A/N: I own nothing but plot. Enjoy!
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The dowager queen covered her tracks well, Percy thought. The commoner stable hand who had dared the count's errant son to unleash a snake at the Festival of Bounty was already dead. The shadow guards were already in the process of lifting the stablehand's body from the river.
Percy's fist clenched at his hand. One accident after another. If it were not for the queen beside him, this life would be similar to his last life. He couldn't afford to wait any longer. Otherwise, the dowager queen would keep setting up "accidents" until he or his queen would end up six feet under the ground.
"Your Majesty." A shadow guard came up and held some gold coins with his gloved hand. "We found this in the stable hand's pockets."
Percy carefully examined the gold coins. They appeared to be genuine but ordinary. No one but the nobility could afford gold coins. Someone indeed had bribed the stable hand who had for some reason kept it close to his body. Percy ordered a few people to quietly search the stablehand's quarters for any other evidence.
"May I?" Lord Christopher offered.
Percy offered the coins to the dark mage. The wizard lord carefully inspected the coin.
"They're new," the lord muttered.
"Indeed."
That remark caught Percy's attention. Percy took one coin and studied the shine of the coin. This coin had been newly minted with the serial number still etched. The other coins had serial numbers that indicated they were from the same batch. The body had not been in the water long enough for the coins to be degraded.
If the coins had been in circulation for a very long time, then it would be hard to trace the coin's origins. But there was such a possibility that the Eldoris mint department might be able to track down where the latest batch of coins were delivered through the serial numbers. And if the batch was sent to the dowager queen for her budget....
These small attacks lead to little crumbs of evidence. Percy would have to force the dowager queen's hand sooner or later before serious damage could be done. When he thought about how Annabeth could have died once more...
"Your Majesty!" Lord Christopher said urgently.
The river had suddenly turned turbulent, with the water twisting into high waves. A few shadow knights yelled as the water lunged towards their bodies. Percy immediately stopped his powers and controlled the sudden surge of his emotions. The river calmed down, and the knights were able to get out safely, albeit a little soaked.
Lord Christopher didn't comment on the king's slight movements and held in his expression. He couldn't be completely sure of what the king of Eldoris had been thinking when the king lost control. Perhaps anger that the dowager queen was as slippery as ever, or perhaps...fury that his queen had nearly been compromised. Either way, the queen was turning out to be the king's weakness.
Percy calmed himself down, walking away as his guards finished removing the stablehand's corpse. It wouldn't do to overuse his powers and experience a wave of backlash at such a critical moment in time.
His nails clenched painfully into the palm of his hand. He, too, had been surprised by the sudden unleashing of his emotions. But what was that turbulence he was feeling? Was it anger at the dowager queen for threatening his birthright and throne? Was it simply fury for not being able to predict the future? Or was it...
An image of striking grey eyes set in a soft face flashed into his mind. He grimaced. How should he describe this emotion?
He thought of those smiles that lit up her face and the warmth of her body as she lay against him at night. Then of those days in the past when she was all skin and bones, and the limp and lifeless eyes that had given up on life in his past life.
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."
"By meddling with the affairs of the royal family?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow.
The duke bowed his head. "We only wish that the nation is stable with heirs."
"I have only married just recently, and it appears that you nobles are already worried about the status of my womb instead of figuring out solutions to the current drought. I see you all care more about power than of the state of the citizens of Eldoris." Her scathing words rang out.
"Perhaps Your Majesty does not know much about Eldoris customs, but a harem in the royal family can help support you in your busy work." Another noble tried.
"Yet, the previous king of Eldoris did not have concubines, and Eldoris turned out just fine. Or did you mean to say that I am not handling the affairs of the queen position well? If that is the case, I am not able to handle the position well because certain people keep interrupting my work without scheduling the proper appointments." Annabeth crossed her arms.
The nobles shifted. They understood very well that the women in their families would not want to share their husbands, yet the nobles did not care and took lovers, forbidding their wives to take male lovers. Then, their sons and daughters were used as political tools. How stupid.
Annabeth sipped her tea in frustration. They must think her a fool if they thought she was going to persuade the king to take on other women. She felt a little crinkle of uncomfortableness as the thought of another woman in the king's arms.
"Naturally, we the nobles will take care to assure the queen." The duke said. "My grand-nephew here can also assist the queen's needs, along with these fine young gentlemen. They are highly educated and would serve as excellent secretaries."
A tall youth stepped forward and bowed. Well this was a new tactic, Annabeth thought wryly. The nobles were now offering her male concubines disguised on the premise of being new palace employees.
The youth could be considered handsome, but Annabeth had gotten used to the looks of the male leads in the novel that the young man could hardly compare. Why would she take on lovers when her king was more than well adapted in the bedroom department?
"Neither the king nor I will take on any lovers, nor are we lacking in helpers. If you think it is I who does not want the king to take on concubines, why do you not ask the king whether he wants them?" Annabeth returned. "Or is it that you already know the king has refused your recommendations and now you turn to me, trying to divide the matrimonial happiness between the royal family and thus cause instability for the nation? How bold of you to cause treason."
"Indeed." A new voice boomed into the queen's study.
The king had arrived, his expression dark. Everyone hastily bowed and made way for the king.
Annabeth started to get up from her chair but Percy stopped her. The duke's eyes widened as the king personally took a teapot from Lucy and refilled Annabeth's teacup.
"Did you find all the work fine?" The king asked, gently. "Don't overwork yourself. All the secretaries are going to be out of a job with the pace of documents you're finalizing. My head secretary is now badgering me to increase my speed to match yours."
"I'm fine, Your Majesty," Annabeth reassured him.
