THE TYRANT'S BABY

Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Awakened Feelings

Amaris squeezed the rag tightly, wringing out the excess water before she resumed wiping down the large statue in the inner palace halls. "Why am I even doing this?" she muttered under her breath, her arms aching from scrubbing the massive stonework. Back in her world, the only things she ever had to clean were her small apartment and her office desk. That, she could handle. But here? She had to clean entire palaces.

She sighed, letting the rag fall limply in her hand as she stared at the endless corridors around her. This place was enormous compared to her world, where life was simple—annoying, but simple. She could almost laugh at the irony. Back in her world, her biggest worries were work deadlines and cleaning up after herself. Now she was stuck polishing royal statues.

But then, as she paused in thought, a strange sense of relief washed over her. Somehow, she had managed to survive here. Somehow, she had adapted. She'd even managed to navigate the terrifying reality of the palace—preventing Rosalind from falling for the king, pretending she fit in, and finding ways to stay out of trouble. But wait...

Her eyes widened. Why was she even in the inner palace again?

Her heart skipped a beat when she realized her mistake. She had been avoiding the king for days, trying to stay as far away from him as possible. And now, here she was, in the very place she was most likely to run into him.

Amaris slapped her dirty hand on her forehead, leaving a smudge of dirt across her skin. "Why am I so stupid!" she hissed to herself. She glanced around nervously, gripping the pail of water. She had to leave—fast—before he found her.

But just as she bent down to pick up the bucket, a group of council members entered the hall, their footsteps echoing against the stone floors. Amaris froze, straightening up instinctively. She kept her head bowed as low as possible, hoping to avoid their attention.

The council members muttered among themselves, their faces twisted in frustration as they passed through the corridor. Though Amaris couldn't hear every word, certain snippets caught her attention.

"Blasted king!" one of them grumbled, his voice filled with indignation. "How preposterous! He was supposed to follow our advice. We had a solution—one that could unite the kingdoms! But he rejected it outright!"

Another council member sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "He's always been like that. Stubborn as ever. His authority is absolute, and no one can dare defy such a tyrant."

Amaris stiffened, her hand gripping the pail a little tighter. They were talking about Alaric, the king she was supposed to be avoiding at all costs. And by the sounds of it, things weren't going well behind the scenes. The council wanted him to marry for political gain, but he had refused, which didn't surprise her. Alaric was nothing if not stubborn, but hearing the king's own council speak about him like this... The movies were right.

The council members continued their conversation as they walked further down the corridor, unaware of Amaris quietly following behind them, triggered by the audacity of their words.

"He thinks himself invincible," one councilor hissed. "If he had any sense, he'd see the value in marrying into another kingdom's power. We could have quelled these reavers by now."

Another shook his head, his tone bitter. "But no. The king would rather risk everything in war than consider a union. Prideful as ever."

"His reign has been nothing but a string of impossible demands. He's a tyrant. Without the council, this kingdom would fall apart."

Amaris couldn't believe what she was hearing. She hadn't expected such open contempt from the king's own advisors, the very people who should have supported him. A flicker of anger ignited in her chest as their voices grew softer, but she couldn't help herself from following, keeping her distance just enough to avoid detection.

"These people are good for nothing", she unintentionally spoke out. "How dare they talk behind their king's back like this? He might be a tyrant in their eyes, but without him, this kingdom would have crumbled to dust ages ago. How ungrateful."

Unbeknownst to Amaris, Alaric had been walking silently behind her for some time. The moment he saw her, his mood lifted, his usual seriousness replaced by an uncharacteristic lightness. He had wanted to surprise her—slip behind her quietly and see the look on her face when she turned around. But when he heard her mutter those words in his defense, he stopped in his tracks, his breath catching.

Amaris's quiet outrage on his behalf sent an unexpected warmth flooding through him. His heart swelled. He had always known his council didn't favor him, but it had never truly bothered him—he had learned to live with it. But hearing Amaris, of all people, defend him so fiercely when she thought no one was listening lifted a burden he hadn't realized he was still carrying.

His eyes softened as he gazed at her, her focus entirely on the retreating council members. Alaric couldn't resist any longer. With a gentle, yet sudden movement, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a warm embrace from behind.

Amaris gasped in surprise, dropping the pail she had been holding. "Who—!" she began, startled, only to stop mid-sentence when she saw the familiar figure of Alaric.

Her wide eyes met his, and for a moment, she was frozen. "Alaric!" she exclaimed, her voice still breathless from the shock.

A soft smile played on his lips as he held her, his voice gentle, almost teasing. "I didn't mean to startle you, my lady."

Amaris's face turned red, both from embarrassment and the absurdity of being caught eavesdropping by none other than the king himself. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could form a coherent response, Alaric leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear.

"I missed you," Alaric whispered, his voice low and teasing as he leaned in closer. His eyes gleamed mischievously. "I guess you came here to wait for me?"

Amaris's face immediately turned a bright shade of red. "Wha—no! Why would I?" she stammered, flustered and caught off guard. "I was merely assigned to clean here. I didn't mean to—"

Her words trailed off as Alaric's laugh interrupted her. He looked entirely too satisfied with her reaction, and before she could protest further, he scooped her up into his arms effortlessly.

"Wait! Alaric!" she gasped, struggling slightly in his hold. "Put me down! Can't you see I'm dirty?!"

But Alaric paid no attention to her protests. His expensive silk robe fluttered behind him as he strode purposefully through the hallways, holding her close as if her weight was nothing to him. No amount of wriggling seemed to loosen his grip.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, her confusion growing as she gave up trying to free herself from his hold.

Alaric didn't answer. Instead, he carried her into a room Amaris hadn't seen before. The walls were lined with shelves filled with books, and the faint scent of aged parchment filled the air. It was clear from the intimate atmosphere that this was his personal study.

"Huh?" she muttered, her eyes darting around the room. For a moment, she thought he had brought her here to read or perhaps show her something important.

But Alaric had different plans. He placed her on the large desk. His movements were smooth and deliberate. She looked around, bewildered, her mind still processing their new surroundings.

"Amaris..." Alaric's voice was soft, almost a breath, sending a shiver down her spine.

Her heart thudded in her chest, and she instinctively tried to move, but her gaze met his, and she froze. His expression had changed—something deep, intense, and entirely focused on her. It was a look she hadn't seen before, one that caused a strange flutter in her stomach.

"W-what are you doing?" she whispered, her voice suddenly much quieter, though she already had an inkling of his intentions.

Alaric's hand gently brushed her hair back, his fingers lingering on her cheek. "You've been running from me for days," he murmured, his tone low and intimate. "...So when I saw you, I had to catch you."