The Masked prince
Chapter 149: The Marriage

Arthur’s clothes were still clean but Evelyn’s were covered with blood. A few houses in the neighborhood were already informed by Cooper of Oliver’s death. After all, the funeral needed to be done.

So when these people saw the blood on Evelyn’s clothes, they couldn’t help but whisper.

Arthur stared at these people coldly and continued to drag Evelyn with him faster.

Evelyn’s eyes were blank all the while and she didn’t even raise her head to see where they were going.

They finally stopped and Arthur knocked on the door of the house. A moment later, a middle-aged man opened the door and was surprised to see Arthur.

He had also got to know of Oliver’s death only a few moments ago so he was surprised to see Arthur at his gate at such an hour. He frowned when he noticed that young girl standing beside him and asked

"Arthur, what is it? Does your family need some help?"

"Village chief, I hope you are aware of my brother’s death."

The village chief nodded his head and his eyes were filled with sympathy. Just a few years ago, a boy got injured and his legs were disabled. Gianna and Cooper were already recovering from this grief and now came this.

The village chief couldn’t help but sigh when he thought this.

"Village chief, my brother had married a few days back if you remember."

The village chief nodded his head again. Yes, Oliver and his parents came to his house a few days ago with a girl and they signed the marriage certificate.

Village chief’s eyes went to the girl standing beside Arthur again and he frowned as if wondering if she was the same girl. But her head was lowered so he was not sure and her clothes were also covered with blood. The village chief frowned when he noticed this.

Arthur stared at him coldly when he saw the Village chief looking at Evelyn. He held Evelyn’s hand more tightly and dragged her behind himself slightly as he continued

"Village Chief, I would like to talk to you about something alone."

The Village chief was still confused about Arthur’s visit but nodded his head. He opened the gate wider and allow Arthur to step inside his house.

Arthur made Evelyn sit on a chair placed in the house yard and walked with Village Chief to a corner. He could see Evelyn from the spot he was standing. Her head was still lowered and she was staring at the ground blankly.

Arthur took away his eyes reluctantly and said to Village Chief.

"Village Chief, my mother is very shocked by my brother’s death and she blames Evelyn whom my brother married."

Village Chief blinked and understood within a moment what was going on. He sighed and shook his head as he said

"This is wrong. What is the girl’s fault?"

The village Chief remembered the girl Oliver and his family had brought a few days ago to his home. Since Evelyn rarely stepped out of the house, he had not seen her before. That was the first time he had seen her.

But the girl was beautiful and her smile was very comforting. She was sensible and took care of Oliver when he was facing difficulty in sitting down because of his legs.

He had thought that Gianna and Cooper had found a gem for their son who was disable so he couldn’t help but feel pity for the girl when he heard Arthur.

Arthur continued a moment later

"Before my brother died, he had asked me to take care of Evelyn. Village Chief, I want to marry Evelyn so that I can take care of her."

Village Chief was shocked and looked at Arthur as he said

"Arthur...this is..."

He couldn’t even finish before Arthur spoke up

"Isn’t there a tradition that a man can marry his brother’s widow if he wishes but it should be before his brother’s funeral? Village Chief, my brother’s funeral is yet to be done so I wish to marry Evelyn to take care of her and give peace to my brother’s soul."

Village Chief was still trying to digest whatever Arthur was saying when Arthur presented a paper in front of him and said

"This is the betrothal papers signed by Evelyn’s parents. It mentions that Evelyn would marry my parents’ son but it doesn’t marry which son it should still be of help."

Gianna and Cooper were not even aware that this paper was with Arthur. He had stolen it a few days after Oliver married Evelyn. He had wanted to steal them before their marriage so that the marriage wouldn’t happen but things were not in his favor and he never got such a chance.

Fortunately, he carried this paper with him always and hence he could bring them out for the Village Cheif to see them now.

The village Chief took the papers and looked at Arthur again as he asked

"Your parents..."

"They are grieving. I am afraid that my mother will try to harm Evelyn in her anger. To save her, I first need to marry her so that I can stand by her side and protect her."

The village Chief still didn’t look convinced so Arthur said

"I am sixteen Village Chief. I can take my marriage decisions on my own since I have already crossed the marriageable age."

Village Chief couldn’t help but agree after this. In the end, he looked towards Evelyn who looked completely distraught by Oliver’s death, and said

"Alright, you stay here. I will go and write the marriage certificate."

He went inside his room without even asking for Evelyn’s will.

That was the village tradition after all. Evelyn was a girl. Her will didn’t matter ...especially with the betrothal papers Arthur carried with himself. Those betrothal papers were equal to the fact that Evelyn’s parents had given her to Arthur and his family since they were already dead.

Now it was this family which decided what to become of Evelyn.

The Village Chief returned after a few moments and saw Arthur standing in front of Evelyn and cleaning her blood-covered shoes with a cloth.

He was surprised but then thought that it was good. It seems that he was doing right.

Thinking this, he gave the certificate to Arthur and said

"Sign it and make her sign it as well."

Arthur nodded his head and immediately signed with the brush Village Chief gave him. He then put the paper in front of Evelyn but Evelyn didn’t move at all and continued to stare at the paper blankly.