After the reeling events of last night, Anastasia's head throbbed with pain. She nearly got her servants killed and inside her chambers, Wolf straddled her.
On top of all of that, she is now being summoned to her first court.
"Ahhh I don't want to go!" She cried.
As a Queen, she is allowed to attend these sorts of meetings. It's said that the Queen doesn't need to attend the meetings but Wolf made it clear he wanted her to attend.
"Just why do I have to attend? He finds every opportunity to bother me." She thought as Elena and the other maids dressed her in court attire.
She had to admit the dresses and aesthetics of this era were beautiful and to her taste. She always longed to wear such beautiful clothing and now that she could she relished in the moment.
Walking through the Palace, stopping in front of the large doors of the council room she inhaled a deep breath before entering.
"Fighting!"
She chanted in her head as she walked down the long aisle to the throne. Tons of ministers kowtowed to the royal figure that sat on the throne ahead.
Anastasia stopped midway before ascending to her throne. She bowed in respect and greeted Wolf who sat on the throne looking down at them.
The gaze he cast down on her made it feel like she was under a thousand eyes. Those deep ruby-red eyes glowed with a fiery oppressive glimmer.
"Greetings Your Majesty." She bowed respectfully but took a peek at his almighty figure. She'd seen him on the throne before but today he seemed different. It was hard to take her eyes off him.
"Come, my wife, sit."
Anastasia shivered at the way the word wife slid from his lips. She had heard it many times now and she was beginning to get used to it. Yet she didn't realize that she liked the sound of being called wife.
Anastasia made her way to her throne as she was about to take her seat Wolf grabbed her waist pulling her onto his lap.
"What are you-!" Anastasia was startled by his actions he was beginning to become bolder as the days went on she thought.
"Your throne is uncomfortable, sit here instead." He said adjusting her so that she was sitting properly.
Anastasia's body was as stiff as a board she had never practiced good posture until today. Her back was straight and her hands held onto her knees to stop them from shaking.
Though the servants and ministers heads were bowed they still felt the change of atmosphere when Anastasia walked in. Before she arrived they all cowered in fear as sweat formed on their backs.
Yet immediately after Anastasia's arrival the chilly and gloomy air that filled the room dissipated.
Their astonishment did not falter when they heard the excuse Wolf gave Anastasia about her throne being uncomfortable.
"How cold that be? It's a top priority of the servants that the royal family thrones are comfortable and in mint condition." The ministers and servants thought.
"Rise," Wolf commanded the ministers who had been kowtowing for a while. Dozens of ministers stood some with difficulty as they were old.
With Anastasia sitting on his lap Wolf listened to the ministers and gave them direct orders. The meeting was lasting long and it was quite tedious.
"It feels like I'm in the lecture hall!" Anastasia thought as she began to wiggle around uncomfortably.
She had been sitting with a straight back for more than an hour and she was beginning to falter.
"Just a little longer." She thought.
"Ack!" Anastasia winced in pain, her back ached she had caught a cramp!
Wolf immediately noticed her distorted face he held his hand up to stop a minister from speaking.
"What is wrong?" He questioned looking directly into her eyes.
Anastasia tried to subtly rub her back she didn't like how he stopped the entire meeting. Now everyone was looking at her.
"M-my b-back." She whispered feeling embarrassed by all the stares.
"The meeting will end here for today," Wolf said gathering Anastasia, princess style in his arms. He scooped her up with ease causing everyone to gasp, especially Anastasia.
"Y-Your Majesty but t-the meeting?" A trembling young minister asked.
"We still have a lot to discuss." He said trying to convince Wolf to proceed with the meeting.
Wolf was agitated that this minister dared to talk back. With one glare from Wolf and the minister fell to the ground begging for forgiveness.
"Y-Your Majesty! Please forgive this lowly subject!" The minister cried.
But looking down at Anastasia's distressed face he got more agitated.
"If this lowly minister didn't stop me from going she would be in bed by now." Wolf thought.
"Send him to the dungeons, as a punishment he will receive fifty cuts," Wolf said with finality this minister had irritated him greatly.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty!" The minister cried as the guards dragged him away.
