Family Business
Since becoming a Deputy Finance Minister, Will's life became slightly more complicated.
With Camille and Edward still in K-8 school, Will would start and end his day in Gadreel. On the weekends his family would travel to Tirana to mingle in the capital.
With Will's new job, he spent less and less time in Gadreel now. Between managing his company, and the Commerce Ministry Will had his hands full.
Yet, he always found time to spend with his children. Camille and Edward were older now, and about to graduate from their K-8 school. Camille was 12 and Edward was 11 years old.
This year Camille would have her magic aptitude measured and if she passed she'd enroll in either the Mage, Knight, or Marine Academy. If she failed her magic aptitude test, she'd enroll in Royal Academy.
Will sat on his bed. The evening air felt colder than normal but spring would be here in a month's time. Sleep was difficult because he kept having nightmares of Thanatos at economic forum. But, a knock at the door woke him from his thoughts.
"Mistress would like to see you," Sasha said.
"Send her in," Will said.
He'd gotten used to the medieval sleeping in separate beds arrangements. But it was still awkward when Elizabeth sought permission to enter his bedroom.
When Elizabeth entered she wore a beautiful nightgown.
"How many times, have I told you not to ask permission? You are free to enter anytime," Will said as Elizabeth gracefully sat on the bed next to him. They greeted each other with a brief kiss.
"You may not care about etiquette but I do," Elizabeth said after receiving Will's kiss.
"How are you and the children?" Will asked checking in on his wife.
"Camille is nervous, although she doesn't show. She's the reason why I came to talk to you," Elizabeth said.
"I can tell she is anxious, but that's normal," Will replied encouragingly.
"Will, Elizabeth is 12 and we've yet to introduce her to society. What do you think about holding a Debut Ball for her?" Elizabeth said excitedly.
"I have no opinion on the matter," Will replied nonchalantly.
"You'll need to announce her dowry, at the ball. I know, I should have brought this up sooner, but I know how busy you've been and money has never been a concern. Can you tell me what's Camille's dowry?" Elizabeth asked.
"Honestly, I have thought about it. I guess I could open a bank account for her. What's the going rate for a dowry these days," Will asked curiously.
"Depending on the family's finances 10,000 gold at the low end and 300,000 gold at the high end. Aunt Ashley's dowry was 300,000 gold. My father set my dowry at 200,000 gold," Elizabeth said proudly.
"Whatever happened to that money?" Will inquired.
"I donated it to the Endowment for the Arts," Elizabeth said proudly.
"Oh, you didn't want to invest it?" Will asked.
"I'm not a miser like you. And It's not like you are short on coin dear?" Elizabeth asked.
"Fine, let's make her dowry 200,000 gold like yours," Will replied.
"The same as duke's daughter? My word how bold of you Earl vont Ballard!" Elizabeth teased.
In the morning Elizabeth and Will rested from their repeated exercises and headed down to the hall for breakfast where Will read the morning papers while he ate.
The induction of the printing press set off a litany of newspapers. Fermion went from having one to having hundreds. The newspaper market was flooded with biased, fringed editorials
Yet, the fair and nonpartisan Fermion Guardian still held the widest global circulation. The Fermion Guardian traveled on every merchant trade vessel and could be seen at almost every seaport. That also meant Will could charge more for ads and double the price from 10 to 20 coppers.
As the children came down to breakfast, Will could see bags beginning to form under Camille's eyes.
"Trouble sleeping last night?" Will asked Camille concerned.
Elizabeth looked at Will before deciding to tell Camille about their discussion last night.
"Camille your father and I spoke last night, and I think it's time we have your Debut Ball," said Elizabeth smiling warmly.
"Really?" Camille said excitedly, brightening up.
"Yes, we can invite your friends as well. You can debut as a group!" Elizabeth said happily to see her daughter's excited smile.
"My friends have been asking me for a while now. I think their parents were waiting until after we had ours. I can't wait to tell them!" Camille exclaimed.
