Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Residence of the Duke of Adelaira, Office Room.

The Duke of Adelaira had similar concerns to those of the Marquis of Laird.

They had already reached an agreement, and had promised each other an answer within three days.

But there were no guarantees, and if things went wrong, he would have to look at other noble houses.

Its been two days already, why havent we heard anything?

Theres still a day left, well see.

Robbins Adelaira, patriarch and lord of House Adelaira, replied calmly.

He spoke in his usual manner, but inside he was quite nervous and anxious.

If the Marquess of Laird did not accept the betrothal, he would have to find a less desirable Marquis or Earl of lesser rank.

I heard you made generous terms?

Generous terms, indeed. I promised that if any harm came to your son, I would annul the marriage immediately, and I would pay a large sum of money in compensation.

Do you think Hanette would agree to an engagement?

Yenid Adelaira, the first wife of Robbins, asked, looking worried.

Yenid didnt want to marry her daughter in this way.

But she was reluctantly forced to take the extraordinary step because, at some point, because of her daughters drinking and gambling.

She may drink and gamble, but shes never hit or killed anyone, and I wouldnt have forgiven her if shed let a man near her but she didnt, she knows her limits.

But when she drinks too much, she gets wild, and if she lays a hand on him

There will be maids and knights, and they wont be sleeping together until the wedding.

Im sure he wont be too happy if Hanette stays out too much.

She wont do anything stupid. Shes always got an escort, so you dont have to worry about that.

Robbins didnt like what his eldest daughter was doing, but he couldnt turn a blind eye.

She was his blood, and she was a means of extending the familys influence.

Although she might be called a Crazy, she hadnt done any evil deeds, and she had been surprisingly quiet in the manor.

Have you considered other families?

Of the marquises, the Lairds are the best of the lot, the others are either pompous or lacking in dignity.

Robbins had chosen carefully, given the prestige of the Duke.

The mere rejection was a blow to his pride, and the very idea of proposing an engagement for such a Crazed young lady was laughable.

He wanted to ensure his eldest daughters hand in marriage at once, so he approached the Marquess first.

What do you think of an earl?

He wont give us a decent one, even if its from a good family. There would be allegations of selling her to an earl to get rid of a nuisance, and they might not be able to handle her.

Rumors were widespread in the capital of the Kingdom of Alaine concerning the eldest daughter of the Duke of Adelaira.

A drunken, gambling woman, a beautiful but wilted flower, a noble who abandoned dignity for beauty, a dukes spoilt brat.

Though generally unfavorable, her looks alone had drawn the attention of a few noblemen.

So thats why you chose the Marquis of Laird.

He offered his youngest son as a betrothed. He may not be as good as his brothers, but thats not a problem. Hes a Marquis, and hes from the right family, so he wont be abandoned.

They say its normal, but you dont realise it until you live it.

Things werent always what they seemed like.

Rumours are often full of lies, and people dont reveal their true feelings easily.

I wasnt sure the Marquis youngest son would be any different.

The Marquis isnt that stupid, and theres nothing good about putting troubled people together.

Its possible that the Marquis is trying to use you.

Thats exactly what Im doing, too. Both parties have something to gain from the marriage. If theres a quarrel between the two, our side has the advantage, and thats what being a duke is all about.

Yenid considers for a moment, then nods.

Titles are inherited by blood, but they require wealth and prestige to maintain their power.

For a marriage to be arranged in such a hurry, there had to be a reason.

Perhaps there was something wrong with the other party, or perhaps Sion had committed a grave mistake.

Who will be Sions partner?

The eldest daughter of the Duke of Adelaira.

?

Barchen Laird, eldest son of House Laird, swallows hard and turns his gaze to Sion.

He had a vague understanding of Freds intentions in arranging the marriage.

He must have wanted to take advantage of Sions presence somehow.

Sion. I apologise for not consulting you, but accept it, thats all I can say.

Fred looked at Sion with a solemn expression on his face.

Sion, on the other hand, simply sipped his tea in a relaxed manner.

So I when is the wedding?

The wedding is later. We decided to have an engagement ceremony first.

Oh is that so?

Karlz replies cautiously, then realizes what he means about the engagement.

He knows about the crazy young lady, and hes just checking to make sure.

If its all right, theyll go ahead with the wedding, and if theres a problem, theyll get an immediate annulment.

Father, for Sions sake, why dont you reconsider the marriage?

Barchen said politely, with a serious look in his eyes.

It was not unusual for a marriage to take place without a person concerned, but this seemed a bit wrong.

If anything, he would have been less disappointed if he had chosen the Earls young lady as his mate.

I understand your concern for your brother. But the decision has already been made.

I may not understand what your thoughts are, but I ask that you reconsider the marriage of Sion.

Fred was inwardly satisfied, but his expression did not change.

Even Lianne remained still, but his eldest son was taking the initiative to break his will.

His reasoning was sound, and he had raised the objection out of concern for Sion.

He was overly upright, but in time he would learn to compromise with reality.

There is no going back. I have already sent a letter to the Duke of Adelaira.

I see.

Kaltz, do you think the same as your brother?

We must do as you suggest, but I fear it will be a little difficult for Sion.

Then will you go in his stead?

Uh thats a bit

Sion has been listening, and he covers his mouth in laughter.

His brothers had been voicing their own objections.

But in the end, they couldnt help but be reluctant to go through with the engagement on his behalf.

Sion, you need not be afraid. Everyone has to have a family one day. It may not be the one you want, but it doesnt matter where they come from or what they look like. Youll get used to it once you start building a family.

Even as he speaks to Sion, he feels somehow strange.

Sion doesnt even show any signs of being disturbed by this.

Instead, he sipped his teacup calmly, as if he had expected it all.

Father, if you can grant my request, I will do as you say.

IF you Like This Novel, please dont forget to Review and Rate it at Novelupdates, so other people know about it too.

You can Support me on KoFi