Catherine opened her eyes to a white ceiling and an unfamiliar but soft bed that seems to call her back to sleep. As she was about to go back to sleep, she heard a familiar yet arrogant voice that woke all her senses up.

"Are you awake?"

Catherine slowly turned her head to the direction of the voice to find a half-naked Lucas sitting on the bed holding papers that is likely from his work, with his perfectly sculptured body flashing before Catherine's eyes. She immediately turned her back along with the covers of the bed, making her wince from the pain she felt on her torso.

"Don't move so much. You're not completely healed yet." With Lucas's statement, Catherine remembered the dreadful event that happened to her last night. A struck of flashback came flooding in her memories, she sat up and felt her wounded torso, confirming her, that what happened to her last night was not merely a dream.

"Ow," Catherine grimace that made Lucas put her papers down and faced her.

"Call the physician!" Lucas shouted to the door and after a minute, a woman in her late fifty's with her white robe entered the door with her two assistants in a white and red robe holding a bag.

"Leave," Lucas ordered to Konnor who stayed in the room when the physician arrived. The two assistants helped Catherine sat up straight at the edge of the bed while Lucas observed what they were doing.

"Do you mind?" Catherine whispered at Lucas who was looking coldly at the girls attending to Catherine.

"I don't."

"Well, I do!" Catherine pushed Lucas off the bed with his half-naked body. She felt the cold yet smooth skin of the king who let her sleep in his chambers, making her blood rose to her cheeks.

"Alright, alright! Don't push yourself." Lucas stood up and wore the robe on his bedside table before leaving the room. The girls attending her giggled at the sight they just witnessed.

"Come on, now girls." The physician said while smiling at Catherine.

Meanwhile, on the door separating Catherine and Lucas, Konnor gave Lucas a big knowing smile.

"Shut your trap, Maraboli."

"But Your Majesty, I haven't even said anything." Konnor teased as he continued to smile that annoyed Lucas.

"To be kicked out of your own chambers." Konnor nodded to himself while grinning from ear to ear, "This is so new and refreshing."

"When is Malcolm coming here?"

"Aw, Your majesty, I did not know that you miss me so much." A tall man with light yellow hair that almost seemed white in his black and gold uniform arrived.

"But why are you all outside? Were you waiting for me? Come on, let's go inside." Malcolm held the doorknob in the king's chambers but with Lucas' reflexes, he held Malcolm's wrist tightly and gave him a cold, shuddering glare. 

"Her Highness, the Princess is inside," Konnor informed and Malcolm just nodded in response.

"I see." Malcolm laughed awkwardly and stood beside the king.

"You may come in!" The physician shouted from the inside. Konnor opened the door for Lucas, and he entered quickly.

"So?" he asked the physician as he stood beside Catherine who was now observing at his actions. Catherine chuckled at Lucas's behavior, he looked at her and sat down. One would think that he's completely worried about his betrothed. 

"As you can see, Her Highness has passed the critical stage but she must still need rest and avoid extreme exercise for the time being." The physician answered as her assistants keep the instruments and the bandages they used for the princess.

"Uh, Your Majesty, where is Catalina?" Catherine questioned and Lucas gave her a look like he knows no one with the name of Catalina.

 "She's been treated for her wound, Your Highness. Please do not worry. It was just a small wound." Konnor answered that made Catherine sighed in relief and she stood up.

"Where are you going?" Lucas asked and carefully pulled her back to the bed, making her sit back with Lucas.

"To my chambers?" Catherine answered in confusion. Catherine wondered why does Lucas meddle with her affairs now? 

"Didn't you hear the physician said that you need absolute rest?" Lucas argued that made Malcolm and Konnor chuckled at their side. Lucas must have forgotten that the two entered as well, earlier.

"That is why I'm going back to my chambers?"

"No, rest here where I can see you truly resting," Lucas said with authority.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Fine," Catherine said in defeat and covered herself with Lucas's blanket while still sitting down. "But can I at least see Ria and Josephine. They must be so worried."

Lucas sighed and ordered for Ria and Josephine to be called. A few minutes passed and the two came rushing in with Maria and Elle crying out their eyes. Catalina and a dozen servants in the palace also came but stayed just outside the door with tears in their eyes.

"Our princess seems very famous," Malcolm commented as he saw the servants who came to check up on Catherine.

Ria and Josephine went to Catherine's side and checked her body.

"Are you alright? Where does it hurt? Do you need me to share my e-" Ria was cut off by Josephine when she took Catherine's hands in hers.

"Are you really okay?" Catherine chuckled at their reactions. "I'm fine." 

Catherine looked at the people just outside the room and she gestured for them to come inside. The servants looked at Lucas and he nodded in response. They all went inside and gave Catherine some fruits and drinks that they brought for her. 

"And well-loved," Malcolm added.

"Wow, thank you!" Catherine smiled at them, with her eyes squinted and they felt like the sun just shined brighter. They looked at her with worried faces and tears threatening to fall.

