CHAPTER FIVE

**Presently...**

***

Williams turns away as one of his niece's tugs at his shirt "Uncle William?"

He lifts her up and places her on his thighs, "Yes my little Princes?" He tugs a hair behind her ear and smiles into her eyes. Theodore has a funny look on his face as he cuts a chunk of chicken thighs and stuffs it into his mouth.

"Papa says that you went to the moon, is that true?"

He chuckles "Well, i have not been to the moon yet, but i have seen live motion pictures of it. "

"Ohh!" She touches her jaw, he smiles

"But, you went away for a long long time?"

"Aye, i went to get a decree of some sort, better than your Papa's" he smiles, Adrian who had come to him carrying his other daughter nudges him.

"You wish. A scholar in Worcestershire is far more renowned than one from the foreign land"

"Aye, so they say. Tell me, what would your scholar-ship fetch you beyond the walls of the palace, the court and all the provinces put together?"

"Well for one, it can give me access into the palace whenever i desire, i dine with kings and the Lords, but you little brother would need me to get close to the wall of the gates"

"Aye..funny. Mine? I can travel the world and go anywhere i want and speak to people of different skins and have projects and build things if i so desire, presidents and governors would acknowledge my genius capabilities"

"But..you cannot do anything within the Worcestershire unless i permit, especially when it comes to innovation, education and the likes"

"True" Theodore notes putting another chunk of chicken in his mouth.

"That is why i went away, i do not want to be bridled with rules and whatnot. I came back only because i feel certain things need to change and with my experience and all i have learned and ofcourse ideas, i believe our system of running things needs to be upgraded. I will speak to Father about it, maybe he can put a word with the King. Once he does and the King sits well with it, it would be as easy as milking a fat cow"

"Aye!" Theodore comments, the brothers look at him.

"You just eat and comment and say Aye with no meaningful contribution?" William eyes him

"Aye, Viscount Theodore Neville Esq would not meddle in the banter of brothers, he would rather mulch on the delicate thighs of this succulent chicken that is filled with so much delicious goodness, way better than talking about more stressful things like scholar, education and whatnot. I tell you what you should be talking about?" He chews another large chunk "I would tell you to find a maiden and sow your royal.."he pauses "Close your ears princesses" The girls do.. he smiles continuing "Your royal duke seed in within their heavenly thighs. Not you Sir Duke Adrian, you have two beauties and a third coming, we do not want you continuing from our dear ol' king Solomon, God bless his heart." He smiles, Adrian laughs, so did Williams.

"Aye, not one to follow the skirts of Worcestershire!" William says looking away.

"Why not?"

"Come on, to Mama, " Adrian ushers his girls away, Theodore smiles "Aye, Big brother has a word for the little one?"

Adrian shakes his head "Not quite Theo, just bemused about what you want to tell the little devil!"

William laughs "Trust me, not something i am new too." William grabs his glass and tips the red contents into his mouth.

"Well, i only want to say that, as per tradition, once a man gets to a certain age, he is expected to bed a damsel and marry her"

"No, marry her and then bed her. That is marriage Theo" Adrian corrects.

"Same thing. As i was stating, i assume, now that he is back, having been allowed to soar with his wings beyond the walls, the next is to tie him up with a damsel, and then wed them by the morrow and soon we would have little scalawags of willy-boys all over and the wife with protruding tummy for five more ..assuming her name is Briana..five Brinys" He laughs.

William shakes his head staring at his friend "How much red wine have you tossed down your throat Theo, one, twelve?"

"Actually, i cannot remember" He winks.

William turns away to where his parents and the Royal family sat, laughing and talking, he turns back.."Well, thankfully, Papa isn't going to do that to me, i know he did that to you, and Adrian was a fit of mad rage.."I will not marry a total stranger Papa, damn the Worcestershire rules..i cannot, i love another" William says, Adrian smiles rubbing his jaw.

"Well, i was a boy then Willy"

"Yes a boy indeed, you know Theo, barely a few months later, he already had her spilling and retching her insides out in the royal palace while she tended to the Queen. She was one of her handmaidens you see. My Brother was such the shooter"

They laugh as Adrian nudges his brother's jaw.

"Oh well, i may have to admit brother, i felt trapped and that all this is wrong but see..see my daughters looking like angels from the heavens and Penepey glows ..i am a blessed man, and you will be too when you find yourself in this way"

William scoffs " That would be tons of years from now. i want to make a province for the intellects. I want to do alot of things before i be tied down to a damsel and besides, i do not like the maidens of Worcestershire"

Theo laughs "No, why would you? The taste of the fairest damsels from the hinterlands out of states confused your nuts..how can you compare?"

