POV: Duke Rosais
(Maxwells rascal is up to no good again)
Royal capital of the Lamperouge kingdom, in the royal duties office.
I, Burt Rosais, the current head of the house of Rosais, read the contents of the letter sent by house Maxwell and grumbled to myself.
I offer heartfelt congratulations for Prince Sullivans marriage into the family of Baron Noms
Congratulationsso the letter said, but this was, for all intents and purposes, a threat.
The malice contained in this short sentence was so intense that I, as the kingdoms chancellor, could not help but be impressed by its craftiness.
Approximately one month ago, my beloved daughter Marianne was told by crown prince Sullivan that their engagent was no more. The reason was that he actually loved soone elsetruly childish.
The sender of this letter, Dyngir Maxwell, was none other than the fiance of prince Sullivans mistress, Selena Noms.
Sole responsibility for the broken engagents fell on Sullivans shoulders.
Sullivan apparently continued repeating that he had found true love, while also pathetically whining about how Marianne was not suited to be his fiancee.
In any case, he had laid hands on another woman despite being engaged, so there was no doubt that he was at fault. The woman he laid his hands on was also engaged herself.
No matter how many excuses the moron of a crown prince could find, abusing the authority of the royal family to snatch a vassals fiancee would brand him with infamy.
~
U-uhm, chancellorcan we do sothing about this?
This pitifully weak tone was produced by none other than the master of this office of royal dutiesHis Majesty the King.
This ancient man, far too weak-willed for his position, had two sons, but he especially favored his firstborn, Sullivan. He looked at with an expression full of concern for Sullivans future.
His Majesty, King Saloucha Lamperouge, was a rather ordinary man compared to his rank.
He had no impressive military feats to his na nor enough wisdom to be rembered. His only positive trait was that he was well aware of his limited abilities.
He never imposed his opinion on political or military matters, always carefully listening to the opinions of those around him.
(You could also say that he cant decide anything by himself, though.)
While ntally judging him harshly, I answered the kings question.
Nothing, Im afraid. Maxwell, the victim in this series of events, is *requesting* for the marriage of prince Sullivan into the family of Baron Noms to be celebrated. Our only option is for the prince to actually marry into the Noms family.
Regardless of what they actually thought, on the surface, the victim was relinquishing their rights, so they could not be denied.
H-however, if that happens
The king faltered and babbled.
Sullivan marrying into the family of Baron Noms even his diocre intelligence grasped what a terrible punishnt it was.
A baron might be a noble rank, but its status was extrely close to a commoner. The territory a baron could rule over amounted to one or two villages at most, with minimal tax revenues.
Such a house could not lead a lavish lifestyle, naturally. For Sullivan, who had lived among luxuries all his life, as a mber of the royal family, it would be impossible to endure marrying into such a family.
In addition, the Noms were vassals of house Maxwell and even owed them money. They would have to obey almost any order from house Maxwell. In the case of ard conflict, they would likely be sent to the frontlines.
Sullivan would thus beco the subordinate of the man he angered by stealing his fiancee: a life of tornt would await him. Could there be any punishnt more terrifying than this?
The king seed to want to say sothing, so I encouraged him to speak, and the words started sputtering out of his mouth.
HmghhmmI knowI know what Maxwell ansbut is this not too much? For a mber of the royal family to marry into a barons housethere could be no worse humiliation. Sullivan has already been disinheritedwhy must that poor boy et such a cruel fate?
that punishnt was not enough, then. At least, that is what Maxwell seems to think.
(A judgnt my house of Rosais fully agrees with.)
In the letter sent to the house of Maxwell, it was written that Sullivan would be punished severely. His Majesty, the weak and kind King, however, had no intention to actually administer a strict punishnt to his son.
Sullivans rank was demoted to that of a vassal of the royal family, but depending on the situation, it did not amount to a very severe punishnt.
Because he would be adopted by a marquis without heirs and thus lead a stable lifestyle.
(They probably saw through the fact that the king wasnt strict enough to actually punish Sullivanmmph, while it is a troubleso matter, it is a favorable developnt for as a Rosais.)
The Rosais family was also a victim in this series of events and was equally dissatisfied with the slap on the wrist Sullivan received.
Despite our dissatisfaction, we were forced to accept this conclusion because, as representative of the central noble families, it was our duty to minimize any threats to the capitals stability.
However, my precious daughters face had been sared with mudas a father, I would like to at least rip that idiotic forr crown prince to shreds.
H-howeveroh yes, chancellor, if you bowed personally to Maxwell, then
Thats the proposal the king ca up with.
I shoulddo that, for Sullivans sake?
Yes, a king cannot bow his head to his vassals, but if you, the chancellor did, thenmaybe
I glared at the king with all the murderous intent I could muster, and his words trailed off.
Allow to ask one more ti, Your Majesty. I should throw away my pride and lower my head, for the sake of the man who betrayed my daughter?
Gh
The king finally seed to comprehend the enormity of his blunder.
(Like father, like son)
I sighed ntally.
His Majesty did not spout such nonsense normally. But, like Sullivan, he apparently had a tendency to let his emotions take over at tis.
(If he truly wished to protect his son, he should just do so, even at the cost of offending the Maxwell or the Rosais nobles. Was he so scared of us? However his cowardice made him ideal as this kingdoms ruler. A truly competent king would be resented by the Four Houses.)
In the Lamperouge kingdom, the four margrave houses protecting the borders in the four cardinal directions boasted considerable power. They were normally called the Four Houses.
The asure of a kings true ability in this country was in how well they could rule while not making enemies of the Four Houses.
His Majesty the king was too weak-willed to be the ruler of a nation.
But because of that, there was no threat to the Four Houses privileges or authority. He was seen as an easy to carry figurehead.
(Truly able kings never last long, after allSullivan should consider himself lucky not to have had any *unfortunate accidents*)
The Four Houses must not be opposed.
The kings buried in darkness because of them were too many to count.
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