1.2 CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL

1.2 CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL

"How about my daughter?" the duke proposed.

"What?" Lucian exclaimed.

His eyes widened as he realized how he had reacted. He cleared his throat as he sat up straighter than he had been. He was thankful he had put the cup down because he was sure he would have let go of it unintentionally in surprise.

The duke gave a laugh. Lucian kept noting that it hadn't reached the Royal Duke's eyes. Arsene took a sip of his tea as he allowed the knight in front of him to take in what he had just said. After a minute, Lucian cleared his throat once more.

"I might have heard you wrong, your highness,"

The duke shook his head as he put down his empty tea cup. A maid quickly stepped up to refill his cup before stepping away without a word.

"You have heard correctly, lord Urian. Given all the praises I have heard about you. Not to mention your successes; it would be a fool of me if I did not even try to have you join my family,"

Lucian gave the duke in front of him a smile as he shook his head. "Forgive me, your highness. It would be impertinent of me to even think of marrying your daughter. I am a lord through the blessing of the King only. I do not have nobility in my blood,"

"Maids, bring out the wine I have brought especially for lord Urian," the duke ordered.

Lucian stopped the frown he was tempted to give the duke. He steeled his expression once more. He had exclaimed out of character once in front of a man he was sure was his enemy. He could not give him any more leverage to use against him.

Despite his unwillingness to be associated with the duke of Vasilios, Lucian knew his place and responsibility. He was a mere pawn. The commander of the Sagma knights had not climbed up the ladder foolishly. He knew the duke wanted something.

Why would he even offer his daughter's hand in marriage if not?

A maid revealed a bottle of expensive wine. She carefully put it down on the table in front of Lucian. The commander knight's eyes scanned the bottle's details and realized it was worth a large grand. He looked up once more at the duke sitting on his throne-like seat.

"My daughter, Karme, sickly as she may be, is an exceptional young woman," the duke started.

Lucian's eyes widened in shock for the second time in their conversation.

"Lady. . . Karme?" he asked, unable to hide his surprise.

The duke nodded in confirmation. And at Lucian Urian's expression of contemplation, Arsene de Serin smirked, hidden beneath the cup of tea he had raised towards his lips.

~oOo~

"Where have you been, commander?" Uli scolded, his arms crossed over his armored-covered chest.

Lucian nodded in answer. His mind was elsewhere. Uli quickly realized it as he was given a bottle of expensive wine to hold without a word. He started leading his two companions out of the Crystal Dome. He signaled for their coachman to pick them up. As the three of them waited for their carriage, Uli turned back towards his friend after scanning all the details of the fine wine he was holding.

"Did something happen?" he asked in a whisper. "Lucian!"

Lucian blinked twice as he focused on his surroundings. He noticed Uli's questioning gaze as he nodded once more.

"Something indeed happened," he answered as he turned to his side to see Lykaios.

Finding himself getting surprised one after the other, all Lucian could do was stare. Why was the young man standing beside him? He should have been already with the King on their way to the palace.

Understanding Lucian's eyes without speaking a word, Uli answered the unvoiced question. "He refused to join the King's order, Lucian. Reminds you of a certain someone?"

Lucian turned back towards his squire and gave him one of his rare smiles as he patted him on the head. "Welcome to Sagma, knight Lykaios,"

Lykaios lips burst into a wide wolfish grin as he raised his sword in the form of a salute towards someone they really respected. Bowing his head and holding his sword horizontally between them as if to say, 'my sword is for you to use'.

"I will follow you with everything I have, commander!" the young man proclaimed proudly and loudly, gathering quite a several spectators.

Lucian stood up straight, his aura of a peerless commander oozing out of him as he put a hand on Lykaios sword to accept him into his order. Lykaios lifted up his head as he felt the weight of his commander's hand. His smile grew brighter than before.

When their carriage arrived, Lykaios skipped toward it to open the door for his commander, even though it was the coachman's job. Uli shook his head at the overly excited young man but had not said a word. Lucian nodded at him as he climbed up into it, followed by the vice-commander.

Lykaios was the last one, and the coachman happily closed the door for them. Lucian remained quiet as they traveled towards the border of Athanasios. Uli could feel that there was something his friend wanted to say. But knowing Lucian, he would not open his mouth unless he was sure no one else could hear it.

Once they had passed by the capital's gates, Lucian cleared his throat. Both sets of eyes of his companions turned to him.

"What happened? I am sure you did not just buy this bottle of wine we cannot afford with the salary we get as a knight. This must have cost a fortune!"

"I have been. . . proposed to," he started, and both his companions jumped up in shock.

The carriage shook as two men hit their heads on its ceiling. They could hear the horses neighed at the sudden movements and the coachman's voice calming them. The carriage shook a few more times as the horses slowly calmed down.

Lucian stared out the window of his carriage and watched as they passed by trees with the ever-changing colors brought by the start of autumn.

"By who?" Uli asked as he rubbed the top of his head. "Is that the reason why you vanished during the ceremony?"

Lucian nodded. "Yes. The Duke of Vasilios offered his daughter, Lady Karme, to me,"

"The Royal Duke?" Uli repeated with a scoff. "He's offering his most beloved daughter? To you?" His voice contained venom, dripping with hatred. "Is that why he has been summoning you since we arrived?"

"Un," Lucian grunted in confirmation. "Once I left the cavea, his knight was awaiting me,"

Lykaios watched and noticed how the vice-commander's expression turned dark at the mention of the duke's name. He could not understand. If a duke offered a mere knight his daughter's hand in marriage, would it not be the greatest of all honor?

Lykaios voiced his questions. Uli turned to him, his eyes as cold as steel.

"The rumors surrounding the Duke of Vasilios are not just mere rumors, Lykaios," the vice-commander answered before he turned back towards his friend. "Please, do tell me you have turned down his offer,"

Lucian also turned to his friend, his eyes unwavering underneath Uli's steel-cold gaze. He then shook his head, and Uli's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I accepted it," Lucian answered.

"Sangdu Mutuku(1)!" Uli exclaimed, grabbing his commander's shoulder and shaking him rapidly as if willing to wake up. "Please tell me you are only making jest!"

"I am not, Uli," Lucian stated as he removed his friend's hands from his shoulders. "I am not,"