CHAPTER 124: THE WAIT

Gerald had waited right from the time he left Rhane’s estate with an injured arm. If he was being honest, he had been waiting ever since he narrowly escaped a gruesome death.

Gerald was waiting to see the fall of Rhane.

It was inevitable, long overdue. A child spawned from a dirty affair of his father with a notorious prostitute, it was fair to have killed the child at birth, but the greed of both parents let him live. Gerald despised Rhane even more when he saw his mother weeping; their father had brought back another woman’s child.

A woman of dirty blood. At first, Gerald didn’t understand why his mother had cried because Nikolai didn’t explain what it meant to him, then. Gerald’s hate for Rhane came as natural as breathing comes to a baby.

At a young age, Rhane was taller than most. His hair was never combed and treated with scented oil like Gerald’s had been, but it was long and smooth. Then the eyes that always fascinated people, the strength that drew others’ attention to him.

Who is he? Who is Rhane? The one that causes his mother to weep, the one his father watches in secret admiration or loathe. The one on whom everyone fixed their attention.

Gerald was the one with silk and jewels surrounding him, sumptuous meals at his disposal, but nobody ever gave him the attention that Rhane had. It began to grow, a weed among vines. A corrupt weed that darkened the heart.

If Gerald was right, it was then he began to wait... watch. Everything Rhane wanted, he took first! Beginning with Jenna.

Even taking Jenna as his wife, Gerald wasn’t satisfied with it. Every time he returned home and saw her face, he was reminded that Rhane wished to have her as his woman. The weed grew, the hate expanded, and his hands raised on her.

If she could seduce Rhane, then why couldn’t she do the same to him? Gerald never felt like a man around Jenna; he could only take her if he hit her until she passed out. Seeing Jenna’s eyes angered him, hearing her voice irritated him. It was as if she mocked him, reminding him that he could never be Rhane.

But Gerald blamed it all on Jenna’s first love, because he was warned never to mention Rhane in front of Jenna. The woman had no memory anymore of the fourteen-year-old that had saved her. Yet it didn’t quench the anger in Gerald.

When Jenna finally ran away from home, escaping death, Gerald felt satisfied. He had broken the one thing Rhane loved. Now they could all be miserable together. He never had an interest to wife another, when he could bed any woman he wished.

Rhane’s empire did not bother Gerald; he enjoyed from it. He controlled in it. As long as Rhane was still miserable, he didn’t have a choice but to help the man that ruined his love.

It was the best thing Gerald could ever ask for. He had no complaints. Squander Rhane’s wealth, return to ask for another.

Everything was perfect. Everything... absolutely everything.

Until he met Jenna again, and she had found her way back into Rhane’s home. His heart.

"That whore," Gerald spat in disgust. Either Jenna’s fate was evil, or the woman was another prostitute like the one who birthed Rhane. It didn’t matter to Gerald; he was ready to make sure Rhane didn’t leave misery.

So he waited. Gerald had waited all his life to see Rhane meet his doomsday. And it was coming, for all men who put their trust in a woman. And for all on whom Nikolai turned his back. Gerald knew what his father was capable of; he had witnessed it... benefited from it and appraised it.

Nikolai was everything the devil wasn’t.

"They are here," Gerald announced before the coachman, his arm strapped in a bandage that went around his neck. When the carriage door opened, his heart leaped. Fear, joy, excitement, and most importantly umbrage. Rhane brought it out of him.

Percy jumped down from the carriage, then stood at the side. Rhane’s boot hit the black earth with force; he leaned down, for his height was more than the carriage. When his second leg touched the ground, he stood up straight.

He was here. Gerald thought to himself, raising his shoulder obviously so he wouldn’t look as small as Rhane made other men look.

"Welcome to my home," Master Brown remarked with a smile, slapping the short cane gently on his leg. He gestured for Rhane to follow him inside.

Gerald glanced at Rhane, expecting to see a glare of a rival, but Rhane was smiling at something Percy had said. Gerald slowed his steps so he would be on the same line as Rhane to hear what they had to say, but he was nudged forward by a council member who walked briskly into the house.

Once they had entered inside the hall and had settled down at a round table, the servants of the manor arrived with wine and food enough to feed everyone gathered.

"Let us decide over a healthy meal and ale," Brown raised a glass to toast. Taking the first sip as the host, he ushered his guests to dig in.

Everyone had begun eating when Gerald snickered, garnering their attention.

"It is only funny to me that the one who should be washing our feet now shares ale with us," he remarked loud enough for Rhane to hear. Shaking his head, he continued eating like he hadn’t said a word.

Nikolai smiled at this but didn’t reply. Brown and other council members glanced at Rhane to see his reaction, but there was none. The rest of the meal continued with silence that was pierced by the clattering of spoons against plates and clinking of glass.

When the meal was over, and the table had cleared, the meeting proper began.

"We all already know why we have gathered," the leader of the council began. "It is a rarity to have a woman once married chosen again as bride..." his voice trailed, his eyes scanning the faces of everyone.

"But it has happened, so we must make things right again... at least for the blood of those, ehm," the man cleared his throat, "We will make things right again."

The council members mumbled something like an agreement with their leader, prompting the man to continue.

"Whoever takes the glory at the end of the tournament will take Jenna home as wife, and anyone who rises up again after that will be duly punished." The man paused, to let his words sink in. When nobody said anything, he nodded.

"So the rul—"

"I’d love to say one more thing before we continue," Gerald said, raising his hand. His eyes fell on Rhane first, a devious smile curling his lips.

"You know women... if they have had a taste of a man, they can’t resist."

The councilman hummed. "So what is it you want to say?"

"Jenna has been my wife... she has had me and I, her for as many nights as her pleasure cries had filled my chambers. I am scared that if she is taken to another, she will return back to the one who had taken her virginity first. Will I be punished for plunging the land I once harvested?"

At his words, everyone around the table broke into laughter. Everyone but Rhane.

Rhane continued to eat.