Bargaining with Betrayal, S. Heald [reading an ebook .txt] 📗

Bargaining With Betrayal


*****


Chapter 1


I could feel his heavy stare on my naked back as I tried to focus on the cold stone wall in front of me. It was hard for me to fathom that this had become my destiny, my purpose in this wretched life. Had I of known before that this would be been my destiny, I would have saw the world differently. The world seemed so much harsher than I had ever realized it was before.

I could feel his hot breath beating down on my bare shoulder as he spoke to me, “You have done a great service for your father, and I will keep my word to pardon your father of his crime and allow him to keep his title. You are free to leave my chambers Miss Katherine, for now.”

I didn’t speak a word to him as he barely grazed a kiss on my shoulder and walked out of the cold corridor. I was finally alone. I couldn’t hold the burning tears inside my eyes any longer as they started to escape from my hazel eyes and cascade down my hot cheeks. Yes, indeed I had done my father a great service by allowing his sacred king to defile his only daughter like one of the king’s whores. The King had taken my virginity and had no remorse at all for what he had done. All the years of saving myself for my husband just to have my virginity paid as a debt for a vile act that I didn’t commit.

I couldn’t help but feel hate rising in my heart for my beloved father for allowing me to pay for his own sins; sins that were not mine to pay for. The past few weeks had been a living hell for my family. I can’t help but tilt my head in defeat realizing what my life had been and now what it would be from this moment on. I knew that the King would call for me again to come lay in his bed and that thought saddened me to no end.

I wiped away the tears from my cheek as I looked upon the floor for my dress that had once been my mother’s. I had felt so beautiful in the dress just hours before, but now I didn’t feel worthy of even wearing the lovely dress that my mother had worn so few times. I missed her terribly and just wanted to be wrapped in her loving arms as I cried myself to sleep.

Chapter 2


Several weeks prior.....

The plague that had tormented my mother for the past few months had finally taken her life. I had watched as her beauty was drained daily from her dying body. I had savoured the last moments with her as my father was away on his duties with the king’s court. My father, Sir Edward Vincent, was one of the king’s noble knights so he was always away on King’s orders and usually stayed at the King’s castle with the other members of the noble court.

My mother had become accustom to not being in his presence often and didn’t seem to mind. I had held her delicate hand as I watched her take her last breath. It saddened me to no end but I knew that it was inevitable so the pain of losing her didn’t seem to sting as much as I had prepared myself for.

I had written my father that very day to inform him of my mother’s passing. I knew he wouldn’t receive the letter for several days but when he did he would make a trip to come and collect me and carry me back to court with him.

I had no desire to be in the king’s presence unlike so many other maidens my age. I was on my nineteenth year and still hadn’t taken a husband. My father once told me as a young girl that I would be married to a man of nobility when the time came because of my amazing beauty. Much to my dismay I still hadn’t been asked into marriage.

I had only been to the Kings castle once, when my father had been granted the title of knighthood. I remember the extravagant meals and the beautiful dresses that the maidens and baronets all wore. It was all so enchanting, but that was only what was seen on the surface. Inside of those kingdom walls there was pain, betrayal, greed, and jealousy. I wanted no part of that life, but I knew that since I was the only daughter of a knight, I would be forced into court.

Chapter 3

A week after sending the news to my father he arrived with my two brothers. Both of my brothers had taken their places in the kingdom walls, one as a messenger and the other as a blacksmith. I had given my brothers both huge hugs since it had been some time since I had seen them. My father merely took my hand and bushed a kiss against it. He had informed me that I would be returning to court with him the next morning.

I went through my mother’s things as I packed all of her fine dresses and corsets. To my advantage, we were close to the same size and since only the finest clothing would be acceptable in the King’s presence I would need her fine dresses and my own. My body was petite and slender with long wavy brunette hair and my skin was olive tinted like my fathers. All of the men in our village fancied me but none were brave enough to ask my father for me.

