Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 70: Childish (1)

"Oh, there he is!" Ophelia exclaimed after finding Dante. "He already has his helmet on."

"Many of the men are dressed alike with their armour, but you were able to find Lord Hastings quite fast," Mary noticed.

"He towers over all of them, and one of his guards is walking without his helmet on. Is it me, or does he look angry?" Ophelia asked, noticing something was off about Dante.

Mary looked closely, but with Dante wearing his helmet, she couldn’t tell. "I’m afraid I cannot see if he is angry since he wears his helmet. You would know better than I would."

"Why?"

Mary chuckled, finding Ophelia to be cute. "He is your husband afterall. Who should know him better than his wife? Though it is an arranged marriage, there will be little things you cannot help but notice. You should pay attention to his behaviour, so you know when to leave him be and when to get what you want."

"Then, I must be right that he is angry. I overheard that the first round is a sword-fighting, right? I hope he doesn’t kill anyone," Ophelia said, but she did want to see a few men cry.

Mary looked away from Ophelia for a moment, but soon turned back as something caught her eye. "You were introduced to the king and queen. What do you think of them?’

"I think they are just as I imagined them to be," Ophelia gave a short response.

"I would advise you to do what you must to stay out of the king’s gaze and be wary around the queen. If she takes notice of her husband watching you, she will label you as her enemy. She doesn’t love the king, but that doesn’t stop her from being jealous. Be careful," Mary advised Ophelia.

Mary took a liking to Ophelia since it was refreshing to have someone she could hold a conversation with. She didn’t want to see Ophelia be pulled into the palace and whither away just as many ladies had done.

"I don’t want to get the attention of anyone in the palace. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I look forward to the day we will return to the castle. It is too crowded here, and though I have not been introduced to everyone, I know many enemies are lurking around," said Ophelia.

"Miss Freya inches close to you, as well as Lady Valthorn."

"How lucky could I be for them both to inch close enough to tumble down the hill? Oh, he is going first," Ophelia said, standing up to see Dante better. "What am I doing?" She muttered and sat back down.

Mary laughed, confused as to why Ophelia sat down. "Why did you sit down? Is it that you don’t want him to see you cheering for him?"

"How do you know what I am thinking?" Ophelia asked, leaning away from Mary and her powers.

"It is easy to read you. You should cheer him on. Give the ladies to the right of you something to envy," Mary encouraged Ophelia.

"Is your husband joining today?" Ophelia asked, offering her hand to Mary so she could stand as well.

"My husband? That man has never raised a sword a day in his life. At the sight of a sword, he would run and cry. All he will do is speak to everyone and try to be on their good side. Go on and watch your husband. It is starting," Mary said, motioning Ophelia to go forward.

Ophelia stood up again. She was on time to watch Dante step out to fight a man who was far smaller than him.

’That poor fool,’ Ophelia pitied the man staring death in the face. ’But Dante must win.’

"Knock him down!" Ophelia yelled, her arms raised as she cheered Dante on. "Oh," She smacked her right hand over her mouth as Dante looked up at her.

Ophelia sat back down. "I think it is best I cheer him on from where I sit."

"Why? You did well," Mary said, enjoying Ophelia’s carefree spirit.

"I’m certain it is not how a lady should act, and I will receive a good scolding soon," said Ophelia.

"No one should scold you for cheering on your husband. Goodness," Mary flinched, startled by the loud noise when Dante’s sword connected with his opponent’s sword. "It appears your husband heard you, and he is determined to win. He will win."

Mary felt bad for the small man battling against Lord Hastings. It didn’t come as a surprise to see the man drop his sword and ask to let the fight be over.

"He has one point," Ophelia said, clapping her hands. Her concerns started to vanish, and she believed Dante would have the win in his hands. "It ended quickly."

"Indeed, it did. The other pair is not yet done. Miss Freya approaches," Mary warned Ophelia.

Ophelia wasn’t interested in Freya approaching. She wanted to keep an eye on where Dante walked and when he was competing. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Mrs Sterling. Ophelia," Freya greeted the friends she thought suited each other. "It is rather rude to be off to the side when the other ladies are seated together. You must join us."

"We decline," Ophelia answered.

"It wasn’t a request. It was an order," said Freya.

"Order? Why would you get to order around the two of us? You are embarrassing yourself, Freya. Rather than make a fool of yourself before your peers, go sit elsewhere and speak about me behind my back. I want to have a quiet day watching my husband," Ophelia requested, her gaze still on Dante.

"The ladies want to meet you. Are you so high up on your horse now that you would ignore them? The other noblewomen introduced themselves when they got married. How bold of you to do the opposite," Freya said, annoyed that Ophelia wouldn’t listen.

It didn’t feel good not to have the upper hand.

Ophelia leaned back on her chair and decided to spare Freya a moment of her time. "I am not like the other ladies. I am Ophelia Hastings, and I want to watch my husband. Surely you would understand my wishes," Ophelia said, almost tempted to poke at Freya for not being married.

If only Ophelia viewed it as a trophy.

"Mrs Sterling, I would have you know that despite Ophelia carrying the Hastings name now and her being said to come from the Valthorn family, she isn’t worth your time. She is the child from another marriage before her mother married my father," Freya said, wearing a satisfied smile.

"Am I to be surprised? Since you two are not blood sisters, she has her own father. Am I to shame her because her mother remarried? Are you so childish?" Mary asked, but she already had her answer.

"She is," Ophelia answered on Freya’s behalf.