Page 230 of Settle Down, Princess

“You will never marry my daughter off against her will.” My eyes burned like flames in my sockets as I stared at each man. “She will never be used as a political pawn. Promise me. Promise me!”

“My daughter…” Arik’s face crumpled right then and all evidence of my sardonic prince was gone. Tears fell freely from his eyes as he reached out with shaking hands.

“I will tear the arms from any bastard that tries,” Creed snarled, his wolf close to the surface. “I will live and die for her.”

“Don’t worry, sweetling.” Silas’ voice was curiously contained, but the bright red spots in his cheeks said otherwise. “Every man that comes within five feet of her will be personally vetted and if I find any evidence of ill intent, they’ll be dead before the moon rises.” He stared at our child like she was the most precious thing in the world, because she was. “No one will ever touch my daughter without her consent.”

“Or with it.” Roan shook his head slowly. “Gods, how the hell did Da cope with seven daughters? I’m going to get in so many fights. If anyone dares look at my princess…” His jaw muscles flexed and then his eyes stared into mine, something so very vulnerable there. “Can I…? Can I hold our daughter?”

I wanted him too and didn’t, all in the same breath, but something reminded me that she was ours, not just mine. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I held her out to him. She was so very tiny in his arms and somehow that made me feel better, a sensation that increased as they all clustered around our child. My daughter would have a pack of fathers to defend and protect her, which should’ve been enough. Instead my hand slid down, another contraction pulsing through me. My head jerked up, my eyes searching Saffron’s as she smiled.

“The placenta is coming.”

“No.” Hazel pressed down on my belly and right then I saw the golden doe and her two fawns. “Another baby. I told you she was carrying heavy. Push, sweet girl, because your little one is about to get a brother or sister!”

Chapter 126

Seven years later

“Who are these ladies, Mumma?”

Little Princess Daisy held my hand tight as we stood before the memorial that had been built in the palace gardens.

“She’s very pretty,” Princess Iris said, already starting to clamber over the monument to climb the sculpture created in the image of Princess Annaliese.

“She was,” I replied then looked down the line. Eight statues, eight memorials for princesses that died, including Ariel. I didn’t bring my daughters here often, but I did once a year. The girls were getting old enough to understand what these memorials meant. “Each one of them were. They were very brave princesses, just like you two are.”

“I’m brave!” Iris declared, doing her level best to climb into Annaliese’s arms. “Daisy’s a scaredy cat.”

“Am not!” Daisy retorted, but her grip on my hand tightened. “What happened to these ladies, Mumma? Why are there statues of them?”

“People failed them.” Arik appeared beside us with an armful of flowers. Creed, Roan and Silas had their own to bring as well. Daisy’s hold on me loosened as she craned her neck to look at them. Anything beautiful caught her attention. “We failed them,” he finished grimly.

“But Papa, you are so big and strong.” Daisy pulled away and then giggled as he grabbed her with his spare arm, hoisting her up onto his hip.

“Sometimes big and strong isn’t enough, sweetness.” Silas moved forward, pecking Daisy on the nose.

“And sometimes big and strong just gets you into trouble.” Roan stepped forward, catching Iris when she fell at just the right moment, my heart feeling like it stopped until he set her on his shoulders. “Isn’t that right, Trouble?”

People argued who each child resembled, but my mates assured me Iris took after me the most. They thought her utter fearlessness was a mirror of my own. I’d never done a single thing without feeling fear, that’s what they didn’t understand, my hijinks because of it, not a lack of proper caution. But my children would not live the same way, and that was the world we worked hard to create every day.

“These statues are to commemorate a terrible time,” I replied. “The evil king that came before me killed each one of them needlessly. They’re here so that any time their families come to Khean, they have a place to grieve the loss of their daughters.” I paused then, staring at each of my children, noting that they weren’t really paying attention, but that was to be expected. Growing up feeling safe, secure, gave them that luxury. “But for us they are a promise. No woman will ever suffer in the same way going forward in Khean, not while I rule.”

The girls took the flowers and then laid them with suitable solemnity at the feet of each statue, but as Roan and Arik supervised, Silas came to stand beside me.

“You know that offers of betrothal are coming in for the girls. The different kings are offering land, money, jewels—”

“Let them,” I said, crossing my arms. “Let them offer my daughters the world, but they will have one thing most noble born women lack. Choice. When the time comes, they’ll find the other half of their hearts.”

“Their mates.” Creed appeared by my other shoulder. “The girls have wolves, I swear it. Everyone assumed Iris would by her nature, but I can feel both.” He smiled as he took my hand. “The princesses of Khean will be fierce creatures, humbled by no man, and who knows? Perhaps their mates will number amongst the princes of the continent or…” He shrugged. “Perhaps they will just shiver in fear in the face of them.”

I smiled then, not a polite smile, but a wolf’s one. All mothers wanted to make the world better for their daughters, but I… I had a feeling that mine would leave a mark far greater than I could even dream.