Chapter 158: The Beast King
[ Alert: A concubine has conceived your offspring. ]
[ Ongoing Gestation: Sapphira Long (Girl), Claudia Nont Hellitrix (Boy) ]
[ Note: You may delay or terminate these pregnancies at your will. ]
Adonis read the notifications the next morning while Claudia was snuggling close to his chest, still naked in her full glory. He looked down at her stomach, confirming that she was indeed carrying his child. Not just her, but Sapphira was pregnant as well.
He felt a surge of happiness at the prospect of his children coming into this world, yet a shadow of worry lingered. He feared he might not be able to protect them while he had so many enemies. He had no intention of aborting them, as that would essentially mean killing his own blood.
Just then, his dimensional treasure, the Sky Palace, came to mind.
That is right. I can raise them in a separate space. No one will be able to harm them while I am away.
With that plan in place, he felt at ease, now eagerly waiting for his children to grow within their wombs.
Later that day, Adonis found Sapphira in the Royal Solarium, a massive chamber constructed of reinforced glass that looked out over the mist-covered peaks of Dragonia.
She was standing by the balcony, her hand resting gently against her abdomen with maternal grace.
"I see the news has traveled fast, husband." she said without turning around.
Adonis walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.
"Vexa notified me first, but hearing it from you makes it real. How are you feeling, wife?"
Sapphira leaned her head back against his shoulder, closing her eyes as she let out a long, shaky breath.
"I feel as though I am carrying the weight of the entire sun, and yet I have never felt lighter. For centuries, I thought my legacy would only be war and ash. I never dared to dream that I would carry the blood of a monarch like you."
He turned her around to face him, his eyes searching hers.
"Umm, I was worried at first. The world is a dangerous place for a child of Chaos. But the Sky Palace will be their sanctuary. They will be safe there."
Sapphira smiled, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "Husband, you are already planning for their protection. That is the mark of a true father. But you must understand, Adonis, that dragon physiology is not like that of the humans you once knew. Especially for a Queen of my lineage."
"Yes, you told me before? But I need to know how much time I have to fortify the palace."
"In my human form, the egg will grow for several months," Sapphira explained, "But for the final stage, I must take my true form. A Dragon Queen does not give birth to a crying baby. I will lay a single, golden egg infused with the essence of your Chaos and my Storm."
"And the timeline?" Adonis pressed, his hand lingering over her stomach. "When will the egg arrive?"
"6 months from this day," she replied softly. "After I lay the egg, it will require 12 months of incubation in the highest peak of the Sky Palace, where the mana is thinnest and the starlight is purest. Only then will our child shatter their shell and join us."
Adonis clenched his fists from anticipation. "1.5 years. Only 1.5 years until I hold a princess of Dragonia in my arms. It feels like an eternity and a heartbeat all at once."
Sapphira laughed, "But she will be worth every second of the wait, husband. She will have your power and my beauty. I suspect she will be a terror for our enemies and a jewel for our crown."
Adonis pulled her into a deep embrace. "I am happy. Let’s build this family together."
The atmosphere in the Royal Solarium shifted instantly when the dragon maid burst through the doors, her wings fluttering in a state of high agitation.
"Your Majesty! Queen Sapphira! The gates have been opened!" the maid gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "The Beast King of the Iron-Claw Citadel has arrived. He did not come with a scout party. He has a full caravan, thirty armored wagons, and his personal guard!"
Sapphira straightened her posture, her maternal softness vanishing behind a mask of cold, royal authority. "Leonidas? That old lion usually doesn’t leave his mountain unless there is a war to start or a kingdom to claim. Why is he here now?"
"He brought his daughter, Princess Leona," the maid added, "And treasures that are literally spilling out of the crates. They are waiting in the Grand Guest Hall."
Adonis stood up, smoothing the front of his tunic. He felt the shift in the air; the quiet moment of family planning was over, and the game of thrones had returned.
"A daughter and a treasury," Adonis remarked with a dry smile . "It seems my victory yesterday has made me the most eligible bachelor in the hemisphere. Sapphira, stay here and rest. I will handle the lions."
"Be careful, Adonis," Sapphira warned, her eyes narrowing. "Leonidas is blunt, but he is not simple. He doesn’t give away his treasures or his daughter without expecting the world in return."
Adonis nodded and made his way toward the Grand Guest Hall. As he walked through the corridors, he could hear the heavy, rhythmic thud of drums and the low, guttural chanting of the Beastfolk warriors outside.
Unafraid, he pushed open the massive double doors and stepped inside.
His eyes widened at sight before him.
The hall was transformed. Huge wooden crates were cracked open, revealing piles of glowing mana-ore, furs from extinct mountain beasts, and gold coins stamped with the lion-head crest.
Standing in the center of the room was a man who looked like he had been carved out of a granite cliff.
King Leonidas stood nearly 8 feet tall, his golden-brown mane flowing over a set of heavy pauldrons made from dragon bone.
Beside him stood Leona. She was a vision of busty beauty, dressed in light leather armor that showed off the powerful muscles of her arms and legs. Her golden eyes locked onto Adonis the moment he entered, scanning him with a predator’s curiosity.
"So," Leonidas boomed, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceiling like a physical blow. "The man who broke the Sky Serpents finally shows his face! I expected a giant, but you have the eyes of someone much more dangerous than a mere brute."