The three emissaries arrived in silence.
Each cloaked in a different shade of power—one gold, one silver, one obsidian.
They stepped from their carriage with heads held high, walking through the Crimson Citadel gates like they owned the ground beneath them. But they didn't.
He did.
Rivan stood waiting in the Hall of Binding, flanked by Selix and the Shadow Queen. His gaze didn't flicker when the council envoys entered. If they expected awe, fear, or lust… they got none.
They were not here to negotiate. They were here to test him.
> [System Alert: Influence Clash Detected] [BreederCore Counter-Signal Detected — Subtle Manipulation Active] [Recommended Response: Resist. Redirect. Reclaim.]
The tallest of the three stepped forward—Eira of the Silver Will. Known across kingdoms for her voice that could break minds and charm armies.
She smiled. "So this is the great male that seduced a Queen?"
Rivan didn't move. "I don't seduce. I offer clarity."
The second woman—Nerissa of the Obsidian Path—laughed softly. "He has wit. Shame it'll be wasted."
The third, dressed in gold, said nothing. Her eyes never left Rivan's.
"State your purpose," Selix said sharply.
"We are here," Eira began, "to determine if the... Empire forming under this man is sustainable. Or if it's merely a hormonal delusion."
"And if we fail him," added Nerissa, "we are authorized to reclaim his body."
Alyxia entered then, silent but commanding.
"Then you'll have to go through all of us."
The tension could've shattered steel.
Rivan stepped down from the dais.
"I know why you're here," he said. "Not to test me. But to try and unravel what you don't understand."
He looked at each of them.
"You built systems around fear. Around scarcity. You turned men into tools. And now that I've proven another way, you're panicking."
> [Influence Rising — Public Support +14%] [Target Mental Barriers: Weakening]
Eira stepped closer. "Then let us prove ourselves. If you're truly a ruler of hearts, not just flesh, show us."
The Challenge Begins
One by one, the council envoys sat with Rivan in private conversation — a test of control, intellect, and emotional strength.
Eira used her voice, her words like melodies, trying to shape his thoughts. She tried to lead the conversation, guide it toward guilt, temptation, weakness.
But Rivan answered each attempt with calm, with deeper insight — asking her about her own upbringing, her fears, her belief system.
> [System Update: Dialogue-Based Influence Initiated — Emotional Sync Level 37%... 61%... 83%]
By the end of their hour, Eira stared at him with quiet confusion. "You made me speak more than I intended."
Rivan nodded. "Because I listened more than you expected."
She left with no words.
Nerissa came next.
She tried dominance. Intimidation. Circling him like a panther.
She questioned his worth. His legacy. Accused him of being a glorified fantasy.
Rivan stood still.
Then he asked, "Who told you love was weakness?"
She flinched.
And it began to unravel.
She sat down. She talked.
Not because she wanted to—but because Rivan gave her the space no one else had.
When she left, her hands trembled.
Then came the third.
The silent one. Dressed in gold.
She didn't speak for minutes. Just looked at him.
And finally, she said, "What are you truly after?"
Rivan didn't lie.
"Balance," he said. "Not where women rule alone. Not where men dominate again. But where we remember why we even touch each other in the first place—connection. Not control."
She nodded.
And rose.
"You'll have your answer in the morning."
That Morning
Three women stood before the throne.
They weren't kneeling. But they weren't defying either.
Eira spoke first.
"The council won't stop sending threats. But we've seen enough to know... you're not just different. You're necessary."
Nerissa looked away, then added, "We'll stay. As observers."
The gold-robed envoy smiled. "Or maybe something more."
> [System Alert: New Alliances Formed — Breeder Council Disruption Imminent] [Potential Recruits: 3 High-Level Partners]
---
To Be Continued...
Next Chapter: Mark of the Empire [18+] Three women now walk the line between loyalty and fear. Rivan must decide who belongs in his future… and who might betray it.