Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

Soon, the rumours started that the King finally acknowledged the presence of his first concubine and even had spent a night with her.

After the King had sent his second son away to be exiled to the Crystal Palace as punishment, everyone started to think that the King hated the Queen and her son, the Second Prince. Rumours began to spread in the palace that Lady Clarisa would be their new queen.

The Second Concubine, Lady Yavia from Hatha, could not help but feel displeased about the rumours. She was merely there as a chess piece in a business transaction between two kingdoms, but still, she was the third wife of the King. When Esther was Queen, her situation was stable and peaceful and she thought this would be the case till the end of her days, but after the affairs of the Royal Harem became Lady Clarisa's to wield, she was starting to feel suffocated. If Lady Clarisa truly became the next Queen, Lady Yahvi didn't even want to imagine how she would survive in this Vermilion Palace under the rule of the first concubine.

On the contrary, the Third Concubine was quiet. Whatever was going around, it had nothing to do with Lady Saira. She didn't care who became the next Queen or who handled the Royal Harem.

It had been a few days since Drayce had left for the Crystal Palace. Ever since her marriage, Lady Saira stayed in her assigned residence, neither interacting with the other concubines nor doing any outdoor activities, merely sending her servants daily to the King to ask for his permission to meet the Second Prince. Though she was no longer his nanny, she still wished to at least meet him one more time.

When this was consistently refused, she then changed tactics and simply requested for an audience.

To her joy, Lady Saira soon received news that she was granted permission to meet the King.

She felt as if half of her goal was achieved as the King had agreed to meet her. Her carriage brought her to the King's palace, where she was then led to meet him in his study.

She bowed to the King who was sitting in his armchair behind his desk. "Your loyal subject greets His Majesty the Dragon of Megaris. Thank you for accepting my request to see you."

Theron didn't even bother to look at her. "Say it and leave."

She observed how thin and sickly the King looked but then it was not her concern. "Your Majesty, I am here to get permission from you to leave the palace grounds."

He didn't ask what kind of permission and she continued, "I wish you to permit me to visit the Crystal Palace and take care of the Second Prince."

Theron still didn't reply but the grip of his fingers on the pen tightened.

Lady Saira didn't stop. "I will make sure to return every day before sunset. Instead of sitting idly in the Vermilion Palace, even though as the King's wife and a royal, I am no longer allowed to become his nanny anymore, please allow me to look after him since he is my husband's son."

He finally looked at her, his gaze full of hostility. "What a brazen woman! Instead of fulfilling your duty as my concubine, you dare still care about the promise you have made with her?"

She was taken aback for a moment. The way he looked at her—his gaze filled with anger and hatred—made her question herself. 'What did I even do for him to look at me like this? I was not the one who wanted to be his concubine.'

"I simply wish to be of some use to the royal family instead of sitting idly the entire day in my chamber," she replied, without any hesitation. "The Great Lady is getting old. It will be easier for her to take care of a child if she has someone like me by her side."

Theron glared at her. No woman had dared act to him with such atrocity, as if she didn't fear for her life, but this woman…it was all because she used to be Esther's subordinate and she had learnt this attitude from her previous master.

"You want to put yourself to some use," he repeated her words. "Good! Then, I will give you work."

It startled her and she heard the King calling for his personal servant. The servant who was standing outside the study entered inside. "Yes, Your Majesty? You called for me?"

Theron looked at his servant and instructed, "From this moment onward, all of your duties as my personal attendant are passed onto the Third Concubine. Prepare the chamber beside mine to be her new lodging. She will be personally attending to my needs from now on." He looked at the shocked woman whose blue eyes showed how shocked she was. "And I believe she will serve her husband with utmost loyalty as she had done with her previous master."

"Y-Your Majesty," she tried to say, "no woman is allowed…the rule of the King's palace—"

"I am breaking that rule for you. You should be happy," he interrupted her as he offered her a mocking gaze and looked at his servant. "Instruct my fourth wife on her chores."

The servant who himself was shocked, simply nodded getting back to his senses. "Lady Saira, this way please."

Her blue eyes turned moist as this man in front of her was being unreasonable with her again and again without any reason. For what was he punishing her like this? Was it because she was his beloved first wife's subordinate? Was it even something to be punished about?

"Your Majesty...please…"

"Leave!"

The King's cold command echoed within his study and Lady Saira had no other option but to obey him.

The chamber next to the king was arranged for Lady Saira and the King's servant had instructed her entirely about her duties as King's personal servant.

It was the first time ever the rule in the king's residence was broken and it surprised everyone. Most thought the king was lonely and he preferred to keep Lady Saira next to him because she must remind him of his first wife while some thought he kept her there to take his anger on his first wife out on her beloved servant.