Chapter 281: Dramatic priest (2)
"Peter, get up. You’re giving others a bad impression of me," said Edgar.
Peter stayed on his knees with his eyes closed and his hands clasped, praying that his death would be a quick one.
Tyrion found amusement in the interaction between the priest and the duke. The priest was an odd man, but he was right to fear Edgar.
Tyrion grew curious about how the two men had met and hoped that either man would be willing to share the details in more depth than just saying Peter tried to scam Edgar.
Edgar’s lips were folded into a thin line when he heard Peter start to pray. He was losing his patience with Peter.
"If it is death that you seek, then I shall grant you it," Edgar said, tempted to go through with it.
Peter’s eyes opened wide in fear that Edgar was going to shoot him. "Wait! Wait," he muttered, realising Edgar didn’t have a weapon. "You lied."
"We are standing on holy ground, Peter. I wouldn’t kill you here," said Edgar.
Peter didn’t believe a word Edgar said. Edgar was practically the devil standing before him, or perhaps a grim reaper.
"You’ve pointed weapons at me when you visited the other church," Peter said, the memory of each weapon still fresh in his mind.
"Well, you didn’t die, so I am true to my word. Get up before I pull you up, Peter. If I have to use my energy to pull you up, you won’t like it," Edgar warned Peter.
"Just like I don’t like you," Peter muttered. "I’m getting up," he quickly spoke.
Peter stood up before Edgar reached him.
"If you’re not here to kill me, what are you far? To torment me? To yell at me for what I did in the past? You still have your money, and I gave my life to the church. I must also mention that I got stabbed because your guards failed to attack Simon in time," Peter said, his voice louder with each other.
Peter couldn’t help getting angry whenever he thought back to the time when he was stabbed.
"Your guards failed to protect me," said Peter.
"I don’t recall sending them there to protect you. I was only after Simon," Edgar replied.
Peter was at a loss for words. The guards, not caring about what Simon would do to him, came back to him. They were twins, so it wasn’t hard to forget their faces.
"You don’t belong on holy ground, Edgar. It is starting to feel unbearably hot here. The presence of the devil-"
Edgar reached for Peter’s shirt and pulled him forward. "Speak of me as the devil, and you shall speak no more. I have given you a second chance at life by not killing you when you tried to scam me. You should be greeting me as your saviour."
Peter pointed at the spot where Edgar had grabbed him by the shirt. "Some saviour you are to treat me like this."
Edgar released Peter and said, "That’s because you don’t listen. Life would be so much easier for you if you simply listened."
Peter backed away from Edgar now that he was freed. "Just kill me and get it over with. Speaking to you makes my chest feel tight. I am too old for this, Edgar. You are too old for this!"
"Old?" Edgar repeated, feeling insulted.
A small sound similar to the squeak a mouse would make left Peter’s lips.
It was only now that Peter looked at the men standing behind Edgar and noticed something horrifying.
It wasn’t the sight of the prince that filled Peter’s body with fear. No, it was the other young man who bore a striking resemblance to Edgar.
"There’s more than one," Peter muttered, his hands going to his head for his fingers to tug on his hair. "There’s more than one."
"I did nothing to you," Elijah spoke up.
"You look like him!" Peter yelled and pointed to Edgar. "That is enough to be wary of you. I gave your mother the chance to run away from him. The wealthiest man in town marries her with a piece of old wire."
Peter paced back and forth.
If only he had stopped Edgar from getting married that night, then he wouldn’t have children who bore so much resemblance to their father, showing up before him.
Peter gasped when the source of his misfortune came to mind.
"There must have been a curse," Peter softly spoke, but it was loud enough for Edgar to hear it.
"If you speak of a curse, I will shoot you," said Edgar.
"I didn’t believe in it, but it must be the reason you and your children keep finding your way to me. My prince," Peter said, dropping to his knees.
"He’s a dramatic little man," Tyrion commented.
"Is this the family you decided to marry into? This faithful servant of the church and the royal family has been tormented by this man for years. I have already apologised to him and spent my later years doing good. Please free me from him," Peter pleaded.
Peter could only count on the prince to be his saviour. Perhaps he should have gone to the king or the court sooner to tell them of his troubles with Edgar.
"I don’t see a chain attached to you both. You are a free man," said Tyrion.
Peter leaned to the right so he could get a better look at the prince. He couldn’t believe this was the response he got from a royal.
Was there truly no one who could save him from Edgar?
Peter was on the brink of tears. It would not be something new since he had cried before Edgar many times.
"Where is Oliver when I need him?" Peter wondered, speaking of the former guard who hated Edgar.
"You have seen Oliver?" Edgar asked.
"In passing. He is no longer a guard. Not only did you drive me away from Lockwood, but you are so evil that you made Oliver leave town," said Peter.
Edgar knew that wasn’t the case, and it was odd that Peter didn’t know of what happened.
Oliver was meant to marry a lady, though he was in love with a man. Oliver left, leaving behind an angry young woman who spoke down on him every chance she got.
"Get up, Peter. We must speak in private," Edgar said, no longer in the mood for Peter’s ways.
There was always only one dramatic person Edgar liked, and that man had unfortunately passed many years ago.
Peter got up once more. "If you have come here to ask if there is anyone bad in the church, then I assure you, there isn’t."
"It is not good for a priest to lie, Peter. You are here, so your words are wrong," said Edgar.