Two Swords and the Angel’s Feather - Chapter 46

The aristocrats gathered again slowly. Because it was rare for the queen to do something, and it is even rarer for her to hear it from the king. Ced just raised his eyebrows at Duke Madison, whether he knew it or not.

“Let’s get this straight.”

Duke Madison beckoned River. As River walked forward with Ellen in his arms, Ryder stroked a scratch on Ellen’s cheek with his hand. Ellen looked anxiously at Ryder, realizing that all eyes were on them.

“Ryder…”

He tilted his head and licked her wound with his tongue. People were buzzing and squirming again. Mrs. Bryson and Margaret were also gasping and breathing heavily.

“Countess Bryson.”

Ryder’s voice was cold. The Countess looked at him anxiously.

“What insidious plans does my fiancée have for me? I’m very curious.”

When the word “fiancée”  came out, all the people surrounding her gasped, inhaled, and murmured. Even the Countess, Margaret, and Count Southhorn looked at them in amazement.

Ryder looked around and then down at the Countess.

“Now, tell me what stories you have heard.”

“Well, well, that’s ridiculous! Everyone knows Lady Ellen had a relationship with Lord River. Are you saying that you’re going to keep the scraps left by your brother? You the Duke?”

The Countess leaped to her feet, looked at Ryder, and shouted loudly. Ryder’s face was cold, and River sighed behind him.

“You use quite a variety of words, Countess, but what can I say? My brother is very protective of his people. I can’t say more than that.”

He kissed Ellen on the other cheek. Ryder looked at people with one hand on her arm.

“Lady Ellen is my brother’s fiancée. We will follow in the footsteps of His Majesties and take one wife, and we won’t forgive anyone who says insulting things about her one more time.”

Everyone was out of breath. The Countess opened her mouth, and Margaret’s face turned pale. Count Southhorn also looked dumbfounded, but slowly his face began to blush. He, who was chubby but big, leaped to his feet and uttered terrible words and his eyes were fixated towards Ellen.

“You whore! You shouldn’t have spent four years in the palace. Oh, my God, what a shame! How dare you, how dare you spread your legs to two men…”

The Count’s words did not last long. It was because River pushed Ellen into Ryder’s chest, kicked the Count in an instant, and trusted a sword towards his neck that he had hit. It was so fast that no one could stop it.

“Allow me to execute the man who insulted our fiancée here, Duke.”

River’s voice had a chilly tone they had never heard before. Ellen grabbed Ryder by the shoulder, looked at him nervously, and turned her head again.

“Please let go of me. If River really kills my father…”

“Your father should explain to someone higher than me.”

Ryder took a step back, hugging Ellen. Then, in front of him, a stiff-faced Ced approached and looked down at Count Southhorn.

“A prostitute who spreads her legs to two men. Who the hell is that about, Count Southhorn?”

The Count’s face turned pale.

“I hope this isn’t an insult to the royal family. I don’t have the slightest patience with those who rebel against the royal family. I’m sure everyone here knows.”

Ced’s eyes passed through the nobles standing around one after another and looked back to Count Southhorn. The Count’s face was white as a sheet, and his lips trembled.

“It’s, it’s, t-that’s not it. How dare I…”

The Count tried to get up, but when River tightened his chest with his foot and stabbed him in the neck with the tip of the sword, he gasped and stopped moving.

“Yes, how dare you make such accusations against those who follow the customs adopted by the royal family? Perhaps you will be very pleased that the Duke of Madison is associated with your oh-so-wonderful family. I guess so, huh?”

The Count nodded only enough not to scratch the edge of the sword. Ced waved one hand at River. River reluctantly put his sword in and put his foot down but did not release his hand from the handle.

“Now, why don’t you bless your daughter and your future sons-in-law, Count Southhorn?”

“Of course, of course. I am truly pleased to be associated with the Duke of Madison.”

Ryder came forward with Ellen in his arms and looked down at the Count still lying on the floor.

“I’ve tried to visit you quietly, Count, but I don’t see the opportunity. However, I understand that this has made our intentions on Ellen clear, and in the future, Lord River and I will look after Lady Ellen. We don’t even want dowry because we’re happy to have Lady Ellen. I’ll let you know the wedding date as soon as it’s decided.”

“Lady Ellen’s marriage is probably what the queen wants to help with. I’ll tell you everything later, Duke Madison.”

Ced nodded and then turned away. The royal soldiers followed him, and the Duke’s soldiers remained behind him.

Margaret rushed to her father’s side and helped him get up. Count Southhorn looked at the king’s back for a moment with an anxious look on his face, then glared at Ellen, who the Duke of Madison still held. Margaret also glanced at Duke, Ellen, and River with incomprehensible eyes and turned away.

“Our fiancée must have been very surprised, so you’d better go to the truth and rest comfortably, Lord River.”

“Sure, Duke.”

River quickly came up to Ryder’s side with a bright expression, but he raised his eyebrows. River grunted lowly and walked with the soldiers, and Ryder walked with Ellen in his arms as if she were not heavy.

Over Ryder’s shoulder, she could see her father and sister staring at her, but Ellen turned away. Now they are no longer her family. Ellen had two men to protect and take care of her and a friend to mingle with.

Life sometimes seemed to offer more precious people than blood-sharing families.

(The end of the main story)

T/N: There’s an epilogue left which will be split into 2 parts.