The Forced Marriage With The Vampire King

Chapter Four : Mysterious Savior

The King called his maids to take the afraid girl to one of the guest lounges.

Soon Isla became conscious of her friend's absence when she was finally done with her dance. She left the ball room and stepped out of the entrance hoping to find her friend there as she thought Rose had been bored by sitting at the corner and not performing the Waltz.

Mr.Aldrick stood there staring at his golden clock as she approached him and inquired about her missing friend.

Aldrick shook his head gently and answered that he did not see Rose coming out of the ball room.

Isla ran to the interior and wandered about the corridor when she heard a voice, "Your friend, she is inside this room." The voice was deep and masculine any girl would probably swoon at it but she wanted to see the owner of the voice. She swirled around but found no one except for mystique darkness. She twisted the door knob and took a step in to find Rose sitting at the edge of the bed with her face buried in her hands.

"What happened to you, Rose?" she asked.

Rose lifted her face up with a melancholic expression but was hopefully not crying.

She tried holding back her tears and replied,"Nothing, I was just not feeling up and the maids helped me." She didn't want to discuss it now so, she thought that it would be better to not tell Isla anything and because she knew about Isla's big mouth as well.

"You scared me! Do you know how worried I was." Isla exasperated at Rose with her wide eyes.

Isla saw the time on her silver wrist watch and said, "We ought to leave. We are already late."

They stepped out of the room to find complete eerie wind blow across the corridor as if someone just surpassed them with an unnatural speed.

Trying to ignore it Isla gulped down a lump in her throat and said,"Let's leave quickly." She clutched Rose's hand tightly and continued walking further as they were interrupted by the same mystic voice, "Miss Ried, you need to be careful."

They turned around to see the King staring at Rose but rather talking to Isla hoarsely as if scolding her for being utter careless.

"Um... I am sorry, Your grace." She stammered.

Henry looked at her cynically as if doubting her apology but later nodded curtly and said, "Arrangements are made for you both to reach safely to your abodes."

With this he turned around and walked away from them but before disappearing into darkness, Rose jerked her hand off Isla's fearful clutch and followed Henry.

"Your Highness?" She called from behind as Isla watched her friend thinking she has completely lost her brain.

The King turned around casually at her and nervously, she managed to say, "Thank you."

Henry didn't knew how to return this vote of thanks so he stared at her for one last time and nodded his head. He turned around and disappeared in darkness.

Rose and her friend walked out of the castle and saw a coach waiting for them.

They sat inside the carriage without exchanging any words and they were sent to there homes safely.

Since that day, not wanting any more lack of updates or problems on account of Rose, Henry appointed Aldrick to give regular updates about the Collins family.

Sometimes at night, Henry would go to visit her secretly while on a stroll, being disguised in the shadows at the late hours of night.

****

Few days passed and there was nothing new except for one news that Henry was well aware of and he knew that this will draw her towards him because Aldrick had informed him beforehand, that the financial condition of the Collins' is poor. They need help or they would be burdened by debts.

He wanted to make a clean move but the prey himself walked into the hunter's trap as the next day, a servant came to inform them that a man named Ben Collins, the local library owner wished to meet the king.

The King allowed without further delay because he knew the man was none but Rose's father.

A plum short old man entered the large, dark throne room and stood in front of Henry's throne with his head hung down and once he got the gesture, he fell on his knees and pleaded the king by saying "Your grace, I have a request. My financial condition is too poor to support my family. My library is at stake and so are our lives. I need money to feed my family. Have mercy, my lord."

Henry stared at the worried old man and asked,"How many members are there in your family?"

He pretended as if he didn't know anything about the old man.

"There are three people, Your grace. My wife, my daughter and myself." The king was internally amused at the grandsire's reply.

Raising a cynical eyebrow he asked, "How old is your daughter?"

"Eighteen, Your majesty."

He nodded at this statement and thought for a minute before answering, "I shall help you but you have to make a deal."

Ben hesitated but then he didn't have a choice either so taking a deep breathe, he said "Your words are my command, Your majesty."

"Good. I want your daughter's hand in marriage and be my queen but before that I would like to speak to her."

The old man gulped down and a sweat drop trickled down his forehead. "As you wish, Your grace."

With this, he fixed his daughter's hand in marriage with the king and he knew that it won't be looked well upon by his wife and child. Who does this to his own daughter, he thought. Who sacrifices his daughter? Probably not a true father, he debated mentally but what he could do. He couldn't even let her ruin in the burdens of the moneylender as well.

The old man returned to his library being somewhat relaxed strangely as at least now they were out of danger and in safe hands but those safe hands could be more dangerous than the former. He was more worried about his daughter. He constantly thought as what he would say to his wife and Rose.

Later that evening, the old man returned back home and disclosed the whole matter.

Rose was astonished and numb at the same time. There was very little time and she had to make a quick decision because but she didn't have any choice except to help her poor old parents. She didn't want to be a burden to th, so she unwillingly agreed to this, trying to focus on the benefits in an optimistic way. She was ready to give up her freedom for her parents but still she hesitated.