003

KING LEROY

"You can do anything to me after this, Sire. Just please do it now." She urged. I took a deep breath.

"Raul, give me a knife." He quickly handed me a pocket knife, and without wasting time, I slowly cut her belly open. Her blood drenched my hand, and it was so inviting to lick, but I held myself.

"A little bit more, Sire." The woman said. I cut deeper but was careful not to hurt the baby inside. When it was big enough, I slipped my hand inside but quickly pulled it when I felt a current run through my hand. I looked at the woman, and she smiled.

"Take her out, Sire." She urged me. I put my hand inside again, and I felt her head. I feel the current again, but this time, it gives a warm feeling. Slowly, I pulled her out, and when she was finally out, she wasn't breathing and a bit blue.

"Hold her upside down, Sire." I did as Amara told me, but still, she wasn't moving. I panicked, as well as the woman. I held her closer to my chest and softly patted her back.

"Open your eyes, little one. Breath for me. Come on. Breath." The child earlier came closer, and she poked her on her chest, and my little mate instantly bawled her heart out. Unexpectedly, a smile formed on my lips, and I cradled her.

"My mate. My little mate.

After I was sure that my little mate was safe, we hurriedly went back to the castle, bringing Arabella's body with us, together with a woman named Amara and a child named Cheche.

As soon as I stepped inside the castle, one of the guards approached us.

"Sire, the council is waiting for you in the meeting room.

"Tell them...

"Sire." The head council, followed by the other, approached me. We heard what happened. They said you found your mate, but she died.

"Don't say anything if they ask if Arabella is your mate. Don't confirm or deny anything. Let them believe what they know for the safety of your little mate."

Amara's words echoed inside my head. I think she was right. I don't know who was the traitor around me. They shouldn't know.

I keep my mouth shut, not looking at them. Nero, the head of the council, moved forward, and he gasped when he saw the corpse of Arabella in my arms.

"Sire, we are deeply saddened by this catastrophe that happened to you and our Queen." He said, kneeling in front of me, followed by others.

"I can't talk to you and the other tonight. Maybe after the burial."

"We understand, Sire." I walked passed them and went to the room where we lay the dead before they were buried the next day, with Raul, Lucas, Luther, Louis, who was carrying Cheche, and Amara, who was holding my little mate.

I slowly laid her on the bed and sadly looked at her. "Thank you for bringing my mate into this world," I whispered. "Luther gets some clothes, and everything she needs to make her look better, and Lucas arranges everything we need for the burial tomorrow."

"Yes, Sire." They answered and quickly left the room.

"Raul, make sure no one comes in. If they ask to see her, tell them tomorrow."

"Yes, Sire." He answered and guarded the door. I sat on the sofa in the corner and took a deep breath.

"You can sit," I told Amara, who was standing near the door with my little mate in her arms, and Cheche, who was now standing beside her. She slowly moves and sits on the other side of the sofa, but my little mate bursts into tears.

"Sire, I think she's hungry." She murmured.

"Give her to me." I took my mate from her arms and cradled her in my chest. "Louis, can you, by any chance, find milk and a baby bottle for her and some other things she needed?"

"Yes, Sire. I'll go to the town near here. I'll be back after a few hours."

"Just make it fast."

"Yes, Sire." And he quickly left the room.

"Stop crying, little one," I whispered, wiping the tears away from her face. She hiccups, then opens her eyes, looking up at me. Her eyes are green like a forest, and she stops crying when her green eyes meet my blue ones. It's hypnotizing and captivating. A smile curls on my lips when she puts her thumb inside her lips and sucks it, not leaving her eyes away from mine. I lean closer to her and plant a lingering kiss on her forehead, and she lets out a gurgling sound that makes my smile widen. I haven't smiled for a long time already. I don't know when I stopped smiling, but just looking at her, a smile formed on my lips without knowing it.

"Amara, how did you know she was my mate and not her mother?" I asked, running my thumb on my mate's smooth and soft cheek. Her eyes never left my face, still sucking her thumb. She looks so adorable with a rosy, chubby cheek.

"Arabella, her mother is an oracle. She knows that you'll come tonight. She's the one who told me about your mate. And this child, Cheche, is with her the day she was captured."

" She's an oracle? Does anyone know about it?

"No one. She only told me." I nodded my head. She could be a great help to my Kingdom if she's alive. Oracles are like a treasure to anyone who can have them by their side because they can see the future and talk to a deity.

"I thought Cheche was your child. Is she Arabella's sister?"

"I don't know, Sire, because she won't talk, and if I asked Arabella about her, she would just smile and ignore my question." I looked at Cheche, who was now holding one hand of my mate smiling.

"Arabella said," You'll name her Sadie and wear this on her. "She said, holding a necklace with a two-round stone pendant, blue and orange, but it seemed like another stone was missing because of the gap in between.

"You talk?" Amara asked, surprised. She smiled and nodded her head. "Are you Arabella's sister?"

"No, I'm a friend."

"How old are you? And how do you meet Arabella?" Amara asked again. She smiles this time and doesn't answer.

"Wear this necklace to Sadie, Sire." She said, handing me the necklace. My little mate made a gurgling sound, and her eyes moved to Cheche. I thought a human baby could only see after a few days they were born, but my mate, I think she can already clearly see her surroundings. I took the necklace from her hand and wore it to my mate, who slept briefly.

Half an hour later, Luther returns, and he quickly cleans Arabella with the help of Amara. They sewed her belly and ensured no one could see her wound. No one will find out that my mate is her daughter.

"Tell them that the baby is the daughter of one of the humans they captured, and Cheche is her sister.

"Amara is right. No one should know.