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

is just as beautiful as her mother and will be a valued asset to have at court.”My father thanked him and explained to the King that my duties were tied to Baroness Hastings. The King then stared into my eyes as he welcomed me to court stated that before the ball was over he would share a dance with me; obviously this delighted my father. As we walked away from the King’s throne I could see the jealousy dancing on my Baroness’ face.

My father had seemed to take a liking to Baroness Hastings and danced with her the remainder of the evening. I continued to socialize with several of the other maidens, Lords and Dukes. On one of the last dances of the evening the King requested my hand for a dance. I was more nervous than I had ever been in my life, but I remembered the many lessons my mother had taught me and dancing was one of her specialties. As the dance started his hand drifted from my shoulder, down my back, until reaching my hip where it stilled causing me to flinch under its powerful presence.

The King asked me as we danced, “So may I call you Katherine?” I nodded and waited for him to continue. “Katherine, you are quite an exquisite woman. Since I am the King, I tend to have only the finest of possessions in my kingdom. Would you like to accompany me to my chambers tonight? I could easily see you becoming one of my most prized possessions.” I could feel the heat rising inside of me from an emotion I wasn’t familiar with.

I tried not to insult the King but I was shocked at his advance. Could he actually believe that I would be willing to be one of his many women of the night? I responded just above a whisper, “Your majesty, with all due respect, I do not think that would be very appropriate, for I am saving myself to lay with my husband; that is after my father chooses one for me.” I tried to cower down a little in front of his majesty to show that I meant no disrespect to him as the dance ended. The King smiled as he released me from his powerful grip and I immediately went to say goodnight to my father and the Baroness, but I couldn’t find either.

After searching for them I walked hastily to my corridor planning to lock myself in my room for the remainder of the evening. I stopped to check on the Baroness first in her chambers only to hear my father’s voice coming from her solar suite. I walked further inside after finding the door unlocked and found her and my father in bed together. I was overcome with guilt for seeing them together in such an intimate moment and tried to get to my chambers before someone spotted me.

I wanted to be back at home in the village where everything was as it seemed and things were done by the book and not merely off of rash emotion. I could not fathom that my father had already taken another woman’s bed so soon after my mother’s death. For all I knew he could have already taken the Baroness’ bed long before my mother’s death, maybe there were many women my father had fancied in bed and I had just been naive.

As I made it to the door of my chambers I looked back down the hallway of the corridor towards the Baroness’ chamber to see one of the King’s Lords walking inside. My heart froze for a moment as I realized that he was probably there to retrieve the Baroness for her nightly duties to the king. Would she turn down the King’s request since she was with my father? Would the King punish her if she did turn him down? The Lord spotted me before I was able to make it fully inside.

My head was spinning as I closed the door behind me. I knew that the Baroness had made an oath to only take the Kings bed; she had never told me but I knew that it was understood. I didn’t know if my father would be punished for being with her so intimately or not. I tried to remind myself that it was his choice and that he would have to answer for any wrong doing. I undressed and slowly crept into uneasy sleep after my head hit my cold pillow.

Chapter 5

I had intent of speaking with my father and begging him to allow me to return to our village. I did not fit in at court and I thought it best for me to leave although I knew he would not be pleased and would ask me to stay. The Baroness was waiting on me as I quietly walked to her door. I refused to speak to her about the previous nights events. The Baroness didn’t speak of it either, only asked me to accompany her to the Chapel where she had been summoned. We walked in silence until we reached the Chapel doors and were led in by one of the Kings guards. I knew instantly that something was gravely wrong. The King had a small smirk on his face as we entered into the large room. My father was being held by several of the King’s guards.

The Baroness and I were seated facing the King as he began to speak, “Baroness Hastings, please come forward.” I watched as she submitted to his request and knelled before his feet. He continued, “Baroness is it true that Sir Vincent led you into his bed?” Fear started to rise inside of me as I awaited her response.

