Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 111: Ruined (2)
"No!" Freya objected.
Becoming the crown prince’s mistress was many steps below being the third prince’s wife. Freya wanted to be queen, not the woman who couldn’t show her face.
"I will not be your woman!" Freya declared.
"So be it, but your worth has dropped after sharing my bed. Though the other men will be curious about what I had, they won’t be so curious to marry you. They’ll have you and be done with you once they experience what I did. Can you endure it?"
"You mustn’t speak of this. It will expose that you tricked me. You took me to bed while knowing you wouldn’t give what I came for. You are cruel, and speaking of this will only expose it," said Freya.
"You may leave," Sebastian instructed the maid. "You truly are a spoiled little girl. You wouldn’t have lasted in the palace with that woman who calls herself a queen. She would have manipulated you while you were married to her son. I saved you."
Sebastian wasn’t interested in Freya’s childish outburst, but he assumed once she realised her harsh reality, she would come to her senses and be quiet.
"That is why you should have listened to your brother. Nigel knew what was best for you, but younger siblings don’t like to listen. Get up out of bed and get dressed. Your family must be looking for you, and I want this matter dealt with quickly," Sebastian said, his patience slipping.
"I will expose you-"
"Go on and expose me. See who will listen to you or take pity on you. You’re a maiden who came to my chamber in the middle of the night and offered yourself to me when you were to be engaged to my brother. You’ll sully your name and what little reputation you have. So, move," Sebastian ordered Freya.
"No," Freya replied, afraid to show her face to her family.
Freya counted on Sebastian taking her as his bride to be what would calm her father once he found out what she had done. She couldn’t share this with her father or brother.
The night Freya spent with Sebastian needed to be forgotten.
"You must not speak of what happened here and threaten that maid. I can still marry your brother if he knows nothing about this. I-"
Freya was silenced by Sebastian slapping her. She palmed her face and turned to glare at Sebastian for putting his hand on her. Not even her own father had ever struck her.
Freya’s gaze was met by another slap. She whimpered from the pain.
Freya dared not look at Sebastian again, but she was forced to when Sebastian roughly grabbed her chin to make her look at him.
"I have been patient with you out of the respect I have for my friendship with your brother, but you are testing me. Your engagement is ruined, and since you might be carrying a child of mine now, you will stay in the palace as my woman. Be silent before I have you beaten," Sebastian said, digging his fingers into Freya’s flesh.
"I am Lord Valthorn’s daughter," Freya cried.
"I am the crown prince. I do as I please, and there won’t be anyone to stop me. Once I tell my father of my fondness towards you, he shall give me you. However, I am willing to play a little game with you. Do you think your father loves you more than going against my father’s wishes?" Sebastian asked, wanting to see Freya suffer.
Sebastian took a liking to seeing Freya cry. Her face should always be decorated with tears.
Freya already knew the answer. Her father would never go against the king and risk ruining the friendship he had with the king.
"You must finally be realising the position you put yourself in. I never had to uphold making you queen. You should have tried to reason with me a little longer before you got undressed. You have two choices. One, be my woman or two, leave the palace as a woman who will never marry. Pick," Sebastian said, letting go of Freya’s face.
"I wouldn’t choose the latter if I were you. Your father would soon become upset that he could not marry you off to a worthy man and sell you to the highest bidder. As my woman, your children would be royals. Royal bastards, but a royal," said Sebastian.
"You are cruel. You abuse your power," Freya said, regretting that she walked into Sebastian’s chamber.
"You came to me because you wanted to seduce me and have me go against my father. Don’t complain now that you didn’t get your way. I am not a nice man, nor do I always have patience. I am being good now because of your brother, but don’t push it. I would hate to mark your skin."
Sebastian walked away from the bed, as he had better things to do than convince Freya of what she should do with her life.
"You should be dressed by the time I am ready to leave, or a guard will come and drag you out as you are now. I don’t care that you have only a blanket to cover you now. You were bold in the night, so be bold in the morning. I have you to thank for my good spirit this morning," Sebastian said, laughing as he walked away.
Freya was left alone as Sebastian walked into the bathing chamber. She had imagined how her plan would work long before she came to Sebastian’s chamber, but it had not worked out in her favour.
Freya tried to think of how she could turn it around so she would become the crown princess, but nothing came to mind other than getting rid of the woman in her place.
Freya placed a finger in her mouth and started to bite at the nail. ’But would he pick me if I kill her? What am I to do now?’
Freya could only count on her father or brother to have an answer.
