Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 708: In This Together

"I didn’t come to insult you, Queen Maeve. I came to offer a solution."

Maeve’s anger simmered into cautious curiosity. She lifted a skeptical eyebrow, leaning slightly forward. "What do you mean by that?"

Queen Nirvana’s smile widened, knowing she had captured Maeve’s interest. "As much as I would benefit immensely if your son loses the death duel..." she began carefully, watching Maeve’s eyes darken, "the consequences don’t stop there. Should the dark Fae prince defeat Valerie, my son Theodore would be his next target. And if he overcomes Theodore, he might then come for Andre," she added, casting a meaningful glance at Queen Victoria. "Aldric won’t stop until he gets what he wants."

Victoria, sitting between them, let out a deep breath. The tension in the room intensified, and she could sense the rising stakes. Maeve’s scowl deepened, her eyes flickering with a mix of suspicion and reluctant interest.

"So, you’re suggesting...?" Queen Maeve prodded, unwilling to let her guard down completely.

Nirvana leaned in, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "We must unite, Maeve. Our sons stand a better chance if we combine our strengths and resources. It’s a dangerous game, but together, we can strategize and ensure that Aldric’s ambitions of getting the throne of Astaria are thwarted. We protect our sons and secure their futures."

Maeve’s gaze wavered between skepticism and consideration. The idea of collaborating with Nirvana, her rival, was distasteful, yet the threat posed by Aldric loomed too large to ignore. She glanced at Victoria, who seemed reluctant to this arrangement.

She said to her, "What do you say to this, Victoria? Do we go along with Queen’s Nirvana’s idea?"

"W-what?" Queen Victoria stammered, seeing through the question. It was a test.

Queen Maeve would commit to whatever Queen Nirvana was suggesting only if she agreed. Unfortunately, Queen Nirvana would want her to support her. In one word, it was a way of ensuring that she was in this with them. Yeah. Fuck her.

"Well..." She broke the heavy silence by clearing her throat. "If we are to consider this... alliance," she said cautiously, "what exactly do you propose, Queen Nirvana?"

Queen Nirvana’s eyes gleamed with determination. "I thought you were not going to ask."

Queen Maeve’s curiosity was piqued, though she hid it under a facade of skepticism. "And what solution might that be?"

"It is often said to sort out every matter from the root, and we all know the root of this problem," Queen Nirvana stated, her voice carrying a tone of revelation. She waited expectantly, but both Queens wore blank expressions. Nirvana let out a disappointed sigh.

Maeve made an attempt, saying, "Prince Aldric? Isn’t he the root of every problem we’ve encountered so far?"

"Contrary to your thoughts, Queen Maeve, Aldric had not been a problem until a certain person came into the picture."

"The human, Islinda," Queen Victoria interjected.

"Exactly." Nirvana snapped her fingers, acknowledging the point. "Aldric has always been Aldric, causing trouble in his unique ways, but he only became prominent when Islinda came into the picture. Your son’s problems began when he met her as well. He lost all reasoning, claiming to be in love with her. And now she’s the reason for this death duel, or do I lie, Queen Maeve?"

Maeve sat rigidly, her expression unreadable. Inwardly, she simmered with anger and embarrassment. Victoria was right—Islinda was indeed the catalyst for Valerie’s recent failures. The human woman was a blight, a malignancy that needed excising.

"Are you suggesting that we, you know...." Victoria gestured nervously, "Eliminate her?"

Nirvana’s lips curved into a smirk. "What do you think?"

Victoria paled, her discomfort palpable. She looked as though she might be sick.

"Oh, please, grow a spine, Victoria," Nirvana rebuked sharply.

"Just give me a moment."

Maeve rolled her eyes and turned back to Nirvana. "How does killing Islinda solve the problem of Valerie losing the death duel?"

Nirvana’s gaze sharpened. "Where is Valerie?"

Maeve replied, "Training. You probably didn’t think he’d be idle at a critical time like this?"

"You mean trying to master the blue flame?" Nirvana’s knowledge startled Maeve.

Maeve’s eyes narrowed. "Have you been spying on my son and me?"

Queen Victoria interjected, "As if you don’t do the same. Listen, Maeve, we’re not here to argue about that. We’re here to solve our problem."

