The Knight's Rose

Chapter Seventeen ~ The Cry of a Primrose ~ Part Three

Chapter Seventeen ~ The Cry of a Primrose ~ Part Three

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Nikolai's POV

I rode alongside Philip, Prim on her own blond horse, the royal debt collector, and the two royal guards he brought along for a safety measure. A safety measure to keep me from murdering the Arnold Gales with my own bare hands.

Just remembering the conversation I had with Prim was enough to keep my blood boiling.

"We haven't lived in Tuwirith for years," Prim had told us. After managing to calm her down, I didn't waste a single breath, second, millisecond, moment and asked her to take me to Rose. While we saddled the horses, I asked if I would find Rose at her home in Tuwirith.

"I don't understand. Rose said she lived here, why would she lie?"

"She must have been embarrassed. Our family had to move after we sold everything to pay for her mother's expensive medicine. Father was forced to borrow a lot of money from Arnold Gales in order to pay for it as well. The medicine couldn't save her mother, and so we were left with a huge debt to repay. Our father had been working for Mr. Gales for years now," Prim conveyed, her cheeks turning red from shame.

My heart froze at her words, and it took me a minute to pick up on a word that she had uttered.

"Had. You said he 'had' been working for Mr. Gales."

"Yes. My father died four days ago," she muttered quietly, her gaze downcast. But I could still see the tortured look on her face, the deep grief that hung around her shoulder.

It felt as though someone had just punched me in the gut. My head swam in my endless thoughts of Rose and what state she was in. I couldn't imagine the pain she must be going through. She always spoke fondly of her father, and for him to be gone must feel incredibly wrong.

"My condolences," I muttered stiffly. She nodded her head and quickly finished saddling up her horse.

Mr. Gales. He was that man we had seen at the Bibliotheca. I remembered the strained smile on Rose's face when she had seen him. I grew angry at myself for not asking her who he was, but would she have even told me the truth if I asked?

Debt. Her father owed a debt to that man. If he didn't pay it, he could have received any punishment seen fit by the Noble Court. If he dies, the debt is either pardoned or a living family member has to pay it.

A living family member has to pay it.

"Where is Rose?" I asked, my voice strained.

"Mr. Gales's Manor. He has rights to us now. A debt is a debt that must be paid."

My jaw clenched, and I could feel my veins boiling in seething anger. I clenched my fists, trying to suppress myself from lashing out. My body tensed, and I let out a breath as my body grew hot and my thoughts burned like acid at the idea of what Rose might be going through.

He worked their father to death and claimed them after they buried him.

I felt sick.

We rode down the valley and in the direction of Mr. Gales's home. I brought along the royal debt collector to make the verdict on whether this debt should be pardoned or paid. The man must be confused, but he knows better than to question a prince.