37 Marriage is a Political Instrument
Quentin, along with Norman Archibald, Geoffrey Archibald, and five guards from Helferich and Archibald, began to ride away from the riverside area.
The Lord of Helferich wanted to bring Norman Archibald and his son together with the members of the Helferich family who were currently at the inn.
Norman's proposal was good enough, even in line with what Quentin expected from a leader of a great House in Northcrest. By marrying Geoffrey to a woman from the Helferich family, an alliance was indirectly made between the Helferichs and Archibald.
The distance from the soldiers' camp to the inn was not that far, about fifteen minutes of riding on a dirt road surrounded by a vast green savanna.
As Quentin rode along, Norman and Geoffrey took note of the contours of the land and the scenery in the Lanercoast region. It could be said that this was the first time Norman had set foot in a land famous for gold mining and other minerals.
Several times, the idea for a summit had been proposed by Lord Edgar, but Lord Norman had always wanted a meeting on neutral ground, Oakenport.
Arriving at the inn, all the villagers on their activities were surprised by the presence of an entourage of people dressed in luxurious royal shirts, as well as the flags of other Houses outside of the Lanercoast lands.
A green flag with a white wolf emblem in the center. Most people did not know whose flag it was; only a few knew it was the banner of House Archibald.
Quentin was the first to dismount while Norman and Geoffrey were still sitting on their saddles, watching the villagers who were looking at them.
"What are they staring at?" asked Norman sternly.
"Your arrival is a new thing for them. It's only natural that they should keep an eye on you," replied Quentin, hooking the reins to a wooden post to prevent his horse from escaping.
Norman squinted, looking at each face of the villagers who seemed to be staring intently at him.
The middle-aged man sensed a threat in the villagers' expressions, their numbers far outnumbering the guards of House Archibald.
"Are they all right?" asked Norman sarcastically.
"They're fine. Come down from up there so you can see them clearly," Quentin pleaded.
Norman and Geoffrey immediately dismounted. Some of the guard soldiers began to step forward, preventing the crowd from charging forward and potentially injuring Norman and Geoffrey.
"They're used to living in this village, haven't been to the city and all that. I guess it's natural for them to feel strange when there are newcomers from outside," Quentin explained, whispering to Norman.
"Weird people!" complained Norman.
Quentin, along with Norman and Geoffrey, stepped into the inn. In the corridor of the inn, Quentin's eyes witnessed four soldiers guarding two chambers, each chamber guarded by two soldiers.
When they saw Quentin stepping through the inn corridor, they immediately got ready and bowed their heads.
"Where is Lady Arabelle?" asked Quentin.
"She is inside Lady Marcella's chamber, My Lord," replied the soldier.
Quentin cleared his throat. He stepped aside again to open the door to the chamber occupied by Lady Marcella and Princess Mary.
When the door opened, Quentin's eyes saw Lady Marcella sitting on the bed, being helped by Lady Arabelle to drink.
Princess Mary looked back, seeing her brother coming with two other people. Arabelle and Marcella also saw clearly; both of them spontaneously bowed their heads.
Quentin smiled, stretching his hand forward to invite Lord Norman and Lord Geoffrey to enter. They said yes, walked inside, and found the inn room too small for the five people there.
"Let me introduce them to you. He is Lord Norman Archibald and Lord Geoffrey Archibald," Quentin explained.
Not only that, Quentin also explained what Norman and Geoffrey's status was. Arabelle, Marcella, and Mary listened carefully.
Geoffrey's eyes continued to focus on Arabelle, a woman who was quite tall, fair-skinned, with a cold gaze, and distinctive reddish-black hair. She seemed to be the more adult of the two women in this chamber.
Geoffrey bravely walked forward, stepping close to Arabelle, who stood close to Lady Marcella's bed.
"I knew the beauty of your face was fated only for me," Geoffrey praised.
"Thank you, but what is this all about, Lord Quentin?" asked Arabelle, looking frightened as she noticed Geoffrey walking up to her.
"Lord Norman proposes to marry Geoffrey to one of Lord Edgar Helferich's daughters," confirmed Quentin.
"Who is she, Lord Quentin?" asked Geoffrey, pointing at the woman now standing terrified before him.
"She's Lord Edgar Helferich's first daughter, Arabelle Helferich," Quentin replied, smiling.
"Very well. I have decided to marry her," Geoffrey explained.
Although he was older with a bigger body shape than Quentin, but from the nature that Geoffrey showed, it seemed that he still liked the childhood zone and the things that had always been his favorite.
Quentin turned his head to the side, looking at Norman. He saw the man smiling broadly with his eyes closed as if he agreed with Geoffrey's choice.
