The King's Rejected Lady

Alice & Yei Lin

His cerulean eyes regarded her immediately as soon as she was visible to them. Her tattered coat seemed to make him recognize her. "I knew it. A psychotic chic will only pull this shit level like you. You're so desperate to have me, I see." His malicious tone made Rowan draw his sword.

Tori stopped Rowan with a wave of her right hand. She was prepared for this savagery after all. "He's not disciplined yet, hmmm. I am looking forward to taming you, pet." Tori crouched down at his level.

His glaring eyes welcomed her together with his spit that marred her shoes. "You piece of shit!" Rowan aimed to strike Allistair down for the latter's behavior, but Tori's red eyes regarded her knight with a warning.

"I need him alive and well, Rowan."

Standing up to face the lord of the house, Tori showed them a scroll where Crown Prince Yei Lin's seal lay.

"Is his records clean?" Tori stared directly into Lord Tofera's eyes. If you dare pull a trick on me, I will destroy your trading company with my own bare hands.

Handing her a box where the scrolls of Allistair's records before he got in the prison cell, Rowan took it in for her. Her loyal knight checked its content and nodded at her as a sign of confirmation.

"Well then, it is a pleasure making business with you, Lord Tofera." Offering him the contract with a revised statement was signed by Crown Prince Yei Lin immediately.

The glow of a merchant's eyes was vivid even in the dimly lighted dungeon. "The Oolong tea is now mine. I don't know how you manipulated everything, Lady Victoria. But the House Tofera will be your ally something from now on."

Smiling sweetly at the old lord, Tori nodded and offered her hands. "I am looking forward to testing our newfound allegiance, Lord Tofera. Well then, it is time for us to leave."

Handing her the reigns of the leash, Tori grasped the end of Allistair's leash. The whole time of the exchange, Tori was staring at Allistair intently, as if telling him she owned him completely.

"We will leave you now for you to get acquainted with your new companion, Lady Victoria."

"I appreciate that, Lord Tofera."

Now alone with Rowan and Allistair, the tension was so thick that anyone with a knife could slice it. The warning glare from Rowan was directed to Allistair, who was also busily glaring at her. But Tori paid no mind as she took a knife from her breast pocket.

Startled by her knife, Allistair leaned away from her. That's the best he could do when his neck, hands, and feet were bounded. "What are you going to do with that?" Wariness was reflected in his eyes since he regarded her as a psychotic bitch.

"Stay still, bastard." Rowan immediately secured Allistair for Tori.

"Oh, shut up and stop being a pussy." In a swift motion, Tori cut the leather collar around Allistair's neck.

"What are you doing?" Her action astounded him. "Wait! Are we going to do it here? Even with him around?"

His face was flushed with shock and wariness. "Just what are you thinking, pervert?"

Just what did you endure to think of me in such a way, Allistair? Have you also suffered because of this wretched plan? Did you also have to suffer just for someone else's happily ever after?

Allistair earned a whack to the head from Rowan. "Snap out of it or I will kill you myself."

"What do you want me to think when someone bought my freedom when there's nothing for me to give other than my body?" His bitter words snapped something inside Rowan. After all, he was from the slums and suffered a great deal too.