Maeve’s lips pressed into a thin line. The idea of collaborating with Nirvana, whom she despised, was distasteful, yet Valerie’s survival required pragmatism. Her gaze hardened, a reluctant resolve forming. "Fine, go ahead."

"I spoke to the royal astronomist. The first moon rises tonight. Valerie needs just two moons to be crowned king, and Aldric has no say in the matter. There’s not enough time for Valerie to master the blue flame. The duel is in three days. Even if your son is a prodigy, it’s not enough. He needs time, and that’s what we need to buy."

Maeve, intrigued despite herself, asked, "And how exactly do you intend to buy that time?"

Nirvana’s grin turned conspiratorial. "What do you think would happen if Islinda were attacked in the middle of the competition?"

Victoria answered, her heart racing, "Aldric and Valerie would probably get distracted. If the injury is severe enough, the fight might be canceled, and our husband would command an investigation. The duel would inevitably be postponed."

Maeve looked dissatisfied. "Even if the girl dies, Aldric would likely recover quickly. His ambition to seize the throne is unwavering."

Nirvana’s eyes glittered with cold calculation. "Perhaps, but we would gain time. All three of us can advocate for the time before a rematch. Meanwhile, Valerie can refine his skills, and we can strategize further. None of us can betray others without implicating ourselves. So tell me, Maeve, do you have a better idea?"

Maeve’s expression was stern, her mind racing. She hated the plan, but its logic was undeniable. She took a deep breath, her voice low and resolved. "No, I don’t. None of us can betray me so I say we go ahead with it then."

Although the alliance was fraught with distrust and old animosities, in the face of a common enemy, even the most bitter rivals could find common ground.

The weight of Nirvana’s proposal settled in making Queen Victoria nervous and she spoke up, "Urm, don’t you still think that killing Islinda is a bit too much? I mean think about Aldric’s wrath when he finds out that we’re responsible for Islinda’s death. He has quite an unhealthy obsession for the girl and I fear that we might set off a more explosive event than the death duel."

"Who said anything about killing Islinda? I mentioned an attack. However, if she dies in the process, then I take it that she’s not destined to live this long anyway." freēwēbnovel.com

"Queen Nirvana -"

"Queen Victoria!" She cut her off, her eyes flashing with anger, "Are you trying to tell me that all three Queens cannot pull off an attack without the dark Fae prince tracking us down?"

"No, I’m just worried -"

"Aldric cannot do anything without evidence. Moreover..." Queen Maeve faced Queen Victoria now, "Are you trying to tell me that you haven’t ordered a kill beneath that innocent facade of yours?"

Queen Victoria’s mouth opened and closed helplessly, unable to come up with a response.

"Thought as much." Queen Maeve was smug.

Queen Nirvana took over, "Here we are with a tentative agreement. For the sake of our sons, we are putting aside our differences. Do you really want to ruin that? Or do you think your son Andre is truly safe from Aldric?"

The handmaiden entered the room with the tea at that moment, Queen Victoria did not wait to be served, she took her cup from the tray and gulped the whole thing down while her co-wives watched, saying nothing.

She put down the cup and then drew up a shaky breath. She nodded. "Fine. For the safety of my son, Andre, I agree."

Maeve’s eyes met Nirvana’s, the both of them smiling, a silent acknowledgment of the uneasy truce forming between them.

"Good." Queen Maeve was pleased, "I knew you would come to your senses." She took a sip of her tea.

"Do you need another one, my queen?" The handmaiden asked, seeing Victoria’s cup was empty.

"No, thank you." Queen Victoria waved it aside. Her stomach was unsettled already, not from the tea, but the mess she was getting herself into.

Queen Nirvana warned, "Under no circumstances are we to reveal this plan to our sons. This is for them. Are we clear on that?"

"Clear."

"Clear."

With a huge grin splitting across her features, Queen Nirvana reached across the table and took Queen Maeve’s and Victoria’s hands in hers.

She said, "You don’t how happy it makes me to see us working together for the good of this kingdom."

Queen Maeve let out a smile that didn’t touch her eyes. She only let Nirvana touch her because of the new alliance between them.

"Now without the title of Fae Queen between us, we can finally fulfill our roles to our husband and to this kingdom," Nirvana said with a dreamy expression.

Bitch. Maeve thought.