Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

Chapter 43 This time , Freya's wounds ran deep - not on her body , but in her heart . Though she had taken fifty lashes the other day , the man wielding the rod was smart and had been careful not to use his full strength . When Frederick chose not to have Freya punished after she struck him at the banquet , it became clear to all that she now held his favor . Had she truly been beaten to death , her executioners wouldn't have lived to see the next morning .

If not for that , the strokes she received on Ruby's command earlier and at the banquet , eighty in total , would have left her either dead or crippled . And yet , here she was , walking about with nothing more than a few scrapes and bruises . Still , her pride lay in ruins , battered from the inside out . While she lay in bed recovering for days , Frederick came daily . Each time , she sent him away with a sharp remark and a glare. Today , the fourth day , it was Ruth who came instead .

Freya had once held a natural hostility toward the older woman , but ever since that cruel punishment , she had become surprisingly submissive in her presence . " Greetings , Lady Ruth , " Freya said , stirring weakly . Though none of her bones were broken , the bruises and raw skin throbbed painfully . Even the slightest movement caused her to grit her teeth . Ruth glanced at her with cool indifference . " I hear you've been taking your frustrations out on Fred these past few days . " Freya said nothing .

She might feel wary of Ruth , but that didn't mean she would allow herself to be bullied . She absolutely refused to be treated with such indignity ! Ruth saw through her at once and let out a cold snort . " You truly think you're someone of importance , do you ? Then , I must ask - once you leave Fred , what exactly are you ? " " What- " " If you truly had any pride at all , why are you still here at Hawthorne Estate, lying on that fine bed ? The gates may be heavily guarded , but no one has ever stopped you from leaving , have they ? " " My lady , I've wanted to leave all along .

It's Fred who insists I stay , " Freya said , her eyes red - rimmed with tears of frustration . " If you doubt me , you can ask him yourself . " " I don't mean to shame you . I only want you to see the truth . Without Fred , you are nothing but a beggar- worthless , " Ruth said smoothly . Freya opened her mouth to argue , but Ruth cut her off coldly , adding , " I hear that for the past few days , you've been fed Bloodswallow Herb , Skyreach Root , and Frostbloom Lotus . Do you know how much those rare herbs cost ? Before you leave , you will repay everything you've taken from Fred .

Only then will you be free to go . " This time , Freya said nothing . She bit her lip hard , clearly unwilling to accept the situation . Ruth leaned back in her chair , accepting a teacup from Anna . She sipped calmly , watching Freya with cool eyes . " I said I'm not here to shame you . However , you truly don't know your place . You think Fred's special favor means 1/2 Chapter 43 +25 BONUS you can do as you please. Do you even know what he once did for Selena ? " Freya's curiosity was immediately piqued . " What did he do ?

" Ruth said nothing , but Anna stepped in , explaining , " Lady Campbell enjoys playing the harp . Prince Frederick went to great lengths to find the finest ancient wood to have the best instrument made . He risked his life traveling into the mountains and nearly died . " When he returned , he was covered in blood and wounds . Before even tending to his injuries , he went straight to a master craftsman's home to commission the harp . If you've seen his body , you'll surely have noticed the scars on his back . Those were the result of being clawed by wild beasts in the mountains .

" Freya's chest tightened . " He ... " Anna continued , " Once , Lady Campbell mentioned wanting to see snow . To fulfill her wish , Prince Frederick had a massive ice carriage built and personally brought snow back from the northern lands . But he accidentally locked himself inside the carriage and was found nearly frozen to death . " Even after waking and having a high fever , he insisted on taking Lady Campbell to play with the snow in the carriage . Because of that , his illness worsened . He was bedridden for more than a month before he finally recovered . " Chapter 44