The Knight's Rose

Chapter Ten ~ The Book of a Rose

Chapter Ten ~ The Book of a Rose

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The brown pair of eyes belonged to none other than the same man who was currently overworking my father. The one who made us move out to the grasslands, just to sell our house in order to repay him, yet it still wasn't enough. The one who was once my father's friend, but now was slowly chipping away at my father's happiness.

Mr. Arnold Gales.

He blinked at me a few times, and I froze, hoping he wouldn't recognize me. But when his lipless mouth formed into a snooty smile, I knew he realized it was me. Mr. Gale was a tall man with a pudgy stomach, something people acknowledged as a symbol of wealth. He had straw-like brown hair that was slicked backward with a few grey strands. His face was littered with a few wrinkles here and there, showing off his old age. All in all, he looked a low class noble, something that he definitely was.

His brown eyes lingered on me before they moved to look behind me. Or at someone.

Nikolai.

Goodness, I hope he didn't tell my father that I was out gallivanting with a strange man.

How scandalous.

His eyes narrowed at my and Nikolai's interlaced hands, before turning back to look at me.

"Rose," Mr. Gales said, nodding his head.

"Mr. Gales," I replied, removing my hand from Nikolai's to curtsy. Mr. Gales looked toward Nikolai, expecting him to acknowledge him. But when Nikolai didn't make any indication that he would greet him or cared about his presence, he turned back to me.

"I didn't know you had business in this part of town. Does your father know that you're here?" he asked, making me tense. I hoped he wouldn't expose me in front of Nikolai, just as much as I hoped he didn't tell my father about my whereabouts.

This man could literally ruin everything. Not that he hadn't already ruined my life. I couldn't help but hate Mr. Gales a bit for making father work so hard and forcing us to move to the middle of nowhere.

But if it wasn't for him, then my mother would have suffered even more than she had already. He provided my father with the help, now it was up to us to pay our due.

"Y-Yes, he does," I hastily lied, my eyes darting anywhere but his face. I wasn't a very good liar. But I hoped my words were sufficient enough to trick him.

"Ah, I see," Mr. Gales said, nodding his head. "And this young fellow is?"

"This is Sir. Nikolai. He's a royal guard at the castle," I answered quickly. "He was just showing me to the Bibliotheca."

"I didn't know you could read, Rose," Mr. Gales commented, lifting an eyebrow.

Drats.

"I can read. It is rather easy," I told him, nodding my head and hoping that I sounded convincing. We still stood in the doorway of the Bibliotheca and I could practically smell the ink from where I stood. So close yet so far away.

"Well, I would imagine a pretty little thing like you would be able to learn the arts of education," Mr. Gales said, nodding to himself as he eyed me up and down. His stare wasn't one of arrogance, but one of hunger, and it was terribly uncomfortable.

I felt Nikolai reach for my hand again, and he then began to pull me past Mr. Gales. It was as if Mr. Gales didn't exist and we had merely stopped for me to converse with a stone wall. The only indication that Nikolai let on was the narrowed look he gave Mr. Gales before turning back to look ahead.