As he waited for the Duke's answer, he steeled his heart as best he could to not show even a second of hesitation. It was expected every child with capable magic past seven to attend, but due to his circumstance he had received special permission to stay within the residence, but now he took it all back. He wasn't sure how the Duke would react, but he needed to hold his ground.
It felt like the Duke's gaze was piercing through him, a glare reserved for an enemy rather than a son. "You intend to partake in the hunt after all?" He asked, each word he said was the same volume as the last, but to Isaac it felt like his voice was louder than thunder itself.
Unwavering, he took a step closer. "If Father permits. After all, if Lady Belle and sister Penelope were under house arrest, the only other people being mother and myself, it would cause her distress." He tried to reason, knowing that the other wives with children under the age of seven would still attend.
Stroking his chin, the Duke thought for a second. "Yet you believe taking her to the royal hunt would not distress her?" He retorted, making the blonde swallow, his mouth feeling incredibly dry. He had a point, regardless of whether she was at the estate or hunt, she'd be distressed regardless.
"Compared to being with her son's attacker, I'm sure mother would prefer to be out at the royal palace and being at least close to her daughter, rather than her completely gone and no one else to ensure her otherwise for weeks." He had the upper hand, he thought as he saw the Duke close his eyes and begin walking out the door, beckoning him to follow by his body language.
Once outside the room, they continued their walk, the destination unknown as he stayed a few feet behind. "I presume you are aware I'll need to alert the royal family about your presence now, along with the seventh wife's," the Duke begun, meaning he had considered his options and viewed his argument to be solid enough, regardless of the actual reasonings behind it.
"How do you intend to make it up to them for being so rude and changing your mind right before the hunt?" He questioned, this time, Isaac knew he had him. The Duke was a man of mystery, even to him, but he knew that when facing him the number one thing to do was be confident, but know your place.
Running up in front of him, he kneeled down on one knee, one hand touching the floor as he lowered his head, the other knee up where his arm was rested on. "I will take an oath, I will bring back the largest animal and protect my younger sister. If I fail to do so, I will never participate in the royal hunt again, and give up my chance at succession of the Argyris title." He dared not raise his head as he heard the Duke stop, but he could practically feel the wide grin on his face.
He heard clapping, but still didn't raise until given permission. "You're aware that bringing back the largest animal means not only beating all your siblings, but myself and the royal family?" The Duke asked.
Only this time the boy gave his own grin, identical to that his father's, perhaps one a little crazier. He was known as a beautiful doll if you observed him from a distance with a normally unmoving resting face, even in dire situations. This expression truly did not fit him. "I do not fear the outcome of loss. I already know I'm going to win, I'm an Argyris."
His siblings were easy, as long as he promised to entertain them some other way, or manipulated them, he was sure they were of little problem. Even the royal family meant nothing. The only person he had to watch out for was the Duke himself, and Theia who was dragged into this villain's mess.
"You will swear this oath on the day of the royal hunt itself in front of everyone. Your sister will remain with me during the hunt to assess her magic affinity. You may follow me, but do not touch my prey." He decided, the two came to a decision that benefitted both parties, close enough to which they wanted.
"Thank you, father." He returned to his normal blank faced self and begun walking back to his mother's room. He had to stay with her the rest of the night to ensure she was safe for his piece of mind, and watch after her sister in case any other person tried to take her after the Duke had basically said he was interested in her after dinner.
It was barely a few steps, only to be stopped by one single sentence that sent shivers down his spine unwillingly. "When she wakes up, tell Cyrille that her daughter may be a beast tamer. Not like the kind of beast tamer people claim her as, but a genuine one."
He wasn't sure if he felt disgusted from the casual way the Duke spoke his mother's name, nor if he was scared at the way he said it. His mother was a beast tamer, everyone had seen it earlier, the flesh eating wolves were friendly with her and tried to console her. His mother didn't claim anything, there was genuine proof she could tame beasts.
He balled his fists and dismissed himself, still mulling over what he said. A real beast tamer? His mother was the last beast tamer left after the incident, even the other wives whispered about it during dinner, was he trying to trick him? No, he wouldn't go this far. The only truth he would received would be from his mother's mouth.
If his mother isn't actually a beast tamer, then just what was her magic? And if she truly weren't, how could Theia be one?