Claimed By The Tyrant King

Cedric came to stand beside her, and when he noticed the same details, his own face flushed with embarrassment.

For a few moments, neither of them said anything, because there was suddenly an awkwardness between them that neither had expected to face so soon.

"Uhm..." Cedric scratched the back of his head as he looked at her, and Rebecca glanced at him, waiting to see what he would say.

Her heart was thudding in her chest as she stood there.

"I’ll wait outside while you take your bath and get yourself ready," he finally said, although his voice was slightly unsteady as the words reached her ears, and Rebecca realised that he was just as affected by the situation as she was.

She wanted to tell him that he did not have to leave, but the words refused to come out.

They had never spent a night together in the same room before, and now that they were husband and wife and were standing in the very room that had been prepared for them, she suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

"O... okay," she finally managed to say, and Cedric gave her a firm nod, almost like the one he would give his soldiers before turning on his heel and striding out of the room as quickly as he could without making his escape too obvious.

Rebecca watched the door close behind him before letting out a quiet sigh. She brought a hand to her chest as she tried to calm her racing heart, and despite herself, a small smile touched her lips.

She could hardly believe that the man who had faced enemies without hesitation was now so flustered that he could barely look at her because they were alone in their bedroom.

Still dressed in her wedding gown and accessories, Rebecca moved towards the bedside table and began removing her earrings first, followed by her necklace and bangles, placing each piece carefully on the cupboard beside her as they gave a soft metallic tinkle against the wood.

She then looked down at the ivory gown she was wearing and gently touched the fabric, remembering the ceremony from earlier that day and the way Cedric had looked at her when they exchanged their vows.

She was still lost in her thoughts when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Rebecca said, although a hint of surprise appeared on her face because she had assumed Cedric would remain outside for some time to give her privacy. She had not expected him to return so soon.

The door opened, but instead of Cedric, two footsteps followed one after the other, and Rebecca turned towards the entrance. Two young women dressed in maid uniforms entered the room and bowed respectfully before her.

"My lady, we’ve been appointed to serve you," one of them said.

Rebecca blinked at them before glancing towards the closed door behind them.

She had never had personal maids before, and the sudden realisation that this was now part of her life made her feel slightly overwhelmed. "You don’t have to be so formal," she said gently, although the two maids remained respectfully before her.

"We are only doing what we are instructed to do, my lady," the second maid replied with a small smile.

Rebecca nodded slowly, and then her gaze returned to the first maid. "What are your names?"

"I’m Elizabeth, my lady," the first one answered.

"And I’m Mara," the other said.

Rebecca offered them a small smile. "It’s nice to meet you both."

"We are honoured to serve you," they replied. Elizabeth then asked, "Is there something you need at the moment, my lady?" She asked.

"I was hoping to take a warm bath" Rebecca said softly.

"Alright, my lady," Elizabeth replied. "Maya will help fetch the water while I assist you," she said, and the other maid nodded before giving a small bow.

"Yes, my lady," Maya answered before leaving to prepare the bath.

Elizabeth then moved behind Rebecca and began carefully undoing the corset laces at the back of her dress. She also carefully helped Rebecca out of the layers of her gown.

Rebecca watched as they work, and although she was grateful for their help, there was something strange about having people attend to her in such a personal way.

She had spent years doing everything herself, especially when it concerned Julian, and now she was standing in a beautiful chamber with servants waiting to help her with the smallest things.

It was another reminder that her life had changed completely.

****

Once the bathwater was ready, Maya returned to the chamber and approached them. "Your water is ready, my lady."

"Thank you," Rebecca replied softly, and the two maids escorted her towards the bathing room, where they helped her wash away the sweat and exhaustion from the long journey and the events of the day.

By the time they were finished, Rebecca felt clean and refreshed. Scented oils had been applied to her skin, leaving a pleasant fragrance lingering throughout the room.

Her hair was combed back, and maya gave her a small massage to ease the tension in her shoulders, Rebecca slowly closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax.

Elizabeth even brought her a cup of calming tea afterwards, and as Rebecca slowly drank it, she found herself thinking that she could probably have the most wonderful night’s sleep she had experienced in a long time.

There was only one thing that kept the thought from feeling completely peaceful, because she knew there were still some things to face before the night was over, and the thought alone made warmth creep back into her cheeks.

"We are done," the maids said together when they had finished preparing her.

Rebecca looked towards the mirror and smiled at her reflection. "Thank you, both of you."

The maids smiled back, and it was clear from their expressions that they were already beginning to like their new lady. "Please inform us if you need anything, my lady, we will be the ones attending to you from now on," Elizabeth said.

"I will," Rebecca assured her with a smile.

The two maids bowed before taking their leave, and once the door closed behind them, the room fell into a quietness that Rebecca immediately noticed.

After spending so much of the day surrounded by people, the silence peaceful.

She remained seated for a while as she looked at herself in the mirror, taking in the woman staring back at her.

She had changed into a comfortable creamy-white nightdress with thin straps and a light jacket over it. She touched the fabric absentmindedly before nodding to herself, as though reassuring herself that everything was fine.

After a moment, she finally stood and walked towards the bed. She pulled the duvet aside before sliding beneath it and covering herself, then lay on her back with her hands resting over her stomach.

Her fingers began fiddling with one another as she stared up at the ceiling, and despite her attempts to think about anything else, her thoughts kept returning to the same question.

When was Cedric going to come back inside?

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