Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 117: Price to pay (2)

"Father, I should have listened to you, but please, do not abandon me. I will do as you say. I will be well-behaved and not cause you any trouble. I will be as quiet as a mouse. Please, take me with you," Freya said, tears streaming down her face.

Joel chose not to answer since the decision was final. He could not go against what Edward ordered now, or he would risk his place at the king’s side.

For once, Freya needed to face the consequences of her actions. It was long overdue that she was punished, and it was partly Joel’s fault.

The door opened, and in walked Nigel.

"What has become of this family?" Nigel asked, not sparing Freya a glance. "Why was no one guarding her door at night to stop her from making a foolish decision?

"No one needed to guard her door. Freya should have been wise," Joel replied

"Well, there is nothing we can do now to change it. Dear sister, how does it feel to be the woman of the crown prince?"

Freya glared at her useless brother. "You could have spoken to him before he went to his father. You sat by and said nothing."

"What was I to say when you warmed his bed? We aren’t wealthy enough for me to buy Sebastian’s silence, and I wouldn’t waste my time trying. I told you that the third prince was more suited for you, but like always, you never listened," said Nigel.

"I am your sister. You should have tried for my sake. What is the use of you two having close ties to the king and future king when you cannot help me now?" Freya asked, disappointed in both men.

Nigel laughed. "Father got you engaged to the third prince. That is the benefit of our ties to the king and his son. I never thought I would see the day when you would be so foolish, Freya. You always claimed to be wise."

"Now is not the time for you to bicker with me," Freya said, annoyed by Nigel’s presence.

"Indeed, it is not," Nigel agreed with Freya. "The queen is not happy with what you have done. You not only insulted the third prince, but also his mother. You could have manipulated the third prince to be your little puppet, but you ruined it by acting too fast."

"The king says that they are to welcome me as family, but it would be better if I were to return home. There are men with sons on father’s land whom I can marry. They will either accept it or go elsewhere," Freya suggested.

Nigel looked at his father. He enjoyed that Freya was taking their father’s anger away from him and onto her. Surely his loss at the event would be forgotten now that Freya made a grave mistake.

"Family? What the king said was merely to look good before everyone who gathered before him. When has a mistress been treated well unless favoured by the king? The sooner you grasp your new life, the better it will be for you. It would be wise to speak with Nigel about the prince’s likes," said Joel.

Nigel smiled when Freya turned to him. "I am here for you, sister."

"I am not staying here. I will gather my things and prepare to leave," Freya said, storming out of the chamber.

"You may have to tie her to a chair, father. There is some hope for you with Bella, so it is best you separate those two before Bella is ruined," Nigel suggested.

Joel grew annoyed by Nigel’s voice. He faced the disappointment of a son. "Do you have time to spare thinking about your sister when you lost your chance to be at the king’s side?"

"We spoke of this already. You may be close to the king while I remain at Sebastian’s side. It works better for me. Do not cast your anger for Freya toward me. You should have known it was coming when she spoke of wanting to be queen," Nigel said, his mood turning foul now that Joel spoke of him.

"If you had given your wife more support when it came to Freya, this wouldn’t have happened. You have your duties, and your wife has her own. Freya never listened to Giselle because you withheld that power from her. If you want Bella to do well, give Giselle support," Nigel advised Joel.

"Your attentiveness to my wife scares me. Whatever you are plotting, I suggest you stray away from it. I will not have two children making a fool of me," said Joel. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Oh, father. I don’t ever want to disappoint you. I won’t keep much more of your time. I must meet with the crown prince and the king," Nigel shared.

Joel frowned. He hadn’t heard of any meeting.

"What for?"

Nigel shrugged his shoulders. "I will know when I get there. It seems my interest in staying at the prince’s side is paying off. Isn’t it, father? I shall find you later."

Nigel walked off before he could be bombarded with questions from Joel. He liked that the tables were turning.

With Edward upset with Joel, it was Nigel’s time to shine since his friendship with Sebastian was still intact. It would work in Nigel’s favour if his father needed to depend on him to receive news from the palace.

Nigel exited Joel’s chamber and walked in the direction of his sister’s chamber. Before Nigel went to see Sebastian, he didn’t want to miss the drama that would ensue between Freya and Giselle.

Inside the other chamber, Giselle ordered the palace maids to grab Bella’s belongings as quickly as they could.

"Are we in danger?" Bella asked, afraid they would be imprisoned.

"No, we are not in trouble. Your father just wants to get back to his land. Many of the other guests have started to depart for their lands. You don’t need to worry," Giselle assured Bella. "Now run along and get what you want to have in the carriage."

"Won’t Freya be joining us? Is it true what they say that she will be with the crown prince? I don’t understand it all," Bella said, confused by the change in events. "Wasn’t she to marry the third prince? It is all I have been forced to hear."

Bella didn’t want Freya to be with the crown prince since Freya would never stop speaking about it.

"It is confusing, but I shall explain it to you when we are-"

"I am leaving!" Freya announced as she entered the chamber. "Have the maids gather my things."

"Freya, you heard your father clearly. You are not leaving," Giselle said, annoyed she had to deal with Freya.

Freya ignored Giselle. "You must know your place-"

"No," Giselle said, grabbing Freya’s hand as she walked by. "It is you who must know your place."