Claimed By The Tyrant King

Even so, standing before the royal family of Merovia made her heart beat just a little faster. "I am deeply honoured to be in your presence," Rebecca said politely as she lowered her head in greeting.

King Adrian and Queen Catarina responded with welcoming smiles, immediately putting her at ease.

There was nothing intimidating about the couple despite their status. Instead, there was a warmth about them that filled the air around them, and Rebecca could instantly understand where Rosalind had inherited her kindness from. Even the gentle accent they spoke with carried the same familiar tone she had grown accustomed to hearing from Rosalind.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Rebecca, their attention gradually shifted to the little boy standing quietly beside her.

Catarina’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she studied Julian’s features.

There was something strikingly familiar about him, something she could not quite place, and for a brief moment her gaze drifted toward Rosalind.

Rosalind merely pressed her lips together, choosing not to explain anything just yet.

Meanwhile, Julian stepped forward on his own before bowing politely. "It is nice to meet you."

His respectful greeting caught all of them by surprise because, despite his young age, his manners were impeccable.

Catarina’s smile widened almost immediately. "How lovely," she said warmly. "Julian, isn’t it?"

Julian nodded happily. "Yes."

Without another word, Catarina reached into a small embroidered pouch one of the attendants had been carrying and brought out a wrapped sweet. "This is for you."

Julian accepted it carefully with both hands before giving another courteous bow.

"Thank you very much," he replied sweetly.

The simple gesture made Catarina’s heart soften at once, and she could not help smiling at how innocent and well-mannered the little boy was. The others seemed to feel the same because Julian’s cheerful nature had a way of putting everyone at ease.

Rebecca watched the exchange with quiet pride shining in her eyes. She gently ruffled Julian’s hair before smoothing it back into place with her fingers, and the little boy only smiled even wider, clearly pleased with himself.

Soon afterward, everyone made their way into the palace together, where a welcoming feast had already been prepared in anticipation of their arrival. The long dining table had been beautifully arranged with an assortment of delicacies, and servants moved gracefully around the room as they served each dish with practiced care.

Catarina’s eyes wandered across the spread until they landed on one particular bowl, and surprise immediately crossed her face.

"Is that haha soup?" she asked, unable to hide the delight in her voice.

Because it was a traditional Merovian dish, Catarina had never expected to see it served in Eryndor, let alone prepared so faithfully.

"Yes, it is, Mother," Rosalind replied with a smile. She had personally instructed the palace kitchens on how to prepare it, not only this soup but several other Merovian delicacies she knew her family loved. She had wanted them to feel at home from the moment they arrived.

"I never imagined we’d be eating our own dishes here," Catarina admitted as she looked at the meal before her with pleasant surprise.

"Oh, Rosalind has made sure we grow accustomed to them," Rowan said with a faint smile, causing their attention to shift toward him.

Although he had been born and raised in Eryndor, he had gradually come to enjoy many of Merovia’s traditional meals because Rosalind often prepared them herself, especially whenever she knew he had a particularly demanding day.

Adrian chuckled. "That’s the best part about marrying into another country. You get to enjoy what other kingdoms have to offer instead of eating the same meals your entire life."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Rosalind felt a faint blush creep onto her cheeks because Rowan had casually praised both her cooking and her thoughtfulness in front of her family.

"Pardon us for not visiting sooner," Adrian said after a while.

As he spoke, Catarina lifted a spoonful of the soup to her lips and smiled almost immediately after tasting it. The familiar flavour brought back countless memories of home, and beside her, Hannah was enjoying her own meal just as much.

Julian and Rebecca were seated with everyone else at the long dining table, and although the dishes were unfamiliar to them, they sampled everything with curiosity.

It was quite different from the meals usually served in the palace, yet every bite carried a comforting richness that made it easy to enjoy.

"Even with everything that was happening, Catarina kept insisting that she wanted to come," Adrian continued with an amused smile. "However, I had to remind her that travelling here during the rebellion simply wasn’t safe."

The room grew quieter as everyone remembered those difficult months. Rowan himself had advised them not to make the journey because the rebellion had made travelling dangerous. Rebel groups had been attacking merchants and foreign travellers alike, while even the less-travelled roads had become increasingly unsafe. Until the kingdom had been brought back under control, remaining in Merovia had been the wisest decision they could have made.

"It’s no trouble at all," Rowan replied calmly. "What matters is that you’re here now."

Rosalind nodded in agreement.

"I would have been far more worried if you’d decided to come despite the danger," she admitted softly. "Like Rowan said, it’s much better that you’re here now. The rebellion is over, peace has returned, and everyone can finally breathe again."

Adrian slowly inclined his head before looking across the table at Rowan. "It must have been a difficult period."

Indeed it was. Countless days and sleepless nights had gone into repairing everything the rebels had destroyed, but in the end, Eryndor had endured. The kingdom had survived the chaos, and little by little, life was returning to normal.

"Especially for you," Adrian continued. "I can only imagine the weight you had to carry through all of that."

"I wasn’t carrying it alone," Rowan answered without hesitation.

"The council, the knights, and everyone who remained loyal to the kingdom stood beside me. Besides..." His eyes drifted naturally toward Rosalind before a softer smile appeared on his face. "Rosalind was here with me, so it never truly felt like I was facing it alone."

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