Sure, they hadn’t fully completed the mating bond, but he didn't want to push his human too fast. There would be time forit. Archer had accepted him. That was the pace he would accept for now.
Shea stepped into the room, her eyes as cold as they usually were when there was bad news to deliver. She had a stack of papers. She slammed them on the desk, then stood crossing her arms. "These can no longer wait. We have to take care of them."
"Okay," Romilly said. "Not an issue. I was actually just thinking about how I felt caught up."
Shea scoffed. "Caught up. Is that what you think this is? You still have paperwork and if my sources are correct, we'll be interrupted later this afternoon."
"Interrupted?" Romilly asked as he dragged the stack of papers over to get a closer look.
They were the typical forms, requests from the members of his horde for different resources and things. Some people wanting money for loans, though it amazed him how people could spend that much whenever they lived for as long as they did. There were some updates about medical information and a report from Soren, finally, about their Fae encounter.
Romilly signed off on the items that were easiest first, handing the papers back to Shea. Then he dug into the meat of it all, the issues that he needed to focus on and weigh out the pros and cons.
His role as king was vital to his people. He couldn't forego formalities simply because he didn't want to deal with something. His people trusted him. Therefore, he needed to live up to his title. Romilly was finally done with the hefty stuff and digging into the report from Soren when there was a knock at the door.
Shea sighed and stepped toward it. "My sources are right once again. Sorry about this."
Romilly's brow dipped. As she opened the door, in walked Nicholas Harbour. The confusion in Romilly's expression shifted quickly into frustration.
"Nicholas," he said by way of greeting.
It wasn't an actual greeting. He and Nicholas didn't get along, never had, and though he was king now, the man still tried to raise hell from his seat on the Council. If Romilly had had a good enough reason to let him go or remove him, he would have. But so far, Nicholas had been cautious. He hadn't overstepped to the point of removal and killing him would only cause more issues.
"Romilly," Nicholas said as he sneered at Shea and strolled into the room like he was meant to be there.
"To what do we owe this visit?" Romilly questioned, steepling his fingers, covering the papers he was reading. He didn't want Nicholas to know anything about the Fae situation. He didn't know if the other man would do anything untoward, but it was best to not give him ammunition in any form.
Nicholas smiled at Romilly as if he knew what the other man was thinking about. "I am here to give you this." He extended an envelope from his suit pocket.
Romilly recognized the seal on it instantly. He took it from the other man and ripped it open. Scanning the page, he had to suppress his dragon. The animal awoke, ready to set aflame everything in its wake.
"This is a written objection to my mate," Romilly said as he continued reading.
"Yes, it is. As you can see outlined there, your mate is not fit to be a leader of our people."
Romilly looked over the paperwork. Sure enough, there were points made about Archer being a human. Therefore, his lifespan wouldn’t be long, as well as the fact that he had no supernatural standing and no ability to produce heirs.
The last one alone was enough to send people spiraling.
But Romilly had been thinking about it. He had been making plans and putting things in action behind the scenes to ensure that he and Archer could have a biological family if his boy wanted it. He wasn't ready to discuss that with Nicholas, though. He shouldn't have to discuss it with him. That was a topic for him and his mate to go over.
Romilly eased the paper down on his desk, then gazed at Nicholas from the corner of his eye. He watched Shea standing near the door, arms crossed, her expression neutral. In the bond, he could feel her fury. She knew as much as anyone else how good Archer was for Romilly.
This was a personal attack from Nicholas. He was looking to find any ounce of movement he could have in pushing Romilly to the point of madness. He wanted to oust him as king and either step into his place or find someone else. None of that followed dragon tradition, just like the points Nicholas was making about Archer. Still, the man justified what he wanted, how he wanted, and Romilly would pay the price if he didn't put his foot down.
"You know this will not stand without support."
Nicholas grinned. "There is another who will second my motion. We believe it is time to call into question your ways."
Romilly pressed his hands into the wooden desktop, battling once again with his dragon."You will not eat him or set this room on fire,"Romilly bit out in his mind.
"Won't or shouldn't?"the beast growled in reply.
Romilly would have chuckled at the situation had it been anyone else. For him, it was a struggle.
Instead, he nodded once and said, "Your complaint has been received. Gather the Council for a meeting in two days’ time. It will be discussed there."
Nicholas couldn't hold back his look of shock. It came in an instant, and as much as Romilly liked seeing the man startled,he didn't like that the idiot was so comfortable in his charges against Romilly. He didn't like the confidence he wore.
