"No! This is not a war! It's a massacre!!!"
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"You must pay for Lorian with your child," he decreed with gravity. "I want your child to be safe. I have been informed that your baby is a boy. Your child will not be safe from the responsibilities and dangers that come with the status of an heir to the throne."
Adeline stared at Ragnar, wide-eyed as she processed his words. Tears streamed down her face as she thought of Lorian's untimely death, but she managed a small, conflicted smile as she experienced a mixture of amusement and sorrow about the situation.
"Tell your husband, Uzana, that I am formally claiming your child as my own," Ragnar declared with certainty. "He will be my son and successor. He will assume the duties of the crown prince when the time comes. After all, Uzana lacks the qualities necessary to be a proper father."