Anastasia who was still in Wolf's embrace all this time just wanted to disappear. This situation is not what she had expected. First, he made her sit on his lap, then he's carrying her bridal style and now he's cruelly punishing an innocent young minister.
"This is the Wolf I know." She thought looking at the pitiful minister.
Anastasia somehow felt that the minister's upcoming suffering was her fault. If she relaxed had and sat properly on his lap her back wouldn't have started to ache. Once again she has to try and save the innocent from this tyrant!
"H-husband I'm hurting, let's just go, leave him okay?" Anastasia said pulling on his rope gently and giving him the best puppy dog eyes she's ever mustered up.
Badump! Badump!
Wolf's heart skipped a beat when he stared down at her teary eyes and pouting pink lips. He's never felt his heart go out of control like that.
"Ahem. Release him." Wolf cleared his throat, for some reason, it felt dry after staring at Anastasia.
"Next time don't question me." He said to the crying young minister who had now aged ten years from his frightened state.
Wolf didn't wait for a response he just turned around carrying Anastasia to their chambers.
Anastasia did not know that he would take her there. Yes, they officially shared a bedroom but she did still have a Queen's chamber and she liked to use it. At present, she did not care where she went as long as she laid down and stretched her back.
Arriving at the room Wolf laid Anastasia down on her stomach.
"Gather medicine that reduces pain, a hot towel, bring in something to eat, don't come back inside just knock and leave the things at the door," Wolf ordered Carl, Elena the other maids who followed them.
"Yes, Your Majesty." They said respectfully leaving to follow his command.
Wolf started to unzip her dress exposing her bare shoulders and back causing her eyes to widen in surprise.
"What does he want to do now?!" She thought as she tried to twist her neck around to see what he was trying to do.
"Lay still." He said placing his large hands on their shoulders.
"W-what are you doing?" Anastasia asked curiously.
Just then a knock came from the door and Wolf stood up going to the door. Anastasia knew it was Elena by the knock alone.
"Please save me, Elena!" Anastasia cried in her heart as she watched Wolf get the things he requested and close the door.
He wheeled in the cart that was filled with first aid, a towel, a bowl of hot water, and a tray of dessert off to the side.
"Is that for me?" Anastasia thought as he got closer. He pushed the cart to the end of the bed only taking off the towel, bowl of hot water, and pain-reducing ointment.
She watched him set the bowl on the nightstand and then deeper the towel into the water ringing it out so it wouldn't drip. He sat on the side of her and began to apply the hot towel to her lower back which had been aching.
Anastasia couldn't accept what was happening when the towel made contact with her skin it soothed her pain immediately. But when he started to gently massage the ointment onto her back she started to get stir crazy.
She could feel her face and ears heat up Anastasia has never had a man see her so vulnerable. Her back was exposed and he gently touched her surprising her by how soothing it felt.
Again Anastasia thought that this man, this tyrant king was doing all the things she had never received from another person but yearned for.
"How can someone be two people at once? One minute he's kind, caring, and cute but in the next second he's threatening to behead someone." Anastasia was more confused than ever why did he seem to care so much about her?
"Next time you're uncomfortable say it," Wolf said coldly Anastasia was starting to notice that words sounded cold but his actions were warm and sweet. His eyes held concern in them and that shook her even more.
"Concerned? For me? No one has ever..." She teared up thinking of her old life.
Wolf heard her crying and immediately picked her up and cradled her in his arms like a child.
"Wife, who did it? Who made you cry?" Wolf asked with concern and a hint of venom. He had never seen her cry before and it strongly dissatisfied him. Of course, if she was to cry it would be because of him.
"I-it's nothing I'm fine I-I just remembered something sad," Anastasia said truthfully snuggling deeper into his embrace. His arms tighten around her feeling her heart with so much warmth.
She'd never experienced something like this, a hug so close and tight she couldn't control her sobs.
She ultimately cried into the arms of the Tyrant as he stroked her hair.
Anastasia had never cried so hard in her life. For the first time, she let out all the anger, sadness, and frustration of her past life.
Crying so much Anastasia fell asleep in Wolf's arms she hung onto like a baby koala. Even when Wolf tried to put her down she groaned in disapproval and hung onto him tighter.
"Such a clingy one. Sleep, my wife." Wolf said as he laid down with her not letting go either.