Narissara stepped forward, her gaze unyielding, "Spare me your pleasantries," she coldly said, the frustration of the day's defeat coloring her tone, "You have upended traditions and expectations. Tell me, what is it you plan to gain from all this turmoil?"
Asher's eyes twinkled as he slowly walked over, "I seek only what is best for all our people," he replied smoothly, "Surely, you can see the benefits of our union extend beyond mere tradition."
Narissara's eyes were steely, her resolve unshaken, "You may have charmed all the rest, Consort Asher, even my own blood," she stated, "but I see through your masquerade. You aim to exploit my daughter, to bleed our people for your own ends."
Asher's face fell into a mock frown, his tone dripping with disappointment, "Sigh, to think you see me as such a scoundrel..."
"Cease your pretenses," Narissara cut him off sharply, her voice as cold as the stone she held. "And renounce your claim to my daughter. Tell her what you truly feel…that you don't love her."
His chuckle was low, almost inaudible, "And why should I do that? What's in it for me? Isola is very beautiful, powerful, and loyal. Throwing her away would be a very foolish move."
Her glare intensified, "I knew your greed would not let you part from Isola without recompense. Hence," she slowly took out a small stone that shimmered with a dark, mystical glow.
Asher's eyebrows rose in genuine surprise as he gazed at the dark blue stone, its aura pulsating like a sinister heart, "A Deviar?"
Narissara's stare only intensified upon seeing his eyes glowing upon seeing the stone, "This is a Deviar that once belonged to my ancestors during the Ravager's reign. It is a used one, but as you already know, even a used Deviar carries considerable power to be used as a power source for a lot of things."
Asher knew what she was talking about.
A Deviar, even after absorbing the power inside it, was still a powerful divine object on its own that still held devilish power.
It could be used to act as a power source for lots of powerful formations that could potentially be a threat to other kingdoms.
He knew Rowena's Deviar, the Bloodburn Stone was said to power the entire kingdom's offensive and defensive formations. This was also one of the other reasons he gave it to Rowena so that she could put it to better use to strengthen the kingdom while only she knew the location.
That was how kingdoms were created. When just two or three powerful people with Deviars come together, they can build a kingdom from scratch.
However, he never expected Narissara to offer him such a precious treasure. Since she mentioned it was something that her ancestors had possessed, it could only mean she considered it even more precious.
But maybe it was not so surprising considering whom she was doing this for.
"Do we have an accord?" Narissara demanded, the stone held out like a talisman between them.
Asher took a step closer, his eyes fixed on the stone, then met her gaze with a calculated intensity, "To relinquish my claim to Isola in exchange for this?" He reached out slowly, hovering his hand over the stone before pulling back, "Tempting indeed. But love is not so easily bought—or bartered."
Narissara's hand twitched, her facade of control faltering, "What do you want?"
Asher's eyes lingered on Narissara with a deliberate intensity, taking in the graceful contours of her form, especially her medium bust and the subtle iridescence of her soft scales that blended with her smooth, pale blue skin.
Narissara's frown deepened, her eyes narrowing, feeling discomfort under his dirty gaze, "Your gaze betrays your thoughts, Consort Asher. Keep your eyes to yourself," she snapped, the disgust evident in her tone.
The corner of Asher's mouth turned up in a sinister smirk, "My apologies for my unruly eyes. Now, to the heart of the matter," he leaned in, the sly light in his eyes hardening, "Why don't you show me a good time personally and then I might consider."
Her shock was palpable, her eyes flashing with anger, "You overstep!" Narissara hissed, her hand clutching the Deviar as if to draw strength from its depths, "I should have known better than to trust a vile beast!"
As she made to leave, Asher's chuckle followed her—a sound light but laden with meaning, "You almost disappointed me, Narissara. I'm glad to see you'd rather hold onto your dignity than make such a fool's bargain."
She paused mid-stride, whipping around to face him, "What kind of trick are you trying to pull?"
Asher's advance was measured as he spoke, "An honest one. I admire your resolve, your refusal to sacrifice honor for power over your daughter. That... integrity is rare."
"Flattery is a dull blade in your hands. Do you think it will make me forget your attempt to make a disgusting bargain with me?" she retorted, the ice in her voice barely containing her rage.
He met her glare with a serene and sincere expression while bowing deeply, "I truly apologize for my unsavory actions and words earlier. I only wanted to know what kind of a person you were since this was our first interaction. But if words are not enough, perhaps actions will suffice. Allow Isola to probe my thoughts—she will find no deceit about what I just said."
