Pampered by the Villainous Tyrant King

Chapter 19

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

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Annabeth had many principles in life she would follow. Never steal or plagiarize. Always work hard for her own achievements. And never come for someone who has not done anything to her. So for the days after the wedding where many representatives of the foreign countries stayed for a pleasant retreat, Annabeth didn't bother making things difficult for those countries who had less than warm relations with Eldoris.

But that didn't mean the people who had ill will towards Annabeth didn't stop their nefarious actions behind the scenes. Of course, they had been daunted somewhat by Annabeth's display of chess mastery and verbal sparring. Those who were smart realized that it was not that the Eldoris Queen was weak. Rather the queen didn't care to attack others if she wasn't provoked by anyone first. Only the truly smart would not engage in drama but merely be onlookers.

Annabeth found herself in this predicament when she and the foreign guests went on a boating trip on the natural lakes just outside the Eldoris royal palaces.

"Oh my, Your Majesty, I heard quite the praise about your knowledge!" An elderly man complimented.

Annabeth smiled blandly. That was the fakest voice and compliment she had ever heard from these hidden vultures. Who was this man again? Ah, that's right. Some grand duke, the son of a second prince, whose family was clinging onto its last vestiges of power from a small country called Mandol. Wasn't Mandol a tribute country to Kiran? Annabeth wouldn't be surprised if this had Princess Alana's fingers all over it.

"You flatter me, Grand Duke, as I am lacking in many aspects." Annabeth gently said.

"You are being modest, Your Majesty," the Grand Duke pressed. "I am sure that you will have quite an easy time managing Eldoris. After all, with your origins, you'll be able to relate to both the commoners and the nobility."

People began to stir at the Grand Duke's words, while Annabeth looked on, passively smiling. This little motherfucker, she thought. So it seemed that the information leaked out that the elder Kiran princess was of half legitimate birth. But Annabeth had already expected this.

Princess Alana didn't look too pleased. The reason why Alana didn't want to expose Annabeth's birth was because Annabeth could potentially in turn reveal the abuse at the Kiran royals' hands. The Kiran royals prided themselves on their reputation as clean as their light magic that ran in their veins. Revealing an affair and then abusing the child elicited from their affair would stain that fake holier-than-thou reputation.

"My origins, Grand Duke?" Annabeth said. "Did you mean how Kiran cares greatly for the interests and wellbeing of its people as well as its surrounding tribute countries? If so, I, too, plan to care for the betterment of Eldoris, following what I have learned from Kiran. With the care of my husband, I have been trying my best."

The Grand Duke of Mandol could not easily refute this, or else it would mean he was saying that Kiran had a reputation for not caring for its people. Wouldn't that slap Princess Alana's face?

Coward, Annabeth thought. If the Eldoris king had been by her side, these fools wouldn't have dared to pick on her.

"Some of us forget our own origins," a quiet voice inserted.

Princess Annabeth turned to see another princess sitting by the side, stirring a spoonful of sugar in her milk tea. This woman seemed to be Princess Reyna of Barinia. Why was Princess Reyna helping her?

The Grand Duke flushed. His country, Mandol, had been founded by a commoner who started out as a simple leader of vagabonds that eventually grew to a country just a mere two hundred years ago. Not just Mandol, but many countries had humble beginnings. Even Princess Alana was giving a cold reception on the surface to this Grand Duke who didn't seem to inherit the brains of his predecessors.