A Subject To His Tease

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Stepping down from the ornate carriage was king Sebastian, and the twilight rays hit his hair when he alighted from it. He straightened his royal coat as he proceeded into the Palace, where every servant present respectfully bowed their heads in acknowledgement to his august presence.

"Welcome home, your Majesty." The chief butler greeted at the entrance, his countenance marred by a disquieting unease. But the young king merely acknowledged the greeting with a terse nod as he proceeded forward, scarcely discerning the chief butler's evident discomposure.

Clearing his throat in order to sound more dignified, the chief butler proceeded to speak. "Uhmm, your Majesty–"

"Send someone to get the tub ready for me, will you? It should be medium warm cause I have a lot going on in here." Seb uttered to the butler who could no longer relay the information he wanted to impart, and the young king loosened the top buttons of his shirt to allow himself some respite.

The weary expression etched upon his face indicated that he had endured a taxing day. He had been absent from the royal palace since dawn, only to return at late noon. Right now, all he could think of was the urgent need for rest before inquiring about the days proceeding with the minister he had left, along with the chief butler to overlook things in his absence.

"Your Majesty." A feminine voice suddenly called out, causing him to pause involuntarily. He turned to find a brown-haired woman approaching him hurriedly, her features identifying her as Maverick's sole daughter.

Or was she? He arched an eyebrow at the thought.

He was too exhausted for any complimentary exchange, but there was no way he could say that since the young lady was already in front of him. She curtsied gracefully and offered a polite smile.

"Greetings, your Majesty."

"And you are?"

"Annabelle. I'm the sole daughter of Sir Maverick Griggs." She introduced herself before looking around and lowering her gaze. "It appears you are in haste, your Majesty, am I disrupting any matters of importance?"

"Well, I just returned from a very stressful meeting and I believe one's rest is considered beneficial and of importance." He folded his hands behind his back, "but how may I help you? What brings you to my domain?"

"informally, your Majesty, I've been informed that my cousin has been apprehended." Annabelle began, feigning concern, "despite her actions against our family and our honor, upon hearing the news, it was difficult to stop myself from not seeing her. After all, blood is thicker than water, and I couldn't shake off the worry. That's why I'm here."

Sebastian's gaze narrowed as he absorbed the news, "your cousin? You say?"

The brunette affirmed his inquiry with a subtle nod, "yes, the one held accountable for the demise of your guards. Is His Majesty not aware of this matter?"

"Like I said earlier, I'm just returning to the Palace." he remarked, lips drawn into a thin line. Yet, before he could pose another inquiry, a beckoning voice diverted his attention elsewhere.

"Your Majesty." The minister, who was always at his beck and call, was pacing towards him. He lowered his head in greeting and resumed posture.

"Is it true?" Sebastian asked, "has the maiden been caught?"

"Indeed, Your Majesty, but there exists a grave concern," the minister spoke up, addressing the monarch. "It appears that the chief guard has descended into madness. Witnesses report that he relentlessly battered his own visage until it was scarcely recognizable. Presently, he is under the care of the physician, yet reports persist that his self-inflicted torment shows no signs of abating."

"Self-affliction?" Without a doubt, Sebastian had not expected to be welcomed with such a news. His eyes briefly met those of the brunette, equally startled, before they both averted their gazes.

"Where is she?" He inquired of the minister, and the man approached to whisper discreetly into his ear.

Annabelle, who had not expected her plans to take an unpleasant turn, equally wanted to know what had happened to the chief guard. Leaning in carefully, she sought to glean any information she could overhear, however, she promptly adjusted her stance as the minister withdrew, maintaining decorum.

"Uhm… your Majesty, may I inquire about the well-being of my cousin?" Annabelle persisted in her charade, her gaze aglow with genuine concern for her cherished cousin. She remained steadfast in her determination to dispel any trace of doubt within His Majesty's perception. And she fervently prayed that the chief guard had executed his duties diligently, eliciting from Valda a confession to every alleged misdeed.

Sebastian wore a somber countenance as he departed from the brunette maiden, heading towards his throne room instead. The confused Annabelle darted a furtive glance at the minister who advised her to come back another day, since His Majesty had a lot on his plate, but before she could insist upon going with him, the minister swiftly took his leave, leaving her standing alone with her pending curiosity.

