Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 37: The ball (5)

Ophelia attempted to back away from Dante, but the wall stopped her futile attempt.

Dante got close enough for his breath to tickle Ophelia’s face, but their lips didn’t touch.

Ophelia tilted her head so she could see beyond Dante’s large body. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was Nigel. She shifted so Dante’s body could hide her again.

"Isn’t it a bit too early for the two of you to be hiding away to touch each other?" Nigel asked, his hands ready to throw a punch. "You should get off of her, Lord Hastings."

Dante held Ophelia’s hands to hide her trembling state.

"Isn’t it improper of you to be eavesdropping on newlyweds? Since you haven’t married yet, you may not understand, but sometimes a man wants to be alone with his wife. Leave so we can tidy our appearance," said Dante.

Despite Dante’s request, Nigel walked further into the room.

"Ophelia isn’t the kind of lady to enjoy fooling around in a lone room with a man. What spell have you cast over her?" Nigel asked, trying to get a glimpse of Ophelia.

Ophelia lowered her head. She would welcome Dante to do anything to get Nigel to leave, even if it meant hurting him.

Dante turned away from Ophelia and guarded her from Nigel’s sight. "You should leave while I am being nice, or must we repeat the last time I sent you running back to your father with your tail between your legs?"

"You outnumbered us. Do not forget why I retreated!" Nigel snapped. He wasn’t a coward.

"Oh, yes. I outsmarted you and prepared the men I needed. I’m curious how shameful it was for you to run back to your castle," Dante taunted.

"Yes, I ran back. I ran back to my father. Could you do that?" Nigel fired back.

"Dante!" Ophelia yelled as she reached for his arm.

As much as Ophelia wanted it, if Dante threw the first punch, then Joel would use it against him now in the presence of the king.

Ophelia grabbed Dante’s right arm, but he was too strong and pulled her along.

The split second Dante turned around to remove Ophelia from pulling him in, Ophelia saw the same eyes as on their wedding night.

Nigel took Dante’s being distracted as a chance to get even and land a punch on him.

Ophelia saw what Nigel was about to do, and without a second thought, she raised her hand to connect with Nigel’s face.

Ophelia gasped, her hands covering her mouth.

What had she done?

Dante’s eyes widened at her means to protect him.

Nigel’s jaw clenched, and his veins became evident along his arm. He was furious that Ophelia was the one to lay her hand on him.

"You!" Nigel spat, glaring at Ophelia.

The first step Nigel took toward Ophelia was met by Dante’s hand wrapping around his slender neck.

Dante shoved Nigel with enough force to make him stumble and fall.

Ophelia was still trying to wrap her mind around what she had done. Never had Ophelia struck Nigel. It would have welcomed her many of his punishments if they were in Joel’s castle.

Dante was not yet finished and strode over to Nigel, who put his arms up, giving up the fight.

Dante leaned down and grabbed Nigel by his shirt to make him stand again. "This never happened unless you want it to spread that you were beaten by a woman."

Dante released Nigel, and this time, Nigel listened.

Nigel ran to the door to leave.

"Ophelia," Dante said, but he was left silent when his gaze fell back on Ophelia. "He’s gone. Ophelia?" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"What have I done? I shouldn’t have struck him. He’ll come back," Ophelia said, her hands trembling as she thought of what Nigel would do to her.

Ophelia could already feel the hot metal he would place against her flesh to torture her.

"Ophelia, you don’t live with him anymore," Dante reminded Ophelia.

Ophelia looked up at Dante. "Then, what will he do to my brother?"

In the heat of the moment, Ophelia forgot that the Valthorns still had her weakness in their hands. It would be a lie to say that she didn’t want to hit Nigel as repayment for all the times he struck her, but Ophelia knew better. She knew the consequences.

"I will take care of it. He’ll come again to get even, so I’ll let him win so he can move on," said Dante.

"You would do that for my sake? Nigel would never let you forget a moment where he beat you," Ophelia said, giving Dante the chance to take it back. "You don’t need to."

"My ego is not so fragile. The only win I want concerns the war. I can throw a bone to him to satisfy him. You must calm yourself since we must go back to the ballroom. Do you want a moment alone?" Dante asked, willing to leave.

"You said that I am not to leave your side. How quick you are to break your rule," Ophelia said, laughing to hide her fear.

"I would guard the door for you. Nothing should go wrong as long as you promise not to jump out the window."

Ophelia wiped her eyes. "I would not know my way around. I don’t want to get lost in the palace, especially after Joel is so eager to get us away from each other. I am ready to go back. Any longer and they will think we are making the child they seek."

Ophelia wanted to get the night over with, and she couldn’t do it if she was hiding away in a room.

Dante offered his hand to Ophelia so they could leave the room as though nothing happened.

Ophelia placed her hand on Dante’s and walked out of the room.

Dante was silent as he thought more of Ophelia’s interaction with her family. Ophelia didn’t show any fear when it came to his mother, but she was either tense or trembled when she stood before Nigel and Joel.

Now that Dante knew Ophelia wished to protect her brother was the reason she agreed to the marriage, he pitied her.

The few rumours Dante heard about Ophelia had been wrong, and most likely, it was rumours about Freya that had reached him.

Ophelia was a woman trapped in a war which had nothing to do with her.

"I am sorry," Dante apologised. There were many things he wanted to apologise to Ophelia for.

"What for? Because I struck him? That was all my carelessness, so you don’t need to apologise. I now have a secret tale to share with my brother of how I defended one of the kingdom’s greatest heroes. I should thank you," Ophelia said, inching closer to Dante to hide beside his large frame.