William shakes his head "Atleast compared to you viscount Theodore Neville, i am a saint"

"Well...that fact i am not disputing, i wear my crown proudly!" He raises his glass to Williams who shakes his head smiling.

"So William has become the male slut?" Adrian inquires.

Theodore laughs nodding "Oh, i came to say goodbye, i heard you are leaving" Theodore mimics William's visitor "That was what she said before William chases me away with a deck of empty cards and locks the door. I tell you, Sir Duke, they were not saying the Lord's prayers but i bet they were on bended knees at some point as she called the Lord's name in vain ''Sweet living Jesus. Yes, Willy..Yes!"

William laughs picking a caked bread for soup and tossing it to him, Theodore catches it laughing while Adrian shakes his head.

"William?" Three of them turn, he gets up going to his father who had walked up to him.

"Yes, Father.."

"The Royal family would like to have a word with you within my court"

"About what?"

His father smiles "Till then, till then."

"When?"

"I would summon you."

*

The guest had thinned out, William and Theodore stayed to talk to some who lingered, laughing and speaking about their experience beyond the walls when she came to him.

"Sir Duke William De Beaumont?"

"Williams, Lily, "

She smiles "I cannot call you by your name mi'lord, the royal family and your lord summons you to the inner court"

She bows and then leaves.

"You should let her call you whatever name she wants, she is not bad for a maiden" Theodore smiles.

"Aye, take your eyes away from her skirts Theodore, she has been in the family as long as i can remember, she is like family. "

"Aye. What do they want with you?"

William empties the glass of wine he held, says goodbye to the guest, and watch them leave, then he turns and makes his way to the inner court as his friend walks behind me "I do not have the slightest irking what they are so secretive about."

"You know when you are being summoned into an inner court, it is serious, Williams De Beaumont, what have you done?" Theodore gasps

Williams smiles as he stood infront of the door "You are overly dramatic my good friend, you should join the circus"'

"Only if you come with me and be my wingman my lord, we shall play robbers, but i would lead while you help me with my guns and masks'

"Ha!"

They wait as the door is opened by the guard, he enters, Theodore is stopped.

William frowns looking at the guard "Get your hand off him, he is family! How dare you stop him in my house?"

"Williams, this is a delicate matter my son, the king would prefer that this is said within controlled walls, we do not want it out there unless we permit it." His father says, William frowns more.

"But Father?"

"The king orders only immediate family"

William looks at him and takes a bow before speaking "My King, Theodore Neville is like a brother, he goes where i go. I believe what is to be said in this room wouldn't be something that would be so secretive that i cannot tell a brother?"

The king looks at Duke De Beaumont "Can he be trusted De Beaumont?"

"Aye My King, he is Earl Malkie and Countess Ndonai's son"

" The Earl of Greenwich North of Warwick?" The king looks at Theodore.

"Yes Sire, they have been inseparable since childhood, the boys."

He nods to the guards who lets him through..

"Thank you Mi Lord" Theodore says .

"Step forward Williams, let me see you"

William does so.

The room has his mother, the Queen, the King, his father and brother and then now him and Theodore.

Why did they summon him like this?

"How old are you William?"

He raises an eyebrow "My Lord, i am 30 score years gone "

"Aye, a man you are already"

William nods. He looks at his father, his smile is suspicious, so was the one on his mother's but Adrian has confusion. The Queen is unreadable.

He looks at the King "Forgive me my Lord, but have i committed a grave offense? Allow me to apologize for it and receive my punishment but please, let me know what I have erred on so that i can avoid it, my lord"

The king smiles "No Williams, you have not. Do you have a betrothed damsel to you, unknown to your parents?"

Theodore chuckles, then seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, he clears his throat.

Williams shakes his head "No Sire"

The king nods " You do not have mistresses loitering in the corners?"

"I am sorry my lord, but questions such as these are sensitive, may i inquire as to why you want to know"

"Caution Williams, know you are talking to the King, you answer questions not ask them" His father chips in, the King shakes his head.

"No, that is fine Beaumont. Let the young boy be curious. A curious mind is knowledgeable" The King raises his index finger, he looks at Williams "What are your aspirations now you are back to the province?"

"Well..i may write a proposal to you my lord on what i would like to achieve if that is okay with you. It is alot and mere citing may be too much for settling"

"I would like to see it, young Duke"

"Aye, my King. I will compile and send it to the palace before the end of morrow" He smiles.

"We have a proposal for you young Duke Williams"

"A proposal my king?"

"Yes!"

Williams looks at his parents, his father's face was covered with a huge smile.

Why did he suddenly feel as though he wouldn't like what is about to be said?

'My Lord, what kind of proposal?"

"We would like to ask for your hand to marry my daughter, the Crown Princess of Worcestershire."

Theodore's mouth drops to the floor.

Williams stutters "W- hat?"

*