A disquieting premonition settled upon her, casting a pall of unease over her thoughts, and the fact that she was left clueless made her feel more bothered.

Suddenly aware that lingering further would raise suspicion, she composed herself and gracefully turned to take her leave. She wasn't sure about what happened to the chief guard, but she would certainly pay him a visit in order to confirm if he had done his part of the deal.

Meanwhile, In the grandeur of the throne room, Valda exercised patience as she waited for the King to join her in the confines of his throne room. Unfortunately, she wasn't alone, and her eyes narrowed disdainfully at the fox-like man who ceaselessly toyed with the room's artifact.

"In mercury's name is this?" He lifted a figurine with an insufferable sneer, "why, it's positively ghastly! What poor souls would waste their coins on such a garish bauble." he dropped it back as if he just touched dirt, and Valda could swear the headache she was having had to be his doing.

He simply looked around, arrogantly scrutinizing every item he saw. Valda could only roll her eyes in exasperation, since she can do nothing but listen to his endless whining. She yearned for the King's arrival, since that might keep him in check, and she wondered what was taking him so long to get here?

As minutes passed by, Valda's patience wore thin when Eryx audaciously dared to perch his foxy butt on the royal throne—an act of audacity that ignited her indignation.

Does he really not know when to stop?

"You—" her body shook from how hard she fought to restrain the building annoyance inside of her, "it's highly inadvisable for you to remain seated there," she said, "you're going to ruin things for me at this point if you cannot restrain yourself from acting improper."

"Well acting 'proper' has to go both ways," he smirked, eyeing her outfit. "Do you intend to woo your King? I bet his wife would not be pleased."

"He is unmarried."

"Is he now?" Eryx reclined against the throne with an air of regality, crossing his leg over the other and deliberately instigating her nerves. "He may indeed find himself betrothed in days to come, but rest assured, it won't be to you."

Valda offered him a tight-lipped smile, but her mind echoed with screams of frustration. She couldn't believe she found herself subjected to his relentless taunts, a situation that tested her patience beyond measures. Presently, she resembled a mad woman plucked unceremoniously from the streets—every aspect of her bespoke disorganization, yet she bore no fault to this disarray.

This look could prompt anything but seduction.

The man who was continuously toying with her nerves sighed as he relaxed on the throne, enjoying how comfortable it felt.

"Ah, the taste of power." he mused, his tone dripping with self-assurance. "It seems I've got a taste of royalty, don't I? Someday, mark my words, I'll be lounging on a throne just like this one, and every soul in the realm will be bending the knees to me. Including you, my adopted kitten."

He punctuated his word with an assertive glint in his eyes, tilting his head and flicking his wrist theatrically as a gesture of command, but Valda stared at him with an unimpressed silence.

She then asked, "as what? King of Altena?"

"Ruler of Ancesgon capital, and perhaps, since you've recommended it, when that glorious day arrives, I shall grace your quaint little kingdom with my presence." he remarked, a wicked gleam dancing in his eyes. The suggestion dripped with an audacious confidence, and Valda wanted to believe he was only bluffing.

"Scared?" he chuckled, "no need for that, I have no interest in the mortal realm, as of now." he smiled harmlessly, his eyes closing, but that only made Valda shiver with uncertainty.

She was tempted to catapult him back to his realm, but her fears held her captive. Reluctantly, she agreed to accompany him only after exacting her grievances, all the while apprehensive of the unknown peril that awaited her.

That fox lady already hates her, and she wondered who would be next.

Her focus swiftly redirected when she saw King Sebastian walk in. Sensing his presence, she promptly dipped her head low and extended her greetings.

"Your Majesty."

"Would you look at that, just when I was starting to believe that politeness had been evicted from your repertoire of manners. Oh, Your Majesty." he mimicked her, much to Valda's chagrin.

The torment lay in the fact that she alone could perceive his presence.

"You're Valda Griggs?" Sebastian questioned as he approached where she stood with no hurry. She seemed a bit different from the posters, and maybe that was because she just looked like she was dipped in mud.

The crimson stains on her torn dress made his eyebrows wrinkle, and she still had her head lowered in a respectful bow.

"What happened to you?"