Pampered by the Villainous Tyrant King

Chapter 5

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

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Annabeth stepped down from the carriage holding the king's hand. Years of being an intern and then moving up the ranks in an architect company had taught her how to navigate social and business circles.

She had a feeling that she would need to throw in everything she had learned to survive. A simple mistake here such as not holding the king's hand would have people speculate that the relationship between her and King Perseus was not pleasant. And unfortunately, both of them were relying on each other so such rumors would be detrimental.

As Annabeth walked towards the entrance of Gardenia Palace on a red carpet that seemed to be placed specifically for this occasion, neat lines of maids and butlers were formed on either side of the carpet. When the princess and king passed, each bowed or curtsied in uniformity.

Again, Annabeth was impressed with their unity and protocol. But she also felt that there was a sense of tension in the air. It was as if anyone made a mistake, the consequences could be deadly. This must be the true image of the Eldoris palace under King Perseus' control, Annabeth thought. Disciplined and unaccepting of mistakes. Her own spine straightened. Maybe she shouldn't curse out loud so often.

Surprisingly, the king himself gave Annabeth a tour of Gardenia Palace. There was the Grand Hall where guests were received and the King usually held court. There were the private meeting rooms the king used. Large banquet rooms were in the side wings of the palace.

"This is your living quarters for now." The king swept his arm at the west wing of the third floor. "Dahlia Palace, where you will be residing in, is still being renovated."

Dahlia Palace was behind Gardenia Palace. It was slightly smaller but just as grandiose. How strange that the wife and husband didn't seem to live together in this story. She'd heard of separate beds in the same bedroom when a couple disagreed on the softness of mattresses or even different bedrooms but in the same house if one partner snored too much. But never separate palaces. It could be seen as a testament to the wealth of Eldoris that their royal palaces were separated for each family member and their statuses.

Annabeth's ears perked up at the renovation of Gardenia Palace though. Perhaps she could design the reparations herself. Her architect mind began running. Those statues by the front door were so tacky, all with the same face and too many jewels in the crown. And who the hell thought of placing five whole fountains in the front? Just one or two was enough. No wonder the king wanted to renovate the palace.

Seeing her enthusiasm, the king thought that the Kiran princess was excited at having a whole palace to herself. As he had imagined, she must have lived in poor conditions her whole life. Did she even get to have a room to herself?

As they walked, Annabeth felt that the king was personally escorting her around not because he had the spare time but because he was showing others that she was not to be taken lightly. Annabeth added a point in the king's favor. If other people knew that the Kiran eldest princess was soft or not favored by the king, they might see her as a stepping stone and try to oppress her. Who in the royal palaces wasn't ruthless?

A man with brown hair and a woman with curly red hair approached. They appeared to be knights judging by their uniforms and sheathed swords.

"Let me introduce my personal aides. This is Sir Grover and Sir Rachel."

"It is an honor to meet you both, Sir Grover, Sir Rachel," Annabeth said with a smile.

Each bowed and returned their greetings. Annabeth recalled that Sir Grover in the manuscript had been mentioned quite a bit by the Eldoris King's side. This man's fate was just as unfortunate as the king he served, dying a painful death in the king's arms. But this female knight...