Chapter 63: Dinner With The Maldenbergs

After a lengthy conversation with the Grand Duke, Victor and Marshal Bessières were escorted to their rooms and had some time to relax before having dinner with the Maldenberg family. In truth, both men would kill to just lay in bed and do nothing but it would be a massive insult to skip dinner.

Not wanting to be rude both Victor and Bessières were escorted to the dining room where they met the Grand Duke and the rest of his family. His children were the spitting image of him all inheriting his orange eyes and blackish-blue hair. Priscilla had black hair with red eyes, similar to members of the Maximillian family.

The group made introductions and then began to sit around the marble table. It was excellently sculpted that even Victor was slightly envious of the wealth of the Maldenberg family. The chairs were just as exquisite, the dining room was a grand room filled with a fireplace and grand pieces of art. With musicians softly playing in the background it felt like Victor and Marshal Bessières were amid prestigious royalty. 

"So Victor you must tell us what is your plans now that you have become a Grand Duke?" Priscilla asked in an almost interrogating tone. Victor had to quickly think of an appropriate answer to give. Sure he had visions of conquering the continent but he could not just outright admit that, he would be insane.

"Well truthfully, Grand Duchess. I have been too active in battle during my short reign as a ruler. For a while, I would like to rest, spend time with my family, and maybe even give Anton a sibling or two." Victor said in a soft warm tone.

The room giggled at Victor's last remark. His words held no lies. Although Victor wanted to be a conqueror and become king, he also wanted to enjoy some quality with his family. Time was already beginning to fly by and Victor wanted to be able to enjoy Anton's youth or have Veronica around before she would eventually get married

"I can not fault you there Grand Duke Luxenberg. When these ones were born all I could do was stay couped up in the palace playing with them. But now they have all grown up and are living their lives." Arthur said matching Victor's tone.

It was a lovely setting and talking was going well until the main course of food was brought out. The food itself was divine, some of the best ingredients were used to create such mouth-watering dishes. It was what came with the dinner that derailed Victor's high opinion of the family.

"Dinner is finally here! It looks delicious. Servant, please bring in the live entertainment," Arthur ordered in a polite tone. Hearing that there would be some live entertainment made Victor intrigued. The dining room was spacious enough to have some form of entertainment near the table but he could not imagine what it would be.

Within moments the servants returned with multiple guards escorting 2 females dressed in worn and torn rags. Seeing this made Victor confused, even Marshal Bessières was confused at what was going on.

At one end of the room, the first female prisoner who had red short hair had her restraints removed and was even handed a loaded pistol. She was clearly malnourished and even trembled slightly while holding the pistol. 

At the other end was an older woman prisoner who had no hair. Her feet and hand restraints were still on. One of the guards grabbed an apple from his pocket and placed it on the old lady's head, perfectly balancing it.

With the two female prisoners in position, the Grand Duke stood up from his seat and began to address the prisoners. "Ladies I present you with a game to earn some food. The way it works is simple. If the prisoner with the gun can shoot the apple off the top of the other's head you both can get food. If you miss you return to the dungeon."

Victor and Bessières were appalled by such barbarity but given their reasoning for this trip, they could only bite their tongues and not interfere. They looked at the Maldenberg family and were horrified at their expressions. They were excited, not only that it seemed as if it was a regular highlight of their dinners.

With the two prisoners ready the Grand Duke gave the signal to begin. The red-haired prisoner wavered and struggled to aim her pistol. A slight deviation in her aim could see the elderly woman with a bullet lodged in her skull. 

Her arms shook violently as she peered down the site of the pistol. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she began to let her nervousness take over. Taking her time, Arthur grew annoyed by the delay in the activity. Slamming his hand on the table he yelled at the prisoner to fire.

Alarmed by the loud noise the prisoner pulled the trigger out of fright. With a loud bang, the spectators watched as the bullet went straight through the skull of the elderly woman. The red-haired prison failed miserably, and the elderly woman died on the spot. A pool of blood began to form around her lifeless body, all the while the clapping and cheers from the Maldneberg family filled the room.

The guards grabbed the prisoners and dragged them off. The living prisoner wailed and had tears streaming down her face. Her blunder resulted in the death of a poor elderly prisoner. She was dragged off to the sound of thunderous applause. To the Maldenberg family it was their form of sport.

The pair from Luxenberg were seething with rage and disgust, yet they could not afford to show it. They had done this tour to strengthen relations with their fellow nobles, but now Victor felt that mission seep beneath the cracks as he had to quell the violent emotions deep within him. 

Turning to Victor and his marshal the Grand Duke began to speak, "What did you think of the dinner's entertainment, I figured that you two would enjoy it as much as we do. We are people who see war for what it truly is. It is an artform an expression of man's true nature. Violence has always been the purest instinct of man, I am sure you gentlemen agree with me right?"

Marshal Bessières and Victor had to violently contain their rage, force smiles, and nod at the Grand Duke's words. They were reaching their breaking point. Arthur's words were that of a lunatic. If this continued, the pair would be likely to do something regrettable.

And so began Victor's stay in Archenshien.