“Yes your majesty. Sir Vincent served me wine and then used it to his advantage. I am truly sorry for my behaviour and ask for your mercy.” I wanted to scream as I felt the bile rising in my throat. I knew that the Baroness was lying to his majesty. I knew that she had not consumed any wine last night at the ball, but I also knew why she was lying. In the King’s eyes, she was his property and any man that were to touch her would be punished, one way or another; even if he couldn’t speak aloud his real reasoning for punishing that man.

It was a sin to have any sexual relations outside of marriage and if that man was accused of rape then he was punished according to the social status of the victim. In my father’s case, if the King believed the Baroness, my father could be stripped of his titles and be punished however the King saw fit. The King could easily sentence him to death by hanging or drowning if he wanted to.

The king then motioned for the guard to bring my father forward and spoke to him with high authority, “Sir Vincent, you are being charged with heresy. You will be removed from court and your title removed. All of your valuables and currency will be donated to the Church. Unless you would like to propose other options, and in that case we may speak privately.”

My father followed the Kings gaze on me, and then his eyes went back to the King’s. He responded, “Your majesty, may I have a word with you in private. I think we can come to some other agreement that would better benefit you.” The King only nodded and then led the way to a small room off of the main corridor as we waited on the edge of our seats for their return.

My heart raced profusely and it took everything for me to keep my breath steady. My father would be a disgrace to our family and our village if he was charged with this and if he was thrown out of court. I had hoped that the king would have mercy on him and find some other agreement as I waited patiently praying nonstop.

Several moments later they returned, both seemingly in good spirits with gleaming smiles. My father’s smile vanished and his face turned to stone once his eyes met mine though. The King announced, “Sir Vincent and I have come to an agreement and I have decided not to charge him with these crimes laid in front of us. In payment, his daughter, Miss Katherine Vincent, will no longer hold duties to Baroness Hastings. Her duties will now be tied directly to me as my servant, and tending to my Lord’s when needed.”

I was having problems breathing as I tried to understand what was happening. I had a feeling that my father had just thrown me to the dogs in order to save himself, but he was my father and my place was not to argue with him or what he thought was right for me. One of the guards led me by the arm to the King’s chambers as my mind raced. He informed me that I was to stay there until the King arrived and had given me further instruction.

Chapter 6

The King’s chambers were extravagant. The linens were all made of exotic fabrics and colors and the furniture was even grander. I felt so small and alone inside this great area as I waited patiently for the King. I paced back and forth for what seemed like an eternity before I heard the main door open and the King stepped in with two of his closest Dukes behind him. I bowed down in his presence out respect. The two Dukes seated themselves in front of a master fire place as the King stood like a predator in front of me.

A finger from his cold hand traced the edge of my burning face as he spoke to me, “Miss Katherine, do you know why you are here?” I looked up at him and spoke softly in question, “To care for your chambers and serve you where needed?” The King threw me off guard when his voiced rose a little, “Did you know that I had a claim on Baroness Hastings? She belonged to me!” He almost spat in my face before continuing, “And your father took her bed knowing that. So I thought it only fair to take something of his; something of value that he cares deeply for. That is why you are here Miss Katherine. Now take off your dress.”

I stood motionless before him for a moment only to cringe with fear when the back of his hand struck my face and he said, “That is an order Miss Katherine. You do not want to disobey me.” I held the burning tears back in my eyes as I tried to steady my hands to unfasten the corset of my dress. I shivered as my dress cascaded to the floor around my trembling feet.

I stared at the burning logs in the fire place where the two Dukes still sat quietly. They didn’t dare look our way although I knew they were fully aware of what was transpiring behind them. I could feel his eyes on me, like dark embers burning holes into my soul. Fear, need, and betrayal crept upon me as his hand ran from the top of my neck down my back sending another shiver down my spine.

I closed my eyes as he placed a delicate kiss on the nape of my neck following with several more across my shoulder. Had this not had been a forced arrangement I would probably had enjoyed this attention. He broke the silence saying, “Apparently your father’s prized possession