Chapter 110

Arthur was in a bad mood, but as Daphne held onto him, she couldn’t help but laugh. They’d left the cottage about an hour ago and they hadn’t gone for. If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn he was walking in circles just to avoid leaving.

“Oh, Arthur, it won’t be that bad.”

“We deserve at least a month,” Arthur grumbled walking through the forest.

She laughed, “Is that why you’re walking so slow?”

He didn’t answer and she laughed harder, leaning into the warmth of his glossy, golden fur. He’d been grumbling about heading back to deal with the mess of the werewolves and vampires for the past few days.

“We don’t have to go back,” Arthur huffed. “You don’t think Nicole can’t handle those cowards?”

Nicole would just as soon kill half of the pack leaders than put up with bullshit from them, but that wouldn’t usher in a new age between vampires and werewolves. There had been enough death.

“My concern isn’t Nicole, it’s everything else. There are innocent people caught up in this.”

Arthur grumbled, “Caring about innocent people is how we got separated.”

Daphne stroked his furry head, “That was then. This time, we’ll just leave.”

Arthur stopped and turned his head, “Will it really be that easy?”

“You think between us and Nicole we couldn’t clear us a path of escape?”

He laughed, “That’s fair.”

Soon, they reached the border between the vampire and werewolf lands. There was no one there.

“Where should we go?” Daphne asked, turning her head towards the Royal family’s castle. She couldn’t quite see the castle in the distance, but if Arthur picked up the pace, they could be there before sundown.

Arthur turned towards the August family’s castle beyond the dense forest. Daphne laughed.

“Really, Arthur?”

“I’m not in a hurry to go back there.”

She sighed as he walked through the forest, “Is it about Blade?”

Arthur sighed, “I sent him back to the castle, to his son, after the battle. I haven’t heard anything yet. I don’t think he’ll want to see me.”

Daphne stroked his head, “I’ll go with you.”

Arthur chuckled as he leaped down a sharp incline, “I had no doubt about that.”

Soon, they reached the castle’s city. The guards nodded at them. The citizens, human and vampire, whispered and pointed at them as they reached the castle.

Nicole hurried out as they reached the castle steps. She wasn’t wearing her illusion. Her golden eyes were bright as she hurried down the steps. Daphne slid off of Arthur’s back in time for Nicole’s arms to wrap around her.

She squeezed her close and Daphne squeezed her back.

“Hi, Nicole.”

“I wouldn’t have blamed you if you never came back.”

Daphne pulled back, “I don’t think that’s what mom and grandma would have wanted.”

Nicole smiled lightly, her eyes were glossy as she turned to Arthur, “I’ll get someone to bring you clothes. It might be normal on the other side of the canyon to walk around naked, but on this side, we like pants.”

Arthur laughed, “Sure thing.”

They followed Nicole into the castle as she began to explain everything that had been happening while they were gone. John and the duchess’ territories had been confiscated and investigated. The teams had found the duchess’ husband’s body in a casket full of blood but no head. He was dead when they found him and there were several werewolves from the time of the war and more recently in her dungeons who they were patching up and getting ready to return to the werewolf kingdom.

Arthur huffed as it was clear that he would be leading the caravan back.

They found Arthur some clothes, packed a caravan, and enjoyed dinner with Nicole, her unit, and the living nobles who had proven themselves to be loyal to the August line. By the end of the dinner, Daphne had a feeling that Nicole would end up being courted by the end of the month if she didn’t scare off her would-be suitors.

In the morning, Arthur faced the group of twenty prisoners. Each of them looked shocked to see him. They looked older than he was, but Arthur cleared his throat.

“My name is Arthur,” he said. “King Dean was my father. I don’t proclaim to be your king. I am just leading you back to the werewolf lands.”

No one seemed confused about his proclamation or when he shifted and Daphne climbed on his back in a set of leather armor. Those who couldn’t walk yet were put into carriages. The others walked though there was space for them in the wagon if they needed to rest. Arthur led the caravan from the castle towards the border.

