"What?" The room heard the loud bellow of Knox who stood frozen with eyes widened in shock.

"Love, you get to our bedroom and wait for me." Lord Knight smiled at Ella and gestured Lucy to take her to the bedroom. While Ella exited the hall in a melancholic trance, Lord Knight couldn't help but look at the retreating Ella with desire and love.

"Lord Knight, - " Knox gasped out when he heard his daughter's name called out by the Lord. Lord Knight shouted for Lyndon and asked him to lead Miss Garrick to the hall. The room fell in to a disbelieving silence when Knox was still standing with mouth hanging low.

"I like your daughter, Knox. She impressed me with her genuine gestures and effort. Such a proud father you are to have such a daughter." Lord Knight sighed in a feigning astonishment while Knox could only look at the Lord with a blank face not understanding if it was compliment or something else.

In the intervening time, Lyndon escorted Blythe to the crowded hall, leaving her in the middle of the hall beside her father. Blythe bowed to the Lord but did not dare to raise her eyes and look at the Lord nor at anyone in the room. Her face was devoid of any expression. She was just standing there like a doll that is waiting for its owner to play with.

"Blythe, what the heck is happening here?" Knox whispered harshly in Blythe's ear but Blythe just stood with the same vacant face. It was like she did not hear anything that her father said to her or seemed like she schooled her emotions as if she needs consent of someone to change it.

Knox was perplexed at his daughter's indifferent person. He didn't know what the hell was happening. The Lord had so easily wedding a wench and his daughter was unresponsive like a clay doll. He wondered what has happened so suddenly that his daughter was like that.

"Miss Garrick" Lord Knight called out in an authoritative tenor.

"Yes, My Lord." Blythe answered in a polite tone that subjects use towards the royals. Her response was so neutral and meek that surprised Knox out o wits.

What in the name of God has happened to his daughter?

"You are responsible in preparing my room for my wedding night with your Lady of Honor and as well help Lucy in dolling up Lady Ella." He ordered and Blythe nothing but just nodded with her face empty of any sentiment. Blythe bowed for a moment and turned around, leaving the hall and the people in uncertainty.

"I apologize, My Lord. But what is my daughter doing here?" Knox question, not perceptive at the turn of events.

"I assume you had sent her here with a correspondence regarding the storm?" The feigned surprise as to why he was asking such a question when Knox was the one who sent his daughter to him. The Lord felt playful when he was gauging Knox's response.

It was amusing to play with him and he would play a big game with him and the people of Shadowvalor that they couldn't help but be pawns for him.

"Undoubtedly, My Lord but why is she responsible for your chores?" Knox was infuriated that he has no notion of what really was taking place.

"Your daughter promised me to serve me all her lifetime." The Lord shrugged imperturbably, "I asked her not to promise such when you know I take words seriously. But she pledged in front of the castle staff. She was so thrilled to work for me so I took her under my wing." Looking at the awed Lord, Knox couldn't figure out if he was genuinely impressed or it was just a jest.

Knox knew that the Lord is not a plain pulp of wood. He was manipulating and mysterious and not to forget he was the scariest Lord Knox had ever heard of. However, he still couldn't fathom why his daughter was behaving so strangely.

"But My Lord –"

"You all may leave, Knox. The wedding is completed and I am required to accompany my wife for supper." The Lord stood up and left the hall with striding steps leaving the people bewildered.

Villagers had never thought that the girl they always looked down on, was now their Lady. How are they supposed to take that?

Are they now at the mercy of Ella? They couldn't imagine serving lass who was nothing more than dirt under their feet. But they don't have another choice as well.

The Lord moved towards his bedroom chamber with light steps humming a tune to himself. Finally, at last his Ella was completely his. His forever!

He couldn't express how happy he was. It was as if he won the planet. Just the mere thought Ella brought a sweet smile on his lips.

With a pleased grin, he entered the bed chamber where his Ella was sitting on the chair, fiddling her fingers with a nervous sigh releasing every now and then. He couldn't help but chuckle at the innocent girl who stole his heart.

He cleared his throat and walked to the chair in front of her and looked at the lavish dinner placed on the table before them. Ella raised her eyes to look at his build taking a casual lean against the chair.

"Why did you do that, My Lord." She asked, gathering all the courage she could. She didn't care whether the Lord scolds her hit her for the audacity to raise a tone against him but she has so many questions that need answers.

"Because you are mine." That was not the answer she was expecting. She was his? She was her husband's before she was married to the Lord. How come she was his when she didn't even know him, when she did not even see him before the previous night?

"How? How am I yours? You married me and I was not even given a choice. I – I thought you were different... different from others who only see me as grime." Ella was aggravated at the people who always took her for granted and just uses her as they wish. She was just fed up of everything and just wanted to live a quite life, but she was yet again pushed into a well and was expected to survive again.

What was his meaning behind marrying her? He was a Lord to the whole Northern region, a noble then why would he wed her when any aristocrat lady would be happy to comply with him?

Why her, then?

Was he with an ulterior motive behind his actions as well? Was he going to exploit her for his own benefits?

"You will know. You will know slowly. What is with your hurry, he is now your husband Lady Ella" She heard a familiar female voice from behind.

Ella gasped at the approaching figure of the person she wished to see from quite some time. Her eyes were filled with water but her lips were flourishing with a smile. She couldn't shake of the joy she felt at that moment.

Ella stood up from her chair and cupped her mouth with her hands not believing whom she is seeing. She looked at the Lord briefly who was smiling at her with affection and adoration.

Ella ran towards the approaching female and hugged her, mumbling incoherent words which either of them understood.

She was safe. She was unharmed. Her friend was unharmed and she couldn't ask for more. Thanks to the God who rescued Gode from the evils.

"I missed you. Where were you? How are you? Were you in the dungeons, Gode?" Ella's continuous inquiry was responded with a laugh.

"Calm down, friend. Calm down. Take a breath. What will happen to me?" Gode tossed a smirk to the Lord which he returned as he lifted the glass of wine and toasted it in air.