I Became The Extra King With Seven Wives

Chapter 81: Helianth [2]

"Your Majesty..."

"Yes, Eleanor?"

"Shouldn’t we... um. Perhaps we should already begin moving toward our next destination?" She asked hesitantly, as we continued to stroll through Helianth’s bustling streets, my leisurely pace showing no signs of quickening.

"Do you have some destination in mind, Eleanor?" I asked her.

"No, I don’t... Do you, Your Majesty?" she asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

Looking at her charming confusion, I could not help but smile. What a truly cute girl my wife was. She was trying so hard to probe answers from me, attempting to sound casual without giving the impression that she was forcing me to spill my plans.

"Of course I have a wonderful destination in mind for the end of our honeymoon," I teased gently. "I had another town in mind for our wedding night, but if you are truly that impatient, my dear Eleanor, we may certainly have it here. Shall we return to the inn immediately?"

"N—No, please, Your Majesty. I—I wish to see what you have planned," she stuttered out quickly, a rosy flush rising to her cheeks.

I laughed softly, charmed by how adorably clumsy she could be. It was obvious that this was her first time in a relationship with a man, let alone being in such close, continuous proximity to one. She was doing her utmost to hold herself together and maintain a dignified composure, but it was an arduous battle. Putting aside the intimidating fact that I was her King, I was also, quite literally, her husband.

It was already set in stone: she was going to spend the entirety of her life with me. If I were merely her King, it might have been easier for her to build a formal wall between us. But since we were in a serious, loving relationship, a fact I made sure to clearly remind her of at every opportunity it was difficult for her to keep her nerves.

Regardless of our playful banter, I wasn’t just aimlessly strolling through the open streets like a lovestruck fool for the sheer sake of it. I was buying time. I needed to give Oliver the opportunity to filter out the various tails that had been following us for quite some time now.

Those who had been tracking us the longest were clearly the most suspicious, though the crowd could easily include common street thieves or run-of-the-mill spies from rival kingdoms. Truthfully, I cared little about the amateurs. I was hunting for the most dangerous among them, the ones who were the best at blending in, the most stealthy in their pursuit.

That was precisely why I gave Oliver the time he needed to pinpoint them. His instincts were as razor-sharp as expected; beneath the fabric of his cloak, his hand rested on the pommel of his sword as his eyes swept the crowds with seemingly unbothered expression. Even Leilah, walking quietly behind us, had sensed that something was amiss and kept a vigilant watch over our flanks.

It would have been stupid and naive to believe we could actually manage to slip out of the Royal Castle completely incognito. It was highly probable that enemy spies even lived just outside the castle gates, waiting day and night to note down every carriage that departed and the identities of the passengers inside.

The real challenge was figuring out how to lose them now that we were out in the open. Unfortunately, a select few had still managed to keep pace and reach us here in Helianth.

I stopped briefly, my gaze catching on a swinging wooden board advertising a local tavern.

"Let’s test their patience a bit," I thought.

I headed toward the establishment, pausing at the threshold to briefly inspect the interior. Because it was located in the very center of Helianth on a highly popular street, it shouldn’t be the sort of dingy tavern filled with filthy, impolite drunkards, but I needed to be certain. I would never subject Eleanor to such a vile environment.

Thankfully, the space inside was clean, well-lit, and highly organized.

"Let’s eat a bit," I said, stepping inside.

Without hesitation, my companions followed me in, stepping out of the bustling street and out of the direct sight of our pursuers.

"Welcome, Sir—"

A waitress approached us briskly, but the moment her eyes fell upon Eleanor and me, and then upon the deeply serious Oliver standing tall behind us, she quickly corrected her greeting.

"My lord, my lady, welcome to our humble establishment," she said, offering a respectful bow.

"Thank you. A table for us, if you please, and preferably in a quiet corner," I asked.

She nodded with a bright, eager smile. "Right this way, my lord."

She prompted us to follow her. As expected, our little procession gathered quiet, curious attention from the patrons seated around the tavern. We were out of place, but we moved quietly. We headed toward a secluded corner where the waitress proudly presented a cozy table for four, flanked by two sturdy wooden benches on either side.

I took my seat first, sliding all the way to the far end until my back rested against the wall. I then tapped the empty space right beside me. "Here, Eleanor."

She gave a small nod, dutifully taking her seat right next to me.

"Leilah?" I raised an expectant brow at her, who was still standing rigidly nearby.

Realizing she had no choice, Leilah finally nodded and slid into the bench directly across from me.

"Oliver?" I shifted my gaze toward him, who remained standing entirely too close to our table like a living statue.

"My lord, I am not hungry—"

"You are bothering the poor waitress," I cut him off.

"O—Oh, my apologies," Oliver stammered, quickly stepping aside to reveal the softly chuckling waitress standing right behind him.

"Take a seat, Oliver, instead of standing about and bothering everyone," I said with a light, amused smile.

He let out a quiet sigh of defeat, nodded stiffly, and took the seat next to Leilah.

"My lords and ladies, what can I offer you this fine day?" The waitress asked, her wide smile returning.

"Bring us your best. Do not worry about the cost; we are well-funded," I assured her.

"Right away, my lord!" She beamed, bowing once more before hurrying off to the kitchens.

Just as she left, we spotted Mia rushing through the tavern entrance, looking slightly out of breath. Upon spotting us tucked away in the corner, she let out a visible sigh of relief and quickly approached our table.

"I finally found you," she said, a breathless smile on her lips.

"Did you ensure Tom and Elise received everything they wished for, Mia?" I asked.

"Yes, Your Maj—my lord," she corrected herself with a sharp nod.

"Do not worry about the coin spent. I will compensate you both handsomely once we are finished here," I promised.

"There is no need for that, my lord," Mia replied with a gentle smile. "We are only doing our duty."

"And you have done it well thus far. Now, take a seat like your brother," I said.

She looked entirely willing to comply, but there was an obvious logistical issue. There simply wasn’t enough space. Eleanor and I occupied one bench, while Leilah and Oliver completely filled the other.

Seeing the dilemma, Oliver immediately prepared to stand and surrender his spot, but I spoke before he could move a muscle.

"Come now, Eleanor, make some room," I said softly.

"Yes," she nodded, her movements stiff and awkward. She tried to slide further toward me, her brow furrowed in confusion as she tried to calculate how on earth she could possibly make enough space on the bench for Mia.

But clearing space on the bench was not at all what I had in mind.

"Eleanor," I called out to her again.

"Your Majesty?" She turned toward me. Because she had shifted so close, her face was now mere inches from mine.

"You may take a seat upon my lap, if that is fine with you," I offered.

She let out a tiny gasp at the suggestion. As a silence seeped over our secluded corner, she nervously darted her gaze around the tavern. I could feel the faint, embarrassed trembling of her back before she raised herself off the wooden bench.

Without hesitation, I reached out, my hands finding the curve of her hips. I guided her quickly onto my lap. She settled there comfortably, and I could immediately feel the soft warmth of her body mingling intimately with mine.

There was no need for me to look at her face to know just how her cheeks were burning red.

Across the table, Mia stood completely dumbfounded. Even though the space on our bench had been effectively freed, she was simply staring at us, her eyes wide with shock.

"What are you doing, Mia? Eleanor went to such great lengths to provide you with space, you know?" I said.

"Y—Yes. Thank you, my lady," Mia stuttered out awkwardly, quickly sliding over to take Eleanor’s vacated spot.