Reasons

It is a wonder. Everything he believed and thought about royalty crumbled right before his eyes. Even in their lowly station, commoners placed the royalty on a pedestal. The citizens of Clevon have a high regard for anyone of pure blood status. They are known to be prim and proper.

That is why Nicholas cannot fathom the scenario he is presently witnessing in the distance. The old man, the King, it is hard getting used to using his titles, is running away from a rather excited cow, one of his giant breed. Trailing behind him is his valet who is trying to stop the cow using its reins. The chaotic duo and the cow was also being followed by McKenna who was running right before the mammal. Shouting at the top of his lungs for the cow to halt. Would the cow even understand what he is trying to say?The valet named Jonas was screaming to the high heavens praying for his safety. 

Among his visitors only the Archduke remained calm and collected riding his horse. He is the perfect contrast of the King who was now stumbling over some hay laid on the pasture.

It is a fortunate thing that the rest of the cows were already locked and safe in the barn. He was sure he locked them well. What Nicholas doesn't understand is why a cow out at this time when they're supposedly having their dinner in the barn?

Speaking of dinner, Nicholas finally noticed a clump of hay in the old King's hands.

"Your Majesty, please slow down!" Jonas screamed at the monarch running for his life. The poor valet was hanging on for dear life as he tried to divert the attention of the crazy cow. Everything is unfolding quite dramatically.

"Do you think they'll be fine, my lord?" My attention went to Lawrence, worried for him and at the same time worried for the consequences the Barony would suffer once the news of a monarch experiencing a dire accident in their land circulates around.

He hummed his answer. It has been days that the monarch decided to stay over the manor. Suffice to say it was hell. The old man acted like an adventurous, curious child of ten. For him, it was understandable that the King would be curious, he hadn't seen a commoner's labor up close, but it's getting out of hand day by day. 

It all started with a hen chasing the King the other day, then ducks. You can also count the pigs, and now the cow. The King stumbled on a roll of hay once again from the distance and he decided it was enough. 

Tucking his fingers inside his mouth, an ear piercing whistle breaks the pasture. Right away, the poor cow halted. As the result of the sudden movement, the valet was thrown forward, fortunately landing on a hay with flailing arms. McKenna continues chasing the King who was still running for his life farther away from the pasture. While the Archduke remained on his horse, stopping the same time as the cow did. 

Nicholas shakes his head in hopelessness at the chaotic group in front of him. He turned his attention to the cow who was now cantering in his direction. Lawrence was quick to excuse himself. 

"Bona," He said, smiling at the misbehaving cow who stopped in front of him. "Go back to your stall now good girl, and have your dinner," His soothing voice seems to be recognised by the mammal. The cow nuzzles its head on his outstretched palm. He gave her a scratch on the head before it sauntered out of the scene. 

When he glanced up, his eyes met the Archduke's gaze. They were glinting with satisfaction. It is like those pale brown eyes of his were telling Nicholas that he made the right decision

In the matters of making a decision, he hasn't decided over the marriage contract yet. It is understandable, but at the pace the chaotic group were wreaking havoc in his land, he is close to giving up and marrying the Royal.

It didn't take long for the Archduke to reach where he was standing. The destrier he was riding halted right in front of him, giving him a suspicious look. If a horse is looking at him with eyes in slits, then yes, the Archduke's horse didn't trust him at all.

"Have you given it a thought, Nicholas?" The Royalty didn't waste time asking him, and truth be told, the marriage would not stop tickling his curiosity, igniting his intrigue further than he intended for it to do. He is nothing but a simple man. He was aware of the consequences of marrying into nobility, royalty at that. Being a Baron was already taxing for him, farming aside.

"I can see the cogs in your head," said Archduke Beale as he alighted from his horse. Nicholas allowed a smile to lighten his face. The Archduke is observant, it seems.

