Pampered by the Villainous Tyrant King

Chapter 9

A/N: I own nothing but plot. Enjoy!

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Despite the physician's orders of rest and light studying, the Kiran princess ended up falling asleep from her walk on the warm day while watching the knights train. A week was hardly enough to recover from years of starvation and abuse.

Lucy and Sir Nico bowed as Percy approached them, a frown appearing on his lips.

"Why is she sleeping outside?" Percy asked brusquely. "The weather may be warm but a wind could easily chill her to the bone."

"It is my fault, Your Majesty. I should have watched for Her Highness' health." Lucy said, trembling. She feared that she would be the next one to disappear. "We didn't want to disturb her when she fell asleep."

Percy sighed on the inside. "Never mind that. I'm sure with the princess' stubborn personality, she would have gotten her way regardless."

"Your Majesty." Sir Rachel greeted.

Percy held his hand up and walked a little further away from the sleeping princess in order not to disturb her rest.

"How are the recruits?" Percy asked.

Sir Rachel reported on the status of the recruits, highlighting which ones seemed the most promising. From the best of those, Percy would select one or two to join his shadow guards after their backgrounds were verified. Those that were sent in from noble families with close ties to the dowager queen were to be placed in menial knight positions or closely watched.

"Good, keep a close eye on those who are talented."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Percy turned his attention back to the peacefully sleeping princess. Despite the noise and holler of the training ground, she was still deep asleep, a testament to how tired she was. In the reports that landed on his desk, the papers had stated how the princess tended to overwork herself. A classic workaholic.

Still it was strange. Her personality differed so much from what his information had made her out to be. Was she overworking herself because she wanted to prove that she was indispensable to Eldoris now that the Kiran royal family wanted to get rid of her? Or was there something else she was hiding?

Shaking his head on the inside, Percy made his way back to the princess. In her sleep, she didn't seem like a spitfire last evening. Since becoming king, he had been used to his orders being followed to a 'T'.

"Should I call for some maids to bring the princess to her room?" Rachel asked softly.

"No need."

Percy bent down and gently picked the princess up in his arms, ignoring the reactions of those around him.

"Percy-" Rachel gasped.

Percy shook his head and motioned for them to be quiet. Even a week's worth of balanced nutrition had done little to fill out the princess. He would have to ask Lucy to make sure the princess was eating more food besides at proper eating times.

As he carried her into Gardenia Palace, other servants paused before bowing and turning away due to palace protocol. The king had a reputation for being cold, especially after assuming the throne, so for the king to hold another woman so affectionately was a stark and almost unbelievable contrast to his image.

No doubt word would soon spread that the king was carrying his future wife so intimately when he had refused all women in these past years. The whispers had already spread that the queen, while kind to those around her, had a cold exterior just like the king did.