The Grand Duke of Northern Aegis Duchy

Orisis Evans

"Orisis, why are you helping them?" Arthur questioned.

"She is very interesting," I answered as I remembered today's meeting.

"Please don't touch me,"

I could still hear her voice. She had an interesting expression that made her seem like a kitten about to scratch anyone who tried to touch her.

"She's a Child, Orisis!" Arthur exclaimed interrupting me in my thoughts.

"Arthur, I'm no beast, Yes, I am going to marry her but I intend to wait until she is a full-fledged adult," I said as I sat down at my desk.

The musky scent in my office suddenly smelled unpleasant. Vanilla and Jasmine, the scent that I could smell when she was around. It was a pleasant scent.

"But what about your age gap?" he asked.

I stared at him as I heard those words leave his mouth.

"Arthur, keep quiet. You are the last person to be talking about age gaps, and didn't you get married when you were 14? And your wife at the time was 9. So tell me, do you think you have a right to say that?" I questioned him.

"And the age gap between us is not that big, She turns 18 the summer that will be coming so I will be marrying, after all, she has already debuted as her debutante" I added as I looked through the invitations and letters I've received.

"Why don't you get married to Aubrey's sister?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, you are my best friend but do not cross the line because you could lose your head," I said as I read through a few of the letters.

"Orisis, as your best friend I'm going to ask you one question," he said.

"The girl has nothing but a pretty face and body. She still has to learn responsibilities. What does she have to offer to you and this Duchy? What could a freshly turned 18-year-old offer to you and this Duchy?" He questioned.

"She offers the safety of this Duchy, My marriage to her protects this Duchy from Arthur and his sneaky sister. My marriage to her reassures me about this Duchy. It tells me and gives the reassurance that I don't have to stress about information being sold to any other duchy in the Aegis empire," I answered.

Marrying Latrice means I get to avoid all the existing marriage proposals and I can move on without worrying about someone who could potentially ruin this Duchy. And there's just something interesting about her...

"You say she still needs to learn a few things but the truth is she is the perfect Duchess. She has learnt responsibilities and I can vouch that for her because I've heard her speaking at an event to which Alumni were invited," I stated.

"To me, she is the perfect Duchess," I tell him as I throw away the letters of a marriage proposal from the different families I've received.

"The announcement about my engagement will be made in 3 weeks from now, so I expect you to work hard and make sure everyone far and wide knows I am no longer the most eligible bachelor," I said as I started working.

The door suddenly opens and he barges in. I sigh as I stare at him. His manners were left at the gate of my estate.

"Really brother?" He says as he throws himself on the couch.

"What's wrong, Your Highness?" I inquired in a bored tone.

"I thought we agreed that we would get married in 2 years from now!" He says pouting.

"I apologize Your Majesty, but I don't know of these verbal agreements, if I did not sign a paper then I never said anything of such short," I said staring at him.

He gasped as he looked at me shocked. Why would I agree to something so crazy? I don't think I've ever agreed to something like that.

"Are you trying to say I'm lying?" He asked shocked.

"I would never dare accuse the Crown Prince as a liar," I answered blasély.

The Crown Prince looked at me flabbergasted.

"You're so mean," he whined sighing.

"I'll be sending a wedding invitation to you soon, okay?" He adds as he gets up to leave.

"What!?" I asked shocked and confused.

"Remember the girl from the masquerade ball? I found her," he said winking.

"Hey! Wait at least tell me or give me the name of the person who helped you!" I shouted as I ran after him.

"No," he said before sticking his tongue out as he wore his cape and rode away with his horse.

"I can't believe he found the girl he spoke to before I could find mine, it must have been nice," I sighed as I spoke to myself.

"I can't believe you Orisis!" Arthur said shocked.

"You went to a masquerade ball without me? It was the day you told me you were going to the Ulrika empire. Right?" He asked with his hand on his mouth.

"Well I didn't find the girl from the party, maybe that will make you feel at peace," I tell him as I walk back to my office.

"You a big meanie, the Crown Prince is right about that," he says as he follows me to my office.

"Whatever you say," I said as I started working.

"Go to the best Designer and Jeweler in the Aegis empire and send them to my fiance, also tell them to make dresses so beautiful that no one has ever seen in this empire or any empire," I said as I read through my work papers.

"Okay, I will do so," He said.

"Don't forget you have to go to the Imperial Palace for the meeting later today," Arthur added.

"And No, You cannot avoid this meeting, it's very important," he warns.

"What if I am sick?" I asked as I pretended to cough.

"No one is fooled by that ridiculous wheezing fake cough, you'd have to do a better job at faking your coughs," he said.

"And I will drag you there if I must," he added as he walked out.

"I'd like to see you try," I said, smiling.

He won't do anything, after all, I am stronger than him.

"If I find you in this castle when I come back from sending people to do your errands I will drag you to that meeting all messed up," he warned before walking away.

He left and after a while, the headmaid and my previous nanny entered. She had a tray with her.

"Your Grace, I've brought you tea," she said smiling before entering.

"Thank you, Agnes," I said as I took the cup of tea and cookies she brought.

"Agnes, can you please start placing Jasmines in my office?" I asked her.

"Of course, I will," she said warmly.

"thank you," I said as I took a bite of the cookies.

Agnes smiled and walked out.

"Agnes is a great baker," I shouted as she closed the door laughing.

I continued working on the papers in front of me and as I ate cookies and drank tea. The silence singing to me made me miss her.

She is very beautiful. She's like the ocean that meets the shore.

Thirty minutes later...

The words in front of me started to look so blurish... I closed my eyes and opened them after a few minutes, and everything was still blurry. I looked up to see Arthur standing at the door. Damnit! The last thing I saw was a devilish proud smirk on Arthur's face. He used my nanny against me.

***

When I opened my eyes I was sitting in my respective chair at the meeting I did not want to attend. I get up in an attempt to leave when suddenly everyone else enters. A malodorous scent hit my nostrils as the board members entered. The air was so thick that the room could be sliced into half.

"Isn't this lovely?" The Crown Prince said snickering.

"His first meeting in two years," he adds.

I glared at him before smiling.

"Is it not time for me to be responsible?" I asked smiling.

Everyone sat down and the meeting started.

"Have any of you found the key to open the realm gate?" The wizard asked.

Everyone shook their heads indicating that they hadn't.

"Grand Duke Osiris, have you checked through the mines thoroughly?" He asked me.

"No, I looked through every nook and corner of the mines with my knights and there was nothing, just gems and gold and diamonds," I said sarcastically.

He always asks dumb questions when he knows that the answer is the same.

"Maybe it's in one of the other empires," The Crown Prince suggested.

The meeting continued as I blocked out their voice.

Latrice Richardson is a very intriguing and interesting person, I'd like to know more about her. I needed to know more about her because she...She was someone that piqued my interest way more than she was supposed to.