THE Knight’s Hidden Princess

I raced into Reagan's study the next morning. I had been anxious about the entire thing all night long, I couldn't get much sleep. So, at the first glimmer of dawn, I had sent for Reagan while I got hastily prepared myself for the day ahead.

Pushing the oak door, I entered the study where I spotted Heather standing beside Lagertha who was clutching her mother's hand tightly. Her wide eyes betrayed the fear and confusion she tried vigilantly to mask and that broke my heart. Unable to help myself, crossed the room, my steps quick and purposeful as I drew Heather into my arms.

I could feel the tension in the stiffness of her shoulders but she soon relaxed and hugged me back. I patted her shoulders, sympathizing with her as she cried.

"It's going to be okay." I mumbled as I eased away from her before turning to look at Lagertha, "If there is anyone who can help, it's my husband. You do know that he is the bravest knight in the kingdom, yes?" I said to which Lagertha offered me a shy smile as she held on to her mother's hand.

No sooner had I said that did the door finally open revealing Reagan who entered. He was putting on a black shirt with black trousers and a pair of boots. His hair was slicked backwards and all I could do was slicked backwards with a rogue curl falling forward.

We all curtsied at him as he made his way round the table to get himself seated. With a warm smile, I moved right next to him and took a seat that was opposite the room while Heather and her daughter stood in the room.

"So, what seems to be the problem?" Reagan asked in a deep gravely tone.

Heather cast me a look but I nodded my head at her encouragingly. "It's alright, you can tell him." I said and Reagan shot me a look but didn't say anything.

Seeming to find her strength, Heather straightened her shoulders and opened her mouth to speak. "I need you to help me save my children sir." Heather spoke and though her words were trembling with the weight of her desperation, "My children have been taken by the loan sharks I borrowed money from. My husband was sick and dying and I was desperate to save him. Nothing seemed to be working for him and we were starting to run out of money to pay the healers to take care of him. So I turned to some loan sharks thinking I would be able to pay the money back. I…I…couldn't!" Heather broke into a sob.

"These sons of yours, why did the loan shark decided to take them?" Reagan asked her.

Heather sniffed, using a handkerchief to wipe her nose. "I…I…used them as collateral."

"You used them as them as collateral?" Reagan asked her.

Tears glistened in her eyes but she answered, her voice thickened with emotions. "I didn't want to, I didn't. But Finn was dying and….and…"

"And yet, you used them." Reagan replied and though his expression was one of pity but his tone had an accusatory one.

I decided to speak up at this point. "She had no choice and they simply cannot take her children, that's just preposterous taking kids to pay up debts."

Reagan's gaze cut to mine, "And what is it you will like me to do?"

What on earth does he mean by that question? "Why? To help them of course!"

"Ah," Reagan dragged the word lazily as he leaned back in his seat, resting an arm on the ornate armrest, "Well, I am afraid I cannot do that!"

The words hit me like a slap, cold and sharp! "What?' I asked and I heard a squeak which came either from Lagertha or Heather. I didn't know, nor do I care at the moment. Adjusting myself in my seat, I glared at Reagan, "What do you mean by you cannot help them?"

Reagan heaved out a sigh, as if he were about to explain something to a child. "You are familiar well with the laws of our kingdom. A debt owed has to be repaid no matter what form and that includes children." He explained, his tone deliberate, almost as if he were given a lecture.

"I still don't see why you can't help us."

"Listen carefully," He said, his gaze flicking over to Heather and Lagertha, "If your children were taken, this would have been a different case. An abduction an offense that is punishable by the law but unfortunately that isn't the case for you, you signed a collateral agreement."

Frowning, I opened my mouth to speak but Reagan still continued, his words cutting through the air like a blade. "She knew what she was doing when she signed her children off."

"You are saying it like she had a choice." I said unable to hold my words back any longer.

