CHAPTER 101: THE CHURL AND THE NOBLEMEN

"Bad Rhane! Bad Rhane!" Jenna tried to elbow his back, "Rhane! Do you mean to parade me like a sack of grain?" She was now slung over Rhane’s shoulder with her legs dancing in the air and her hair tangled.

Rhane didn’t put her down, instead, he held her closer. "Remember, you have your bottom to my face."

Jenna froze, "And?" Her eyes darted around nervously.

"If you don’t stop moving, I’ll smack you. Really hard." Rhane informed, his words being very serious. It seemed to have calmed Jenna, and she stopped moving.

"You wouldn’t do that," Jenna said with a shaky voice, "Not when you promised to act right."

Rhane laughed softly, "Does a hard smack scare you?" He said, slowly putting Jenna down to stand. Once her feet touched the ground, she wobbled.

"Woah, woah, easy there fawn," Rhane held her steady with his hand on her waist. His eyes fell on Jenna’s chest, where her breast was almost spilling out from the dress.

Without thinking, he used his hand to drag the dress up. Seeing it was covered, he took a step back and smiled at a dizzy Jenna—

She looked the same as the day he first saw her, confused, wild-eyed, untouched by the venom of the world. And he meant to keep her that way.

With her disheveled hair and dilated eyes, Jenna tried to frown for reasons she couldn’t quite think of at the moment.

"Why did you—"

"We are home now," Rhane gestured at the estate gate. "Start walking now if you want to use your legs."

Jenna closed her mouth shut and ran after him, shaking her head to get rid of strands of her hair that covered her face.

"I could have used my legs fine, you know that right?" Jenna protested, her two hands sitting on her waist.

Rhane’s lips curled into a mischievous smile, "I know, but I have better use for them. Walking is not—" he paused the moment he opened the estate gate. Something wasn’t right. His trained fighters usually guarded the gates during the night-time, and Kali joined them to patrol most times.

"What do you—"

"Shh," he pushed Jenna behind him. "Jenna, do you remember the way we came in from?"

Jenna furrowed her brows, "Yes, but—Father?"

The gates flew open and more men surrounded the two of them, with Jenna’s father going to grab her hand but stopped by Rhane’s dagger.

"Get that away from my face and let me have my daughter this instant!" Master Brown barked, taking a step back in the process.

Rhane didn’t back down, he grabbed Jenna’s hand, making her stand in front of him.

"What is wrong with this— look young man, give my daughter to me."

Jenna closed her eyes, her heart was ramming thunderously against her chest. She wanted to think, she couldn’t. Rhane’s body was trembling.

"Father, what are you doing here?" She finally forced herself to ask. She turned her head to the side, "Rhane, lay down your weapons... it’s just my father."

Rhane didn’t want to. Something told him it wasn’t just the man, but he wanted to listen to Jenna. Her voice sounded terrified and he didn’t want her scared.

"Silence that tongue, girl, and walk before I carry you as a sack." Master Brown cut his daughter short. "You will leave that churl’s side and come over here." He commanded.

This was enough to have Rhane see red. He held Jenna firmly, not realizing he was hurting her. "If any hand but mine dares claim her, be it king or beggar. I’ll slit you open so the devil has your soul before your body hits the earth."

Even Jenna clasped her hands to her breast as though afraid of her own touch. Her father’s lips parted, but no sound came; pride warred with fear in his eyes. The others held their ground, though none dared take a step forward, as if hell itself stood between them and the girl.

Master Brown clearwd his throat, his gaze shaky. "Best mind your words, peasant. Mud does not speak to marble." He spat, as if he was wasting his breath.

Jenna winced softly, Rhane’s grip was hurting her but she tried to suck it in. "Father, don’t speak to him that way, If he is mud, then I am content to sink with him rather than be your marble statue."

"Your disgrace has rotted my house enough. Do not make me strike you here." Brown glared at his daughter in anger.

"There will be no need for that, since she’s already married." Nikolai stepped in, a half smile he gave to Rhane.

Rhane’s eyes hardened at the sight of his father. He was about to make a move when Kali got shoved forward, her stomach covered in blood. And beside her stood trembling Percy.

"Lady Jenna," the young man cried.

"Evening, brother. Don’t look so grim, you’re not the one bleeding." Kali winked, breathing heavily.

"I’d suggest we all come in and settle down as family. Have your servants make tea, we need to talk." Nikolai remarked casually, giving Rhane a suggestive nod just to spite him even more.

Jenna shuddered when Rhane let go of her. She closed her eyes in fear of what he was planning to do.

"Son, a man who stands to lose a lot doesn’t wield a sword." Nikolai turned. "But dare if you will, I have my back set for you."

Brown moved his eyes from Nikolai to Rhane, contemplating where to stay. Without thinking, he grabbed Jenna’s hand. This time Rhane just watched them in silence.

"I’ll not be dragged like cattle, Father. Let me stand on my own!" Jenna tried to push her father away, but he held even tighter.

"You will walk when I command it, not when you fancy." Brown scolded, his eyes anxiously darting towards Rhane. Fear written in his gaze. "After all we gave to you, Jenna, you decided to repay us by sharing a roof with a rabble!"

Jenna exhaled harshly, "He’s not—"

"Do not test me, Jenna. My patience has limits, my shame does not." Brown dragged his daughter inside the house. While Jenna struggled to release herself, she turned to look at Rhane.

"Do not follow me— save your fury for him." She hinted her gaze on Nikoali, she reassured with Rhane with a smile before whispering something to her father.

Rhane stood there for a moment. He watched Jenna being dragged away by her father— the father that refused to even look at him for a moment. And on the side, he saw Kali smiling at him, her teeth and mouth covered in blood. He dropped his hands to his side.

"I guess we know who has more to lose," Nikolai turned, snapping his fingers, and Kali along with Percy got dragged back inside the house.

Rhane noticed that the one person who had arranged the meeting was nowhere to be found. "I guess your precious son isn’t here to witness his chaos."

"Gerald is receiving treatment," Nikolai revealed. "That bull sister of yours thought it wise to bury her knife in his arm. Though I’d have loved if it were his mouth."

Rhane almost smiled, he loved that about Kali.

"The woman again, isn’t it?" Nikolai said with a smile. "She grew up beautiful, I know, but you should learn your place in this life, son."

Rhane tapped his chest, "Careful, father, the mirror won’t flatter you either."

Nikolai shrugged, "I was lucky to hook myself up with a noble woman... yes, but the luck isn’t the same for you. See?" The man paused and glanced around the estate.

"You’ve built yourself a fine house, but remember, gold may fatten your purse, but it doesn’t cleanse your filthy blood. Do not mistake possession for pedigree. Mining a diamond does not make you a jewel, Rhane." He tapped Rhane on the shoulder and whispered.

"Money can’t buy you nobility, son. Especially not your brother’s wife."