At Tartal Palace
Aphelion was requested to meet his elder brother, King Einar. He left his work at his office for he was requested to meet the king for an unknown reason, Aphelion feels something is smell fishy. As he walked to the hallway of Tartal Palace, his feelings is getting more and more uncomfortable. Yes, he was doing his paper works inside Tartal Palace. Even though he is a grand duke of Andigre Kingdom and has his dukedom, the king never lets him go stay at his mansion until he is married same with their younger brother Archduke Ophelion. They are all still living under the same roof with the king, not until they got married.
They could do the works of their dukedom, they could visit theirs but, not for a long time. That's how the king rules his two younger brothers, by playing unreasonable jokes on them. But, the two understood their elder brother well. They know how will the king feel when they all get married for they were living under the same since they were infants.
As Aphelion arrived at the receiving hall, Raven let him inside where he saw King Einar and duke Lennon Callascion, his beloved master. As he walked in, his heart suddenly beat faster for an unknown reason. As he greets the two, he couldn't avoid but take a look at duke Lennon and King Einar. As he saw duke Lennon with his usual serious face, and his elder brother, King Einar who have a smile on his face.
'I know that smile, something's not right here.' Aphelion and Ophelion know how mischievous is the king, they know their brother very well, too well that they could feel it in their bones.
"Aphelion"
"Yes, your majesty?"
"I want you to prepare and go to House Callascione tomorrow."
"What do I have to prepare for, your majesty?"
"Prepare for your proposal to ask duke Lennon's daughter's hand in marriage." As King Einar says like it doesn't mean something unimportant, Aphelion couldn't stop himself from reacting as he heard duke Lennon sigh in unbelievable sound.
"What?! What did you say?" As he asked his elder brother, he couldn't stop himself to look at the two. One who looks happy and the other one who looks like he couldn't believe the king's decision.
"I want you to marry Lady Arabella." As king Einar says it, Aphelion feels like something burst inside of him.
"AH- HAHAHA-HA-HA-HA! If this is why you called me out here to make a joke then, I shall excuse myself, your majesty for I have a lot of work to do." Aphelion, as he plans to turn his back, king Einar talked using his commanding tone.
"I am not joking, Grand duke. I want you to marry Lady Arabella of House Callascione." As king Einar uses his tone on Aphelion, Aphelion couldn't stop himself to be serious too. As he hates that his elder brother intervenes in his life.
"I am also not joking, YOUR MAJESTY." King Einar knows his two siblings. If he can control Ophelion then, that's the opposite of Aphelion. Aphelion hates to be controlled or commanded. He knows Aphelion can kill anyone this instant including him.
"Tell me the reason why you don't want to get married?" King Einar
"And tell me the reason why are you doing this to me?" Aphelion
"You are off the calendar now, Aphelion. Already in your mid-thirties and you're still not married." As he says his reason, Aphelion couldn't believe the reason.
"Even if I am off the calendar, what does it have to do to you? This is not your body and your life." Aphelion couldn't stop himself to get frustrated at his unreasonable brother.
"I told you; they don't like it." Duke Lennon couldn't stop himself not to intervene with the two. He looked at duke Lennon and asked,
"You know this too?"
"Who wouldn't know if there's no secret that couldn't be kept between us." Duke Lennon answered sarcastically, Aphelion knows duke Lennon also doesn't like his brother planned this.
"If you don't want to do what I have told you, I will burn Naese dukedom, myself." Aphelion couldn't believe what his brother said, one thing he knows for sure. King Einar's are truthful, if he says it he'll do it. If he can kill anybody that's the opposite of his brother, his brother can put the entire kingdom in his hands with just his words. Now, that his brother uses his weakness against him he can't do anything but agree. Naese dukedom is the only thing that left their mother before passing away and his brother can do anything in his power to erase Naese. He knows that everything has no purpose for his brother when he feels defied, he doesn't care about anything. That's the reason why Aphelion and Ophelion couldn't say no to whatever he says.
"I will agree if it makes you happy, your majesty." Aphelion has no choice but, to say yes before everything happened before his eyes.
"Good. Prepare everything then, tomorrow we will go to House Callascione together."
"Yes, your Majesty." As Aphelion take his bow, he excused himself and left the receiving hall.
At House of Callascione, Abordien dukedom
"No, father! I don't want to!" Arabella
"You have no choice, Arabella." Duke Lennon
"NO! Even if the king himself asks my hand-in-marriage for that Grand duke!" Arabella couldn't believe the news that her father brought her. She still enjoys her days in Abordien when she was been requested to go back to the Capital for an unknown reason.
"Arabella, you are in your marriageable age."
"Even I am! Father, please I don't want to get married. I am still enjoying my single life!"
"No! My decision is final. You have to get married; you know how I hate to agree to this marriage but, it'll be better to have your own life now with your spouse, Arabella. You'll be safe with him, too." As Arabella left his father in his office with no option, she could only do is to follow his father's final decision. She doesn't want to get married but, maybe destiny brought her in entering to this marriage.