Chapter 11: Kai’s Pleas To Qazaethel

Qazaethel entered her study room and settled into the chair behind her imposing oak desk, the worn leather creaked softly beneath her weight.

The familiar scent of old parchment and ink filled the space, a comfort she had grown accustomed to over the centuries of her reign.

She pulled a stack of official documents toward her, her eyes scanned the first page without truly seeing it. The servants moved about the room in practiced silence, their presence was barely registered in her awareness.

They were all alphas—every single one of them. Qazaethel had forbidden omegas from working as servants in the palace years ago, a decree that had sparked whispers throughout the supernatural realm. But she remained firm, consistent with every law she established, never making exceptions even for her own children.

The maids bow and left her room after they cleaned, and Qazaethel once again didn’t acknowledge their presence.

The quill scratched against parchment as she signed her name with practiced precision, the elegant loops and sharp lines of her signature was marking each document with the weight of royal authority.

She was halfway through a particularly tedious trade agreement when the familiar footsteps echoed in the hallway beyond the study doors.

General Liv entered without announcement, as she always did, her military boots were making hardly a sound against the polished marble floor. Her presence commanded attention even in silence, her alpha aura radiated the confidence of someone who had fought countless battles and survived them all.

The silver streaks in her dark hair caught the candlelight, and her sharp eyes immediately found Qazaethel behind the desk.

"Your majesty." Liv bowed, a gesture of respect that was both formal and intimate in its ease. The heavy oak doors swung shut behind her, sealing them in the privacy of the study.

Qazaethel raised her gaze, setting down the quill with deliberate care. The cold mask she wore for the rest of the world softened almost imperceptibly at the sight of her oldest friend. "What brings you here?" She asked, her voice was carrying the familiar chill of authority, though something warmer flickered beneath it.

She had known Liv for millennia, had grown alongside her, fought beside her, and trusted her with secrets she had never spoken aloud to anyone else.

"As her majesty ordered, we have confined Prince Kariv to his solitary cell." Liv reported, her tone was professional, though her eyes held a knowing glint.

She crossed the room to stand before the desk, her posture was relaxed but respectful. "The guards have been instructed to allow no visitors, and the cell has been warded against magical interference. He will remain there until your majesty decides otherwise."

Qazaethel nodded, already reaching for the next document. "Good. He needs to understand that his actions have consequences." Her voice was devoid of warmth, and the words are clipped.

"However." Liv paused, the single word hung in the air between them.

Qazaethel’s hand froze mid-air, the quill hovered above the parchment. She looked up slowly, her dark eyes are narrowing with the barest hint of annoyance. "However, what?"

"However, I fear that the third prince will bear resentment toward you, your majesty." Liv’s voice carried genuine concern beneath the formality. She stepped closer, her boots clicked softly against the floor.

"Kariv has always been prideful, and this confinement will wound his ego deeply. His <anno data-annotation-id="b2a44fa7-6306-4801-815a-44b33be3334e" data-title="Ohda">Ohda¹</anno> will whisper poison in his ear, and before long, he’ll see you as an enemy rather than a sovereign."

Qazaethel returned her attention to the documents, the quill moved across the page with mechanical precision. The scratching sound filled the silence for a long moment before she spoke again. "Whether he does or not, it is evident in every divine royal family across the supernatural realm we inhabit. If Gods, beastmen, immortals, and other beings in this realm can do exactly what mortals can—betray, scheme, and harbor resentment—isn’t that something for us to be afraid of?" She didn’t pause this time, didn’t raise her gaze to meet Liv’s eyes.

"My children will bear every mistake, every sin, and whatever betrayal they can find just to succeed the Solakanaia throne."

Her jaw tightened, a rare crack in her composure. "But up until now, I couldn’t find a worthy child of mine to rule the kingdom I have spent so many years preserving and protecting. I have given them everything—education, power, opportunity—and yet they squander it on petty cruelties and hollow ambitions."

Liv sighed, the sound was heavy with understanding. "I know your majesty’s frustrations. I have watched them grow, and I have seen their flaws as clearly as you have." She moved to the sideboard where a crystal decanter of wine sat waiting, pouring a generous portion into a golden goblet without being asked.

She knew Qazaethel’s habits well, had memorized them over the centuries. "But I’m sure that at any second now, his <anno data-annotation-id="82f245e1-a9b1-4d01-a0e9-5ff848a1a524" data-title="Ohda">Ohda¹</anno> is walking down that hall to talk to you. The same male omega who bore him and raised him, the same omega who taught him how to bully others will come again to this study office to plead for your mercy as he always does."