"I am thinking about it, Your HIghness. What I don't understand is why me? I have had a hard time accepting the reasons I concocted in my mind. It does not make sense," He choose to stare at the horizon and snigger in amusement when he saw the King still running for his life towards the horizon. It is something you don't see in one's lifetime. 

"There's nothing much I can say to explain it, Nicholas," Pause.

Why is he feeling the sudden seriousness of the atmosphere? He glanced back at the man beside him and for the first time saw the Archduke's age descending on his heavy laden shoulders, he was slouching ever so slightly. The man was the epitome of a perfect royalty, not that he can tell the difference. He is a mere commoner.

He remained mum as he waited for the royalty to continue. He turned his head towards the horizon once more. The valet, Jonas, somehow caught up with the old man, and both were now walking back in their direction.

"I might have indulged my daughter way more than what was necessary, along with Emilia, my deceased wife. Her mother was the epitome of an aristocrat snob, and my daughter emulated her mother. Have it as an old man's intuition, but I know you can help my daughter, set her on the right path," Beale solemnly said.

With those words upon him, Nicholas knows he doesn't have much choice. The curiosity was killing him and he felt bad for the Archduke, the father in him. In his mind, he is aware of the severity of the consequences he'll face once he agrees with the marriage. 

If he was given a chance to be born in another life, he would probably choose the Archduke as his father. The sincerity and protectiveness Beale was wearing on his face could make anyone feel safe. It was one of those things that a child long for growing in the midst of the slums. It was those things that he wasn't able to have when his parents perished in an accident in his tender age. 

He might cast doubts on Beale's motives for marrying his daughter off to a commoner like him, but he'll trust the emotions in the Archduke's eyes. Though he is hoping those emotions would last till the kingdom comes. 

Being saddled with an aristocrat bride would be proved difficult if the mind behind it turned their back from their own words. History already has a record with that same scenario, and is thousands in number.

~

The morning was pretty mild compared to yesterday. The King for once opted to stay seated in the modest cushion wooden chair in his dining room, head of the table, along with the Archduke, on the right, who was wearing a contented face. McKenna was sitting next to me, both taking the left side of the table. You can say that we don't follow the respective rules of aristocracy here.

"You look like a buffoon, will you stop?" It was Beale pertaining to the old man who wouldn't stop sighing since earlier, the simple meal in front of them was not even given attention, well, Jonas says otherwise while he devours the buttered rye bread. Being the King's attendant, one would expect him to eat with modesty. Nicholas shrugs it off. There's nothing surprising about these people anymore.

"Ho, I should have engaged Belle to you than Astrid. Belle's prettier," The old man huffed petulantly, earning a searing glare from his maternal cousin. 

"The whole Clevon knows that my Astrid is the prettiest among them all," Beale refuted, gently tipping the cup of tea he was holding in the air. It was the most haughty thing he saw the Archduke do. 

Well, he guesses he needs to say goodbye to his peaceful morning.

"What's with him, Your Highness? He is not that special," McKenna looks at me with an incredulous expression, halting the bickering duo. Somehow McKenna's words are degrading on his part without the knight meaning it. "Excuse my impertinence," The usually silent Knight added.

"Well, I greatly enjoy being here in this land," The King grinned suspiciously and the dignified Beale could not hold back his eyes from rolling from the old man's ridiculous try at being mysterious.

"To put your mind at ease, McKenna, this lad amuses him to no end. If time comes he is of no use anymore..," Beale trailed off, earning a glare from him this time. He envied the oblivious valet at the moment.

"I'm right here, I could hear you all mocking my existence," Nicholas said in a sarcastic remark and drank his already cold coffee.

No matter what the reason was behind the entanglement of their status, he was sure that both of the royals wanted nothing from him but to marry the infamous Princess Astrid Clermont. 

One could not shrug a woman's capability of causing chaos all over the land. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. The passage never sounded like doom at that moment. The Royals need to do something about Astrid, and he personally think he was the perfect pawn for it.