Pampered by the Villainous Tyrant King

Chapter 40

No. He would never let her become like that again. There was more at stake in this life than his country and his own life.

Percy slowly unleashed his clenched hand. His queen was observant and would ask why his hand was injured. Suddenly, he had the urge to quickly finish up the nasty business of work and return home to her.

"Let's head back to the palace," Percy ordered. 

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"Your Majesty, please reconsider for the sake of Eldoris' future!"

Annabeth wanted to facepalm herself so hard, but she was afraid that the action would exacerbate her growing headache.

The nobles before her bowed their heads, as though they were acting in submission. But Annabeth saw them for what they truly were; a pack of wolves in sheep's clothing.

At first, Annabeth thought that they were looking for the king, planning on turning them away as the king was out of the palace for now. Then, she learned that the nobles were there for her.

"How rude," Annabeth frowned. "None of you have made appointments with my office. Do you think that the queen of Eldoris is so idle that my time can be discourteously interrupted like this?"

She waved her hands to the piles of documents on her desk. The nobles glanced up slightly, and only lowered their heads some more. Her words reminded them that she was still the queen, even if she was not from Eldoris originally.

Annabeth scoffed. It seemed that these nobles thought she was easier to bully if the king of Eldoris was not in the palace. But even then, someone with influence must have allowed these nobles to enter Dahlia Palace. The four nobles before her were merely pawns in someone else's schemes, with titles not higher than counts. Even more bold were the five young females they had brought along with them. But she couldn't think of a reason why there were three young males around twenty. To her knowledge, they were mere noble second or third born sons.

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. She would have to send someone to carefully inspect for rats within the walls. If indirect and subtle hints for the king to implement a harem again did not work, then perhaps these nobles were trying to gain access through a more direct route. Or, perhaps someone behind the scenes was trying to force the royal family's hand in getting rid of these nobles. She recalled that two of these nobles were well known for having gambling debts. Another was on the brink of financial ruin and the last was always thirsty for power and influence.

"Your Majesty, forgive us for our impudence."

A duke, and the oldest of the nobles, a white haired elderly man, stepped forward. He seemed like a grandfatherly type, but Annabeth had stayed long enough in this world to know that cruelty knew no bounds in age.

"You are certainly impudent." Annabeth made no qualms about it as she stated the facts.

Besides, this grandfather had a granddaughter who was twenty years of age and still single. There were rumors that he had once tried to have his daughter become queen thirty years ago, and now he was attempting to do so again with his granddaughter. Annabeth studied the young woman, who paled as the queen turned her cold grey eyes on her. The duke's granddaughter did have some beauty to her, Annabeth decided, but not as remarkable as Sir Rachel's flaming beauty or Lady Piper's ethereal features. In no way shape or form could Annabeth imagine this trembling woman to stand next to Percy.

The elderly duke steeled himself and started again.

"We mean no discourtesy," he said once more. "We are just worried about the future of Eldoris."