Chapter 431


    #Chapter 431- Arrival of Old Friends


    E


    Coraes early the day that the festivities begin – if they can be called that. Because while the


    atmosphere is supposed to be festive, I know that simmering beneath it is a great deal of political


    tension that my mate is hoping goes just precisely right.


    I throw my arms around my sister the moment I open the door to my bedroom, letting her in. “Thank


    you thank you thank you!” I cry out, the words all mushing together as one.


    “Whoa!” Cora says, catching me andughing, giving me a hug in return. ” It’s fine, E – honestly,


    where else would I be on a day like this?”


    “I don’t know, sleeping?” I say, looking at her with wide eyes. “Its 4 am!”


    “True,” she says, giving a little shrug and grinning at me. But then she slips a hand to her belly. “Not like


    I wasn’t up anyway, though.”


    “What?” I gasp, tugging her into the room. Cora is about two full months pregnant now, which isn’t


    much ording to a human pregnancy, but if this is a wolf pregnancy? Then she’s probably just getting


    into her second trimester.


    But…is this her second trimester? With a hybrid baby…


    Sheughs at me, watching me try to do the math in my head as I stare down at her belly, which is


    juuuust barely starting to swell.


    Which is so, so cute


    “Yeah,” she says, giving a little shrug. “The morning sickness is starting to hit hard. I got away with it in


    my first trimester but,” she sighs. “It mostly hits at night for me too. So, I was already up.”


    “Poor sister,” I murmur, looking up into her face and meaning every word of it. I reach for her then,


    wanting to put a hand on her cheek, but sheughs and pushes it away, which makes meugh as


    well. Cora isn’t one for coddling or pity.


    “What can I get you?” I ask, the smile returning to my face. “I’ve heard ginger tea does good things?”


    “Distraction,” she says, nodding firmly. “That will be the best.”


    “Well distraction I’ve got,” I say, grabbing her hand and leading her towards my gigantic closet.


    She gasps a little when she steps inside because even though it’s 4 am? It’s already chaos – clothes


    and supplies everywhere. Even a little cart with coffee, tea, and breakfast snacks.


    “Oh, hey, Cora,” Sinir says, turning and grinning at her as he stands at the mirror, tying his tie for the


    fourth time. He wants to get it absolutely, perfectly correct. “Thanks foring early. We’ve got a long


    day. Did Rogere too?”


    “No,” she sighs, sitting down in the poufy arm chair next to Rafe’s littley pen, smiling down at him


    and patting his head to say hello. “He iszy, and wanted more sleep. He says he’ll be here at the more


    reasonable hour of seven.”


    “That’s toote,” Sinir murmurs, shaking his head and reaching for his phone. “I need him here by


    six…”


    “Good luck,” Cora murmurs, epting the little cup of tea that I hand her.


    “It’ll be fine,” I say with a sigh. “Boys are lucky – they have so much less to do on mornings like this.


    Just throw on a suit! Run a hand through your hair! Gorgeous, ready to go!”


    “Oh,e on, E,” Coraughs, sipping at her tea, grinning when she detects that I’ve given her


    something with ginger in it anyway. “Like it’s so hard for you to get gorgeous.”


    “She has a point!” Sinir calls out, tossing his phone back onto a side table after he finishes texting


    Roger and turning back to his tie.


    “Oh, you both tter,” I murmur, giving them both a pleased little re and pping my hands at them.


    “But we’ve got appointments, Cora – hair, nails, the works. It’s going to be a lot.”


    “I’m kind of looking forward to it,” she says, giving me a smile. “I haven’t been pampered like this in a


    long time. Plus, the outfits you’ve picked out for me for this weekend…” she whistles, impressed.


    “They’re stunning.”


    “Well, you’re the bride,” I say, turning and giving her a grin. “You’re supposed to steal the show.”


    “On Sunday,” she says, rolling her eyes, “I’m supposed to steal the show. But tonight? And then the


    coronation tomorrow? That’s supposed to be all you, E.”


    “Or him!” I say, pointing to the man who is going to be you know crowned King.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    “All eyes will be on you, my Queen,” Sinir says,ing my side and tugging me close, pressing a


    kiss to my cheek. I smile when I note that his tie is indeed perfect. “Or,” Sinir continues, considering


    and turning to the baby. “On Rafe.”


    “He is very cute,” I say, likewise turning my eyes to the baby, who burbles in the ypen, swatting at


    some toys hanging above him.


