MARRY ME, ADELAIDE

Chapter 9: MEMORIES

"Hold on a little bit longer. Wait till you're in a position to help those of her status and mine without fearing that something will happen to us."

The heavy feeling in his chest is not making it any easier for him, but he obeys, walking back inside the castle.

"I just need to be king," the young man repeats to himself as a way of preventing him from turning around and beating the living daylight out of Grayson.

"I suggested the walk and yet you took it alone," Grace says, standing in front of him, blocking his path. Nicholas glares at her before taking a side step but Grace blocks him again.

"Grace"

"Nicholas," she replies, smirking. Moving to the side again, the woman has made it clear that she wants to "play" because she mimics his actions once more. In a split second, she is banged against the wall, the back of her head slamming against it.

Grace yelps in pain, but Nicholas is having none of it. "I am in no mood, and will never be in a mood to play or be with you. The sooner you get it through your thick skull, the better for you," he practically growls before letting her go, walking past her.

The Lady rubs her wrist in an attempt to ease the burning sensation. "He is so strong. I wonder how it will be in bed," she moans out to herself, eyeing his retreating figure till it is out of sight.

"We were so close! I could feel it. They wanted to give us the loan! That bastard of a prince had to ruin everything. He doesn't even know me, why would he deny us such money that would change our lives."

"You have been complaining right from the castle. It's not going to accomplish anything," Philomena says taking a seat by the table.

"I even offered my head as collateral since they wouldn't take that of the useless slave," he rambles on

"That slave does all the work on our land and in the house." Grayson turns to his mother, an evil smile on his face. This is never a good idea.

"We can just make more slaves"

"Grayson! You will leave that girl alone!"

"She is not a girl, mother! She is a woman who can bear more slaves!"

"How will she work if she's pregnant? Will you take care of the house then?"

"There's no big deal about pregnancy. She can work even if she's pregnant."

"You want to treat her like a farm animal? So she can breed more to work here?"

"She is a farm animal!"

Grayson feels a heavy smack on his face, astonishing him. He holds his burning cheek looking at his mother with wide eyes. This is the first time she has smacked his face, and for what? Over a slave?

"Now listen to me Grayson. This land is mine and this house is mine. If you do not wish to live here anymore, pack up and leave! Over my dead body will you touch that girl!"

The man can only glare back at his mother, because she is right. Nothing here belongs to him. Standing up from his seat, he walks away from his mother who calls after him in anger,

"Grayson do not touch that girl!" she repeats, getting up, and walking after him.

Adelaide is sitting in the barn smiling to herself. She still can't believe the first and only person to show her love is the prince of this kingdom. Her days as a slave have become more bearable thanks to his kindness. On top of all that, he remembered when she mentioned her birthday. No, he said he remembers everything she has ever told him, since the day they met.

That fateful evening she was given every piece of cloth in her master's house to wash as punishment for failing to fill 3 large barrels of harvested and processed grain before noon.

***

Adelaide sat on the grass, her feet in the stream as she washed the mount everest of clothes that had been thrown at her. It wasn't fair that she was given till noon to harvest AND process grains enough to fill 3 barrels, that was impossible. The least her master could've done was to give her about an hour after noon. She was so close to filling them too! The young woman struggled to keep washing as her hands ached.

"Just one minute," she told herself, standing up to walk around and rest her hands a little. Adelaide hummed to herself as she followed a path in the forest. Something red was on the ground a bit far from her. She squinted her eyes walking towards it, carefully trying to decipher what could be laying on the floor. Adelaide had walked a considerable distance towards the red image, which made her know that it was in fact, a human on the ground. Her feet took off, running towards the body. Who is that person heartless enough to kill another? She stopped in her tracks, a few feet away from the body. Grabbing a long stick by a tree she stretched her hand, using the wood to poke the body.

The person was dressed up quite nicely, in fact, if Adelaide was not mistaken, this person was of high rank. She dropped the stick, kneeling beside the body, examining the human.

"A man," she whispered to herself, admiring the expensive gold tunic and red coat that adorned him. Her eyebrows furrowed as there didn't seem to be any visible injuries on him. So why was he lying here? Adelaide brought her ear towards his mouth and felt his breath.

He's breathing. "Unconscious maybe," she added to her mental notes. A bright ray of light hit her eyes grabbing her attention by the other side of the man. She stretched past him, grabbing the shiny gold chain. "Real gold"

So this man is definitely someone of high rank. The symbol on the chain made her gasp in fear and drop it as if it had stung her, turning to the man immediately only to see his eyes, open, his silver irises staring at her!

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I am dedicating this chapter to Kresensia_Maria my new follower! Thank you so much! :)

SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY! :)