He felt the werewolves waiting on the other side and braced himself for a fight, but it wasn’t just Tom, Rex, and the others who had survived the battle.

Blade stood there with his son in his arms looking across the divide at him. His heart clenched as the baby wiggled in Blade’s arms. He looked at the two of them as Arthur slowed to a start.

“Your Majesty,” Tom started, his voice trembling. He didn’t get any closer and Arthur didn’t look at him. “I must apologize.”

Daphne gasped and Arthur glared at him suspiciously.

“I… We made an oath regarding you and your mate, and we have broken it. Our treatment of your luna is more than enough for you to never want to consider taking up the throne again, but for the sake of the people who need the stability, we hope you would reconsider it.”

Arthur scoffed, “You can’t even apologize to Daphne directly.”

Tom looked down, ashamed. Arthur sighed.

“Daphne and I have decided that it would be in everyone’s best interest to unite the vampire and werewolf lands once in for all—”

Rex gasped, “But—”

“Or I will be abdicating the position completely,” Arthur said, then he turned his gaze to Blade who looked at him and Daphne.

He stepped around Tom and Rex and came to stand in front of Arthur. His son squirmed a bit in his arms before turning his big brown eyes on Arthur.

“… I wanted to be angry,” Blade said looking at Arthur. “I… wanted to hate you both.”

Daphne lowered her gaze, her eyes burning, “I’m so sorry, Blade, if I—”

“But Mamie wanted to go with you.”

Daphne frowned looking at him. She met his gaze.

“She wanted to be there for you the way you had been there for her while you lived in Sharp Armor,” he said and looked at his son. “She wanted… peace.”

He sighed, “He may never know his mother, but he can know the person she was willing to die for.”

Daphne slid off his back and approached, “I… Blade, you have to know that I never wanted her to come. I didn’t want any of this to happen.”

Blade nodded, “I know.”

He sighed, “If I had known what was going to happen, I would have never stopped her from asking.”

Daphne frowned, “Asking what?”

“She wanted you to be his godmother,” Blade said.

Daphne’s eyes burned and she looked at the child. She’d heard from Nicole about godparents for vampires swearing oaths in magic, but she didn’t know about werewolf customs.

Arthur transformed into his human form as Daphne drew closer.

“I would be honored,” Daphne said, “And I would have said yes. You… and Mamie have been our family when we had nothing. I would have never denied such a request.”

Blade’s eyes watered and he nodded, “I… know that now.”

He offered her the child and smiled lifting him from Blade’s arms. Arthur stepped towards him, shuffling his feet with nerves.

“Blade, I…”

Blade laughed, clapping him on the shoulder, “Don’t.”

“But… Mamie…”

Blade shook his head, “You were right about what you said. Had the werewolf packs kept together after the fall of the Royal family, so much of this could have been avoided. You wouldn’t have been forced into that position, and Mamie would still be alive.”

Arthur shook his head, “I’m so sorry, Blade.”

“She would want us all to move on,” he blew out a breath. “She wouldn’t have wanted to go on living like that.”

Arthur nodded solemnly, unable to say much else. He looked back to the rest of the caravan.

“These people will need homes.”

“Well,” Blade said, “With the thrones united, I imagine Sharp Armor is probably one of the safest places for them.”

Arthur grinned at him and nodded, “Probably.”

Blade pat him on the shoulder, “I’m sure Alpha Rex and the others can take it from here. Why don’t you two head back to the vampire’s castle? I think I’d like some godchildren.”

Arthur’s face heated and Blade burst into laughter.

Daphne laughed, giving the toddler back with a kiss to his head, “Soon.”

Arthur’s eyes widened as he looked at her. His gaze dropped to her stomach before meeting her gaze with a warm, loving smile.

Certainly soon.

—The End—