"I'm really fine. You don't have to worry about me." Catherine reassured them and they all sighed in relief. Catalina looked at Catherine with tears in her eyes. She bowed her head and kneel before her.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness!" Catalina cried, "I could not protect you."  

Catherine was about to go to Catalina when Lucas stopped her, shaking his head.

"Rise," Lucas commanded and Catalina immediately obeyed. She stood up but still with her head bowed low. Catherine held Catalina's hand that made her look at Catherine.

"It was not your fault. How lucky we are to be alive right now," Catherine said and gave Catalina a reassuring smile. The rest of the servants started leaving until Ria and Josephine were the only ones left.

"Stop giving me that look, Ria. I really am fine." Catherine told Ria who was intently looking at her. 

"She will be staying here with me until she recovers," Lucas announced.

"It's more or less a day or two," added Catherine when Ria and Josephine gave her the look. 

"Then I shall get some of your things from your chamber, Your Highness," Josephine said and exited the room.

Lucas snapped his fingers and Malcolm quickly came and kneeled on one knee before Lucas and Catherine with Ria on her side.

"This is Malcolm-"

"Lokos" Catherine finished Lucas's sentence.

"I am honored that you know my humble name, Your Highness." Malcolm looked at Catherine before smiling. 

'He really does look innocent like a puppy.'

"Ehem!" Konnor interrupted when he saw that Lucas was about to get worked up. Catherine looked at Konnor and gave him a worried look.

"Are you alright?" Catherine asked.

"Ah yes, it seemed like something just caught on my throat," Konnor answered.

"As you know, Malcolm is a competent guard and as of today, he will be your personal guard," Lucas notified Catherine.

"But last night, you told me that Sir Raiden will be my personal guard?"

"And he let you get kidnapped and worse, you were hurt," Lucas explained in gritted teeth.

"Where is he now?" Catherine questioned. She couldn't help but worry about Raiden, especially when Lucas reacted that way.

"He is in a prison, being punished for a crime of harming a royalty," Konnor answered.

"Harming?!" Catherine suddenly stood up, wide-eyed, not remembering her wound, she frowned in pain and went back to her seat.

"Can you please not move so carelessly?" Lucas groaned in frustration. He has been telling Catherine since she woke up not to move so heedlessly but Catherine just would not listen to him. Lucas thought that it was probably for the best idea that she stays in his chambers until she recovers. Who knows what this one would do when he let her out of his sight?

"You must be hungry. Let me get you some food to eat." Ria suggested and left the room. 

"You have to let him go." Catherine pleaded. Lucas stood up and placed Catherine's legs on his bed and covered her up with the blanket. Malcolm stood up from his position and went to Konnor who was smiling from ear to ear.

"Are you seeing this?" Malcolm whispered, disbelief visible in his voice. He could not believe that the king who killed his parents would be able to worry about someone else, other than himself.

"Isn't fascinating how much love can change a person?" Konnor exclaimed and Malcolm just smiled. Maybe love was not yet the right term for what they were witnessing but at least, their king who shut the entrance of his heart, is slowly but gradually opening it and Konnor was glad that the one who was able to open his heart was a kind-hearted woman.  

"Fine. I will let him go." Lucas answered in defeat, as he continued to tuck Catherine in.

"Thank you," Catherine whispered as she yawned and her eyelids become heavy before drifting back to sleep.

Josephine and Ria later came in to see their princess peacefully sleeping. They left the room after leaving the food and the things Josephine got from Catherine's chambers.

"Konnor, bring me my other paperwork here," Lucas said as he moves to his desk in his room.

"Will you be eating your lunch here as well?" Lucas nodded and proceeded to wear his glasses as he continues to look at the papers he left behind. Konnor came back with the rest of his paperwork and stood by.

"Any update on the case in the north?" Lucas asked as he scanned the reports the governors bring him. "It seems that the case of human trafficking is getting a lot worse. I presume that the governor in the north is aware of this, or maybe I should pay him a visit sometime?" 

"Your Majesty, the north is where the beast-like creatures are sighted. It is not wise to visit them yourself." Konnor advised but he knew that even danger lurks in the shadows, the king he's serving will not be convinced when he set his mind on it.

"All the more reason for me to go. Those creatures are already giving me a headache. I don't really know whether the people in the north are fools or what to believe that they really are beast." Lucas shook his head in irritation. 

"Also, Winston Churchill has been planning on something for quite some time now. It is best to stay alert. Especially after the princess' kidnapping, some nobles have been gossiping that it was the Churchills plot to kill the princess. Mainly, because his daughter was supposed to be the next queen but Her Highness just came out of nowhere taking away her position." Konnor continued and handed Lucas another set of papers containing the report.

"Another headache. The Churchills just assumed the idea of Clementine being the next queen. There was not even a verbal agreement of it." A servant knocked on the door, delivering a perfectly baked bread with some cubed steak and a glass of wine for the king's lunch. The servant quietly put the silver tray in a separate table near the king's desk and left the room. 

"I will deal first with the issue in the north. When I come back, I really need to put a stop on the Churchills delusions. I have been quite lenient towards them, just because they think we're family."