CHAPTER 150: EVERYONE HAS A PRICE

{Music Recommendation: So Cold ~ Ben Cocks, Nikisha Reyes-Pile}

"Let the drinking contest begin!"

Three barrels filled with strong wine were rolled into the big hall where everyone gathered. At the corner of the room, a singer with her group of dancers and instrumentalists hummed a soft melody.

The dancers, all dressed in white, looked as though they were floating with their kegs bouncing up and down, barely touching the floor, and their hands moving with grace. The flautist moved her hands with skill, her eyes closed in reverence of the melody she played.

The leader of the group, who was the singer, glanced at the crowd with a smile. Her eyes were filled with stories untold, knowledge unheard, and art disturbing.

"We have never been what we seemed... I love you even if there isn’t any me or any love..."

The singer’s voice pulled everyone into the moment, making the atmosphere dreamy and mystical. Everyone waited for the men to show their strength and endurance skills. It was no longer hidden, it’d be revealed for everyone to see.

Jenna sat at the high table with the council and Lady Rachel. Though still filled with girlish anger for Rhane, her eyes still beheld him softly. With care, longing, and pride.

Everyone, along with Jenna, anticipated what the day would bring. And everyone sat with a pure heart that wasn’t watering vermin.

Everyone... except Lois.

She’d seen them! Now it all made even more sense to her who Jenna had been with in the dressing room that day. How she hadn’t recognized the only voice that made her heart race. Lois nipped at her fingers, almost ripping innocent skin to draw blood.

Maybe it was her mistake for being observant, but every action from Rhane and Jenna hadn’t gone unnoticed ever since she realized who the man actually wanted. Even when he lost points, Lois had caught him searching for Jenna in the crowd.

After the hunting, he was also making his way to Jenna before they were interrupted. Yet!

Lois threw her head back and groaned. Yet! They still found a way to meet afterward. Lois bit her lip until she drew blood. If only she had walked away and not followed them or even reported their actions to Lady Rachel and the council— instead, she proceeded further to eavesdropping.

"You will listen to everything I say, Jenna. And God help me— this fragile little dress makes me want to tear it right off you. Don’t tempt me."

Lois felt her earlobes turn red, a small pain raiding her chest and aiming to heat her body up in a fever.

The deep, warm, and calm voice of Rhane that he’d delivered smoothly. And how Jenna’s name sounded when he said it. Lois wished it’d be her. She wanted to hear him say her name; just that could heal the impending ailment that was threatening to strike her heart.

From outside the room, even Lois felt the urge to obey every word Rhane said. She wouldn’t give him reasons to worry or act stubborn. Lois wished Rhane could see that she wasn’t like Jenna. It had never occurred to her to think such a way, but the dress looked even lovelier on her body.

Lois was born with rare golden hair. It always made her stand out, and her body... the best among the rest. Slender legs, tall fingers, and small lips. Sizeable breasts and hips to match. She was the reason artists took brushes and had wild imaginations.

The young woman never discussed her beauty, she knew it, and she never doubted it. Until now!

Rhane had passed her!

Lois had tried to follow him when she saw Jenna dragged inside the hall. She took the opportunity when Rhane was going to the dressing room, pretending to be lost. Lois couldn’t believe she would do something so stupid because of a man, but when she almost bumped into him—

He had passed her, even moving to the side so their bodies wouldn’t touch. Did he even recognize that he’d saved her from falling twice?

"These men will show their endurance today... any man who holds his cup until the last hour shall win this contest."

Lois looked up when she heard the announcement. She could see the undeniable zeal in Rhane’s eyes. Asking the other young men to win was futile.

Rhane wanted to win for Jenna.

The vermin kept growing, clutching its tentacles around Lois and wrapping her up with emotions she’d never felt before.

What did Jenna have? What did Rhane see in a woman not once but many nights bedded by another man? What exactly was it that made him ignore someone like her?

