Chapter 2 : Engagement Announcement

Erik’s POV

Both of the girls on either side of me made a noise of discomfort and slipped out of the seat, leaving both Magnus and me staring dumbfounded at my father.

“What?!” I shouted again. I looked over at the girls disappearing into the busy thrum of feasting and drinking. “No, girls! Come back!”

They weren’t coming back. Myrkr women were many things, but they don’t get involved with married men. Cheaters were publically scorned, as well as mistresses.

Might as well have stamped “cockblock” across my forehead. I’m never going to get laid again.

Magnus nudged me with his elbow. “You’re going to get married, man.”

“No way in the Five Realms of the Afterlife am I getting married!” I stood up, gesturing over to my father in volatile annoyance. “I don’t want to be in the same room with a Forest Elf, much less marry one!”

The room was silent, watching my outburst. I bared my canines, hands in fists. I noticed Magnus slowly get up. “I’m just gonna…” he trailed off as he disappeared in the crowd to avoid the impending eruption of my father’s anger.

My father stiffened further. “Eirikur Myrkrson, let us discuss this in the privacy of our longhouse.”

I hissed, “Or I could murder her in her bed. A dainty little forest princess is no match for a warrior.”

Adrenaline ran hotly through my veins. How could my father expect me to marry the heir of the King we’ve been warring with for years? Fuck that. No. I wouldn’t do it.

I wouldn’t sully my bloodline with those elitist fuckers.

I sat down loudly, tearing into my meal. I chewed loudly, messily. My father’s heavy footsteps climbed the three steps to the elevated eating area. “Eirikur. You will come with me right now.” His voice was low. Dangerously so.

And I would have found it terrifying if I wasn’t so pissed off. He only took that tone with me when he was about to crack a whip across my back for misbehaving. My father’s yellow eyes flashed as I maintained his gaze.

His brawny form bent at the waist as he murmured, “You can either come with me right now, or I can drag you out by your ear like a misbehaving child having a temper tantrum.”

My eyes narrowed into a glare, a tick in my jaw as my shoulders tensed. “I’m still eating.”

His silvery skin pinkened slightly, barely keeping a hold of his temper. “You’re a man, Eirikur. Act like it.”

I stood up, shoving my chair back loudly and the scraping noise echoed across the hall. Everyone watched me as I stormed out of the room, close behind my father. As soon as the door closed behind me, I looked up at the massive man, opening my mouth to backtalk him.

Suddenly, his hand struck me against the back of my head, grasping my ear and dragging me across the street into our longhouse. I made a sharp noise of discomfort and I swear I heard my brothers snicker as my father manhandled me.

Distantly, my mother ordered my brothers to enjoy the feast so they could speak to me in silence. I was too angry to feel relief that they wouldn’t see our parents reprimand me.

“Let go! Let go!” I hissed, struggling against his hold.

“Why? You’re so intent on acting like a child, why shouldn’t I treat you like one?” my father bit back.

“Thurston,” my mother said firmly, addressing my father by his name. She dropped her fur coat off her shoulders, hanging it by the door. “Let him go.”

My father looked back at my mother, huffing as he finally let me go. I threw myself back against the sitting area, nearly falling over the cushioned seating. “This is non-negotiable, Erik.”

I scoffed, scrambling to my feet. “Arranging a marriage without my consent is non-negotiable?”

My mother sighed. “This wasn’t a decision we came to lightly. Unfortunately, you weren’t here to contest it yourself.”

“Yet again, you left the village for what? The glory of monster-hunting?” my father nearly growled.

“A Nokken was terrorizing a nearby town. You know this, Father,” I retorted. “Someone had to take care of it.”

My father pinched the bridge of his nose. “That is what the hunters are for, Erik! You have too many responsibilities here to go disappearing into the wilds with Magnus. What would have happened if you came across an assassin?”

“I’m a warrior, Father,” I spat obviously. I had fought in enough battles to know I held that rank far above “prince”.

He narrowed his eyes at me, coming forward like a whorling hurricane. He drew his sword and my mother only sighed his name as he came at me, caging me against the wall with his broadsword. I heard the servants make themselves scarce, disappearing into the servant’s quarters.

“You think you’re a warrior. A few lesser fae will not change that. But will you fear the front lines? Will you fear your family being stripped away from you in a meaningless war? You’re not a warrior. You’re a prince pretending to be one.”

My nostrils flared when I couldn’t come up with a rebuttal. He was right. Whenever I fought in a battle, I wasn’t on the front lines. I was…protected like a fucking coward. I could fight, and I could be valuable on the battlefield, but my title of prince always held me back. I bared my teeth, hissing, “What’s her name? My fiancee?”

Elegantly, my mother came to my father’s side, putting her hand on his shoulder and gently guiding him back, directing him toward the decanters of mead. I knew what she was doing. Redirecting him before I could enrage him further.

And I wanted to enrage him. Perhaps he would throttle me hard enough that I’d have to be on bed rest and the engagement would fall to one of my brothers.

“Her name is Poppy,” she said firmly, speaking smoothly.

“Poppy?!” I snarled. “Poppy? What kind of name is Poppy?” I spat her name every single time I said it.

“Short for Penelope,” she continued easily. “King Varric of Aldermor’s daughter. From what I hear, she is a lovely young woman. Early twenties. Quite the scholar.”