Qazaethel’s shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly. She accepted the goblet from Liv’s hand, taking a long sip of the dark wine. "I hope not," she said, though something in her tone suggested she already knew the request was futile. "But whatever. I’ll deal with it as I must."

"Your majesty, Concubine Kai is here." The usher’s voice carried through the thick oak doors, muffled but clear. "He requests an audience."

Liv scoffed, a sharp sound of barely concealed derision. "Well, that’s Kariv’s Ohda again. Right on schedule, as always." She stepped back to Qazaethel’s side, positioning herself like a silent sentinel. "Shall I stay?"

"Let him in." Qazaethel ordered, ignoring Liv’s question. It was answer enough, and Liv knew better than to press further.

The doors swung open, and Kai entered like a storm of silk and sorrow. His robes were immaculate, the deep blues and silvers of his rank flowing around him like water.

But his face was a mess of distress, his golden eyes are already swimming with tears. He crossed the room in quick, desperate strides and dropped to his knees before Qazaethel’s desk, the sound of his knees hitting the marble floor echoing through the study.

"Your majesty! Please!" Kai’s voice cracked as the first tears spilled down his cheeks. "Please, spare Kariv. Spare my child, our child. He probably did something stupid, but he might not mean it! Please, open an investigation for this. Let there be a proper inquiry before any punishment is decided. He is young, he is foolish, but he is not evil!"

Liv moved to Qazaethel’s side, refilling the goblet with practiced ease. She sighed softly, her expression was carefully neutral as she watched the familiar scene unfold.

She had seen this performance too many times to count, had memorized every gesture, every tear, every pleading note in Kai’s voice. It was always the same.

Qazaethel’s eyes remained sharp and cold, her gaze was fixed on Kai with an intensity that made the omega shrink back slightly. She took another sip of wine, letting the silence stretch between them, letting Kai’s sobs fill the space she refused to fill with empty reassurances.

"Your son had clearly done something to tarnish the honor of Prime Minister Arielle," Qazaethel said, her voice was flat and emotionless. "The evidence is overwhelming, Kai. He was witnessed to stand in Lady Arisia’s gathering, taking all the people’s attention, just so he can humiliate Lord Arthion’s Family and especially lady Eiravelle, and I have multiple testimonies that support these claims. I did not arrive at this decision lightly."

"What? No!" Kai shook his head violently, more tears are spilling down his elegant cheeks. "Kariv is a good boy! He could never commit such a thing. He is kind and gentle, and I have raised him with love. There must be some mistake, some misunderstanding. Perhaps Arielle is lying, or someone is trying to frame him. Please, your majesty, you must consider that!"

Qazaethel set down the goblet, the crystal clinked against the wood of her desk. The sound was sharper than intended, and Kai flinched. "I see... How are you so sure that Kariv did not do any of those things, Kai? I supposed you don’t entirely know the alpha you raised." Her eyes bore into him, unblinking and unforgiving.

"I have watched him grow, just as I have watched you raise him. I have seen the cruelty he displayed toward the servants, the way he mocked those beneath him, the arrogance that has only grown with each passing year. And I have seen you defend him every single time, never once holding him accountable for his actions."

"No, your majesty. I do know him," Kai insisted, his voice trembling. "But like any other parent, I have my own flaws. I have made mistakes, I know this. But I love him, and he loves me, and he would never—"

Liv shook her head, barely perceptible, averting her gaze to the window where the sun cast long shadows across the palace gardens.

She had heard this excuse a million times, had grown weary of the way Kai cloaked his son’s cruelty in the guise of parenting devotion. It was always the same, always the same tiresome refrain.

Qazaethel slammed her hand against the desk, the sound cracked through the study like thunder. Kai fell silent immediately, and his sobs hitched in his throat. The walls seemed to vibrate with the force of her anger, the very air growing thick with her rage.

"Silence!" She rose from her chair, her full height was imposing even in the dim light of the study. "I did not say anything when I saw you raising a foolish and cruel dog right under my nose because I simply believed Kariv is unworthy of the throne. I was willing to let him live out his life in comfort, to give him every luxury he desired, as long as he never sought power. But he has proven himself incapable of even the basic decency required of a member of my family."

She walked around the desk, her steps were measured and slow. Kai cowered before her, his body was trembling as she approached. The scent of her fury filled the room, the alpha dominance in her aura was pressing down on him like a physical weight.