The ride to the Kingdom was long and intimidating. I had always been a bold lady who made acquaintances very easily in our village. I had many friends there who I trusted and had enjoyed their company. I knew that life in court would be much different. The maidens there were crude and promiscuous. I had no want to live like that and surround myself with those types of people, but my father had given me no choice.

One thing I had learned at an early age was a woman’s place. You didn’t argue with your elders and you had respect for nobility. My mother taught me how to be a proper lady and that my most sacred gift was my virginity, in which I would cherish until my husband lay with me. I enjoyed the last half of the ride to the King’s castle as I filled my mind with the words from one of my mother’s books.

Once arriving at the castle my things were taken to my new room which was very small but still more exquisite than what I was use to. My father led me around the kingdom showing me the places that I would need to become acquainted with since I would be working for Baroness Eleanor Hastings. It was rumoured that the Baroness was involved with the King behind closed doors, but not a soul was brave enough to speak of it because such accusations would be grounds for immediate death.

My father had given me very little instruction before leaving me on my own with the shrewd woman. She was a beautiful woman but very chiselled and cold. I wondered if she ever smiled and if she was always so cold and bitter. She was only a few years older than I was but her demeanour was of a heartless ancient woman.

Over the next two weeks I began to observe the Baroness more and more and the more I noticed her, the more I felt sorry for her. Her love for the King was undying and I would watch her face light up when he would call on her during the late hours of the night. I couldn’t imagine having to give all of myself to someone but never receiving the same in return. I never spoke of what I saw; I knew better. I tended to her as my duties were to help her in any way she saw fit. Tending to her wasn’t so bad though. Anywhere the Baroness resided, I too would be there.

I was expected to dress in beautiful gowns and attend all the masquerades and balls that the King held. Only the noble were invited and I very much enjoyed the time that I was able to dance with my father and enjoy his company. There were several men that had found me rather appealing and had approached my father to ask of me, but my father brushed their request aside. He said that I only deserved to be the wife of a Duke or a Lord and nothing less. I didn’t dare argue with him.

Chapter 4

After a month or so of me being at court the King had requested to have a ball welcoming all of the newcomers and also to celebrate the marriage of one of his Dukes to a Baroness from another kingdom, tying like alliances. All of the other maidens were overjoyed and excited to meet the King, but sadly I was not. I respected and loved him, for he was my almighty King, but I didn’t like the way he treated my Baroness or the sanctity of marriage.

I felt that if a man, noble or not, wanted to take a lady to his bed then he should step into marriage with her. I couldn’t help but notice though after being here for such a short time period that many of the men in court didn’t feel the same way I did, including my father.

I watched my father at the welcoming ball dance with many of the maidens and Baronesses until he finally made it to me. I said to him, “Father, you seem to have your eye on every lady here tonight. Don’t you think you should restrain yourself a bit more?” Angrily he replied, “Katherine, you are not to speak to me like that. You will learn to hold your tongue young lady!” I quickly dismissed anything else I had planned on saying to him and continued to dance. My face stung with embarrassment from the scolding my father had given me. After the dance my father then asked my Baroness to dance and she seemed very enthused to take his hand. I watched as they stayed glued to each other most of the night dancing and conversing.

When it came time for the newcomers to be introduced to the King my father stood on one side of me and the Baroness stood on the other. It was so overwhelming waiting my turn to be introduced to the all mighty King Edward IV. Being nervous did not explain the depth of it.

He was immaculate in his red velvet and silk attire. His face was so inviting but his almost black eyes were so very cold and dark. He was the perfect man with his high cheek bones, distinct chin, and perfect complexion. His body was lean and seemed to be muscular from what was visible in his attire. His dark blonde hair lay perfectly under his royal crown like each strand was placed there by God himself.

His voice made a shiver go down my spine as he spoke to my father, “You finally have brought your only daughter to court. This pleases me so! She