The Duke’s Blessing

"Name." The Duke called out, immediately sensing someone approaching him and entering the tent he resided in. Taking a deep breath, Nyx looked up at the man, nearly shrinking by his presence.

The overwhelming nerves he felt just by looking in his silver eyes glaring deep into him, even if it was how he always looked, it was like the Duke was trying to force him to shrink down and personally humiliate him further than he already had in all his life.

He hated those silver eyes of his, and only his. "Good evening, father. Sixth son, Nyx Argyris." he was sure his voice sounded polite, just a bit longer. Bowing, he waited for the Duke to allow him to lift up his head which felt like hours before he could speak again.

"Rise." Getting permission, he stood back up, holding out his hand where the snake laid, pressing the head down between his fingers to prevent it from striking with its tiny bites. "I am here to report on eleventh daughter, Theia Argyris after an observation has been made."

Lighting his pipe, the Duke watched the boy, allowing him to continue as long as his time wasn't wasted. "The eleventh daughter has managed to survive a half hour within the depths of the forest without any harm. There are reasons to suspect the assumption of her being a beast tamer are correct, and wish to test the latter half of the theory if the Duke permits it."

Swallowing, he watched the man slowly pull out the pipe, contemplating. It felt like he almost didn't blink, just staring him down. "Did I give permission to test the first half of your theory?" He asked, moving from his face to his fingertips, the small snake no longer squirming but shrinking in fear of the man.

Putting on his bravest act, Nyx smiled, acting as though he were full of confidence. "Before the royal participants of the hunt hear, is it not better to at least put your theory to the test before making a fool of the Argyris family name? Seventh brother and I were merely helping father to ensure no one would mock an Argyris child with no magic like fourth sister Penelope."

It wasn't about being truthful, but knowing his place and having confidence. This was for Isaac's sake, and the Duke knew it, but being able to lie on the spot with confidence was a key Argyris trait. "Are you claiming my personal judgement would be flawed?" The Duke questioned, grinning. Although sitting, it was like he was looking down at the boy from a mountain peak.

"Of course not, father. It's because we respect you so much along with our family name that we had to gather proof that she was a beast tamer ahead of time if anyone dares question it. There will always be someone who opposes you, and the easiest way to get rid of them without killing them is shutting them up in front of a crowd." Clapping, the Duke let it slide and they got away with it.

"Continue." He ordered, getting up and taking the snake out of Nyx's hand, dangling it in the air from its head to see just what it was he had brought to him, already knowing just what species it could be.

Nodding, Nyx finished up what he had to report. "A large beast within the forest approached her and observed her directly, but never once harming her despite its children showing hostility towards myself and seventh brother. Not once did she cry nor try to evade, but in fact attempted to pet the larger one, and was showing distress having the little ones taken away,"

It felt like his throat was already dry as the Duke turned and took it back to his seat, laying it on his palm. "Due to keeping her identity a secret for now until the hunt date, only known to myself, seventh brother, and Lady Cyrille, we wish for father to take care of the snake for now during the ride. The second part of the experiment would be letting her raise the snake while in the castle, and at the estate once confirmed she is a beast tamer publicly."

"The estate currently holds no beasts other than father's pets, the best way to make use of her ability is to train her from young, as all of have done, since we are merely waiting to announce her publicly at this point." Nyx was purely confident that this was the truth now, it wasn't a matter of if she was a beast tamer, it was a matter that she was a beast tamer, but how strong was her magic at the moment?

Although he didn't falter, he knew the forest was far different than the hunt, they would be much more deadly. The Duke definitely knew that too, but chose to excuse his son. "You're dismissed. You have permission. Pick this thing up before nightfall the day the carriages arrive at the castle."

Nodding again, he smiled and excused himself away, not once looking back as he breathe a sigh of relief after finally being done with the man he so hated. Nyx's face changed from a polite smile to one of pure disgust, his fist clenching his spear tightly, wishing that the blood on it belonged to the Duke. No matter how many times he speaks to him, he would only ever feel pure rage like Isaac, mixed with fear. The very man who ruined his life before he even had a chance to be a child.

Forsaking his own blood relations, he had already shown blatant bias to Isaac Argyris, perhaps that was why the Duke didn't question him on why he was reporting and how he knew, he thought.

Even if he had to use his magic during the hunt to secure victory, so be it. He agreed to help Isaac a long time ago, this day would come eventually. He could almost imagine what the Duke's reaction would be upon seeing it. It was obvious to anyone within the family that Nyx was practically Isaac's right hand, perhaps he expected all this.

This was only the first step to killing the very Argyris family they belonged to.