As the morning sun filters through the covered window Rose finally stirs, only to find herself wrapped up in someone's arms. Immediately she turns her head and finds herself staring into the eyes of the man that she honestly never thought she would ever see again.
Sitting up against the pillows he gently pulls Rose between his legs and reaches for a bowl that is on the table next to the bed. Without saying anything he starts to spoon some of the cooled broth between her lips. When she tries to struggle he merely wraps his legs around her and holds her closer.
"Please, Rose, at least drink the broth."
"Milord, why are you doing this? I am not worth your time. Please, just let me go."
Setting the bowl aside he wraps her gently up in his arms and holds her close. "Rose, I need you. I need you to stay here with me, and I need you to get healthy again. I will do whatever you want me to do, but I cannot let you go again. I will not keep you prisoner though. I am asking you to please stay with me."
"Milord, you bought me last night. I am yours. I will not leave you. I saw the bag of coins that you gave to Sire Christopher, and I know that I was never worth that much, so I will not leave you."
"Rose! I did not buy you! That was a gift to him and his wife for caring for you! That was not a purchase."
Slowly she manages to get out of his arms and she stands up next to the bed. With a sigh she looks down at the nightgown that Mari put on her and she knows that they have seen all her scars. She also knows that he will never again use her the way he did when she was unscarred and untouched. She has to try though. "Milord, please, I know that I am not much to look at, but will you please fuck me? I don't care how you want it, but I ask you to please fuck me."
"Rose, why do you need this? To me you are so much more than a whore. Rose, if I have my way, you will never have to spread your legs for another man as long as you live. Now come back and lay down. Let me take care of you." He is stunned when he sees tears in her eyes but quickly she turns her face from him so he will not see the devastation that his words have brought her.
"Milord, please, I know that I am worth nothing. Please, if you will not let me go back to the tavern, at least let me find some employment someplace else. Otherwise I will have to go back to the docks, and to be honest, I can do it, but looking like I do I will not be able to get enough to support myself. No one wants a whore that is scarred up like I am."
Frustration tinges his voice finally. "Rose, you are not going to be a whore anymore. From now on, I want you to be my wife! That morning after the auction, I was going to ask you, no BEG you to become my wife, but you had already left." She feels his emotions washing over her, but she interprets them as guilt instead of the love that they are. "Please, Rose, please say that you will stay with me."
Finally she sits down on the edge of the bed. "I will stay with you. I will never be good enough for any other man, and you already have seen my scars." There is defeat in her voice. "I will be a maid or some other servant in your house though. I know it is just guilt that makes you say that you want to marry me. If I am a servant in your house, then you can still use my body when you choose, and I cannot say no. Also, if you choose to share me with your friends, I cannot say no then either, because you own me."