How To Tame An Empress (BOOK I)

Chapter 14- Scheming Minds

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"Prepare something that would be fit for travel, something that doesn't stand out and will keep attention away from me. If I don't own anything like that then please let me borrow one of yours," She told the slave.

I leaned back against the wall that kept me hidden from view, listening in on my wife scheming to go against me and almost laughed out loud at her words.

Every single day, she keeps me on my toes. Only her, she was the only woman in this world that could make me like this. My defiant Empress, how I will love putting her in her place.

"Please, do me this favour. I will not let any harm come to you so do not worry about that. I just want to go outside for a little bit and I will take a guard with me, so, please... Let me do this,"

Yes, let her do this.

I only now realize that the only way to have her listen to me will be to teach her a lesson the hard way. Something that will have her come running back into my arms willingly and will put this whole debacle about her freedom behind us.

Simply telling my mischievous wife not to do something will only make her want to do it more. Chaining her to me will only make her want to leave me more so what I need to do is to chain her to me without her knowing it... or make her chain herself to me.

And today, I have come up with the perfect plan that will guide her to me.

As we sat around the dining table, we ate breakfast together and clearly, she was still grumpy with me after our little fight first thing in the morning.

"Are you still angry with me?" I eventually asked, sipping on my wine with my gaze locked on Ria. She cut into her pancake and put it in her mouth, thoroughly chewing before swallowing and my fingers clenched around the goblet of wine, anger slowly starting to simmer.

She was doing this to get under my skin and she knew it was working. I hated it when people ignored me and Ria knew this better than anyone else.

"Ria..." I chastised, talking to her as I would to a child. Just as she knew how I hated being ignored, I knew how she hated being treated like a child.

Two could play this game.

"I asked you a question, flower. And I want my answer," I leaned over the table, whispering to her and she flinched, eyes narrowing into a glare while she picked her glass of water up, sipping it.

"No, I should not be angry with you," She mumbled out, putting the glass back down and continuing with her meal as I hummed, she really was quite good at hiding things. My little Empress, how adorable could she get?

"Your actions would say otherwise," I stroked her cheek with my knuckles and she huffed, opening her mouth to say something but quickly closed it again, already having the answer to a question she didn't even ask.

"If it is about leaving the palace walls then my answer will never change," I said, moving my hand away from her cheek and going back to eating my food.

"But-"

"I am only doing this for your own safety. If you go out and your identity is discovered, you will be in danger and I will not have that. There are dangerous people in this world and the way you used to live your life is not the same anymore," I cut her off, sparing her a glance.

She huffed, looking down at her food and she too continued to eat without another word. After we finished our breakfast, we walked around the porch outside hand-in-hand as we would do most of the time for a few minutes until it was time for me to get to work.

Holding her face in my hands, I leaned down and lightly kissed her lips.

"Have fun and if you get bored then come find me whenever you want," She nodded her head at my words as I kissed her cheek and then her nose, not stopping with my kisses until a small smile crawled onto her lips and she laughed, lightly pushing me away.

"Okay, you're going to be late if you stay any longer. Goodbye," She got on her tiptoes, kissing my jaw and I tilted my head down a bit so she could reach my lips and she kissed me there once more.

"Goodbye," I let her go and waved goodbye, walking away as a few slaves followed me, I bumped into Linus on the way and he stopped in his shoes, bowing his head down and not picking it up until I was out of sight.

Every time I see that man, my patience fades to nothingness. The only reason why I still allow him to guard Ria is that she would hate me if I take him away... But there is only so much I can take before I lose my patience.

Just a little longer.

Less than 30 minutes later, I leaned against a pillar, looking down at the garden where I would sometimes catch Ria playing, today was not one of those days.

"You called for me, your majesty?" Claud's voice was heard behind me.

"Yes," I turned to look at him. "I need you to do something for me,"

"Of course," He nodded his head as I moved to go to my throne, climbing up the few steps before sitting down on it and crossing my legs, narrowing my gaze at the waiting man.

"I need to scare my wife a little bit today... Despite my countless warnings, she's decided to go against me and leave the palace walls. While she has taken a guard with her, I do not like that she went against me,"

"So you want me to bring her back?" Claud guessed, partly correct.

"Yes, amongst other things," The confusion was clear on his face but it wouldn't be like that for long. I need to tighten my hold on Ria before she goes out of control and Claudius is a former gladiator, he's perfect for this job.

Tiberius is busy with his general duties, Julius is both busy with his Plebeian guard duties along with the fact that he may disagree with this whole plan since Ria is his little sister whom he so clearly adores. That leaves Claud, he's not trusted by me but in time, I'm sure he will be.

"I apologise, your majesty. But I cannot say I understand," Well, that's not a surprise.

"I need you to follow Ria, something will happen at the market and attention will be put on her, all you need to do is save her from the mass, you will understand what I'm talking about when the time comes but for now, just trust me,"

His face clearly said he was unsure but nevertheless, he nodded his head.

"I will do so right away," Bowing, he left the room, leaving me alone and I stood up, going back to look out the window towards the main city.

Soon, everything will be perfect again and Ria will know better than to go against me.

It will all make sense soon.

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