Agreement

"Lord Talley it is a great honor that you have favored our house with the hand of your daughter," said Lord Harfic.

A group of four men entered one was Lord Talley and the other three were the guests from the Harfic household. There was Pieter, who would marry a Talley daughter, his father, Lord Harfic, and a family elder.

Lord Talley walked around his large cedar desk and sat down. "Please make yourselves comfortable." Lord Talley motioned with his hand, presenting the available chairs in front of him. The Harfic elder had still said nothing since entering the room and promptly sat.

"Thank you, Lord Talley," Lord Harfic said before sitting in a chair too. Pieter stayed standing and leaned his shoulder against the wall, trying to seem unconcerned and keep a façade of being an elite. Lord Talley's lips twitched, but he soon relaxed his face and returned it to it usual emotionless state.

"I agreed to your request to choose amongst my daughters, so I would like to hear your observations of them," Lord Talley leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, showing a relaxed pose.

The young smiled, sure that he had made a good impression on the powerful man before him, and pushed himself off the wall and walked closer. "All of your daughters were impressive, much better than the girls of other families, which is to be expected of the Talleys. But your eldest was by far the most magnificent." The boy's eyes lowered, he crossed his arms, and gave a half-lidded smile.

"I disagree," Lord Harfic abruptly cut in. "The youngest of the three was the best, and is sure to be the legal daughter too. She is a beautiful girl with good manners, she is the best among the three."

"Father, the reason for this wasn't to find a mild-mannered legal daughter for a wife, but to find a girl I could treat well and love. And who is to say she is the legal daughter it could very well be Seena."

The father and son pair went back and forth over which girl was the superior one.

Lord Talley watched them silently, observing them argue and treating his daughters like goods to be bought at a market.

The elder, had by this time, closed his eyes and was taking a nap.

Lord Talley looked upon them and couldn't help but feel that this branch of the Harfic family had been exceedingly gifted in vulgarity. Deficient in everything but wealth.

The boy was sure to be a spindrift and a disappoint to any of his daughters who married in, it was too bad that the main branch of the Harfic family had fallen. Originally, he had hoped for the heir of the main branch to marry A-Narah, but a family such as this didn't deserve his precious pearl. It was good that the girl was bright and had chosen to let her sisters overshadow her. If she hadn't, he would have found himself in a troublesome situation. If only he could back out of a marriage alliance with the Harfic altogether, but with plans how they were now it was too late for that.

Finally, the Harfic father and son pair had come to a decision. "Lord Talley, or I should say Father-in-law if you don't find me rude, I hope that you will give me your blessing to marry Lady Seena," Pieter announced.

"Young Lord Harfic, it always breaks a father's heart to part with his daughter, and I can only applaud your taste to choose my lovely Seena. I hope that you will promise to take care and treasure her your entire life, and that your family will do the same." Lord Talley might not have ever greatly favored his other daughters, but he was not as callous as to send them off to a regrettable life. He would do his best to protect them under the Talley umbrella, and stretch that protection as far as he could. But no daughter would ever be as important as the security of the entire family.

With a hand placed over his heart Pieter stepped forward and appeared sincere when he said, "Of course, I will give Seena all that the world has to offer. She will never want for anything and will be the most treasured woman in the capital."

Acknowledging his agreement Lord Talley pulled out the prepared written-up documents for the marriage agreement. He then stared into Pieter's eyes, "That better be the truth, or else I will be forced to interfere. I will not hesitate to break down your doors and remove my daughter from your home." The tension in the room spiked, and the Harfic father and son held their breathes at the blatant threat. Then, all of the sudden, a loud snore from the sleeping elder broke the heavy pressure Lord Talley was emitting.

"But I doubt that that will ever be a problem will it?" Lord Talley smiled. His entire demeanor changed from that of a barely restrained hunter with blood-lust into that of an amiable gentleman. The change came so fast that the Harfics almost thought they had imagined the terrifying scene.

"Of-of course." Pieter said weakly. His hand shook as he picked up the pen to sign the papers, not even bothering to read them. The amount of pressure Lord Talley had given off made his heart beat irregularly. Instead of elegant, his signature ended up looking like chicken scratches, barely identifiable, but the thumb print pressed down was clear as day.

Happy with the deal concluded, Lord Harfic hastily went forward to shake Lord Talley's hand. "This is a day worth celebrating. Ha ha! Really a day to remember, the day that the Harfics and Talleys will be linked." Lord Harfic brushed off his misgivings, as his greed got the best of him, thinking of all the benefits that the Talley family could bring him.

The elder snorted himself awake, bothered by the noise. "Don't get ahead of yourself Hearn, that day of celebration won't come until the girl enters the house."

"Yes, yes how clumsy of me. We must wait for the marriage," Lord Harfic said.

Lord Talley pulled his hand away and discreetly wiped it on his pant leg. "Yes, with this all done and over with I would you like off you a place to rest before dinner. You can stay the night here if you wish, and head back tomorrow as we will soon be… connected by marriage."

"That would be delightful! We will gladly take you up on the offer," said an exuberant Lord Harfic.

"Good. My manservant, will show you to your rooms. Later he will also call you for dinner," said Lord Talley as he got up and showed the guests to the door.

"Please follow me my lords," the manservant bowed. The Harfic father and son happily followed the servant out, but the elder was slower to leave. "Happy with the outcome?" he asked.

"Hearn and the boy made the best choice," Lord Talley replied.

"The best choice for whom? Oh, and Lord Talley I suggest you wipe that smile off your face. You look like a cat who ate a canary. It's revolting." Lord Talley's face immediately fell. The elder didn't mind Lord Talley's reaction and, with his cane, labored with each step to follow the others.

"Eating the canary?" Lord Talley pondered as he touched his lips. At most it was just a small fish.