Chapter 19
The binding ceremony was only a week away, and the palace was already starting to be decorated for the occasion. The oracle had approved everything, including the couple, allowing everyone to feel at ease with the ceremony.
“And you’re sure of this?” The king frowned.
“I am. Their status was met perfectly and they are comfortable with one another. A perfect balance to live the rest of their lives freely,” Dong explained to the king.
It was usual for the monarchs to have their worries. They came to her with Yoohyeon and Bora, wondering if their binding was the right choice. However, this time it was just the king with his worries. He worried that his daughters were making mistakes or if they would genuinely be happy with one another.
“Stop worrying so much or you’ll cause wrinkles before your time,” Dong explained with a smirk.
Minji paced back and forth in her mother’s study, listening to her and the parliament members. She listened to their concerns, their own versions of the laws, everything. Her mind raced with the different things wrong with their own views, but it was the truth.
“You cannot take the throne while being bound to an alpha,” One of the members frowned.
“Being mated is one thing, but bound is another…” Another sighed.
“But why does it entirely matter? She can rule the kingdom by herself with your guidance,” The queen glared.
“The kingdom will never accept her ruling on her own. She will need to rule with another omega in order to split the duties.”
“Why can’t I split them with Yoohyeon? If I don’t she’ll be roaming the castle with nothing to do,” Minji sighed.
“Your sister cannot take second place. There cannot be two queens.”
Minji rolled her eyes at their remarks, listening to them argue back and forth. She hated listening to them and wondered how her parents did it for so many years without killing them. They spoke in circles, never really listening to Minji’s opinions once.
“Father split the duties with mother.” Minji finally spoke up, causing everyone to look at her. “Then once Yoohyeon and I became of age, we were given special tasks within the kingdom as well. Why is this different?” She finally asked. “How is my father delegating his duties within the family any different than me delegating my own duties as future queen?” She glared.
The queen smiled at her daughter, causing the few members to shut up and finally listen.
“I suppose it is not any different…” One grumbled.
“Precisely. Now, if there is any further discourse as to why I shouldn’t be bound to my alpha, then I would like to hear it.” Minji walked across the study, choosing to sit next to her mother on one of the couches.
“Well, there is the problem… Of producing an heir to the throne…”
Minji froze at their words, frowning at the decision to bring that up.
“Is the alpha able to sire pups?”
The princess shook her head, looking down at her lap now.
“There is no way for her to continue the royal lineage!”
A whole new argument broke out, causing Minji to stay silent. She didn’t have a solution for that. She couldn’t even begin to think of a solution for that and quite frankly… she didn’t want to. She felt her mother’s hand on her arm, causing her to look up and see her mother’s sympathetic face.
“She can’t sire pups?” The queen frowned.
“No… I didn’t know until I bathed her…” Minji whispered.
“She can’t just adopt pups! They are not of royal lineage!” One of the members growled.
“What do you mean I cannot?” Minji frowned.
“If you adopt pups… They are not eligible for the throne… You need the bloodline to continue… If Gahyeon presents as an omega, then we will be fine, but until then… We need to have a set line,” The queen explained.
“If something happens to me… Then Yoohyeon takes the throne…” Minji frowned.
“And if something were to happen to both of you before Gahyeon presents?” The queen asked, causing Minji to shake her head at the thought. “The only other option is to have a donor… I understand that it is something that can be rather… Harmful… But it will need to be thought about…” She whispered.
“I can’t do that to Siyeon… mother you have to know that…” Minji frowned.
“I understand, which is why we are adjourning this meeting until this really matters.” The queen glared at the members, watching them all hurriedly nod their heads before bowing and excusing themselves from the study.
Minji didn’t know what to think. She never would’ve thought her life would’ve landed her here with this problem, but she also didn’t think she would hate every single suitor that walked into the palace. She wished she hadn’t hated every single suitor, but she couldn’t entirely wish it since she did love Siyeon. She loved the alpha.
“Do I need to think about this now?” Minji frowned.
“Your father and I don’t plan on stepping down from the throne anytime soon. When you feel ready to take the throne, then we will step down. But… It would be nice to have a sired pup… Before you take the throne…” The queen explained.
“What if… I adopted a pup that was guaranteed to be an omega… From birth?” Minji whispered. “Behind closed doors… Away from the world?” She frowned.
“How will you explain yourself?” The queen frowned. “Neither you nor Siyeon would show signs of pregnancy. And the kingdom will find out one way or another…” She sighed. “Despite how wonderful our kingdom is… People talk,” She muttered.
“So I would need to… Carry a pup that isn’t my mate’s… To secure the lineage…” Minji huffed.
“Yes…” The queen sighed. “I know it’s hard to think about… And I’m not forcing you… But it’s the only option.”
Minji stayed in her study, deciding to ignore her work and just sit on the couch. Her mind was muddled with various problems, now with added new ones since she would need to figure out that part of her life on her own. She could never tell Siyeon, but it would be hard to explain how she was with a pup if the alpha couldn’t sire them.
Her own binding ceremony was in a week and she couldn’t even enjoy the process. With Yoohyeon, she remembered how excited she was, enjoying the time of feeling happy and so in love. She wanted that. She desperately wanted to feel the same emotions, but she couldn’t. All she wanted was to hide away and cry. She didn’t want this feeling. She wanted to feel happy. She wanted to feel just as her own sister did. But no. It was all ruined because of the stupid laws.
She could feel the tears forming and slowly falling down her cheeks as she sat in her study. Nothing was going right and she honestly didn’t know what to do. She hated that she felt this way and nothing could really fix it. Unless she gave up the throne and ran off… But she couldn’t do that to her sister.
A knock at the door caused her to look over, see the door open and then her father peek inside.
“Your mother mentioned you might be upset…” He whispered.
“Upset would be an understatement,” Minji muttered, turning away from him.
“Minji… It’s… Something that has been a law within the kingdom for generations…” He frowned. “You knew my mother had to be unbound from my father so my father could take the throne properly…” He explained while stepping further into the study.
“And why can’t you change the law for your own daughter?” Minji snapped. “I’m not asking you to allow an alpha to rule with me. I’m just asking you to make the law state I can remind bound to her while I rule the kingdom,” she frowned.
“I can’t just change the law…” The king spoke. “I have to have it read out to the parliament and the members have to have a decision on it…”
“Then what’s the point of being a ruler if you cannot even rule your own country without bounds?” Minji growled. “If I can’t stay bound to her… Then I don’t want to be queen.” She looked away from him, refusing to give in to anything anymore. She didn’t want to be queen if she couldn’t have Siyeon with her.
“If that’s how you want to be…” The king sighed before exiting her study.