn’t we enjoy a little bit of bonding time without having a bunch of kids to take care of?”

yeah, this

“Okay, you need heirs, but what’s the rush? We could wait at least a year. We’re still kids ourselves! Or at least I am,” I amended when his expression grew even more outraged. “I’m not ready to raise children!” “And that’s specifically why Matriarchs and Patriarchs raise our younglings on Sarenia!”

That's not the ringing endorsement that you think it is buddy.

I shook my head with a stubborn expression. “I want to raise my own children when I’m ready.”

Girl, same and I am in my 30s.

“Wait a year?” he whispered in a dangerously low voice. “You want me to wait another fucking year after I’ve already waited six of them? I should have half a dozen kids right now, but I don’t because I remained faithful to you. And for what? For this?!”

Um. Again excuse me????

I nodded stiffly, shame burning my cheeks. “You’re right. You always made your expectations clear, and I did agree. Honestly, I didn’t have a problem with it back then, but it also was really far away. Now that reality is sinking in, it’s different. Like you said, you have already waited six years. What’s an extra year?”

She is allowed to change her mind!!!! You got her to agree to your demands when she was a child. 🤮 That's grooming!!!!!!

Zerien recoiled. This time, the hint of contempt that flashed in his eyes truly hurt.

Ohhhh. You have contempt already? Oh this is going to work out well.

“And the Great War is a handful of years away!” Zerien shouted. “I don’t know that I will survive it! No Oracle can guarantee that I will live to see the end of it. I need an heir.

Obv he needs an heir more than he needs a mate.

“I know you’re disappointed and feel blindsided since I had agreed before. And I’m sorry that my words upset you. But I’m not ready for this. I’m only asking for a bit more time,” I said in a soft voice. “I don’t have it to give,” he said in a factual tone devoid of any emotion. He turned to face me, and the coldness in his eyes chilled me to the bone.

What she is asking for is reasonable from her point of view , why is he so mad and disgusted???

I swallowed hard and hugged myself again, the heat of shame creeping back on my cheeks. He didn’t need to tell me that, as I had indeed noticed how hard he was trying not to allow his duties to interfere with our time together. “I need a Queen, Siona, not a girlfriend.”

She's. your. mate. Bro. Not a girlfriend. Your, fated, mate.

He shook his head and took a couple of slow steps away from me as if he could no longer stand to be in my presence. “Maker,” he whispered. “You are truly still a child.” That angered me. And I gladly embraced it. Anger was a lot easier to handle than guilt.

Get angry sweetheart. He groomed you into agreeing to ridiculous things when you weren't old enough to fully comprehend them. Don't let the creep guilt trip you

“That’s true for regular couples. I’m the fucking Crown Prince. That means my duty comes first!” he retorted in a clipped tone before shaking his head with an air of disgust. “I guess your father was right after all about demanding this trial period.”

I hate him

“If all I wanted was to fuck, I’d have fifty heirs by now. But I have none because, like a stupid fool, I remained faithful to you while you were playing me and lying to my face all along,” he said, seething. “I have no use for an immature brat by my side. I need a Queen, which you clearly aren’t. The day you finally grow up, feel free to holler at me. Until then, you will remain here until your father sends someone to take you home. As for me, I’m going back to Sarenia, where I belong.”

Well the truth comes out.

“You will stay in this fucking suite until your father or brother sends guards to take you back home!” he shouted. A sense of dread washed over me upon hearing the supernatural vibration in his voice as he used his mind control for the very first time against me.

Dear goddess why???? How is this okay???

“My name is Eldrin. I’m seven and a half years old,” he said, his silver-blue eyes sparkling with happiness. “I can’t believe the Crown Prince is my father!”

I knew Kaelin had children. If memory served me right, she had given birth to six offspring over the years. The last time she and I had been intimate dated back a little over eight years ago—more than two years before Siona and I met. That meant we would have conceived our son in those final days.

“Did he and I have a fling? Yes, we did, as is obvious by the existence of our son. On Sarenia, everyone fucks everyone else at some point. For Zerien and me, it was just that. It ended over eight years ago, which is more than a year before he ever even met you. Since then, Zerien hasn’t looked at a single other female.

Above all, it was my time to prove to them that I not only was fit to be their future queen, but that Zerien had not been a fool or weakling for remaining loyal and devoted to me over the years.

Eww, she has to prove herself worthy of not being cheated on by her mate?

It dawned on me then that I had failed my mate over the years. In my head, whenever I fantasized about her finally being by my side, I’d reduce her to being mostly a trophy wife and the mother of my children. Another wave of shame washed over me as she lunged and slashed at holographic enemies with a relentless savagery that sharply contrasted with the peaceful scenery around her.

My instinctive reaction to dismiss it as some hobby she could do on the side when she first mentioned it now shamed me. It once again showed how I had not acknowledged my soulmate’s true gifts and potential beyond my wish to have her by my side.

Just like I had underestimated her combat skills, I had not understood the extent of her intellect. And that was another mistake I wouldn’t make again.

For a guy who is her supposed soul mate, he really doesn't know her very well.

Fate kept telling me she had great plans for my mate, but I’d been too blind to see it. I would no longer stand in her way but empower her to achieve all that she was meant to.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. I shook my head and smiled reassuringly. “Nothing, my love. I was just thinking how wrong I’d been, and that I owe you an apology.”

Ya think??? 🤔

“Back on Venus Hive, I said you were a child, when I actually needed a Queen. Now, I see how wrong and blind I was. You are no child, my Siona. Your body may be young, but a true Queen lurks within. No words can express just how proud you make me. I expected so much… too much from you. And yet, here you are, exceeding even my wildest dreams.”