Claimed By The Tyrant King

Rosalind held her breath as she slowly turned to look at Alaric.

The faint smirk on his lips only made things worse, and she could not tell whether he meant what he said or if he had simply said it to unsettle her. Marry her? Make her his wife? The thought alone felt suffocating.

That would mean being bound to him for life, and Rosalind wanted no part of that.

Even Rowan had stilled behind her, his heart dropping at those words. His hands curled tightly at his sides as his gaze fixed on the king.

... It could not be her. Not Rosalind...

His jaw tightened as Alaric stepped closer to her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he leaned in, studying her reaction. "You seem rather shocked," Alaric said, his voice calm, almost amused. "Perhaps even annoyed... instead of happy."

Rosalind blinked, quickly forcing her expression back under control. "Tell me," he continued, "don’t you want to be queen?"

The answer came to her immediately... NO.

The thought of standing beside him, of living every day in fear of his temper, made her chest tighten. She would rather belong anywhere else, to anyone else, so long as she was treated with kindness.

"I haven’t thought about that, Your Majesty," she replied, choosing her words carefully as he watched her with sharp attention.

"Perhaps you shouldn’t," Alaric said, straightening as though the matter was already decided. "You are lacking in many areas. You would not be fit to rule Eryndor." His lips curved slightly. "It was only a joke. Do not take it to heart, my sweet rose."

The words stung more than she expected. And Rosalind tried to keep her composure.

"Well... thank you, Your Majesty," she said, her tone restrained, even if the edge in it could not be completely hidden. He could choose anyone else for all she cared.

Alaric did not seem to mind. "With proper training," he added, almost casually, "you may still be considered."

Rosalind’s breath caught again.

The contradiction unsettled her more than the insult had. First, she was unfit, and now she could be considered? She could not tell if he was playing with her or testing her, and she did not like either possibility.

"Do not tell me you intend to remain my mistress forever," he went on, unaware or perhaps uncaring of the storm in her thoughts.

Not for long, Rosalind thought quietly because she would be gone soon.

The silence stretched between them until Alaric finally sighed. "You should head to the library, Rosalind. Time is ticking."

She bowed once more and turned to leave, her steps heavier than before. Behind her, Rowan followed, his expression darkened by the king’s words. Even if Alaric had dismissed it as a joke, Rowan knew better than to trust that. The king was unpredictable. Today it was a joke... tomorrow it could be a command.

Rosalind... his jaw tightened again at the thought. He said nothing, only watched her as she walked ahead, unaware of the storm building behind her.

When Rosalind arrived at the library, she was surprised to find Verity already seated at one of the tables, several books stacked neatly beside her. As soon as she looked up and saw Rosalind, a small smile formed on her lips, and she motioned for her to come over.

Rosalind did not hesitate. She walked toward her and took the seat beside her.

Verity leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I’m sorry about what happened earlier. Lady Evelina... she is not always like that."

Rosalind didn’t know what to believe, because for lady Evelina to act like that towards her on their first day of meeting... The memory of the lesson returned at once, the broken cup... the command and the humiliation she had almost been forced into. Rosalind swallowed, her chest tightening again. Between the governess and the king, it felt as though the walls of this place were slowly closing in on her.

"Are you alright?" Verity asked gently, tilting her head as she studied her and she saw that Rosalind wasn’t looking too good.

Rosalind did not even know where to begin if she were to answer honestly.

Instead, she nodded. "I’m fine," she said, though the words felt hollow.

Verity did not press further. After a moment, she shifted her attention to the books in front of her, her expression brightening slightly as she pushed them toward Rosalind.

"I picked these for you," she said. "They should help you catch up faster."

Rosalind’s eyes dropped to the stack...and she froze.

There were too many.

Her gaze moved over them slowly. One... two... five... ten.

All for her?

Her face lost color as the reality settled in.

This was not help, it was a burden.

"And the next class is tomorrow," Verity added.

Rosalind closed her eyes briefly, pressing her fingers against her temple.

She was in serious trouble.

You should start learning from now. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you company," Verity said, offering a small, reassuring smile.

"Thanks," Rosalind muttered, though there was little enthusiasm in her voice as she reluctantly pulled one of the books closer and opened it.

Verity sat across from her, already focused on her own reading, and that alone was enough for Rosalind to try.

Verity carried herself with ease and discipline, the kind expected of a princess...and Rosalind found herself straightening slightly, unwilling to fall behind so quickly. With that thought, she forced her eyes to the page, and soon the quiet rhythm of turning pages filled the space between them.

After some time, Verity glanced up. "I’ll be back. I need to use the powder room," she said softly.

Rosalind, who had been on the verge of drifting off, quickly pulled herself together and nodded.

Verity rose from her seat and left, her footsteps fading into the distance, leaving Rosalind alone at the table with the stack of books while Rowan stood silently behind her, watching over her as always.

The silence stretched around her, and Rosalind’s eyes began to grow heavy. As she blinked slowly, her arm shifted on the table, nudging a few of the books forward until they slipped off the edge and hit the floor with a soft thud.

Her eyes snapped open immediately.

Rowan was already moving. He bent down, gathered the fallen books, and placed them neatly back on the table beside her. Rosalind looked up at him, her expression slightly embarrassed.

"I wasn’t asleep," she said quickly.

He gave a quiet hum in response, offering nothing more before stepping back into place behind her.

Rosalind straightened at once, forcing her eyes open as she returned to the page but the words blurred together almost instantly. It was painfully dull, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not keep her focus. A yawn escaped her, and she covered her mouth quickly, only for another to follow not long after.

Behind her, Rowan watched in silence, and for a brief moment, something close to amusement flickered across his face at the sight of her struggling so openly with something as simple as reading.

Still, his expression shifted when he noticed her head slowly droop forward until it rested against the table, the open book sliding up to cover part of her face.

She had fallen asleep.

The library remained quiet as Rowan did not move at first, allowing the stillness to settle before he stepped forward carefully.

Reaching out, he lifted the book from where it rested against her face, his gaze falling on her features. She looked so peaceful and at ease... he simply watched.

Then, as though catching himself, he looked away.

His attention shifted to the book in his hand. He skimmed through its contents quickly, turning a few pages with familiarity before closing it. Without hesitation, he reached for another from the stack, opening it and scanning through as though searching for something specific. When he found it, he paused.

Carefully, he guided the book toward Rosalind, placing it within her loose hold. As he did, her fingers shifted, brushing lightly against his, and he stilled for a second, his breath catching at the unexpected contact.

Something stirred faintly in his chest, unfamiliar and fleeting, but he pushed it aside just as quickly.

Gently, he adjusted her hand around the book so it would not fall, then stepped back into his place behind her, returning to stillness as if nothing had happened while waiting in silence for her to wake.