Lois glanced up at where Jenna sat. She was smiling at something Lady Rachel said. It must feel good, Lois thought, to have three men wrapped around her fingers, when the one she wanted wouldn’t spare her a glance.

Tell Lady Rachel what Jenna did!

Lois widened her eyes, looking around to be sure nobody else heard her inner voice that was strangely too loud.

Telling on Jenna... At the moment, it sounded like the best idea. It was easy. Jenna wouldn’t know who had reported, so it’d still keep their friendship and she would lose Rhane. With Rhane disqualified, then Lois could go all in and make him hers.

Lois shuffled her feet to stand. There was no losing for her. She would have her new friend and a man. After all, a good young man like Hart still had affections for Jenna.

Almost getting to the row where the council sat, Lois turned around and left the room.

"Oh Heavens, please forgive me," she cried, rubbing her palms together. She couldn’t believe she had almost done something so horrible to someone like Jenna.

All for what? Because of a mere man.

"But Rhane isn’t just a mere man," Lois whispered, rubbing her warm palm on her warmer cheeks. It was a battle of good and bad going on in her mind, and she was evil in its purest form.

Dragging her feet away from the hall, Lois strolled outside towards the forest. She needed clean air to clear her head, blaming the crowd and noise for the evil she thought in her mind.

Lois hadn’t gone far when she heard something from a dark path along the hallway. She continued on her way because maidens and councilmen were known to have secret affairs during occasions like this one. Even with her high level of curiosity, Lois didn’t bother to stop.

It was unexciting and bland, her life had slowly become, with her accepting the reality that she would never have Rhane.

"But we have already served the wine! It’ll look suspicious if we take this one in! Rhane isn’t..."

Lois’s ears perked up. That was all she needed to have her whole life and body come to a stop. Just his name.

Retracing her steps with the stealth of a cat, Lois made sure her dress didn’t shuffle behind her; she gathered it up with her hand. Going to hide beside the wall, she listened to the men.

"Lord Nikolai won’t take any excuses, and you know that. We have already accepted the gold, now we do our own part by swapping the barrel, making sure Rhane takes this!"

Lois narrowed her eyes. She didn’t understand why the men were hell-bent on giving Rhane that particular barrel of ale. Whatever it was, the reason wasn’t good.

This was something better to report, saving Rhane from being assassinated by these men and Lord Nikolai would give her an edge. Lois nodded to herself. This was it. She turned to slip away.

"Well, I think I can do that, since it’s only going to make him lose the contest and not die. Let’s cause a ruckus—"

Lois paused, sitting on her heels with her eyes staring at the blank space. Someone else aside from her wanted Rhane to lose, and even better than her, this person was doing something about it.

"I’ll go in and break one barrel, then you’ll roll this one in before help from the kitchen comes. Make sure to act as normal as you can. Rhane is very quick."

When Lois heard the approaching footsteps, she hid herself behind a pillar and watched the men leave.

As much as she wanted to have Rhane, this was cheating. The person involved wasn’t playing fair. Lois chewed her fingers, confused about what to do. Her principles circled around being righteous and upright. This wasn’t it.

But if Rhane lost, it would benefit her a lot. Lois had never been in such a dilemma her entire life.

Be good and lose the man her heart ached for. Take the evil route and she would be worse than the culprit.

Look away. Lois turned around and closed her eyes shut.

"I didn’t see anything." It was easier. If she pretended not to have witnessed anything, then that didn’t make her an accomplice. It was easier to do nothing.

Walking back to the hall, Lois was at the door when she heard a small commotion. One of the barrels— the one Rhane drank from had broken, and another was quickly rolled in.

Lois felt her hands tremble, her heart beating in her ears.

Rhane didn’t drink immediately; he stared at the new wine with interest.

"Hesitation means Renunciation." The moderator reminded.

At this, Rhane drank from the new wine that had been brought in, with Jenna cheering him with a smile.

While Lois watched from where she stood, she never believed the saying... ’everyone has a price for everything, both good and evil.’ Until this moment.