A FEW WEEKS AGO
" It was love at first sight Mr. Kent." Earl Ferdinand stated simply.
"Love at first sight is lust My Lord. I want my daughter to marry for love. Her joy matters the most to me." Hilton Kent replied with gritted teeth.
"By all means Mr. Kent. Kyler is going to be the Earl of Xentael soon. You know as much as I do of Xentael's prosperity. Rest assured, my son will give her all the happiness beyond what she has ever experienced." Earl Ferdinand explained triumphantly.
At the Earl's words Hilton's jaw tightened. Did the man really think that he would hand his only daughter; the only reason he was still sane to him because he thought his son could offer her a better life? If that was his thinking then he was in for a rude shock.
" I propose we have a joint celebration of Kyler's ascension to power and his wedding to your daughter, what do you say to..."
Hilton stopped him with a wave of his hand. At this point when his daughter's happiness was at stake he didn't care the least if he was being rude.
"Leave my estate this instant Ferdinand." Hilton said as he pulled the reluctant earl out of the couch and gave him a light push out his nostrils flaring.
Ferdinand's guards drew their weapons, ready to defend their master.
"Stand down guards. Mr. Kent is in no way a threat to me." Earl Ferdinand said, a confident smirk on his old face and underestimation clear in his voice, and turning to Hilton;
"You seem to have forgotten how you built this estate that has gotten into your head Mr. Kent."
Hilton knew what he was referring to, but he was not going to let the old man blackmail him.
"Your treachery won't work against me. Am no longer as helpless as you think. I took your advice and worked my way up and so I'm paying you whatever I was supposed to pay back then right now."
"We had a deal Hilton. I am not interested in money now or ever, I just want your daughter as a wife for my son."
"Enough!" Hilton almost cried out loud before giving Earl Ferdinand a push out .
What had he just done? Throwing a respected Earl out of his house so rudely! And where on earth will he suddenly get that tremendous amount of gold coins and other resources to repay what Earl Ferdinand had generously offered him back then when he had been in dire need of money.
Hilton looked out the window. He could see Earl Ferdinand's carriage leaving his compound. He knew the old man's persistence. It surely wouldn't be long before he came back for what he had asked for. Being a noble rich man, Earl Ferdinand may have always gotten whatever he wanted for himself or his family, but Hilton wasn't going to let him take away his daughter. He would rather hide her somewhere safe. But where exactly?
Earl Ferdinand would readily empty his vaults in search of Gianna. He was known to have a good relationship with Queen Mazarine and as such no place in Ailton was inaccessible to him.
Isabella joined him at the window. She gently rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. Hilton always found it uncomfortable whenever she did that, he was already grown up man! Not the mischievous little boy she was fond of.
"Despite the circumstances, you shouldn't have treated Ferdinand as you did." He said looking up at him.
His mother didn't seem to understand what he was going through at all. He slowly removed her hand from his shoulder and went to his room.
As he lay on his bed he let his mind take him back in years. He had saved Earl Ferdinand's life, though his wife Countess Levine had died after they had tried to venture across the Devil's Peak. Luckily, Xentael's heir Kyler had been left at home in the care of their servants.
Hilton had attended to Earl Ferdinand and nursed him back to health and stability, although a few scars on his face and arms were inevitable; after all, they had been attacked by strong marauding lions.
As a token of gratitude for his healing, Earl Ferdinand had asked Hilton not to pay him the collosal amount of coins and resources that he owed him.
"My Lord, I am making arrangements on how to pay you what I still owe." Hilton had started.
"No need Mr. Kent. I consider you an ally. I am sure u'll maybe sometime in the future help me as well."
"I hope you won't take any more dangerous trips across the Devil's Peak; you know you nearly met your end last time." Hilton warned him jokingly. He had indeed lost a lot of blood and it took the best efforts of Hilton and Isabella to heal him.
"That was an awesome adventure." Ferdinand smiled.
Awesome adventure? His wife had died leaving their son in his care and he had nearly died too.
"U'll surely help me in some other way then." He wore a serious expression this time.
"That's very unlikely My Lord. I am but a healer from a family that has no history of being rich enough to help someone noble." Hilton reminded him.
"Forget your family's past. No one becomes successful in the past. Just start where you're, using what you have and doing what you can."
Hilton was surprised. The man liked to jest, but there was more in him apart from his jokes it seemed.
"Am humbled by your words My Lord. If fortune favors me; I would be happy to return your kindness in double measure."
Years after their talk, Earl Ferdinand payed Hilton a visit. Kyler had had a glimpse of Gianna attending to a sick servant in the castle while attending the monarch's summit held in the Kingshill Citadel in the company of his father. It was love at first sight for him- or so Ferdinand believed. He had then proceeded to make his son's wants known to Hilton,but he had received an outright no!
His head throbbed in pain. He was in a dilemma.
One night Gianna had failed to come back home from the castle. Hilton was disturbed. Why did he even allow her to continue working with Earl Ferdinand's threats looming everywhere?
He had looked for her everywhere in their city. She was no where to be found. And when she was found she was unconscious by the river with a few cuts on her body.Lewis had brought her home.
With her return came threats from an anonymous person. Sealed with blood; Gianna's blood!
Hilton felt his head spin. He had never in his life been so scared. Why was Ferdinand so ungrateful? Ailtonians believed a grateful dog is better than an ungrateful human. How true, he thought.
Did Kyler really love his daughter?
But again love should never be used as weapon to control someone.
He found it hard to accept that his once trustworthy friend was blackmailing him.
Blackmail was aggravating in normal circumstances, but far worse when it came from a long time friend.