ALXINFIELD, Venningham Hall, Year 079 Y.D.
The night granted Ilayan's most peaceful sleep in three years. Perhaps it is because of the exhaustion from the events that welcomed him the very moment he returned or because of the warmth and soothing scent from the person in his arms. The moment he closes his eyes, there is only his even breathing until the morning arrives.
"I supposed you are already aware of the reason why I summoned you here." Hugo shifts his gaze from the parchment in his hand to the closing mahogany door.
Ilayan is unresponsive, walking toward him. He stands firm. As soon he finished his breakfast with Eri and Laya, a groom in white livery delivered his father's summon. He eyes the Duke sitting in a well-carved wooden chair inside the familiar study of which scholarly tapestry has not changed even after the past years—only the books gathered on the shelves increased. For all the possible reasons the Duke can have, he is now more certain that it will be none other than his marriage.
But now that he had the knowledge about his father's goal, he had already generated his own thought that he believes can keep him away from being passive and overwhelmed as he was yesterday.
Aside from Eri, another person came into his mind—Kamryn. Perhaps because he was too young back then, nor they had ever talked about it after. The memory was also blurry and had long been buried in his mind, but now that the topic of marriage surfaces, he finally remembered that summer after he turned ten years old.
The sun dominantly owned the azure skies back then and the winds brave the wide racing ground of the royal estate. There was the innate arrogance of men in his smile as he rode his mount, faster than the other noble children and the five princes; from the second, third, to the sixth. And that time, aside from the princesses and seith princes, young ladies and nobles were also watching their race. One of them was a child younger and a head shorter than him, yet among the blushing and whispering young nobles, he was the one courageous enough to approach and give Ilayan his embroidered handkerchief, and the only one who saw Ilayan even when he was only a son of a concubine.
The first and last time they had met.
"Didn't I have a marriage contract with the seith from the House of Tudor? I see no significance in your insistence that I wed one more, father. As you had said before, the young master Kamryn is a virtuous person, he is more clever than most of his age, a beauty of Alxinfield and he came from a noble household. We match well, can't you wait until he turns twenty as to what we had agreed according to the Empress Dowager's order?"
"He is a seith Ilayan," glaring at him, Duke Hugo reminds. "And the Empress Dowager can't interfere with the marriages of the noble households, we cannot refuse his matchmaking with the child of Tudor out of filial piety and courtesy but she can't decide whether you'll take the seith as a concubine or main consort. It will be more proper if you take a woman as the main wife instead of a seith that is no more different than a man aside from being able to bear children."
"I will not. I never liked women nor can I be in an intimate relationship with them. Do not force this on me, father," Ilayan says sternly. For years, he had openly confessed his preference, only to be treated blindly by his father. "I am sure that this is not a conversation of gender. Now that I serve a purpose, do you think you can use me in your desire for power?"
"That is enough!" Hugo snaps. "I know I was not a good father to you, but I am not doing this for my own benefit. Leading a war does not make you the most invulnerable person in this Empire, Ilayan. And that seith? The seith of Tudor is born by a concubine, how can he match your status as the heir of this household?"
"Status?" Ilayan echoes, breaking the calm atmosphere in the study. He inhales to restrain his rising temper, but to no avail. Since childhood, he was oblivious of the political matters that can even dictate his marriage, but now that it is being dumped into him and he is left with no choice but to bend his back, makes him feel like he is no different from a tool. And there is still Eri and Laya. He is already content, wanting no more than a simple family, but he is born a noble, and he hates that he might become the reason for their hearts to break.
"That damned status!" he repeats, plastering the serious look on the Duke's face. "Why does that even matter? I already have a family with Erin and I have longed been in agreement with Kamryn that we will be wedded. What else do you want?"
The duke eyes him sternly, contrary to Ilayan's outburst, he did not counter his words with the same intensity, and although his anger is visible in his sharp glare and clutching fist, he remains calm and unmoved, inhaling deeply. "I will be frank to you, as long as your brother and his wife are in this household, you will not be able to protect your own family. I assume that you know what I am talking about. Your brother is greedy for power and I can only blame myself for that, the more reason that I cannot give him the Dukedom. If so, he will soon eye your military power and have it for himself. If that time comes, where will you get the power to protect yourselves from the enemies you made yourself? And status, if only you know how important it is for you to keep yourself alive and well!" the Duke says, mastering his impatience. "You cannot have the seith of Tudor as your main consort, his family's background is somehow inferior to Lady Sariah. Your brother's wife will not be restrained by him, especially since she is a sister-in-law to a prince. You understand this properly Ilayan, your main consort will be the one responsible for this household in the future, you need someone you can trust and a person with power and competence to keep your household unharmed even if you are away. That is why I advise you to marry a woman. Women are keen and sharp, the battle of wits is their territory, place a woman in charge of your household and she will make sure that no one can destroy your home. They can do a better job than seiths."
Ilayan stands in silence, aside from the Duke's latter statement which he pretended not to hear, the words are familiar to him, for not long ago Rionne also said something similar. He did not completely understand his words yesterday, but now, he gradually realizes how little he is for the power, duties, and reputation that he carries. The fact that Eri and Laya were even deprived of the privileged of homing in the inner buildings; the abuse they had when he was away. And the frustrating truth that he cannot be slightly unguarded even from his brother makes the place where he stands clearer.
"You will wield a greater power than me in the future, Ilayan. Whether you wanted it or not, you will be involved with the schemes of your brother and his wife, the attacks of other noble households, and even the power struggle of the Princes. All of these, and you still have to defend the realm as a general and inevitably spend months or years on the battlefield. You can't cover the sky with your palms alone. That is why you need to consider the matter of marrying the main consort now that there are still many available marriage candidates."
"You can't convince me to marry a woman," closing his eyes tightly, Ilayan says. "Forgive me father, but let me have some time to ponder things through," he bids his exit.
He walks decisively, yet his mind wavers. It is his passion to lead an army and defend the realm against the other empires since when was young; the heroic stories that his mother would tell him every time he goes to bed and the admiration he had for his father before. He is certain that he will not be forever in the capital and a situation like Gedeva might occur again in the future. And although he despises that he had to capitulate to the pressure of his identity, he admits that he needs someone to be in charge of the household for him.
It doesn't have to be a woman, not only because of his preference, but he knows—more than anyone—a person that he can trust and a person that can be his confidant against the backhouse, the greedy wolves that covets his military power, and the one who can also treat Eri and Laya fairly. Sharp, keen, and deep-minded.
But to him, the most important reason is that the person is someone who he can also cultivate a husband and wife relationship with. An oath that he made to never be like his father, treating his spouses as tools and leaving them in yearning for the love of a husband.
That person—the Seventh Prince, Rionne.
—End of Chapter—
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