That sounded incredibly boring. If I were to marry, it would be with a woman who could match me in the field. I wanted the pride of marrying someone who could defeat me. Like how my father married my mother. It was not our way to marry the weak or delicate.

I could see myself marrying a Frejya or a Helga. Not someone as sweet-sounding as Poppy. Condemning me to boring sex for the rest of my life.

I made a noise of disbelief. “She’s still an Alder Elf, Mother. The worst of the Forestfolk.” I paused, crossing my arms. “I’m not going to marry her. You’re not going to force me.”

My father slammed the pint of mead down onto the bar cart, splattering the sweet honey wine everywhere. “That’s exactly what we’re doing, Eirikur. And you don’t have any say.”

“I’m twenty-seven years old, Father. I will deny this engagement. I have no interest in settling down.” The words were spoken firmly, now that my temper had settled down a little bit.

Suddenly, my mother snorted. “Oh yes, that’s right. You’re too busy being the town whore.”

My jaw dropped open and I sputtered, completely blindsided by that comment.

A chuckle rumbled out of my father’s chest. “Someone had to say it, son. And not to mention, you’ve been conveniently avoiding important meetings. Always disappearing into a barmaid’s bed or into the wilds with Magnus.”

“I’m not avoiding my responsibilities!” I argued. “I’ve been handling skirmishes in the east. Hunting creatures tormenting smaller villages.” I paused, looking between both of my parents who both looked incredibly unimpressed. “Fine. I won’t go into the wilds anymore. I won’t sleep around. I’ll be the perfect apprentice, Father, just don’t marry me off to a Forest Elf like a woman.”

“It’s too late for that,” my mother said. “Get over it. It’s happening.”

I threaded my fingers through my hair, pulling on my braid in frustration. “Why can’t she marry one of my brothers?”

My father took a swig of his mead. “The conditions are quite clear. Poppy is to marry the firstborn to unite the kingdoms. End of story.”

In one last-ditch attempt to call it off, I declared, “I am not husband material.”

“Obviously,” my father chuckled, turning away from me to drink more of his honey wine.

“Look at me, Eirikur,” my mother demanded, both of her hands on my shoulders so I’d look down at her. Her features were sharp and refined, but even so, she was much kinder than my father.

“What?”

“Do not try to sabotage this. It’s been over a decade of war and we finally came to a peaceful solution. You’re going to marry Princess Poppy. And you are going to be a faithful husband. There is no alternative.”

My lips thinned and I wanted to argue. Instead, I looked out to the stormy seaside, thinking of all the ways I could run away. I’d survive in the wilds. But my father was an esteemed hunter. He’d find me, drag me away to marry a woman I knew nothing about.

Myrkr men committed to marriage. We didn’t divorce. We didn’t cheat. We were as loyal to our betrothed as we were to our country.

How could they expect me to make such a serious commitment to someone I didn’t know?

Especially to someone I’d been bred to hate. Myrkr Elves hated Alder Elves. It was in our blood.

“Eirikur,” she stated softly. “We will be leaving for Aldermor in the morning. The servants have already packed your bag.”

I shrugged out of her hold, glaring down at her from the bridge of my nose before turning the seething look to my father.

Arguing was pointless. They had made up their minds. I, for one, would rather continue fighting than marry the enemy, but it appears I had no choice. I turned around, giving them my back as I climbed the stairs to my bedroom.

Next to my room, I heard a loud thump, followed by another and another. I threw open the door to Magnus’s room, much smaller than mine, but still enough room to have sex with not one, but two women.

Hushed groaning and gasping as the bodies continued to move. All of them looked very familiar. The two women flirting with me earlier were in a steamy tongue-lock, one of them riding his cock while the other sat on his face.

Of course, he took off with them. I rolled my eyes. There was a reason he was the town slut.

“Mags,” I grumbled, causing the bodies to suddenly stop moving, the two girls separating to look over at me with flushed cheeks. That could have been me right now, but no, my parents had to announce my engagement BEFORE I got laid.

But nothing made me softer than seeing my best friend in the middle of a fuckfest.

Magnus pushed the woman who was on his face to the side, panting heavily, face moist. He grasped the elf on his lap by the hips, gliding her up and down, not interested in stopping. She wasn’t complaining. Nor did she care I was there. In fact, I think the audience spurred them on even more.

But all it did was turn me off. I preferred to fuck in private. While Magnus would be content fucking numerous women in broad daylight in the town square, that was not my thing.

This is not the first time I’d walked in on Magnus and it would not be the last.

“Oh, hey, Erik.”

“Hurry up, we leave in the morning,” I stated.

“Where to?”

“Aldermor.” I glanced at the woman cast to the side, furiously working her swollen wetness with absolutely no shame. I looked back over at Magnus who was happily sucking on one of her generously-sized tits. “Enjoy it while it lasts. I doubt you’ll be getting any more pussy once we get there.”

I didn’t wait for a response when I closed the door behind me, hearing a quiet, “Come here, I don’t want you to feel left out.” Followed by some more panting and feminine giggles.

Luckily, it wasn’t too loud in my bedroom even though his room was right next door. I bet my parents regretted taking him in now, especially since a new woman left his bedroom every morning.

I fell onto my bed covered in furs, sliding my tongue across my canines. Tweaking one of my earrings that decorated my pointed ears. The rage simmered under my skin.

Marriage.

Might as well be a death sentence.