"Tell who?" James asked as he and Helen walked in the dinning hall unannounced.
"Grandmother, mother and father are throwing me a Debut Ball," Camille said happily.
"It's about time," Helen said looking at Will disapprovingly.
"What's her dowry?" James asked silencing the room.
"200,000 gold," Will said putting down the Tirana Times.
"That's it?" James asked disappointedly.
"James, that's a lot of money. Katherine's dowry was barely 12,000 gold," Helen reminded him.
"Son, you should at least add in some stocks, no? Not that my granddaughter shall have trouble finding suitors.
My granddaughter is the prettiest and combined with your father's wealthy, suitors shall come from kingdoms far away to seek your hand. I would not be surprised if a prince showed up. Doesn't the Eastern Emperor have a son your age?" James asked.
"That is enough talk!" Will said as his grandmaster aura spread across the hall. "Any man who wishes to marry my daughter for my money is not a suitable suitor!" He said pounding a fist on the table.
Will's rare outburst quieted the hall again until his Helen cut the tension.
"Fathers are always so protective of their daughters," Helen laughed.
"Camille, your father shall find you a good match," Elizabeth affirmed.
"Thank you father," Camille said blushing.
"Pass me the Times," James asked after Will moved on to read the Fermion Guardian.
"Announcing the Duke and Duchess vont Whitby," Michael said, bowing.
"Camille, Edward, how are you two this morning?" Charlotte asked, waking into the hall.
"Grandmother guess what? Mother and father are throwing me a Debut Ball," Camille happily informed them.
Congratulations dear, you are a young woman now it's high time you entered society," Charlotte said.
"What's the dowry," Duke Francis asked.
"200,000 gold," Will informed him.
"Is that it?" Duke Francis asked.
"That's what I said," James agreed.
"You won't add a company or stock to the dowry?" the Duke asked.
"Everyone knows that price is sufficient. It's more than an Earl is expected to pay," Elizabeth added.
"But my disciple is not an ordinary Earl is he?" Elder Thaddeus said appearing out of thin air.
"Sage Thaddeus," everyone immediately bowed.
"Master it's nice to see you again! Where is my disciple?" Will asked.
"Kalista's back in Podgorica. You can pick her up in a week. What are you discussing?" Elder Thaddeus asked.
"My Debut Ball," Camille said confidently.
"What's her dowry," Elder Thaddeus asked.
"Not this again. It's 200,000," Will said.
"That's it? I thought it be more," Elder Thaddeus said.
"That's what we said," Duke Francis laughed pointing to James and himself.
This time Elizabeth did not come to Will's defense.
"Let me guess, you think I should add in company stock?" Will asked.
"At the least," Elder Thaddeus said.
"Samuel, please ask Katherine and Marcus to join us," Will.
Katherine was the first to arrive, with her children. Her her children came home this weekend from the Royal Academy for a short break.
Unlike the Mage and Knight Academies, where the kingdom paid the tuition to cultivate those students, the Royal Academy charged exorbitant tuition. For which, Will happily agreed to pay their tuition.
Katherine demurely entered and sat down next to her mother. She looked happier than she had in a while and calmly sipped tea.
The next to enter was a sleepy Marcus with a pregnant Cherry. The volatile sadistic couple appeared happy and tired.
"Katherine, Marcus, Cherry, we wanted to let you know Camille shall soon be having a Debut Party," Will informed them as they smiled and congratulated her.
A few months ago Katherine informed Will that she was ready to remarry and she asked that he choose her a suitable husband. When Will announced Katherine's agreement to remarry to society, there was no shortage of suitors.
Katherine knew a landless, poor, non-mage dowager was an unappealing prospect.
Her only worth was her connection to Will and that she had bore her former husband two sons.
Of the admires interested, the two front runners were Marquis vont Smith and Earl Hanover. The reason being both governed important trade nodes. Trade nodes where Will needed inroads and political connections.
