Tyrant's Obsession With The Heiress-Chapter 78: The Lady’s Apology Stirs The Devil’s Conscience

If looks could kill, Orpheus would have buried his second-in-command a thousand times by now.

He didn't appreciate the man encouraging Lady Karina, not that he had any qualms with purchasing anything for her; it simply didn't sit well with him that Lyall was becoming too familiar with his lady.

"I approve of the way you think, my lord," Lady Karina answered Lyall, addressing him exactly the way Orpheus forbade her to.

He could see in her eyes that she'd done it deliberately, and oh, how he would punish her for that in due time.

"I wasn't aware that you were interested in ladies' garments," Orpheus said, shooting Lyall a deadly glare that had the man holding his hands up in mock surrender.

There was nothing further said, but Orpheus was very much boiling on the inside. And then it wasn't long before the three of them, along with the other two knights, departed from the tavern and made their way onto the main avenue of the town.

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By this time, the merchants had re-opened their shops and ateliers, and the children once again returned to the streets to chase each other around or play with their hand-made contraptions.

Lady Karina was very much prepared for all of that to change when Orpheus appeared, but to her utmost surprise, everything remained lively, and everyone continued on with their lives without another worry.

She glanced around at the vendors and stalls, but no one had rushed for cover to close up their shop in fear of what the Black Frost Demon might do to them. She would have anticipated as much since he made quite a clear threat in the tavern, but it seemed that was not the case.

"I suppose the people must have spread the word that you have not come to destroy or pillage the town," Lady Karina, taking Orpheus' arm as they walked. "The people seem in a much calmer and livelier mood than they did earlier."

Orpheus grunted, feeling vastly uncomfortable; he didn't have his warhorse or claymore, and his mission in the town was not one of destruction. It was a disorienting sensation, but with Lady Karina on his arm, it was also a surprisingly satisfying one.

"Foolish sheep, the lot of them are," he growled.

Lady Karina couldn't resist bursting out into a fit of laughter; Orpheus was so dour that it was completely hilarious. The man would normally not take well to being laughed at, but her laughter was so angelic and beautiful it was difficult to move his eyes away from her smiling face.

His hand ached to reach out and cup her face, to brush his thumb along her cheek and to watch her lean into his palm. He would do anything to seize such a moment, but not while his men were present.

So all he could do was watch and bury the ache deep inside him.

Lady Karina had sobered up eventually as they moved further down the street.

"Orpheus?" She uttered his name questioningly.

"Aye, what is it, my lady?" He gave her his full attention immediately.

"Forgive me," she apologised, shaking her head. "I spoke to you quite rudely earlier when my dress was ruined." She looked up at him. "You may as well be aware that I have a temper and can lose all sense of mannerisms."

"I know," he answered, amused. "I have witnessed it many times, my lady."

"Would you forgive me?" She looked at him pleadingly, and oh, how that sweet pout made him fold instantly.

Why would she be sorry? There was nothing to be sorry for. Not when he was the one who had turned her life upside down and destroyed all that she knew, shouldn't he be the one to apologise?

And then it suddenly occurred to him. He felt a sense of regret for what he'd done and her apology for something so simple seemed to crush whatever his father had taught him to bits.

If this beautiful, wonderful lady could apologise for being just a little rude, what kind of person did that make him if he didn't apologise for what he'd done to her friend's husband?

"Is everything alright?" Lady Karina tilted her head to the side, noticing that he was lost in thought. "Have I truly upset you?"

In truth, Lady Karina wasn't too keen on apologising, but she didn't want to become something she wasn't. And she had come to realise if she wanted to teach Orpheus, then she needed to lead by example.

If she could show him what it meant to apologise and forgive, perhaps he could slowly digest that concept in due time.

The man simply shrugged. "There is nothing to forgive, my lady; your anger was justified and you were correct."

"I know I was." She smiled softly. "But I want to apologise for being rude about it. I should not have spoken without thinking."

Here she was, apologising for a few words said out of anger, and he couldn't even apologise for gutting a man and stringing him up on a pole for all to see the grotesque things he was capable of.

It made him falter for a minute and that pang in his chest returned. He wondered if he banged his fist hard enough against his chest, it would perhaps make it stop.

Orpheus looked sharply at her, seeing that the lady was gently teasing him by the smirk on her face. He shook his head at her, his hand moving to cover her small one that clutched at his elbow and squeezing it lightly.

"If I believe you are being rude, then I will inform you, my lady."

Lady Karina grinned and coyly looked away, leaving Orpheus completely enchanted. But that spell was broken when Lyall came up beside him.

"Over there, my lord," Lyall said, pointing his finger in the direction up ahead. "It seems that merchant has bolts of material in his shop, so perhaps the lady would like to have a look there."

Lady Karina nodded eagerly, let go of Orpheus' arm, and made her way happily to the stall. He stood there and watched her, every move she made, as if he was seeing her for the very first time.

And as each minute passed, he was growing increasingly smitten by the lady. And it was growing increasingly obvious to everyone around them.

Lyall stood next to him, his blue eyes following the lady as well. He could not help but remember Hendrix's words, agreeing that the man was completely correct in every way.

The lady wasn't a witch per se, but she certainly had Orpheus under a spell.

Normally, Lyall wouldn't have been concerned with it except for the fact that his liege had a very specific schedule planned out for the siege of the next castle along the stretch of the border.