Claimed By The Tyrant King

Cedric groaned quietly as he pushed himself upright, determined to sit without anyone’s help.

Presently, there was no one in the chamber with him, and he had grown tired of lying in bed like a sack of potatoes while everyone fussed over him.

Although he appreciated their care, he was beginning to feel restless. His body longed to move, to stretch, and to prove that he wasn’t as helpless as everyone believed.

The physician had told him that he had made remarkable progress over the past few days and was no longer in any life-threatening condition. Those words had lingered in his mind ever since, strengthening his resolve. If he was truly recovering, then he couldn’t continue lying in bed forever.

After steadying himself in a sitting position, Cedric slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. His movements were careful as he planted both feet firmly on the floor. He paused for a brief moment, gathering his strength before pushing himself upright.

His knees immediately threatened to give way beneath him.

A sharp ache ran through his legs, but he refused to surrender to it. Clenching his jaw and tightening his fists at his sides, he forced himself to remain standing until the trembling gradually eased. Only then did he cautiously take a single step. It was unsteady, but he managed it. Then came another, and another after that. As he realized he was actually walking on his own again, however slowly, the corner of his lips lifted in quiet satisfaction, and with determination, he made his way towards the chamber door.

Just as he was about to reach it, the door suddenly opened from the other side.

Rebecca stepped inside, having come to check on him. It wasn’t time for his medicine or his meal, but over the past several days, their conversations had quietly become part of their routine, and she had simply wanted to see how he was doing.

The moment she entered, her eyes landed on him.

Cedric was equally caught off guard by her sudden arrival, and the brief distraction was enough to cost him his balance.

Before either of them could react, his legs buckled beneath him, and he dropped heavily onto one knee. A quiet groan escaped him as he clenched his jaw against the discomfort.

Rebecca’s heart lurched. "Cedric?" she called anxiously as she hurried to his side and immediately crouched beside him.

"Are you alright?" she asked, gently taking hold of his arm to steady him.

Cedric turned to look at her, their faces separated by barely a small distance. Neither of them seemed aware of it at first. Seeing the concern plainly written across her face, he offered her a faint, reassuring smile.

"There’s nothing to worry about," he said calmly. "I’m fine."

The tightness in Rebecca’s chest eased slightly after hearing his answer, but she still wasn’t convinced. Her brows drew together as she continued supporting him.

"The physician never said you could be moving around already," she said softly. "Why can’t you just stay where he asked you to instead of stubbornly trying to recover by force?"

Her voice carried the faintest trace of reproach, yet it was softened by genuine concern. A part of her wanted to scold him properly for frightening her, while another part reminded her that, despite how comfortable they had become around each other, she still couldn’t speak to him too freely.

Cedric let out a quiet breath. "If I wait for the physician’s permission," he muttered, "I might as well grow old in that bed."

A reluctant smile almost tugged at Rebecca’s lips despite herself.

"Besides," he continued, glancing down at his legs, "I feel like my body can handle it now."

Rebecca sighed softly, though her hand remained firmly around his arm as if she feared he might collapse again the moment she let go. Cedric looked back at her before saying in a quieter voice, "I do need some help getting up."

At those words, the concern in her eyes immediately softened. "Of course."

Without another word, she slipped an arm around his waist while supporting one of his arms across her shoulders. Cedric was considerably taller and heavier than she was, and lifting him wasn’t easy. Even so, he did his best not to place all his weight on her, pushing himself up with whatever strength he had left. Together, after a little effort, they managed to get him back onto his feet.

Rebecca waited until she was certain he was steady before looking up at him.

"Back to the bed..." she asked gently, "...or did you have somewhere else in mind?"

Cedric glanced past her towards the open doorway before answering, "Let’s go outside."

Rebecca hesitated for only a moment. Part of her wanted to refuse outright and march him back to bed before the physician found out what he had attempted, but after seeing the determination in his eyes, she understood that arguing would accomplish very little.

"Alright," she agreed quietly. "But only if you lean on me the entire time."

Cedric gave a small nod, and together, at a slow and careful pace, they made their way towards the doorway.

Rebecca supported him while Cedric leaned lightly against her for balance as they made their way through the corridor. Their pace was slow, but steady, and neither of them seemed to mind it.

This was the first time Cedric had been outside his room since waking up, and as they walked, his gaze wandered over the palace bathed in the gentle morning sunlight. Golden rays stretched across the stone walls, spilling through the corridors and illuminating every corner with a quiet warmth that he hadn’t realized he had missed.

The servants they passed immediately bowed in greeting, and although most simply offered respectful smiles before continuing with their duties, a few couldn’t help exchanging hushed words with one another after they had gone by.

News traveled quickly through the palace, and it didn’t take long for whispers to spread that the Lord Commander was finally back on his feet.

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