The Kings Personal Joker (boyxboy)

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Nine

[A/N] I forgot to link the patreon chapter 168.5 that my Wattpadians will be able to view for three days last chapter so I'm posting the link in this chapter so people have a chance to read it, same deal, it'll be privated by Saturday! Linked in the hyperlink...

The early morning came and went and although I barely just remembered the gentle kiss on my forehead and the weight of a person leaving the bed I slept through it all till the late morning dragged my eyes open and I was returned to earth.

My eyes felt heavy and damp, my muscles ached and the residue of what felt like had to have been one intense fever left me feeling tired and heavy and just a little hot still.

Still I couldn't wait around forever, Agrius would expect me to be ready to receive him. Technically by late morning he should have already haunted me with his strict, unbending presence, but I suspected Demosthenes had told him to come a little later.

When I dressed, putting on my undershirt and trousers, and slowly and lazily dragging on a robe, the fabric of which felt heavy in my hands, and even with the silk lining it felt strangely course on my still sensitive skin.

The moment I sat up, somewhat unsteadily, over the side of the bed, and considered quickly hurrying to the desk to finish writing out the letters Agrius had made me promise to until our next lesson, Leon, one of Demosthenes personal servants and a friend, hurried forward with another servant.

"Elpis, bathwater has been drawn and filled for you."

I blinked looking at them as they stepped out of nowhere in front of me, wide eyed, the both of them.

I might have looked a little dishevelled, I did feel worse for the wear, maybe that was why they were so eager to direct me toward a bath.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "Am I very dirty? I did wash before bed didn't I?" I whispered wearily as I examined myself.

I had sweated throughout the night, and had to be dirty in more ways than one, so it was more of a rhetorical question directed toward no one in particular.

But still Leon leaned in. "Not at all sir, but the King has told us to keep bathwater warmed on hand so that we could fill it when you woke."

His fellow servant nodded. "Medicated bathwater that is..." He trailed off slightly, as if wondering if he should have said that. Maybe it was the fact that it revealed they must have known I had been drugged the night previous.

I vaguely remembered being washed the night before, and what a relief that had been, the crisp water cooling down my skin. I wasn't aware the water was medicated somehow, and wondered whether his similar experience led to him keeping this particular medication on hand. Still the memory was fresh on my mind, fingers gliding over my hair.

He would likely never know how much my heart swelled at the memory of that, though blotchy as it was.

"That would be good, thank you." I nodded toward them both, getting up slowly.

Just then there was a knock at the door, and all three of us turned to look at it.

They approached, and Leon put his hand on the tremor board to accept the message.

His expression changed immediately to something pale and he stepped back fast.

"Take Elpis to the bathroom now and do not open the door." He ordered his friend with a nervous flush, forgetting the honorifics for once.