It was the king who looked even more haggard than she felt. There was a faint smell of soap fragrance coming from him, and his hair was slightly damp. He must have just taken a bath.
Annabeth gently cupped the king's cheeks. There was a hint of irritation in his face. She could tell that the search for the man who had instigated the teenager to bring a snake had not gone well. If the nobles continued to intrude, Annabeth was afraid that there would be a bloodbath in her study soon.
"Have you eaten dinner yet? You look thinner than you did a few days ago," she murmured to calm him down.
"I ate with the men. With your care, I am doing more than well."
The king kissed her on her forehead.
"You lot. What do you all want from the queen? I hear you all so rudely barged into my queen's palace without notice."
The king finally turned to the nobles who had stood around like a flock of lost sheep at the intimate conversation between the king and queen.
The duke's granddaughter stopped her trembling and now looked in awe at the king. Annabeth caught a few of the other young women sneaking shy glances through their eyelashes at the handsome king and felt the urge to cover the king up. Her hand tugged at the king's hands.
When the king turned his face to her, his dark expression had turned softer, though his green eyes held a hint of laughter as if detecting her jealousy. Annabeth turned away quickly, her eyes accidentally landing on the duke's grand-nephew. Sensing this, the king frowned at the younger males hustled in the queen's study.
"Your Majesty..." The duke said, nervously.
"It seems the duke still does not understand." The king said. "I will have no other woman in the royal palace except for my queen."
"Your Majesty!" The nobles protested. "Consider the kingdom!"
"Consider Eldoris? How ironic. It seems that none of you have the best interests of Eldoris at heart while you concern yourself with trying to get your blood ties to the next heir. I didn't see any of you during the council meetings suggesting on how to improve our people's lives."
Annabeth stopped Percy with a touch on his arm, having seen how his hand had twitched to his sheathed sword. It wasn't good for his reputation as king to ruthlessly shed blood in the palace, as deserving as all these nobles were to such a fate.
"How about we do this so you can understand how it feels?" Annabeth smiled coldly. Her eyes landed on the eight young people and thought of an idea. "Let's send your granddaughter to be the consort of the marquis right there."
"The...the marquis?" The old duke stammered.
The marquis was astounded. He was in his sixties, nearly three times the age of the duke's granddaughter, who was looking aghast at how the situation was suddenly developing. The marquis was in debt from gambling and known to take lovers and abandon them in the past. The marquis' wife was at wits end and had often fought with her husband's mistresses.
"What an excellent idea," the king smiled, understanding her intentions.
"Indeed. And your wife, the duchess, can have that young man over there as her young lover. I imagine she might quite like an energetic type suitable for nighttime matters. Perhaps then you and your wife will understand how it feels to have another person intrude on your relationship." Annabeth finished, her next words pairing the young women and men to be paramours of other nobles.
"Your Majesty, please take back your words!" The duke's granddaughter fell on her knees and bowed hastily. "I don't dare to become a concubine. I am not worthy!"
The others followed suit.
"You-you can't do this!" The duke shouted.
"Then you can understand our feelings when you try to coerce us into expanding the harem." Annabeth coldly said.
The king stopped them with a wave of his hand, tired of the charade. "If you understand now, then get out. If I see you all even facing towards Dahlia Palace..."
He left the threat hanging in the room. Knights quickly came and 'escorted' all out of the study. Annabeth made a promise to herself that she would look into sending some young and strapping men to all the households who were there.
The king quickly barked out orders to investigate who was letting in unwanted filth into Dahlia Palace.
"Are you all right, Your Majesty?" Annabeth asked after the king had calmed down a little. It seems that he was already in a rush before hand and this situation in her study only exacerbated his temper.
The king informed her of what he had found, including the coins that he planned to use to link the assassination attempt to the dowager queen.
Annabeth sighed. It was a pity that there was more work to do. Her life was still in danger from the threat of the dowager queen. Womp womp, Annabeth thought. What else was new? The novel was continuously trying to kill her, this imposter who stole the body of another.
"I'll do my best to help," Annabeth said.
"Thank you, but you're doing well enough already." The king smiled.
After all, she had been able to hold off the nobles who were like a pack of annoying buzzards flying around.
But now that she was thinking about the dowager queen, Annabeth grew more discontent. No doubt it was that bitch who had let the people from earlier disturb her so.
"What are you thinking about?" The king asked, seeing the corner of her lips turn down.
Annabeth had no qualms about telling him what was on her mind as she complained to the king. "And those people had the nerve to actually bring their relatives. As if I was actually going to accept them on the spot just because they were already physically there!"
"Were you jealous?" The king asked, his eyes lit in amusement. It was rare that the queen could complain like this to him.
"What?" Annabeth blinked.
That was not the response she had been expecting. The king laughed and squeezed her hand, reminding her of when she had tugged at his hand to draw his attention when those other young women had stared at him.
Annabeth harrumphed and pulled her hand away as she pouted. It wasn't as if she hadn't noticed his own jealousy when he realized that the young men were there to be her concubines.
"What would you have done if I had accepted a lover?" Annabeth asked, curiously.
The question hung in the air. Annabeth blinked as the words left her mouth. She hadn't meant to speak her thoughts out loud.
The king's green eyes flashed dangerously.
"Oh!"
Within a flash, Annabeth's back was flat against her desk while the king loomed over her, pinning her hands above her head.
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A/N: There's so many stories about a king and his harem of female concubines. I know of just one story where a female emperor has a harem of male concubines, with her favorite one potentially being the male Empress called "Men of the Harem."
Anyways it's time for me to die for this exam, so I shall see you all next week when I resurrect. Peace, I'm out!