I Sold My Heart To Forget Them—Now They Beg Me To Remember novel Chapter 11

Two months later, I was released from the hospital.

The women of our county are renowned for their blessed fertility, and I. Margaret Eldwood, an them.

100 favored among

In my former life, I was thus betrothed to the ailing Prince Edmund, means for bearing his heir.

Three months hence, I was found to be with child, a sign of God’s grace. When I gave birth, the babes were fraternal twins–a boy and a girl, hailed as a divine blessing. Even Prince Edmund, whose days were numbered, miraculously recovered through my nurturing presence.

The king was greatly pleased, vowing that upon the birth of my children, I would be named Princess of Eldwood

Yet on the day of my travail, Prince Edmund, wielding his sword, cruelly cut the babes from my womb and cast them to

the hounds. Bleeding and broken, I wept, asking why he would do such a thing.

“Three months more, and I would have healed and wed my betrothed, Lady Eleanor,” he spat.

“But you, under pretense of a blessed union, bore my children, compelling Eleanor to wed a base lord who brought her ti

her death through cruel maltreatment.”

He pierced my womb, rendering it barren, and cast me into a stranger’s crypt, sealing the stone.

“You claim your fertility can quicken even the barren?” he mocked. “Then bear a dead man’s child, or be guilty of

treason!”

Entombed, I suffocated, and all the women of my county were slaughtered for treason.

When my eyes opened again, I stood before the queen in her royal court, summoned to answer whether the tales of my fertility were true.

I fell to my knees, pleading. “Tis but a rumor, Your Majesty. Moreover, Prince Edmund, blessed by heaven, needs no such bride to preserve his line.”

The queen’s eyes betrayed disappointment, yet she pressed on.

“Rumors oft hold truth. Perchance you are indeed blessed with fertility. If there’s a chance to save my son

Besides, marriage to Edmund would be a boon for you, would it not?

My heart raced, seeking to refuse, when a frail voice echoed from without.

“Mother, I will not wed Lady Margaret. My heart belongs to Lady Eleanor alone.

I turned to meet Prince Edmund’s cold gaze.

He knelt beside me, his voice firm, “Mother, Lady Margaret spun tales of her fertility to ensnare me. Do not be deceived

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by her lies. Though she has not yet wrought great harm. I beg you to punish her lightly–say

her honesty.”

I laughed bitterly, addressing the queen. “Your Majesty, the prince seeks my death at first sight Lain unit to wed him. I beg you, rescind this betrothal

The queen, torn between pity and frustration, chided her son. You misjudge her. Edmund It was I who summoned her. swayed by rumors. She has denied their truth.”

Edmund’s eyes flickered with confusion, then suspicion, as if I plotted some scheme.

I bowed low, pleading, “I am but a lowly daughter of the Church, unworthy of so great an honor as to preserve the royal line. I beseech Your Majesty to reconsider.”

With a sigh, the queen relented “So be it. Depart the court for now, but abide in Crownhold, as I may yet summon you.”

I breathed deeply, nodding Escaping the tangled web of Edmund and Eleanor’s love would not be so simple.

As I left the castle, Edmund called my name. I quickened my pace, but his guards barred my path.

Reluctantly, I faced him. His illness had drained him, his face pale, eyes rimmed with feverish red

“Why do you not wait for me?” he demanded. “Did you not once seek to guide my arm as we walked?”

I scoffed inwardly. In my former life, I had indeed sought to guide his arm, fearing his frail body might collapse. I once tried to steady him, only to be shoved away, nearly losing my child. “I loathe being touched,” he had snarled “Your clumsiness provoked me.”

Thereafter, I dared only walk close beside him, ready to steady him.

“When have I done so?” I replied coldly. “This is our first meeting. Your Highness”

Edmund froze, realizing he had spoken of our past life. His voice hardened. ‘Do not felgn ignorance. You like I have been granted a second chance by divine will. Else why would you deny your fertility to my mother?

1 met his gaze silently.

He continued, “I bear you no ill will. If you vow not to interfere with Eleanor and me. I will spare you and your Jun.

“Rest assured, I will not, I said flatly. “May you and Lady Eleanor be blessed with happy life”

If your body can endure your wedding night, I thought mockingly

Edmund’s expression wavered emotions unreadable. At length, he said coldly. So be it. Henceforth we are strai

if I hear any rumor linking us upsetting Eleanor or our betrothal. I will not spare you

}}}}}} {

The women of our county are renowned for their blessed fertility, and I. Margaret Eldwood, an them.

100 favored among

In my former life, I was thus betrothed to the ailing Prince Edmund, means for bearing his heir.

Three months hence, I was found to be with child, a sign of God’s grace. When I gave birth, the babes were fraternal twins–a boy and a girl, hailed as a divine blessing. Even Prince Edmund, whose days were numbered, miraculously recovered through my nurturing presence.

The king was greatly pleased, vowing that upon the birth of my children, I would be named Princess of Eldwood

Yet on the day of my travail, Prince Edmund, wielding his sword, cruelly cut the babes from my womb and cast them to

the hounds. Bleeding and broken, I wept, asking why he would do such a thing.

“Three months more, and I would have healed and wed my betrothed, Lady Eleanor,” he spat.

“But you, under pretense of a blessed union, bore my children, compelling Eleanor to wed a base lord who brought her ti

her death through cruel maltreatment.”

He pierced my womb, rendering it barren, and cast me into a stranger’s crypt, sealing the stone.

“You claim your fertility can quicken even the barren?” he mocked. “Then bear a dead man’s child, or be guilty of

treason!”

Entombed, I suffocated, and all the women of my county were slaughtered for treason.

