Lan Yue stood in the middle of the throne hall, covered in mud, holding the blushing Ayame in his arms. Shu An stood to his right, visibly tense, nervously shifting uneasily in place as he tried to calm the storm of anxiety devouring him inside. Yan Mo stood on Lan Yue's left, watchful, his eyes sharp.
Minutes passed in heavy silence filled with nervousness and tension.
At last, the royal couple appeared King Shion, his face calm and unreadable, and the beautiful, kind queen they had met earlier.
Shion first made sure his queen sat down on her throne, his gaze soft with affection as he did. Only then did he take his seat – a larger, more ornate throne beside hers.
His gaze fell on Ayame, whose legs were gone. Beneath the purple veil covering his eyes, fury flashed.
Yan Mo twitched just a little, feeling that gaze upon him. He could tell – this was a man who'd do whatever it takes