Ultimately Katherine choose Earl vont Hannover because Marquis vont Smith had a prolific harem. The Marquis could have starred as the main character in a harem novel, with his six wives and 16 concubines. Katherine had little to no interest in being wife number seven.
With a little correspondence and payment of 100,000 gold, Katherine was engaged. In a few months, she'd marry her second husband and become Mrs. vont Hanover (only the first wife could apply the title 'lady').
Will tapped his glass gently with his fork and stood up, and pushed his chair in.
With everyone's attention captured, Will addressed his extended family, "Now that everyone's arrived. I have a couple more announcements to make. Everyone please congratulate Katherine on her engagement to Earl vont Hanover. She'll be his second wife." Everyone applauded at the good news, Helen more forcefully than others.
"In addition to Katherine's good fortune, on successful completion of his studies, I shall bequeathed her eldest son, my nephew Thomas, the Ming estate in the Whitby Duchy, which Elder Thaddeus left to me. Nephew greet your vassal," Will said.
The boy rose from his seat and knelt on the ground to swear allegiance to Duke Francis.
Will saw Katherine relax after that announcement, her son finally had a stable future ahead as a landed noble.
By making his nephew Duke Francis vassal, Will reinforced the bonds between the Ballards and Whitbys.
…
A month later it was finally time for Camille's mana core capability test.
It had been over 20 years, but Will still remembers taking his test in his parents' barony. He remembered nervously stepping walk across the stage. Learning he had the capability to be a mage changed his life.
Now it was his daughter's turn. Although her birthday was in the second month of the year, every child's capability was measured in the fifth month, near Will's birthday.
Just a few days ago, Will turned 31 and now he had the pleasure of watching his daughter walk across the stage.
Camille was dressed in a pastel blue summer dress. Her long silver hair swayed as she nervously paced back a forth in line. Since Will built the K-8 schools, the 6th-grade students across Gadreel took the exam together on the fourth weekend of the fifth month.
However, this year King Roland, Queen Rosalind, and Queen Mother Ashley Maria came to watch the mana core test. As well as the entire vont Whitby and Ballards came to watch Camille's test.
Soon a priest came on stage. He began calling the noble children's names first. It did not take long until Camille's name was called. When Camille's name was called, Bishop vont Omar replaced the priest.
Camille nervously walked across the stage to Bishop Omar.
"Put your hand on the crystal please," the old bishop instructed.
Camille did as she was told. When she placed her hands on the crystal, everyone watched as the crystal started to glow with various colors.
Will saw Camille's head jerk back, as he remembered the feeling of mana being pulled out of him.
Soon the crystal began to glow lightly with dominant two colors, yellow and a bright white.
"Congratulations dear, you have the potential to be a dual light and air mage!" Bishop Omar announced to applause.
The percentage of children born able to use magic was 1/500,000, and there was a 1 in a billion chance of being a dual magic user.
"Congratulations Will, your daughter might be more talented than you," King Roland celebrate.
When Will awoke from his stupor, he realized everyone was looking at him to make a speech or announcement.
Then he and Elizabeth walked on stage to hug a smiling Camille.
"To celebrate my daughter's good fortune. Free beer for everyone!" Will shouted to a cacophony of cheers.
When Camille walked over to join the family she was mobbed with hugs and kisses. Her grandparents, uncles, and aunts were very proud to add a future dual mage to their bloodline.
As the family celebrated Camille's achievement, Elizabeth, Helen, and Charlotte all knew Camille's Debut Ball would be well attended. Camille's suitors already coveted her beauty, and her father's money, and now with her dual magic ability, Camille was a perfect trifecta.
Only King Roland held a different perspective, with a dual mage, Will's business would be safe for another generation.
After celebrating with her family, Camille went off to rejoin her classmates. Out of her class of 30 students, 20 had enough mana to become a mage, marine, or knight. Out of the commoner classes, less than half a percent had the ability to use magic.