Asher knew how the relations between Isola and her mother were quite sour.
But before he could decide whether to respect her mother, he wanted to find out if Narissara loved Isola or only cared for her as a tool to be used to further her personal interests.
And there was no better way than to see her reaction by cornering her.
The coldness in her eyes wavered as Narissara felt that he was being genuine this time.
But her lips pressed together, unable to believe she had been tricked by this brat.
A faint red hue colored her usually impassive features, "I appreciate you to hold your tongue, Consort Asher. There will not be a 'next time'," Her voice was a whip-crack of composure, masking the embarrassment she felt.
Asher, however, was unphased, his eyes holding hers with an earnest intensity, "I've no desire to play such games again," he admitted, his voice softening, "And just so you understand, my heart belongs to Isola. Your approval is not my aim, but I would be remiss not to address your concerns."
The queen's eyes darkened, the mention of love igniting a protective fire, "Love is a luxury you both cannot afford," she said sharply, "Do you realize the fate you cast upon her future with such selfishness? If you truly loved her, you wouldn't be doing this to her."
"But isn't it more selfish to deny true happiness in pursuit of perceived duty?" Asher countered calmly, "You speak of your ancestors, yet would they not want their lineage to thrive on joy rather than obligation?"
Narissara's expression tightened, "You know nothing of our ways. My daughter's duty is to her people first and foremost, just like mine. My people didn't suffer for thousands of years to witness a darker future. Do you think it was joy that helped us survive? No, it was our obligation towards each other that helped us get here."
Asher leaned forward slightly, his voice tinged with a deeper passion, "I understand. As the queen, you think you are making the right decision while fulfilling your duty towards your people and your ancestors. But in reality, you are only letting them down by bringing sadness to your people if you manage to make Isola marry Vraxos."
"What do you mean?" The words slipped from Narissara's lips, a thin veil covering the quiver of emotion beneath.
Asher's expression softened, a stark contrast to the steely glint in his eyes, "Your past haunts you. When you were just a eight-year-old girl, you disobeyed your parents and went deep into the forbidden waters to look for a treasure. But the Cursed Wraiths found you, and your parents came to your rescue in time. Yet they died before your eyes while trying to save you. It was too late when the rest of your people came together to kill the Cursed Wraiths, but even then, lots of people died that day."
Narissara's eyes quivered as memories of the past weighed down on her chest.
But she then pressed her lips together as she mumbled with a look of cold pique, "How could she tell these things to you..." Narissara never expected Isola to have gotten so close to Asher that she even told him about her own past as well.
"What Isola told me isn't the important thing here. You lost your youth to tragedy and have carried that burden into your reign, trying to atone for a child's innocent mistake with a lifetime of sacrifice. And channeling that pain and guilt by sticking to your duty even to the point of robbing your daughter's happiness, thinking it was for the greater good. Because in your eyes, being selfish meant bringing pain to oneself and others. That is why I know you love her, but you are not giving her the love she needs."
Narissara's armor of royal dignity continued to crumble, "Stop... You do not... understand. I am trying to protect her from such pain. One day, she will understand and thank me..." Her words were a plea, a command, a whisper of the queen trying to hold on to the shards of something within her shattering.
"I understand more than you think," Asher assured her, stepping closer, his presence a quiet storm, "And I cannot—I will not—allow you to project your pain onto Isola. She deserves to make her own choices, to love, to err, to live. Even if you are her mother, I can't let you be a wraith in her life."
"How dare you…" Narissara's voice had a certain tremor, devoid of the usual coldness, but revealed the storm within.
And for some reason, she couldn't even find the strength within her to bring herself to scold him for saying such words to her.
"I heard enough," She muttered as she turned around to walk away, as if she was afraid of staying here any longer and have her heart shaken.
Asher watched Narissara's retreating figure, a complex mix of emotions shadowing his face, "I know my words can't sway the tides of your belief," he called after her, his voice echoing slightly in the chamber, "But I ask you to wait for the afternoon's announcement before you worry about your daughter and your people's future."
Narissara halted but didn't turn, her silhouette a mirror to her inner turmoil. She then resumed her departure, each step carrying the weight of centuries.
As the silence settled like dust after her exit, Asher exhaled a deep sigh, "Sorry, I had to go a little hard on her for your sake," he murmured, seemingly to the empty air.