"Of course. She is beautiful and charming too. I have no objection to her becoming my daughter-in-law," Norman replied.
"But I do, Lord Archibald. She is my wife," Quentin explained firmly.
"But aren't you Edgar's nephew? How can you marry your own cousin?" asked Norman, shocked.
"It seems the rules don't apply when you're in love. Lady Arabelle didn't refuse when I proposed to her," Quentin replied.
"And for your information, Lady Arabelle is now pregnant with my child, our first child," Quentin continued.
"You wouldn't want to marry a pregnant woman, would you?" asked Quentin, looking sarcastically at Norman.
Norman closed his eyes, then let out a long breath. The old man agreed to what Quentin was asking. After all, if Arabelle was already married to Quentin, Norman couldn't mess up their household.
"So, who exactly are you proposing Geoffrey to marry?" asked Norman.
Quentin, who had been watching Norman's face, began to fix his face forward. He focused his eyes on Marcella who currently sat limply on the bed in the inn.
"Lady Marcella Helferich."
Hearing her name mentioned made Marcella confused and startled. She did not expect the name of the woman who would be married to Geoffrey to be her.
"Wait, Quentin. Can we talk for a second?" asked Arabelle, making an intimidating face at Quentin.
Quentin was silent for a moment, then nodded his head. He invited Arabelle to talk to him outside Marcella's room.
Arabelle walked out of the room by pulling Quentin's hand, entered their room, and locked the door.
"What on earth were you thinking, Quentin?!" asked Arabelle, annoyed.
"Marcella is already of marriageable age. I'm just giving her a suitable option," Quentin replied.
"You have no idea what Marcella is like. Don't act like you're our father even though you're the Lord of Helferich!" insisted Arabelle.
"Then, who should I give Marcella in marriage to? Do I give her to a lowly House that will make her live forever in the pigsty they call home!" stated Quentin.
"I have already decided who she will marry. So, stay out of our family business!" threatened Arabelle.
"With whom? Her choice of heart? That's nonsense! She's used to living in a palace; she can't stand living with commoners, and I know it," Quentin insisted.
"Marrying her off to Geoffrey is the best option. I'm Edgar Helferich's representative here, so I will make the decision," Quentin pointed out.
"No, no, no. I will tell—"
Quentin pulled Arabelle's hand firmly when she was about to walk away. He pulled her close until she was right in Quentin's arms.
Without thinking, Quentin kissed Arabelle's sweet and soft lips until it made Arabelle's eyes open in surprise. At that moment, Quentin began to use his mind's ability to manipulate Arabelle's mind.
[Mind Manipulation Ability Has Been Activated]
When Arabelle's eyes saw Quentin's eyes burning bright red, her body began to relax and no longer rebelled. Her mind and subconscious were already bound to the radiance of Quentin's eyes.
"Listen to my words. You will approve the marriage between Geoffrey and Marcella. You must tell them that the marriage between the two of them was planned by Lord Edgar Helferich years ago. Marcella must follow the orders of Edgar Helferich!" Quentin commanded.
Quentin released his kiss on Arabelle's soft lips. The woman seemed to nod with both eyes still bulging. When Quentin thought it was enough, Arabelle blinked her eyes quickly and returned to her original state.
Despite returning, the suggestion that Quentin had given had already been embedded in Arabelle's mind. It was a bit unfortunate, in Quentin's opinion, when Arabelle had to get the influence of mind manipulation.
'I thought she could be persuaded by my words alone, but it seems not. I have to be careful with her from now on,' Quentin said silently.
Arabelle was seen walking out of their room, stepping back to enter Marcella's room. When the door to Marcella's room opened, she saw the eyes of the people in the room focused on her.
"How is it, Arabelle?" asked Marcella.
"The marriage between you and one of Lord Archibald's children was planned years ago by Father. You must accept Lord Geoffrey's proposal," replied Arabelle.
"Is that so? Well, marriage is something that is used for political purposes, not out of love," Marcella stated.
Quentin walked back to Marcella's room. Quentin's arrival became the center of attention of all of them, without exception.
"What did you do to my sister?" asked Marcella fiercely.
"Nothing. I was simply telling her about Edgar Helferich's greatest wish for his children," Quentin replied.
The man walked over to Marcella's bed, then crouched down right in front of the woman who was still sitting limply on the bed, "Your father wanted the best for his children. Marrying one of the children of House Archibald is his plan."
Marcella was silent, unlike Quentin, who immediately reached forward, gently rubbing the cheek of Marcella who is two years older than him.
"Lord Edgar must be proud to see you married to Lord Geoffrey."
