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It was good to be king.
Well, more accurately, it was good to the husband of a queen. A queen who I love very much, and would march through hell for.
I shifted in my throne to look at June, and wanting to make her smile, I gave her a little nudge so she’d look at me.
After taking a moment to centre myself, I dug deep and conjured up a fraction of my patron’s eldritch powers into my palm. I didn’t conjure enough for a blast, just enough to manifest some small leaves and have them fly through and around my fingers. It wasn’t much of a spectacle, but it was enough to get a small smile out of June, so I was content.
As one of June’s advisors came to brief her on who would be entreating the court today, I took a moment to reflect back on the past few months.
It had been almost a year since the disastrous wedding gathering for the wedding between June, and Austyn, the prince from my old home, the Autumn Court.
Over the course of that weekend, I made a pact with the Unseelie king, Oberon, I saw the woman I thought was my queen revealed to be an imposter cast into hell, I helped to foil a plot to remove the queens from power, beat the shit out of my rival Gill, (who I had subsequently convinced June to demote), and most importantly, made a dramatic, and very public declaration of my love for June.
Somehow I escaped with my life after that weekend, and more importantly, I got the girl. I was giddy for weeks afterwards. I had come into the wedding expecting our relationship to remain secret, but between Austyn’s general disregard for his engagement, the looming threats on the Feywild, and the constant mortal danger I found myself in, I figured we had nothing to lose.
After I spent a month back in Cornucoochia to help with their complicated issue of succession after their queen was revealed to be dead. After that mess was dealt with, I went to spend a few weeks in the Wynming Woods with my patron, Oberon.
From what I gathered from asking around, my relationship with Oberon was unlike most other eldritch pacts, and by that I mean, Oberon is a very nice archfae demigod who wanted a young man under his tutelage, and I was more than happy to agree.
After getting Oberon’s blessing to marry June, and a reasonable assurance that my duties as his warlock wouldn’t interfere too much with my new duty as the king of The Sunhold.
Our wedding was relatively small as far as royal weddings go, given the recent turmoil that had happened at the last wedding between the courts.
The next few months were a hot blur, between being educated on my official royal duties and getting used the damned heat. I still didn’t like the heat, but I knew that it was a sacrifice worth
making. Being with a beautiful lady who could easily beat me into a bloody pulp made it all worth it.Now, after a few months at the throne, I had a pretty solid opinion of the position. It’s boring as hell, but being next to June for the rest of my life made it all worth it. I know I’m not the most bored king out there, at least I had the occasional mission or meeting with Oberon to keep things at least a bit interesting.
Nights in service of my Unseelie master aside, my days were spent, side by side with June, as she went through the trials and tribulations of being a queen.
Thank the gods for advisors, because without them, June and Roven would be lost. He recalled conversations with June where she had mentioned she had never paid the closest attention to her diplomacy lessons, and other things that would’ve been important for the day to day running of a kingdom.
I was caught in memory of a rather daring escapade June and I had in the throne room before we were public when a herald made an announcement that shook me out of it.
With an annoyingly shrill voice, the herald declared “May all those of lesser standing rise and welcome Lady Rudbeckia of House Venenum”. June and I remained in our thrones. Royal privileges and all.
The herald continued, as a large eladrin strode into our hall, “M’lady Rudbeckia challenges Her Majesty the Queen June of House Verrona to a duel in single combat for the throne of Sunhold.”
Rudbeckia cut a huge figure. She was well known for being a formidable fighter, and was rumoured to have gone toe-to-toe with June’s mother, Solana.
Hidden behind my sunglasses, I rolled my eyes. June and I knew that she was coming today, it has been scheduled for weeks. The Summer Court is renowned across the land for its formidable army, and its focus on power. As such, new monarchs would have to defend their crown against all challengers.
There was no doubt in my mind that June would win this duel, and Rudbeckia was easily the strongest contender to her throne. After June wiped the floor with her, any other would-be challengers would slink away, like the cowards they are.
Following some more boring ceremonies, June and I headed to a small, private, outdoor arena, that was the private training grounds of the royal family. I took my seat in the king’s designated seat, and got ready to watch a fierce bout.
I fingered my crown a bit nervously, feeling the magical power course through it. I knew there was no real risk of anything serious happening, but I couldn't help but be a bit nervous.
Back when I had served as the Captain of the Guard for House Giltoris, I had a helm of teleportation. Unfortunately for the Autumn Court, that helm disappeared. A tidy sum of gold sent to the best magical metalworker in Astrazalian made sure that my new crown would allow me to be wherever I needed to be.
After a bit more ceremony, June’s duel began. She was a blur, darting around her larger opponent, blitzing her with strikes. I relaxed in my throne, but only a little bit.
I sat up a bit straighter when Rudbeckia delivered a crushing blow to June with her mace. I winced in second-hand pain.
In a moment where June was doubled over from that blow, I saw Rudbeckia do something to her mace. I should’ve known, I remembered that I had been told that there had been rumours of the Venenums using poisons in duels for years.
In one action, I reached out to the eldritch power again. Feeling it coalesce in my hand, when I released the energy, my longsword was in my hand. In a flash of tiny leaves, I teleported behind Rudbeckia.
From my new vantage point, I could clearly see a sickly green powder on the spikes of her mace.
Even though she couldn’t see me, I gave a wicked grin before cracking my sword down on her head. I didn’t kill her, but I did hurt her pretty good.
I turned away, and before I could dispel my sword, I heard another flurry of blows, and before I knew it there was a thump as Rudbeckia hit the dirt.
I motioned for a guard to take away the almost assassin, and I waited for June to dust herself off.
As we started back towards our throne room, she questioned me, “You know I could’ve taken her, why’d you have to butt in?”
Almost sheepishly, I scratched the back of my head before responding, “I’m sorry I interfered, but I saw her poison her mace, and I cannot stand even the thought of someone trying to really kill you.”
I stopped her, and took off my sunglasses to look her in the eyes before continuing, “June, I’m sorry I stepped in, but your life is the most important thing in this world to me, and if anyone threatens it, it’s my duty to deal with them.”
She gave me an understanding look, before she thanked me with a kiss.
As we kept walking back towards our throne room, she jokingly chastised me, “Roven, I love you, and you did what you felt was best, but if you ever interfere with one of my duels again, I’ll have you thrown in the dungeons.” She gave the matter a moment of mock thought before adding on, “Or worse.”
I promised her I would never do it again, but we both knew that is push came to shove, I’d fight anybody or anything for her.