A Mutual Agreement

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"If you can swear your loyalty to me then this isn't a conversation." Duke Elias had promised, the words resounded in Aryan's ears as he strolled around the Estate with the Royal Guards that followed him.

"I promise to help you rise until you reach the throne." He declared once more with confidence. "I have enough power to do that, I will pull down whatever obstacle may lie our way, the rest of the ministers are on my side, so don't worry about anything."

"What if one day father finds out I am not his child?" Prince Aryan inquired curiously, he swatted the sweat that beaded against his forehead, and his appetite had been long gone. "What are you going to do then?"

"A king's order is absolute but despite being a Duke, it is safe to say I have more power than the Emperor." He muttered reaching for the grapes the prince had abandoned, it would be such a waste to allow such delicious fruit to dry out. "If you have me on your side, the Emperor can't do anything about it, even if he finds out."

"Then what will be your gain?" He asked curiously. "What do you hope to achieve?"

"You have to get married to one of my daughters." Elias straightened up, sooner or later, this conversation would be held it was much better to let his intentions known since the prince was asking himself. "As you know I have two daughters that you can wed, the third one is way older than you and is already betrothed to someone else."

"You mean Lily and Rain Roni?" Prince Aryan asked and Duke Elias nodded.

"My little Lily is still too young and inexperienced, she is too kind and isn't interested in politics, and so the rough life of an empress wouldn't be so suitable for her." He proceeded. "On the other hand, Rain is more calculative and smart, she would make a splendid wife for you."

"You want me to marry the illegitimate daughter of your household, the daughter of a harlot." Prince Aryan queried comically. "You wouldn't even let me have a recognized member?" 

"She is no less of my daughter as well," Elias answered. "And I cherish her just as much as I do to my Lily."

What a crazy man...

The Duke was the true Emperor..?

That was what he had realized as he came here, his father is just an Emperor by name, and even now, the Duke wants to have him as another puppet emperor.

He chuckled to himself… This might probably be the beginning of a Puppet ruling generation, he knew he needed the Duke to rise to power, he thought he could rely on his royal blood but that wouldn't be possible any longer.

The only person to be blamed is… His mother, the Empress…

How can the Empress do something like this? Something so shameful, right now, he didn't even have a right to bully the Duke's illegitimate daughter.

It's because the Duke mocked his bloodline which is why he had offered for him to get engaged to his other daughter Rain.

"As soon as she comes of age, I will wed you two in the Estate." The Duke had promised, and Aryan on the other hand was unable to protest.

"As long as I can become the next emperor, then we have an agreement." 

 This is all because of the Empress' infidelity, he had always felt inferior to the former Crowned prince, Reynold was exceptional in everything he did, be it swordsmanship, horse riding, or archery, and he excelled even in politics.

He even started going to war at the young age of seven, he had his first kill at the age of eight, and all the things he couldn't do. Reynold made them comfortable without any stress or problems, and when news came that the Crowned Prince had become unfortunate in one of his hunting trips.

He was hunting for boars but he came across a tiger.

Reynold even with his skills couldn't kill such a ferocious animal, after all, he was still a kid, and it even took even the best of the skilled hunters to solo hunt a tiger.

Aryan was happy, he felt relief, he knew he could never aim for the throne if Reynold was still alive, so he thought luck was probably on his side, and that was the reason for Reynold's untimely demise.

But now, he realizes he isn't even a true prince of the empire, there was no way he could have even compared to Reynold in any way.

His mother had betrayed him in the worst possible way… how could she do something like that? And yet she acts like a victim.

"Disgusting…" He muttered with a short sigh, making the guard stop in their tracks, they just assumed he was unsatisfied with something, and anything he got like this, something bad always happens.

"Your Highness," The head guard, Apollo stopped in his tracks, and he walked back a few meters to meet the Prince who had been talking out loud for some time. "Is there anything that isn't to your satisfaction?"

"No," The Prince cleared his throat, he couldn't show any weakness now. "Please lead me to the residence of the illegitimate daughter of the Duke, I need to tender my apologies."

"Yes, Your Highness." Apollo took charge and led the way, the residence of the daughter was detached from the main building, there weren't any specific reasons for that, but it was a bit shabby compared to the main house.

"Even in the Duchy, she is being treated as an outcast." He muttered, there weren't even enough maids, just a lady clearing firewood. He glanced up at the window and noticed the Princess was on the window sill, she had a book in her hand.

"The prince of the Empire, requests the lady's presence," Apollo announced to the maid, Marine didn't quickly notice the company but as soon as she did, she fell to the ground and bowed her head.

The future of the Empire was in front of her and just as the rumor said, his hair was a shining gold.

"I will inform her ladyship, right away," Marine said in a hurry.

"There would be no need for that," Prince Aryan declared, now he had locked eyes with Rain who was seemingly frightened. "The lady has seen me."

"Please excuse us," The prince ordered as soon as the maid arranged the table for them, she set the table up with scones and tea.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Everyone else left the room, except for Apollo.

"H-How may I help you?" She shook as she spoke, her eyes not once leaving the plate of scones, meanwhile, the Prince tasted everything that was given to him.

"How may you help me?" He repeated. "What an odd thing to say, yet your father said you were smart."

His blue eyes took her in, she still had band-aids on her wounds, he knew she suffered some severe injuries, but what did he think when he decided to play darts with such a little girl?

Her hair was a mass of fiery red threads, it reminded him of a stream of lava, and it was wooly and thick just like a horse's mane, even redder than his mothers and the duke. But she had beautiful green eyes to compliment it, except that there were tears in those green eyes of hers at the moment.

Probably from fear.

"I heard from your father that you have been unconscious for quite some days." The prince continued. "I had no idea your wounds would be that serious."

"Ah… this is nothing," She answered. "I'm grateful for your concern, my prince."

"Raise your head, my lady." He ordered but she remained rigid, it took the prince quite some time before he realized she had just disobeyed him. "Disobedience and insubordination is a crime punishable by canning."

"I am not worthy enough to raise my head in your presence, your highness." She answered, and Prince Aryan's eyes widened in surprise.

The Duke was right, Rain is quite calculative.

"If you would please overlook my disobedience this time, your highness."

"It's an order, Lady Roni," Prince Aryan was insistent. "Raise your head."

 A lot of time, passed by, and Rain decided that it would be wiser to just follow the orders of the short-tempered Prince. Slowly, she raised her head, her piercing green eyes peered into his blue ones.

There was something he realized now, something that he didn't notice before, her beauty.

It wasn't a flashy time of beauty, it's not something you would notice at first glance, he got up from the table and stalked closer to her, Rain stiffened, she shivered slightly, but she remained seated.

"You're quite beautiful." He murmured as he reached for her chin and tilted her face towards his, his blue eyes narrowed slightly as they examined her face.

A slight blush crept on her face at the unexpected compliment.

As long as she behaved, he wouldn't mind getting married to her in the future.

"I hope we get along from now on." He suddenly let go of her face and straightened himself. "I apologize for my rudeness, my lady."