Reagan's gaze cut to mine, "She had a choice, and she made the wrong one." He said before he turned to look at Heather. "You knew the terms when you signed your children off. To intervene now would be challenging the law we swore to uphold. It would set a dangerous precedent, undermining everything this kingdom stands for."

I couldn't resist scoffing at that, my frustration boiling over. "Well this is children we are talking about, not some damn property!"

Reagan's gaze hardened for a moment, the briefest flicker of something in his dark gaze, anger perhaps? But it was gone before I could decipher it. With a small smile, he turned to look at Heather. "Step outside for a moment please, I need to speak to my wife."

Heather hesitated for a moment, her watery eyes turning to meet mine. But she was well trained in following orders, especially one given to her by the lord of this house. With a reluctant nod, she grabbed Lagertha and stepped out of the room.

As soon as the door was shut, I turned to look at Reagan, crossing my arms as I glared at him. "You need to help her. They are just children Reagan, innocent children who are scared out of their minds wherever they are."

"Do not get emotional about subject like this." Reagan warned, "It will end badly for you."

"Well I can't help it!" I said standing up from my seat as I crossed the room to go and meet him, "Do you even hear yourself? Did you even see how broken Heather was?"

Reagan's gaze turned cold, "Believe it or not but my sympathies are with her. But the way I see it, she will have to live with the consequences of the choice she made, they are not mine to undo." He said, his tone eerily calm as if he couldn't be bothered.

"Consequences? By the hells Reagan, what part of they are children don't you understand?" I yelled at him the frustration evident in my tone, "How can you be so…so…heartless?'

"I am not heartless, I am pragmatic, there is a difference and you will do well to learn it!"

My blood seemed to boil hotter, my pulse pounding in my head. "Pragmatic? Is that a fancy name you call your cowardly ass?"

Reagan's nostrils flared in anger as he rose up from his seat, towering over me. His anger radiated as sharp and cutting as my own. "You can think whatever you want. But the kingdom made the law and I am bound by my duty to uphold it!" He hissed stepping towards me, his eyes narrowing into slits. "But since you are going ahead and throw accusations, how about you try and step off your high horse for once? Walk around the town and look into the faces of the people who believe in the stability of these laws."

I glare at him not refusing to back down, but Reagan wasn't done. He stepped closer towards me, stopping only a breath away from me.

"Then you could go into the room you hide in so much," His words dripping with venom, "And you can think really hard about what you can do to stop things like this from ever happening, or better yet," He leaned closer his voice dripping into a whisper, "Make a law that is fair and just instead of coming to yell at me as if words alone can fix the world, even though they are no doubt from the goodness of your heart."

By the time he was done, I had angry unshed tears brimming in my eyes, making my vision blurry as I glared at him.

"Bastard!" I whispered my words trembling with unrestrained fury.

Reagan merely arched a brow up at me, "Believe it or not but I've been called worse sweetness." He said turning to leave.

Before I could comprehend what I was thinking, my hands shut forward and grabbed him by the sleeve of his shirt. Reagan turned to look at me with raised brows and I stared up at him. Deciding to the one thing I never thought I would do, I opened my mouth.

"Please." I pleaded swallowing down my pride, "I know I am in no position to ask for anything and I…I know that you hate me and I'm sorry. For whatever it is I did, I'm sorry." I apologized. Tears blurred my vision, streaming down my face unbidden, "But can you please save the children? I will never ask anything of you again but please, just this one thing and I swear I'll…"

Reagan cut me off, his hand reaching up to grab mine which he used to yank me closer to him with a force that made me gasp out loud. His dark eyes bore into mine, cold and unyielding. "Not everything is about you princess," He said his tone dripping with mockery, "You want to save those children badly? Then stop wasting time crying and start thinking about how you are going to do it yourself! Because I am not willing to risk anything for your misplaced sentimentality!" Reagan said his tone final and without waiting to see what damage his words did to me, he turned and left the room, leaving me standing alone with my anguish.