The Lady Is Mine Chapter 62: A freaking fairytale

{Music Recomndation: Once Upon A Ti ~ Evgeny Grinko}

(Flashback continued)

As instructed, the servants dunked Rhane. He was almost unconscious from the lashing. They left him in the water and returned to their duties.

Rhane stood in the water shivering. He didn’t understand why things had escalated so quickly. Not even a single word of praise from his father, as he had imagined. He had saved soone and expected at least a pat on the head, but no. He stood in the cold water with night slowly approaching.

Once darkness covered the land and Rhane could no longer feel his toes, with no sign of anyone coming to get him, he realized, if he waited any longer, he might freeze to death.

Slowly, Rhane crawled out of the water with a soft groan. He stayed on the ground for a mont to catch his breath, then staggered toward the stable. He wasn’t foolish enough to crawl back to the main house. He was lost in the girl’s teary brown eyes, yes but he’d still heard clearly where he was ant to be.

Reaching the stable, Rhane collapsed onto the ground, curling his arms around his body. He couldn’t feel his legs or fingertips, and the cold bit into him like gnarly teeth, just like the wounds on his back. His lips turned blue, his eyes closed on their own, and his breathing beca shallow and faint.

Jenna.

"I’ll be quick," a voice whispered outside the stable, then crawled in. "Heavens, dear Lucy, my hero is dying." She dropped to her knees and covered Rhane with the small blanket she’d brought.

Rhane opened his eyes. When he saw the little girl, it was like a fire ignited in his chest, and he ca back to life. She smiled innocently, just like his little sister, the one he left with his mother so he could work hard enough to bring her over. Now, soone reminded him of her.

"Take this, it’ll keep you warm," Jenna said, pushing sothing into his mouth before covering his legs. "My father’s not always like that. He’s just scared because I’m his only daughter."

Though weak, Rhane was amazed at how a girl about his sister’s age could speak so eloquently, her words more polished than his own. He wanted to respond, but he was too cold to speak.

"Young mistress, quick! Soone’s coming!" the servant outside alerted.

Jenna stood up, darting her eyes between the outside and inside of the stable. "I’ll co back later. You have to stay alive. I’ve got so many things to show you, like dancing in the rain, climbing the mahogany tree, and fishing," she said hurriedly. "Thank you for saving my life. What’s your na?"

Rhane wanted to answer. He struggled to open his mouth. "Rh—"

The servant dashed inside and grabbed Jenna’s hand. "We have to go now!" And with that, they left the stable, Jenna promising to return the next day.

If Rhane had known that would be the last ti, he would’ve bitten his own tongue just to say her na.

After Jenna left, soone else entered the stable with a lantern. It was Nikolai.

"Son," the man said, setting down the lantern near Rhane. "This will keep you warm." He stood tall, then lowered himself to sit on his heels, staring down at his son. "I saw the rchant’s daughter on my way here."

Rhane groaned and tried to sit up, but Nikolai stopped him. "No need. Stay as you are."

"Do you like her?"

Rhane didn’t understand the question, but he answered, "She reminds of Kali, small and innocent."

"So you want her?" Nikolai asked with a grin.

Rhane frowned. "She’s like my little sister."

"Rubbish!" the man chuckled. "She’s not your sister. A man and a woman can’t have that sort of relationship unless they’re blood. What you feel isn’t brotherly, it’s sothing else."

Rhane blinked, unsure why his father wanted him to think that way. "But she’s a child."

"For now. She’ll grow. In a few years, she’ll be a woman, nine now, seventeen soon, and on her way to her husband’s house."

Rhane couldn’t imagine it. The girl he t was just a child, nowhere near being a woman. But because he wanted to please his father, he nodded.

"Have you ever had a woman?" Nikolai continued.

Rhane shook his head, his eyes wide with shock. "I’m not old enough. I just turned fourteen."

The man grinned. "All bull and no brain," he muttered. "If her father finds out you touched his daughter in a dirty place, he’ll behead you. Whipping won’t cut it."

"But I didn’t—"

"Shh," Nikolai whispered. "I won’t tell a soul. But I can talk to her father, have her given to you as a wife once she’s of age."

Rhane tapped his chest. "Mine?"

"Yes!" Nikolai grinned. "That’s the look! You’re my son indeed. You can have her, no need to hide in water or stables anymore."

Rhane sat up straighter. "I didn’t—"

"Shh, listen to , boy. I’m the only one who can help you." Nikolai’s grin widened. "But first, you have to help . A ship’s leaving port soon, and where it’s headed is a land full of gold. But I don’t need gold, I need sothing else. Will you bring it for ?"

His father wanted him to steal? Rhane swallowed hard. He had waited so long for his father’s approval, and his first request was theft.

"Don’t overthink it. I’ll send you with my crew to keep you safe. Once you return, your sister...Kali, yes?. She’ll be here. And the girl will be promised to you. I’ll have her father sign it."

After relentless persuasion, Rhane agreed. Not because of the dancing jewel offered to him, but because he could bring Kali. She’d have soone to play with and maybe learn to speak like that little girl. They’ll all live happily as a family.

That sa night, Rhane’s wounds were dressed, and he left for the sea. There, he discovered that hell wasn’t beneath the earth, itt lived in the oceans. He faced death, cheated it, and escaped. Pirates, sea thieves, slave traders, Rhane saw them all. For years, he struggled to survive.

At twenty-one, Rhane had had enough. He planned to escape the sea. The harsh life offered no aning anymore. But just as he prepared to flee, he received a letter, perfectly tid. It was from Jenna. The little girl had beco a woman. In her letter, she told him she was still waiting.

Rhane was stunned. How could a child rember what happened years ago? How did she know where to send the letter? But what gripped his heart most was;

"I love you, my hero."

The young girl he saved had beco a woman, and she loved him. A freaking fairytale! Through all the years at sea, looting for his father and living a life of sha, Rhane never imagined a noblewoman would rember let alone love a brute like him.

So he chased that feeling. He worked harder than ever just to return in ti. And years later, when he finally left the sea, he arrived... at Jenna’s wedding.

"You can’t have your brother’s wife," his father said that day. "What you need isn’t a woman, but a na. Go make a na for yourself. Then every woman will kneel before you, Rhane."

Not only had Rhane returned too late to have Jenna...He had also left his sister at the rcy of their mother.

He had failed at everything. And if for anything, his father was right about one thing. The girl forgot about him in no ti. Everything about him, including his face.