Claimed By The Tyrant King

"Come, Rosalind, we cannot afford to miss the tournament," Verity and Thalia said as they led her through the palace halls.

"A tournament?" Rosalind asked, unable to hide her confusion. "I thought there’s a war going on. Do they still hold tournaments during war?"

Verity replied with a light chuckle. "The war is at the capital, not here in the castle.

Everything here is fine, and we are well guarded."

"Life in the castle has to go on," Thalia added as they walked. "This tournament is a long-standing tradition. It is never cancelled, because cancelling it would suggest the palace is unstable, and they cannot show weakness."

Rosalind’s lips formed a small shape of understanding. "Is it... fun?" she asked.

"Are you kidding?" Verity turned to her immediately, and Rosalind noticed how bright her expression had become, which only made her more curious as they quickened their pace, the sound of drums growing louder with every step.

They arrived at an open courtyard where tiered seating surrounded a large water arena divided into two sides, each marked with the symbols of noble houses. At the center, men moved through the water as they passed a ball between them, their bare shoulders glistening under the light as they fought for control.

At the highest platform sat the king’s seat, and beneath it were the nobles and ladies. Lady Evelina was already present, along with Sabine and Claire. The regent, Lord Cassian, occupied the king’s seat instead, his gaze cold and unreadable as he watched the game as though everything below him was insignificant.

"Greetings, Lord Cassian," the three ladies said as they bowed slightly.

"Take your seats and enjoy the tournament," he replied, his tone flat and dismissive.

"Greetings, Lady Evelina," they added, and she responded with a quiet sip of her tea.

Sabine and Claire sat to the left side of the stands while Verity and Thalia took the right, leaving Rosalind at the edge where the shade did not fully reach her.

The sun pressed down on her until a shadow suddenly fell over her space. When she looked up, Rowan was standing there, silently blocking the light. Rosalind’s lips curved faintly, though something uneasy settled in her chest at the thought of him facing the sun for her. Rowan’s expression remained unchanged as he watched the game below, as if it cost him nothing at all.

"Rosalind, try the fruits. They’re good," one of the ladies said.

Rosalind smiled faintly and reached for a slice of pineapple, taking a bite while her gaze drifted back to the arena, though she was still aware of the presence beside her, close enough to make her heartbeat uneven.

The rules of the game were simple. Two teams stood in a divided water arena representing House Black and House White, and each side tried to throw a ball into the opposing stone ring. Players could swim, wade, or stand depending on the depth, and they were allowed to block, intercept, or physically stop passes in the water. No weapons were permitted, only strength and strategy, and the match was decided by whichever side scored the most goals within the time limit.

The horn sounded, and the players surged into the water at once, splashes rising as the ball was thrown across the arena. One team caught it cleanly and pushed forward, wading through the water as they tried to break past the defenders, while bodies clashed beneath the surface in fast, rough movements that sent ripples across the entire pool.

The crowd reacted with every pass and interception, voices rising with each shift in momentum, until finally a player broke through the defense and threw the ball straight into the stone ring, earning a loud cheer from the stands.

Rosalind had expected something more brutal, fortunately, things turned out to be different. She clapped along with the others as the next round prepared to begin.

"Do you think ladies are allowed to play this game?" she asked Verity quietly beside her.

"Only men," Verity replied simply.

"That’s too bad," Rosalind said under her breath, her lips pressing together slightly.

"Do you really want to play?" Verity asked her, and Rosalind nodded at once. "Even though weapons are not allowed, you can see it is still quite tough and involves a fair bit of physical struggle," Verity added thoughtfully.

Rosalind narrowed her eyes at her. "Are you saying I am weak and cannot play?" she asked before lifting her arms slightly.

"Just look at these rippling muscles," she said with full seriousness.

Verity burst into a quiet laugh and quickly covered her mouth, leaning in to lower Rosalind’s hands so she would not draw attention. "Keep it down, Lady Evelina is right there," she whispered.

"I am quite strong, just so you know," Rosalind added, and Verity gave her a slow, mocking nod.

"What are you two talking about?" Thalia asked from the side, clearly sensing she was missing something important.

"Shhh," Rosalind said immediately. "It is about to start."

Thalia frowned but leaned back with a slight pout as the horn sounded again and the players resumed the match.

One man from House Black was suddenly disqualified after holding the ball too long, and another quickly replaced him from the sideline, keeping the game moving without pause.

Shortly after, House Black managed to score again, bringing their lead to twenty against House White’s fifteen, and Rosalind watched with a small pout because she had already decided she wanted House White to win, while Verity and Thalia clearly favoured the leading side.

Another round began and the pace of the game increased, the players pushed through the water and passed the ball rapidly as they tried to break through the opposing defence.

Rosalind’s hands tightened together without her noticing as she followed the movement closely, genuinely invested now, and just when it looked like House Black would score again, one of their players threw the ball too hard and it struck a House White player in the face, sending him down into the water.

Gasps followed immediately, and the horn was blown to stop the match.

"You did that on purpose," someone from House White shouted at once.

"It was an accident," the House Black player snapped back.

"Disqualified. Get out," the game coordinator ordered firmly, and the man was pulled out of the water while the injured player from House White was also assisted away.

House Black quickly replaced their player, but as House White looked around, they realized they had no one left to continue.

"We cannot proceed unless we have a replacement," one of them said, frustration rising in his voice.

"Then find someone quickly before we start. You are already losing anyway," someone from House Black sneered.

House White shot them a dark look but turned back urgently.

"Look over there... isn’t that Rowan?" someone asked, narrowing his eyes through the glare of sunlight.

"Yes," another confirmed immediately. "Rowan!"

Voices called out across the arena, and all attention shifted toward him. Rowan gave them a look of dissaproval, his gaze hard.

"You cannot call him," one of the attendants argued. "He has been assigned to the lady’s protection."

"How does that stop him from playing a game?" another countered quickly.

"Besides, it is only a match."

"We do not have a choice. Rowan!" they called again, louder this time.

Still, he did not move.

"They need a player" Rosalind said quietly from her seat. "You should go help them." Because she knew exactly what he could do, and more than that, she knew House White would stand a better chance with him.

For a moment, Rowan hesitated, then he turned slightly and bowed in her direction before finally stepping away to join them. Rosalind watched him go with a small, satisfied smile forming on her face without her even realizing it.