When my eyes opened again, I stood before the queen in her royal court, summoned to answer whether the tales of my fertility were true.

I fell to my knees, pleading. “Tis but a rumor, Your Majesty. Moreover, Prince Edmund, blessed by heaven, needs no such bride to preserve his line.”

The queen’s eyes betrayed disappointment, yet she pressed on.

“Rumors oft hold truth. Perchance you are indeed blessed with fertility. If there’s a chance to save my son

Besides, marriage to Edmund would be a boon for you, would it not?

My heart raced, seeking to refuse, when a frail voice echoed from without.

“Mother, I will not wed Lady Margaret. My heart belongs to Lady Eleanor alone.

I turned to meet Prince Edmund’s cold gaze.

He knelt beside me, his voice firm, “Mother, Lady Margaret spun tales of her fertility to ensnare me. Do not be deceived

Chapter 11

o Posken 45h

Install

by her lies. Though she has not yet wrought great harm. I beg you to punish her lightly–say

her honesty.”

I laughed bitterly, addressing the queen. “Your Majesty, the prince seeks my death at first sight Lain unit to wed him. I beg you, rescind this betrothal

The queen, torn between pity and frustration, chided her son. You misjudge her. Edmund It was I who summoned her. swayed by rumors. She has denied their truth.”

Edmund’s eyes flickered with confusion, then suspicion, as if I plotted some scheme.

I bowed low, pleading, “I am but a lowly daughter of the Church, unworthy of so great an honor as to preserve the royal line. I beseech Your Majesty to reconsider.”

With a sigh, the queen relented “So be it. Depart the court for now, but abide in Crownhold, as I may yet summon you.”

I breathed deeply, nodding Escaping the tangled web of Edmund and Eleanor’s love would not be so simple.

As I left the castle, Edmund called my name. I quickened my pace, but his guards barred my path.

Reluctantly, I faced him. His illness had drained him, his face pale, eyes rimmed with feverish red

“Why do you not wait for me?” he demanded. “Did you not once seek to guide my arm as we walked?”

I scoffed inwardly. In my former life, I had indeed sought to guide his arm, fearing his frail body might collapse. I once tried to steady him, only to be shoved away, nearly losing my child. “I loathe being touched,” he had snarled “Your clumsiness provoked me.”

Thereafter, I dared only walk close beside him, ready to steady him.

“When have I done so?” I replied coldly. “This is our first meeting. Your Highness”

Edmund froze, realizing he had spoken of our past life. His voice hardened. ‘Do not felgn ignorance. You like I have been granted a second chance by divine will. Else why would you deny your fertility to my mother?

1 met his gaze silently.

He continued, “I bear you no ill will. If you vow not to interfere with Eleanor and me. I will spare you and your Jun.

“Rest assured, I will not, I said flatly. “May you and Lady Eleanor be blessed with happy life”

If your body can endure your wedding night, I thought mockingly

Edmund’s expression wavered emotions unreadable. At length, he said coldly. So be it. Henceforth we are strai

if I hear any rumor linking us upsetting Eleanor or our betrothal. I will not spare you

}}}}}} {

The doctors said it had only been a brief fainting spell triggered by emotional agitation.

Theodore and I finally enrolled in the same university as we had hoped.

In his free time. Theodore poured himself into educating amateur climbers–teaching them about the dangers of the mountains, how to self–rescue, things like that.

The mountain rescue team we’d funded ourselves was finally up and running.

William and Gabrielle were still as fiery and passionate as ever.

They took the initiative to become the leaders of the organization.

I’d thought about trying to talk them out of climbing. Once.

But every time I tried, I’d see that fire in their eyes. And I just couldn’t do it.

Theodore, on the other hand, would tell me, “People need something to be passionate about. Making them give it up?

That’s just cruel.”

And then, in the fall of our eighteenth year, they once again rescued a climber teetering on a cliff.

This time, with the rescue team there, everyone came out alive.

I looked at the trending notifications on my phone and happily pulled Theodore to the track to run.

He finally dropped the act. He just sank to his knees on the track and laughed and cried for half an hour

I lowered my head, glancing at several trending topics on my phone that were close to the rescue team.

[Ashford Empire in City A Declares Bankruptcy, Dylan’s Father Sentenced for Murder–for–Hirel

(Murder–for–Hire Case Takes New Turn: Sophie Hartley Drugged Dylan Ashford, Handed Him Over to Male Accomplice

(Love, Hate, and Murder? Dylan Ashford Strangles Sophie Hartley in Psych Ward Faces Possible Death Penaltyl

[Tragic End for Former Child Prodigy Caleb Lancaster Found Dead at Home in Apparent Suicidel

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you comforting me? What are you looking at?”

sighed, giving in, and took his hand. There Comforting you

“Not good enough!”

Chapter 11

Then what do you want?”

He leaned in, tilting his face toward mine.

I felt speechless, and finally kissed him.

The year we graduated. Theodore and I finally did it. We climbed Mont Blanc.

The perennial snow blanketed everything beneath our feet.

The confusion, the heaviness I’d felt on that first climb? Gone.

But I still… I still worried. Just a little.

I reached out, that old fear clutching at me again, and pressed my hand to his chest.

“Are you sure you don’t feel anything? Not even a little? Not at all?”

He chuckled. “Not a thing! Not even a little!”

“Look at you, my Emma. Loving yourself. Working so hard. You made me win. You made this possible.”

I let out a slow breath.

Just as I was about to lower my hand, he pressed it even tighter.

“But… don’t you think my heart’s beating kind of fast?”

You… you shameless… Give me back my innocent, pure–hearted Theo!