The Tyrant's Queen

26: the recluse

"I don't owe anyone an explanation for keeping what's mine in my palace. Unless Matia informs you of an official schedule, you're to stay in your room."

Even the hut Letellia and Thalia used to live in, didn't belong to them. They had built and re-built it from scratch on the days storms came. Every brick of its walls, they'd paid for.

But that didn't matter- the very land the hut was on, belonged to an 'important man serving the country', according to his servant.

Every meal the two of them ate, hadn't belonged to them, either. Because every coin spent, was what should have been used to repay her father's debts.

And the moment Thalia signed that paper Lucien handed her, she had signed away the only ownership she'd had in her life.

Of herself. She knew that, theoretically.

Being surrounded by all the marble statues, chandeliers, bowing servants and an abundance of food, had made her forget, just a little.

Thalia only realized she was biting her lip, when taste of copper permeated her mouth. "Yes, sire. Forgive me."

At her apology, a sharp line formed on Lucien's forehead, as his brows drew together in a frown. What was he displeased about again? What of her didn't displease him?

"The dinner table is in my chamber." Heading towards the door, Lucien muttered brusquely.

"I will take a bath and return to your chamber when it is sleep time. Please go ahead-"

Sharply, Lucien turned around to face Thalia. Leaning his weight against the cane, he released a scoff-like sigh. "Feel free to starve yourself to death after you've completed what I've ordered you to do."

"I did have lunch. After I left your chambers," Thalia added, then instantly felt petty.

"Allow me a guess." A bemused smirk twisted his mouth. "A sandwich, with Karlieus?"

There went her plan to pretend she'd had a feast with Karlieus. How did Lucien know? Thalia squared her shoulders. "Y-es."

"Karlieus never had an appetite for worldly pleasures." Tracing the head of his cane with a finger, Lucien smiled dryly.

"Didn't desire gold and silver even after winning wars against the pirates. Rejected feasts, and sat under some tree eating a sandwich.

"He seems to be unchanged- although, perhaps he did develop an appetite for beauties. The Karlieus I know wouldn't have sat down sharing his sandwich with a royalty. He would've fled, immediately."

The uneasy stirring in her stomach she'd had intermittently talking to Karlieus, returned. It'd been easy to quell the bouts of guilt because of how much she'd laughed with him.

Now, it was simply incontestable- she had manipulated a man who had gone against his nature to be a kind friend.

She had, however, little luxury for daintily mulling over her guilt.

The faster she gave Lucien what she wanted, the faster she could get her and Letellia out of the palace.

"I spoke to Karlieus at great length today." Pulling out a vial from her inner pocket, Thalia began.

Turning his body toward her completely, Lucien raised an eyebrow. "You look like you have things to say." He glanced at the vial in her hand.

She had Karlieus on her side now. Could she use that fact as leverage, to keep Ulla and Viva by her side, instead of an armed bodyguard, who would serve as Lucien's eyes and ears?