Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 193: Shift in power (3)

"I am not an easy woman," Freya said, rejecting Sebastian’s offer.

"Must I remind you that you came to my bedchamber and presented yourself to me? You are here because of your actions. If you want to stay alive, you would keep entertaining me. I don’t like to keep people around who are of no use," said Sebastian.

"What if I become pregnant? Would you harm the child as you want to harm your siblings?"

"That is different. My bastards will be of some use to me. I don’t care about the bastards that woman gave to my father. Weren’t you listening to me? I am giving you this day only to satisfy me before I move on to another woman. You will be forgotten if I don’t visit you," Sebastian said.

"I cannot trust you," Freya confessed.

"And, you shouldn’t. Trust only yourself when you are in the palace. No one here is your friend or your family, even if you share blood. We are all out for ourselves. Every day, there is a new scheme, and you are about to be left behind. Be the heartless woman that I have heard so much about."

"I want revenge on the people looking down on me. I want the priest and all the servants who assisted him to be punished. I want to see the queen treated as less than a maid, but you must promise me never to hurt my father. I still love him," Freya said, offering her hand to Sebastian to strike a deal.

Sebastian shook Freya’s hand without issue for two reasons. One, he didn’t have to keep his promises, and two, he wouldn’t be the one to kill Lord Valthorn. Nigel should be taking care of this matter.

"Can you get rid of Giselle and Ophelia? I despise them both," Freya said, eager to see the two women fall. "Giselle had the nerve to speak down on me when my father abandoned me. I have never once liked her."

"What a shame. Your brother seems to be fond of Lady Valthorn, and I don’t want to steal his happiness," said Sebastian.

"You don’t understand. It isn’t Giselle that he wants; it is Ophelia. He has always been obsessed with her, and I have seen Ophelia enjoy it," Freya threw in a lie. "She is a sinful woman who yearned for my brother because of his status. It is what her mother taught her."

"They are not related, so why would it be sinful? I am becoming curious about this Ophelia. Each time her name comes up, there is either jealousy or desire. I wonder what makes her so special. It also seems that Dante has fallen in love with her-"

"Impossible!" Freya yelled, refusing to believe it. "She came from nothing. She is only known because my father took them all in. I assure you that she knows nothing of being a lady. She cannot read," she laughed.

"She can be taught. Though she had humble beginnings, she is not Lady Hastings while you are here. One of you did a better job of securing your future. The problem with ladies like yourself is that you fail to realise the lengths women with nothing will go to get what they desire," said Sebastian.

"You’re always waiting for a helping hand instead of using what you have to go further in your life. You could have long warmed my bed for more nights and been granted power by me. I could have made it so that no one is to insult you, but you prefer to sulk," Sebastian said, shaking his head.

"You seemed like a man who would prefer a lady to obey and be quiet. Someone who wouldn’t disrupt your days," Freya said.

Sebastian slowly nodded. "That is almost true. I prefer a woman who doesn’t bring her troubles with other ladies to me and one who knows her place. I do like to be entertained at times, especially if you are messing with someone I dislike. I urge you to entertain me."

"Then," Freya said, drawing closer to Sebastian. "If I go after Althea, would you back me up?"

"I can offer you servants to help you, but I am not going to stand around guiding you."

"I shall take that. There is one more. Would you be so kind as not to let your wife trouble me? It is, as you say, that you can have as many women as you want on your side, so she shouldn’t trouble me. We should get along," Freya said, worried she would face another Althea.

"She won’t meddle in my time with you. My bride-to-be knows how to act. It is you whom I have trouble believing will fall in line. Now that I have given you what you wanted, shouldn’t you take care of me in return?" Sebastian asked, wanting what he came for. "I didn’t come to visit you just to rest."

"Have you only come to me because there is no other woman to amuse you?" Freya asked, trying to convince herself she was special.

Only then could Freya forget her anger about not becoming the future queen.

"I came here because no one will come here to find me. It seems I have spoken too soon," Sebastian said after a knock on the door was heard. "Answer it."

"Enter!" Freya ordered the visitor.

The doors opened for the visitor, and to Freya’s surprise, Althea came to see her.

Althea was displeased to find Sebastian lying on Freya’s bed. "Crown prince, shouldn’t you be sitting with your future in-laws? You might upset them if they know you are here with another woman."

"Shouldn’t you be at my father’s side playing the role of a dutiful wife? Why have you come here to see Freya instead of being at his side? Do you want to bed her?" Sebastian asked, enjoying Althea’s disgusted reaction.

"You should be careful with how you speak. You are acting in your father’s place, and in doing so, you have many duties. This is what you will face one day when you are the king. I suggest you do not slack off now. You will have time for whores later on," Althea said, ignoring Freya’s offended look.

"Whore?" Sebastian chuckled. "She carries the title of the prince’s woman. Whores are the women you find outside the palace. It is what you were before my father bought you here."

Freya covered her mouth with her hand as she chuckled. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Althea wasn’t so powerful after all.

Althea knew not to trouble herself with fighting Sebastian, but she did not enjoy Freya laughing at her.