    Coraughs at us, taking a sip of her tea. “Guys, he’s very cute, but…you’re looking at him with


    parents’ eyes. I’m sure people will be much more focused on the two of you.”


    “Not when they see his outfits,” I say, bursting into a smile. And I dash over to the little dresser where


    we keep Rafe’s things, but before I can pull anything out another knockes at the door to the room.


    “Your first appointment,” Sinir murmurs, moving away from me to answer the door. “Ready?”


    “As we’ll ever be!” I sigh, turning to give Cora a wink. “Let’s get started.”


    “Gabriel!” Iugh, throwing my arms around the King of Vanara as soon as he mounts the four short


    steps up to the dais on which Sinir and I stand, greeting each of the delegations as they arrive.


    Heughs, catching me in his arms and giving me a warm, lingering hug.


    “E,” he murmurs, his voice low and pleased. “It is such a joy to see you we were all so worried when


    you left. It is a joy to see you again, healthy and happy.”


    “And the baby!” I say,ughing and pulling away, reaching to take Rafe from Cora’s arms in a hurry so


    my son can meet the King who was so kind to me during such arge part of my pregnancy. Cora


    smiles, handing him over willingly, Roger at her side likewise looking eagerly at the Vanaran delegation,


    which holds so many familiar faces. Henry declined to attend this part of the ceremony, citing long


    hours and boredom, though he’ll be at the dinner tonight.


    “Oh my goodness,” Gabriel says,ughing and taking Rafe from my hands and cradling him in his


    arms, staring down at him with true joy. Then heughs, lifting his head to Sinir at my side, his eyes


    crinkling with pleasure at the edges. “Well,” he says, reaching for my mate and giving him a warm hug


    around the shoulders. “No need to guess who this child’s father is. He’s the image of you, Dom.”


    “Ah, he’s got some of his mother in there,” Sinir says, returning his old friend’s warm hug.


    “Lies,” I sigh, reaching to take the baby back and snuggling him close to me. “He’s all Dominic, and it’s


    taking its toll on my poor arms,” I murmur, hefting Rafe up. Everyoneughs at my joke, because they


    can see it’s inly true Rafe is a big baby for his nearly- four-month age; he’s already wearing six-


    month clothes, sometimes eight.


    But he’s also adorable, so I forgive him.


    Rafe’s tired, I know, but he’s being so good. And frankly, I want him here by my side through all of this.


    Not everyone in this room is our friend, and I can’t bear the thought of leaving him alone even with any


    of the nannies who we’ve hired even though I’ve gotten very close with several of them. I started out as


    a nanny, after all they’re some of the people in my new life who I’ve grown closest to.


    Gabriel and Sinir move slightly to the side, exchanging more warm greetings and giving me a


    chance to greet several of our old friends, including James, Isabel, and sweet Sadie, who have been


    separated for at least a month while James went back to Vanara to serve as our ambassador while


    Isabel and Sadie stayed here so that Isabel could work with me on the camps. We’ve made incredible


    progress, which has been a delight to me, but we’ve also got quite a bit of work still to do.


    I grin when I see Thomas as well, the King’s rather discreet boyfriend, towards the back of the


    delegation. I give him a happy wave, which he returns with a little bow, and I make a mental note to get


    to know him much more on this trip than I did thest one.


    Our time with the Vanarans goes far too fast but there’s a literal line of people waiting toe and


    greet us, so we only have about three minutes with each to greet them and make ns and promises


    to meet up again soon.


    Still, I breaks my heart to only be able to spend moments with the people who mean so much to me I


    find myself a little overwhelmed when they begin to move away, waving and calling their goodbyes.


    I’m still waving, Rafe clutched to my side, when I feel Cora step up next to me. I can feel her tension


    already.


    “What is it?” I ask, the smile falling from my face as I look over at my sweet sister. She looks amazing,


    dressed in avender gown with a little cape draped formally over her shoulders. I’m wearing


    something simr, but all in white, which makes my rose-gold hair shine out like a beacon.


    But Cora, even though she’s beautiful, is clearly worried. Serious, she raises her chin at the delegation


    that’sing next and I turn towards them, surprised to see each of the members dressed in serious


    ck clothing, standing in four straight lines of five people each. They look more like a military


    formation than a delegation of ambassadors.


    And I note suddenly that they’re…all men.


    “Are you ready for this?” Cora asks, quiet. I shift Rafe to my other side and reach out to grab her hand.


    “I guess we have to be.”


    Then, Cora and I take a deep breath, moving forward to greet the Atxians.