Married To The Dragon Prince Against My Will-Chapter 229: THE WINNER

The room fell into a tense, suffocating silence the moment King Aden finished speaking.

Lumina could feel Ashen’s heartbeat calm and steady beneath her cheek as she rested against him, his arm wrapped securely around her waist.

She had refused to walk earlier, still too weak from the strain of her returning sight, and Ashen had insisted on carrying her without a hint of hesitation.

Queen Sephora was the first to react to the king’s words.

Her voice rose in disbelief as she leaned slightly forward in her seat, staring at the king as though he had suddenly spoken another language.

"What do you mean by that?" she demanded.

King Aden only smiled and straightened on his throne, his presence filling the entire hall.

"What I mean," he said slowly, "is that over the past few years, I have bestowed titles on certain people who, instead of honoring the role, have mismanaged the duties. And those who were given such roles only a few moons ago have already gained significant importance."

Adam’s throat tightened painfully. His palms felt clammy. It felt like the world was shrinking around him, and the flicker of panic in his eyes was unmistakable.

What is happening? Why today? Why now? His mind raced frantically, but no answer came.

The king lifted a sealed scroll and tapped it lightly on the arm of his throne.

"We will begin with the High Queen herself."

Gasps echoed in the hall. The nobles exchanged uneasy glances while Sephora’s face drained of color. She stared at her husband in horror.

"Henceforth," King Aden continued, "she will be relieved of all remaining ruling duties. She has served far more than what her position demanded, and I believe it is time for her to rest at home. She has given much of herself to this realm, and I thank her."

Sephora whispered sharply beside him. "Your Highness, even though you phrased this as gratitude, this is humiliation. How could you embarrass me publicly?"

But he ignored her completely and moved on.

"Next," he said, his expression sharpening, "The person I will be relieving of duty is none other than the Crown Prince."

Adam shot up from his seat so fast that his chair scraped loudly on the floor. "Your Highness, what are you talking about?!" he burst out.

The moment the words left his mouth, regret hit him like a sword to the chest. He inhaled sharply, realizing far too late that raising his voice at the king.

Several of the guards stepped forward instinctively, their eyes glowing, prepared to act if the king ordered punishment.

Queen Sephora signaled frantically for Adam to sit, and he obeyed, lowering himself back into his chair with clenched fists.

Rhynera, who had been standing behind him, swallowed her own shock. She could not allow this. If Adam lost his position, she would become a laughingstock. She stood carefully, hands clasped in front of her.

"Your Highness," she began respectfully, "as Crown Princess, I know it is bold of me to speak here. But I must express my concern. This is not merely a personal matter; it affects the entire realm."

The king nodded mildly. "And you have proven capable of carrying a future heir. That alone shows your dedication."

Rhynera’s mother smiled proudly for a moment, but the expression vanished when the king continued.

"However," he added, his tone firm, "we all know that a disgrace from one branch of leadership stains them all. Your husband has committed several offenses. I have pardoned him time and time again, but I will not continue."

He coughed softly, and the entire hall stilled. His aides stepped forward, but he raised a hand to keep them back. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Adam stiffened, his jaw trembling. "Who... who is the position being passed to?" he asked, unable to contain the desperation in his voice.

"That," King Aden said, "is for me to know and for you to keep silent about. Another word, and I will have you thrown into the dungeon."

Adam flinched, and Rhynera gently grabbed his arm to keep him from reacting.

But he still tried again.

"Father, forgive me. But you do know Ashen went to the Abyss Land! He can’t be chosen."

A ripple of shock swept through the room. All eyes turned to Ashen, who remained perfectly calm. His hand rested on Lumina’s back, gently soothing her.

King Aden shook his head in disappointment. "Adam... you have been relieved of the crown prince position. You have no right to question my authority."

Queen Sephora stood quickly and dropped to her knees before the throne. The movement made even the Shadover King shift uncomfortably in his seat. Mireya rushed to Sephora’s side, supporting her arm.

"Your Highness," Sephora cried, "forgive the Crown Prince. He was raised poorly by me. I will correct his manners and guide him back to the right path. Please do not strip him of his rights."

But the king only smiled coldly. "I have already given my decree. If you are unhappy, you may gather your allies and attempt to form a new realm of your own. But I warn you now any attempt to threaten this throne under my rule will be considered treason."

Every noble in the room swallowed hard. The warning was unmistakable.

He then looked toward the assembled realms. "The reason I have called you here today," he continued, "is because this may be my last formal council meeting."

The hall erupted in hushed murmurs.

"Your Highness..." several voices called out in distress.

"My health is declining," Aden said quietly. "I have ruled long enough. I wish to pass the throne to one of my sons, someone who has shown true leadership."

Ryker, King of the Celestial Realm, watched quietly from his elevated seat, his expression stoic.

Aden continued, "King Ryker may think I have taken a dangerous step, not minding our alliance. But I assure him his daughter is in good hands. She will remain one of the highest ladies in this realm for as long as she wishes."

Lumina lowered her eyes, touched and slightly unsettled by the weight of the words. Ashen squeezed her hand lightly.

The king took a breath. "I will allow the nobles to decide. Choose between my first son, Alexis... or my last son, Ashen."

The room buzzed in disbelief. Lumina looked toward the king involuntarily, and their eyes met.

He finally asked gently, "Is this not what you have always wanted, little one?"

Lumina’s breath hitched. She looked away instantly. "Your Highness..." she said softly. "I may wish the best for my husband, but I did not aspire for this particular position." The lie was smooth, even the king knew how badly this little girl aimed for that position.

Ashen snickered quietly. Lumina pinched his thigh without turning her head. The snicker died instantly.

The king did not comment, but the amusement in his eyes was undeniable.

He lifted a hand, and an aide stepped forward with a wooden box.

"We will conduct an open vote. I do not have time for secret voting."

He opened the box to reveal red and blue stones.

"Red is for Ashen. Blue is for Alexis. The stone with the highest count chooses the next crown prince."

Queen Sephora stared in horror. "Your Highness... are you forgetting about..."

"Enough," the king cut her off sharply.

She bit her lip hard, swallowing her anger.

"If you disagree with this method," he said, "you may leave the palace grounds immediately."

The queen remained kneeling, trembling.

"You may begin," he declared.

Immediately, nobles began forming a line toward the box. Their faces held a mix of fear, awe, and anticipation.

The Shadover King watched with narrowed eyes, intrigued. Ryker’s expression remained calm, though something flickered behind it.

One could tell he had his own plan but wasn’t ready to display it yet; after all, he needed to tread carefully.

Ashen sat back comfortably, one hand holding Lumina while the other lifted a drink to his lips. He looked completely unbothered by the whole situation.

Lumina tilted her head slightly toward him. "You are calm," she whispered. "Do you not care? This is the crown prince position."

Ashen turned his head and smiled at her, the softness reserved only for her. "I do not care for titles. I care for fate. And fate does not move because men argue around a throne."

Lumina felt warmth bloom in her chest. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Well as long as I am with you, I do not care either," she murmured. "Well... except my coven-leader position... I will not joke with that."

He snickered under his breath. Of course, she would not surrender that.

The thought of Lumina leading fiercely from the shadows made him both proud and slightly frightened.

He had no idea what she would do with absolute power one day.

The line grew shorter as one noble after another made their choice.

Red stones clinked softly into the bowl, followed by occasional blues.

Finally, the last noble stepped forward.

"We are done, Your Highness," the aide announced.