I have been pacing this hall for ten minutes, waiting for my father to call me into his office.

When the guard informed me that my father wanted to speak to me, he said it was urgent, but it didn't seem like my father was in much of a rush. I don't even know what he wants to talk to me about. When we discussed the matter of the throne a week ago, he was open to my suggestion. He always knew that I never wanted a family of my own, so he agreed that I could take his place before getting married. The coronation is in three weeks, so I can't understand what has gone wrong.

"What could possibly be taking so long?" I asked one of the guards outside my father's office.

"I...I don't know, Your Highness," he replied, a little scared. He was new here, so he was intimidated by me. Every guard was, in the beginning. They all knew how powerful I was and that if I wanted them dead, they would be dead in a matter of seconds. So, they were careful not to get on my wrong side.

After five more minutes, a maid came out and told me that my father was ready to see me. Finally! I had left my training in the middle for this, and I never leave training unless it's for a very important matter, which, as the guard said, it was.

"What do you want, Father?" I said the moment I entered his office.

"Good afternoon to you too, my son," he said ironically.

"I don't have time for this, Father," I said, trying to show him that my patience was running low.

"That is not the way to talk to your father and king," he said, not taking my sigh. He was always so calm, and that got on my nerves every time we argued. "Come and sit down."

Ignoring his command and remaining standing, I asked, "What is so important that it couldn't wait until I finished my training?"

"You are getting married," he replied, and I instantly froze. "In one week, to a beautiful mortal princess. She..."

I stopped listening after he said mortal. How could my father agree to a marriage between me and a weak, spoiled mortal girl? How does that even make sense? Me, the most powerful Fae of the whole court, with a mortal. She will be killed the moment she sets foot in this Court. She will be a weakness not only to the throne but to the whole Court.

"NO," I snapped. "I am not marrying her."

"It wasn't a question. I have already made a deal with the king and queen of the Mortal Court," he said. "I thought the news would excite you. I solved our problem."

"There was no problem to solve. I thought we agreed that I would rule alone. What changed?" I asked, confused and angry.

"Think straight now, Aeden. You can't believe that you could be a king without a queen. The people wouldn't accept it, and they would try to challenge you. The king needs to have heirs to ensure his place on the throne. The crown alone doesn't prove much."

"I don't care! They can challenge me all they want; no one stands a chance against me," I argued.

"Aeden, you are not thinking straight. If your mother were here..."

"Don't bring her into this," I warned him.

Ever since my mother died seven years ago, my father has used her as an excuse to make me do things. But not this time, not in this.

"Let me put it another way then: If you don't marry this girl, I won't give you my crown. I am sure your cousins will be delighted to learn that you are no longer the heir," he said, looking at me seriously, showing me that he was not lying.

"Alright, I agree that I have to marry before my coronation, but why does it have to be a weak mortal girl?" I asked, showing him my annoyance.

"This arrangement helps both our courts, and she is the perfect match for you. Don't underestimate her just because she is human. She has many talents," he answered.

"I doubt that," I muttered to myself and stormed out of the office.

He always did that. He blackmailed me, and in the end, he always got what he wanted. He never ordered me to do anything, but I always ended up doing what he asked. This is his little trick, but it ends now. I will do what he wants and marry that girl so I can get my throne as I deserve, and when I become king, his little game will end.

When I got back to training to blow off some steam, my general and best friend asked, "What happened, man? What did the king tell you?"

"I am getting married," I replied.

"What? What the hell, man? How did that happen?"

"My father says that if I don't marry this mortal girl, I won't get the throne either."

"Wait. What did you just say? She is human?"

"Yes, she is."

"Damn!" he said, surprised, as this was the last thing he expected to hear from me, and I never expected to say it.

"I want you to find every single thing about her and bring it to me. I want to know everything about her. Especially how this arrangement between my family and hers was made," I ordered him.

"Yes, sir," he said and left as I started to use my fire powers on all the targets in the training area until they turned to ashes.