"You wanna hear what I truly felt about you and your child?" She continued, her voice was dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You just brought a hollow shell of an heir into my life. He is nothing. He has no substance, no honor, no value beyond the title I was forced to give him. For he has your venomous blood and impure heart, Kai."

Kai gasped, his hand flew to his chest as if she had physically wounded him. The tears flowed faster now and his face was twisted with pain and shock. "Your majesty, please—"

"I am aware that you’re seeing another alpha," Qazaethel said, her words cut through his protests like a blade. "I have known for months. And I couldn’t blame you, truly. I have given you every comfort, every privilege, and yet you still seek affection outside our arrangement. It matters little to me, as I have never loved you, and you have never loved me. But if you want me to open an investigation into Kariv’s actions, then you should be aware that I can open an investigation into you as well."

The blood drained from Kai’s face, leaving him pale and trembling. His lips parted, but no words came out. He stared up at Qazaethel with wide, horrified eyes, knowing that she held all the power and that she could destroy him with a single command.

"N-No, your majesty," he finally managed, his voice was barely a whisper. "Please... Please forgive me. I will do anything, anything you ask. Just please, spare Kariv. He is all I have, he is everything to me. Please..."

The desperation in his voice was genuine, and for a moment, something flickered in Qazaethel’s eyes—a flash of pity, perhaps, or recognition of a bond she had never allowed herself to feel. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the cold mask she wore so well.

"Get out of my sight!" she commanded, her voice was thunderous. "Before I damn you away from the comfort of this place! Before I strip you of your title and throw you into the streets where you belong!"

Kai scrambled to his feet, his robes tangled around his legs as he stumbled backward. He didn’t look back, didn’t dare to utter another word. The doors slammed behind him, and the study fell into silence once more.

Liv remained still, her expression was still neutral. She knew better than to speak immediately, knew that Qazaethel needed a moment to compose herself after such an outburst.

The sovereign moved back to her desk, sinking into her chair with a weariness that seemed to weigh her down like a physical burden. She reached for the goblet and drained it in a single swallow.

"What now?" Liv asked, her voice was gentle. "You’re really trying to avert everyone’s attention from Lady Eiravelle, your majesty." A knowing smirk played at the corner of her lips, but there was no mockery in it—only affection and understanding.

Qazaethel remained quiet, her eyes are fixed on the empty goblet in her hand. She turned it slowly, watching the remnants of wine swirl against the crystal. The silence stretched between them, comfortable in its familiarity.

Liv moved closer, her steps were soft and cautious. "You know, I have seen you face down armies, negotiate with Gods, and stare down enemies with a smile on your face. But the way you looked when you asked about Eiravelle... It was different." She tilted her head, studying her friend’s face. "Why can’t you just admit that you bore feelings for that young omega?"

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning. Qazaethel’s grip on the goblet tightened, her knuckles are turning white against the crystal. She remained silent for a long moment, her chest rised and fell with a deep breath.

"And we did a terrible thing that wasn’t supposed to happen outside marriage."

Liv’s face widened from shock, her composed mask slipped for the first time in centuries. She gasped, her hand flew to her mouth as the implications of Qazaethel’s words crashed over her like a tidal wave.

"Your majesty..." She breathed, her voice was barely audible. "You don’t mean..."

Qazaethel’s eyes met hers, dark and fathomless, holding secrets that had been buried for years. "I mean exactly what I said, Liv. There are things I have done, things I regret, and things I would do again despite the consequences. That young omega is one of them."

Liv sank into the chair across from the desk, her legs suddenly turn weak. She stared at her oldest friend, seeing the pain and longing that Qazaethel had hidden so carefully for so long. "Eiravelle... The Prime Minister’s youngest sister? The one who was presented to the court last spring?"

"The same." Qazaethel’s voice was flat, empty, but her eyes betrayed everything—the guilt, the desire, the weight of a secret that could destroy the delicate balance of power she had worked centuries to maintain.

"I have never allowed myself to feel anything, Liv. You know this better than anyone. I have always seen relationships as transactions, alliances, necessary evils to produce heirs and secure power. But she..."

She trailed off, unable to find the words. Her hands trembled slightly, and she set down the goblet to hide the vulnerability.

"She made me feel something I had never known before," Qazaethel continued, her voice was dropping to barely a whisper. "Something I never thought I would feel. And in a moment of weakness, I allowed myself to act on it. I allowed myself to want something I had no right to want."

<annotations style="display: none;">It is the term used to describe a male omega parent.It is a term used to describe a Male omega parent.</annotations>