Ian was in his bedchamber when he heard the door open and Easton walked in with a sigh.
"I have a feeling your father is not going to be able to stay away from you for long." he said as he collapsed on Ian's bed.
"Hmm." Ian replied rather absentmindedly, his feet dangling carelessly out the window.
"You do know that you should really stop doing that Ian, how many times do we all have to tell you that is dangerous?" Easton asked frowning.
"Danger is only in the mind my friend." he replied swiftly jumping from the window back into his chambers.
"Right... I guess we have to wait till the day you finally fall out of your window before you listen." Easton scoffed.
"What were you saying about my father?" Ian asked.
"I was saying that your dear father is going to be unable to stay away for too long." Easton replied as he heard some rustling sounds coming from the window.
"I never expected him to be able to stay away this long." Ian laughed as a moment later someone jumped into his chambers through the window.
"Are you mad?!" Easton shouted as he felt like he almost had an heart attack.
"No, the person who is mad is you." the man replied as Ian simply laughed.
"Ian, can you tell your friend to stop climbing in through people's windows like a criminal?" Easton cried.
"Well Ian, would you please tell your chief guard that I do not listen to people who leave their friends to suffer at the hands of a mad man who decides to pick up a fight with them at the tavern!" the man replied grudgingly.
"Oh the two of you stop it, you always argue like this." Ian simply replied as he sat down on an armchair.
"We would not if Easton stopped prioritizing you instead of the rest of us!"
"What do you mean by that? My entire obligation is to prioritize Ian not anyone else, especially not you!" Easton spat out.
"Alright, alright, that is enough you two." Ian yawned, he knew that if he did not stop them now, they would continue arguing through the night.
"Now, that was truly a nasty bruise you got there Eddie." Ian said sympathetically.
"I know right?! That insane man just went straight for me, and to make it worse he punched me in the face can you imagine?!" Edward exclaimed.
"Oh my poor face, my poor beautiful face." he cried out as Ian laughed and Easton rolled his eyes.
"Oh would you please stop exaggerating, I stepped in before he could actually land some real damage." Easton replied.
"No, if you had stepped in sooner instead of running away with Ian, you could have helped me avoid this!" he insisted.
"Again with the nonsense, can you stop accusing me for your own actions?" Eason asked. "Who knows what you did to the poor man for him to attack you in such a manner."
"I did nothing, absolutely nothing!!!" Edward argued feeling betrayed.
He was about to defend himself more when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching, he swiftly entered into the room adjacent.
Easton who noticed the swift way Edward hid himself followed suit. Getting off the bed he hid in the anteroom.
Mere moments later a knock on the door proceeded. Ian knew who it was at this time.
"Come in." he replied not moving from his seat.
"Good evening my son." Phillip smiled as he walked into the room.
"Good evening father." he replied as Phillip sat down on his bed.
"How have you been?" he asked.
"Well, and how have you been father?" he asked.
"Good, I have missed you." he smiled.
"Hmm." Ian replied.
"So... do you have something to tell me son?" Phillip asked, he could not sound as more suggestive as he did in the moment.
"Something like what?" Ian asked.
"I do not know, like what you have been up to?" he asked.
"Father, if you are speaking of how I have finally found a wife, then you do not have to pretend like Easton has not already informed you." he said as Phillip chuckled.
"Do you blame me my son? You did not tell me anything, I wished for you to be the one to tell me, but I cannot wait any longer." he admitted.
"So tell me, what is she like? Is she beautiful? Do I know her? Do I know her family?" Phillip did not waste time at all, he instantly swamped Ian with several questions.
"She is beautiful father, very beautiful, however, you do not know her, but you do know her family." Ian replied smiling.
"Wonderful, wonderful, when will I meet her? When is the wedding?" Phillip asked.
"All in due time father, I will tell you our plans for the wedding when you finally meet." Ian replied.
"I cannot wait, do you love her?" Phillip smiled as Ian's expression became cold.
"No." he replied.
"Do not tell me that you are just marrying her so your title will not be revoked?" Phillip asked concerned.
"That is a contributing factor, however, I am marrying her because I feel that now is the time for me to settle down." Ian replied.
"I see, but you know what I say son, a relationship without love will never work out, believe me, I speak from experience." Phillip said seriously.
"Yes father, I know fully well that you are a man of experience." he smiled.
"But believe me when I say, I know what I am doing."
"Alright my son, I leave you to it." Phillip smiled as he got up.
"Goodnight my son, sleep well, dream peacefully and allow your heart to be at rest." he said as he gave Ian a kiss on the forehead and on both sides of his cheek.
"Goodnight to you too father, may your life be as the mighty elm." Ian replied as Phillip smiled at him before taking his leave.
"I cannot believe your father still comes here to kiss you goodnight like he did when you were younger." Edward laughed stepping out of his hiding place.
"What can I say? He is a man of habit." Ian replied as Easton stepped out.
"You definitely do not like it when he kisses you like that." Edward laughed.
"I have told him countless times that I have grown out of it, yet he continues to do it." Easton laughed, Ian truly sounded annoyed.
"Looks like I just missed my uncle." a man laughed as he walked into Ian's chambers.
"Ahh Fallon, finally you're here, what makes you so sure his majesty just left?" Edward laughed.
"Ian's face scrunches like that when he's just been kissed." Fallon laughed.
"Very funny Fallon, you should have arrived sooner so he could kiss you as well." Ian replied.
"Oh please no, I purposely avoided him." Fallon replied sitting on the chair opposite Ian.
"Speaking of which, Ian, you never told me you finally found a wife?!" Edward exclaimed.
No one else looked surprised, which made him even more upset.
"Oh no! Do not dare tell me that I was the only one unaware?!" he shouted.
"What do you expect me to say? Yes." Fallon replied.
"I am very sure that blabbermouth Easton is who informed you." Edward accused.
"Hey, who are you calling a blabbermouth?!"
"You Easton, at least you should have blabbered to the right person, me!" Edward said. Easton rolled his eyes.
"You would definitely be the last person I blabber to."
Edward hmphed and focused his attention on Ian.
"So tell me, who is she? Do I know her?" Edward asked very interested.
Everyone else was silent. Ian clearly did not want to answer him, so he turned to Fallon and Easton who both avoided his gaze.
"What is with the silence? Who is it?" he asked suspiciously.
"Fallon, you tell me." he said.
"I will, but you are not going to like it." he replied.
"It depends, who is it?" he asked as he was met with silence yet again.
"Is it Pippa?" he asked.
"Certainly not!" Fallon replied indignantly.
"Then tell me who it is so I can stop speculating?" he demanded.
"It is Viscount Dariel Rivethans' daughter."
A defeating silence fell in the room. Edward squinted his eyes surprised by what he had just heard.
"Angelica Rivethans?" he asked as Easton nodded.
"Alright, this makes no sense, why her of all women in the kingdom?" he asked.
"Secondly, when did you even meet her Ian?" Edward turned to face him, his expression clearly showing that he would not accept any explanation below what he deemed acceptable.
Ian sighed knowing fully well that he would be unable to get out of this one without answering the questions thrown at him.
"Oh no, do not you dare give me that face, you are going to explain everything to me now!" Edward demanded. "Because you have just thrown yourself into a whole heap of trouble being involved with that family." the graveness of his tone was unmistakable.