How To Tame An Empress (BOOK I)

Chapter 18 - Focused on Worried Gazes

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Steam clung to the marble floor as I stepped out of the bath, wrapping a towel around my waist before gesturing for the servant to step forward.

"Are you done?" I asked a moment later to which he nodded his head, putting the strigil away while I went to exit the bathhouse, entering the connected chamber. The sun had begun to slowly crawl above the palace walls, spilling gold throughout the room.

Ria was still nestled there, just as I had left her when I went to wash up for the day. Wit her naked back turned to me, the sheets were draped over her waist as her body rose and fell with soft, steady breaths. I couldn't help but smile at the sight.

It was all finally back in place. She will no longer try running away from me, not after yesterday's bizarre adventure at the market; all those people who yearned to simply touch her were not even aware that they were drilling fear into their Empress. But it all worked in my favour, so I could not complain too much.

She has learned her lesson, and the mercenaries which I hired have promptly been dealt with. There is nothing more to worry about anymore.

Running a hand through my damp hair, I went to sit beside her sleeping figure, the smile still on my face as my knuckles ran over her angelic features, I could not help but admire her beautiful self which was all mine.

Leaning down, I gently pressed my lips against her forehead, causing her to stir awake. With furrowed brows, her mouth opened as she released a yawn, stretching her arms out to get rid of the tired muscles before settling down once again, eyes still closed.

"Good morning, my lazy empress." I whispered, kissing her nose as she got comfortable under the covers once more, and quietly mumbled out her reply.

"It is not like my darling to sleep in on such a beautiful day... Well, then again, you did not get much sleep to begin with." I mumbled the last part to myself as she shuffled closer to me. Wrapping her arms around my waist, she hugged me tightly as her head went to rest on my propped-up leg. She was truly testing my restraint right now with this enchanting sight.

"Shall we just stay in bed all day today?" I jokingly asked, hands brushing through her hair.

"You have work... you busy man." She mumbled out through her half-asleep state as I sighed in remembrance. It was at times like these where I truly wished that I was a simple man with no responsibilities just so that I could stay by her side.

"But how am I supposed to work in peace knowing that I have a wife laying naked in our bed? I would be a mad man to choose those old men over you." She did not reply with words, but her sleep-filled laughter was enough to leave me seriously considering skipping work today.

I leaned in, kissing her lips once before kissing her nose, her cheeks, and then her eyelids. As she laughed that melodious laugh of hers, jokingly pushing me away, I could not help but laugh with her. Landing a last kiss to her forehead, she finally decided to open her eyes, catching mine in a loving trance and my fingers gently brushed over her features as we shared a little moment, simply lost in each other's gazes, until I decided to break it.

"Then... before you send me off to work, shall we, at the very least, have breakfast together?" I asked, thinking that the answer would be a simple and straightforward yes.

But she proved me wrong, frowning at the mention of breakfast and quickly shaking her head before pulling away from me, and her back faced me once again.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I feel sick. The mere mention of food has me gagging." She shivered as she spoke, pulling the covers higher to cover her chest as she closed her eyes once more, but despite her nonchalant behaviour, I felt my insides wavered in worry.