24 XXIII. The Visitors

Magnus was looking at himself in the mirror as he was trying to tie his cravat. But it would seem that the bloody thing refused to let him do anything to it. He sighed before his valet was arching his eyebrow at him.

"If I may, my lord," he said before Magnus was giving his valet a chance to make sure that his cravat was in place before meeting his grandmamma and his brothers after a week of his marriage.

"Well, I would know—" his speech was being cut when his wife was coming into the dressing chamber. Her auburn hair was being arranged into a neat chignon with her tiara glittering on her head.

"You're not ready yet, my love?" Casey asked before she dismissed the valet before he can tie Magnus' cravat.

"Why did you send him away? I have to tie this and I don't know how to do it," he said before Casey laughed and went to stand in front of him.

"I don't want him to see that I was trying to kiss my husband before we're meeting his family again after our marriage. I don't think that your grandmamma would approve if I do that," her grey orbs were glistening with mischief before Magnus shook his head.

"You're loving these, aren't you?" Magnus asked his wife before Casey smirked at him.

"Don't you know it already? I will always do what I want anyway," she said before she settled the cravat against his shirt. Well, that was easy enough, Magnus thought before he was looking at Casey as she was looking at her hands on his chest.

"What it is?" he asked before caressing her cheeks. Casey leaned into his touch as her eyes were wide, looking at him.

"I'm nervous. I hope your family will not take you back to Fiktown to manage the estate," she said before Magnus shook his head.

"No, my grandmother said that it's time for James to step up as the lord of the house. And I was not so sure how to manage it as well," Magnus said as he shrugged.

"Being that I am not used to be a lord in my previous life," he said before Casey shook her head.

"You're born into this. I know you might feel different but you will always be Lord Magnus Flemington, Earl of Kensington from Fiktown," his wife said before he chuckled.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence,"

"Now," Casey said as she was brushing her skirt and patting her hair into place, making sure that tiara was alright, "Let's go and meet them,"

They went out of the dressing chamber before they headed toward the painting room, giddy to meet their family once more.

*****

Lady Ashley Flemington was looking around the painting room before she wrinkled her nose. She can see that her choice for Magnus was more than she could expect. I made a very good match, after all, she thought before her eyes were settling on James and William.

Her other two grandsons that she did not manage to get them to settle down yet.

But again, she already had an idea for James and it was according to plan. Lady Ashley wasn't so sure if James would feel grateful for her or he would rebel against him. Any outcome, she would be expecting it from her second grandson.

Then, her eyes were focusing on her third and last grandson. She can see that Will was not willing to be tied down for he would rather have spent his time in Hamptor as a scholar there or perhaps become a dean to teach the younger generations.

But Lady Ashley has sworn that she would see her grandsons to be well cared for and married before she left this world. And she did not have time to think about the consequence when Magnus and Her Royal Highness Princess Christy were walking inside the painting room, ready to greet them.

Lady Ashley set her teacup down before she rose from the chair as well as James and Will before they bowed to the princess.

"My lady," her grandsons said before Lady Ashley curtsied.

"My lady,"

"Oh, please. Don't be so formal. We're family now and I hope that you will treat me as a family member, not as royal," Princess Christy said before they all looked at each other.

"And please, call me Casey," the princess said before James and Will looked at Magnus. He shrugged before Lady Ashley was walking toward the princess.

"Then, let me the first to welcome you into the family, Casey," she said before the princess lighted up and hugged her.

Now, this was something that she could not get used to but perhaps little by little, Lady Ashley will get used to the familial relationship between the princess and her.

Only she can hope for it in the future.

*****

Casey was sipping on the champagne that was served when they were taking luncheon together. The king and queen, her parents, as well as the crown prince were gathered around the dining table.

The queen was talking with Lady Ashley and her brothers-in-law; James and Will were looking at Chad as if he would attack them.

Perhaps they never saw him up close.

Magnus was sipping on his drink before he put his hand on her knee. Casey turned to look at her husband before smiling shyly. As if she would ever be shy with her husband when the images of her wanton need were flashing across her mind.

She saw that someone was talking to her before she blinked her eyes and cleared her throat. Casey put down her drink before turning to look at James.

"Pardon?" Casey said. James chuckled before he turned to look at Magnus. Her husband was ignoring his brother.

"I was wondering if you would invite us to the Tempest Ball this year, my lady? I would sure like to get to know Red Cast more than a monthly visit with grandmamma," James said before he was sipping on his wine. Casey smiled.

"Well, if you insist to come, I must say that it will be a delight to have all of you over," Casey said before James was smiling and Will was shaking his head.

"Come on, Will. You don't know if you will enjoy the ball if you're not here," Magnus said to his brother. Will sighed.

"I don't know if I can leave Hamptor at that time. I have so many things to be done there during that time," Will said before Chad snorted.

"Busier than spending some time with family? That is something new," her brother said before Casey glared at him. The crown prince rolled his eyes at her before he was focusing on the beef that he was cutting.

"I'll see what I can do," Will said before Casey smiled. Then, her father cleared his throat and addressed everyone across the table.

"A toast for the newlyweds. May they prosper and hopefully, the babe is on the way," the king said before Casey felt her face heated by his proclamation.

"My love, you shouldn't embarrass our daughter. I'm sure they will enjoy their life together and hopefully, Magnus will settle into his new role at court," the queen said before Magnus and Chad turned to look at them.

"New role at court?" Chad asked their parents before the crown prince was looking at Casey. She shrugged for she never thought that her husband will have a seat in the court. Perhaps they wanted Magnus to know about the court of Caga if anything happened to Chad.

Casey shivered before she sent a prayer to the Lord to protect her brother.

"Yes. Your new role as well as Casey. I think it is important for her to know the court as well as having a supportive husband in that. You know how politics is," the queen said before she squeezed her beloved's hand. The king smiled.

"Now, that's settled. Any news you bring for us, Chad? Any gently bred lady that caught your fancy?" her father asked before Chad was choking on his meat. Casey smirked before she was trying to disguise it. Chad turned to look at the king, horrified that he would address the issue when there were guests among them.

"The marriage market is a big one to navigate, father. I'm sure I will find someone that is suitable for my station," he said before the king arched his eyebrow.

"Well, if you need any help in that prospect—"

"I don't need anything. Just...give me some time. I need to know the lady first before I introduce her to you," Chad said before he was sipping on the champagne.

"It would seem that you already have your sight on someone, son," the king said before he sipped on the champagne as well. Chad has nothing to say.