211

I felt drawn to the town of Mintia and I looked through the window eagerly, soaking up as much as I could. People stared because the SUV held the flags of my Dukeship. Nobody waved and nobody smiled, which got me to thinking that my reception with the Elders would be cold as well.

We met in the Town Hall meeting room with an oval table. There were still two heads and none of the men had taken their seats. I smelled bourbon and Ivan cleared his throat when we entered. They all stared at Milo with open hostility but their searing gazes of hate were spared for me.

“Good afternoon, Elders of Mintia.” I spoke first and they all just stared.

“I present Duke Wynter Grey the new Sire of Mintia.”

“We don’t need the son-in-law of the King to harass this town any further!” The man that had spoken was angry. His eyes burned with fury and I realized I was in the presence of allies, they just didn’t know it yet.

“Tell me Duke why exactly did you choose Mintia to settle your seat?”

“That is Elder Andrei Nicolescu.” Ivan’s whisper was just loud enough for me to hear.

“Elder Nicolescu, Mintia was gifted to me with the title of Duke, I did not choose the area.”

Loud laughter burst from every man in the room and even Milo looked at each of them as they roared with laughter. I didn’t understand why, I hadn’t said anything remotely funny.

“The King has sent you here to fail, boy.”

“Failing is not in my blood.” Milo nodded his head from behind me where he’d remained standing. “Shall we sit and discuss the problems like men?”

“After you, your Royal Highness.” It was said with a sneer and not meant to be respectful at all but I ignored it. I was going to get to the bottom of their hatred for the King and let them understand mine.

I deliberately chose a seat in the middle of the oval table, leaving the heads to someone else. I wasn’t here to force them into anything but by the end of this meeting they would understand that I was Sire and that my word was law.

“Now tell me, Elder, why has the King sent me here to fail?” It was a fair question and the men now looked at each other, probably trying to determine how deep my loyalties lay.

“Sire, Mintia is known as a rough part of Romania. The unwanted people are banished here to try and eke out a living. Taxes are high and people can barely survive. They cannot own their houses as the Royal Family owns it all, well I guess you own them now. Warriors that fail out of the King’s training program is sent to protect Mintia and we are most probably the King’s last worry.”

I was shocked to hear what Ivan was telling me but I also wasn’t surprised by it. The King abused these people and didn’t care for their welfare at all. I had noticed that most buildings in town were rundown and there were a lot of upgrades to be done.

“Why is there a vampire seated next to you, Sire? This is a dragonkin meeting.”

“Milo’s my brother and will be included in everything I do. Vampires are not your enemy and I trust Milo with my life. He’ll be staying, those that don’t like it can tender their resignations as Elders.”

Nobody left the meeting room and Ivan brought us a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. Milo poured for us since I now had to act as the Duke. The Duke didn’t serve others but it was one thing I was going to change.

“So let’s hear it then, boy. What plans do the King have for Mintia?”

“Elder Zamfir, let me start off by saying that Mintia is now a Grey lair not a de Haviland lair. The King has nothing to do with Mintia anymore and like I said earlier, failing isn’t in my blood.”

“So what makes you so confident that you can lead these people?”

“Because I can do this.” I had said that in their minds, something that even the King didn’t know I could do.

Their eyes showed their surprise, I only knew of four Sires that could do that. Lucas Grey had been the first one and then it was Ryder and Chase Grey and now me. “I’m here to recruit you all as allies. I might be the King’s son-in-law but the marriage was not by choice. My father raised me to do the honourable thing and that’s what I’m doing now.”

“I see, you knocked up the Princess.”

“That he did. Listen to his plans for Mintia, for everyone that lives here and then decide where your allegiance lies.” They all looked at Milo and he emptied his glass before glaring at them all.

“The first order of business is that taxes will be lowered to two percent per employed adult and every single person currently living in their house for more than five years will own it. The lair will survive and flourish on the businesses that we’ll invest in. I propose that each Elder get working on a list of upgrades that needs to be done in your respective area so that we can start with the town’s development.”

“Mintia has always paid a seventy percent tax to the King and that will be now yours to receive, Duke Grey. On what will you survive and pay your staff that works in the castle?”

“The King has nothing that I want, certainly not money. Mintia will be better off if the people living here can actually live. I can maintain my own household but I plan on making Mintia the richest little town in Romania.”

“What about the other stuff?”

“What other stuff?” I didn’t know everything and I knew I had a lot to learn and a lot to do before these men were going to trust me.

“The Duke and his family eats for free and shops for free.”

“That’s ridiculous and it stops now. Everybody pays for what they buy.”

The men were quiet then but I saw Andrei smiling at me and nodding his head. He liked what he heard from me. “Care to put that in writing?”

“Ivan, please get it in writing and send each Elder a signed copy. Things are going to change around here, gentleman. Seeing is believing, I’m aware of your reluctance to trust me but the day will come when we sit around this table and talk as friends. Ivan, I want a meeting tomorrow morning at eight with the town warriors where I’ll discuss their training and payment with them. Nobody works for free.”

“Let’s see how it goes, Duke.”

“My name is Wynter. I don’t care about titles, I care about people and since Ivan and I have both taken the blood oath he can speak about my intentions for all of you.”

“You made a blood oath with him?” Andrei looked at Ivan with astonishment.

“Yes, Father, I have. Trust has to start somewhere and from what I’ve seen today he’s not the King’s man.”

My phone beeped to alert me to a text message and I pulled it from my pocket and opened my messages.

Maya – Where are you?

Wynter – Elder meeting

Maya – Can we talk when you get back?

Wynter – Yes

I put my phone away again and nodded to Milo. “We’ll leave you to discuss things among yourselves. Ivan, we’ll meet you back at the car in an hour or so.”

Milo and I left the meeting hall and he put his arm around my shoulder. “Nicely done, brother.”

“It’ll take time for them to trust me but these men are going to be our biggest allies.”

Milo and I walked around the storefronts and got to know the area a little better. We went into a few stores and Milo grabbed two bottles of water and I waited at the pay point for him. News of who I was had obviously traveled fast as the young girl put our things into a bag but didn’t ring it up.

“Thank you for choosing our store, Duke.”

“What’s your name?” She didn’t look old enough to work and I wondered where her parents were.

“Luciana.”

“I just passed a new rule with the Elders, everyone pays, even me.”

I handed over the money to her and she smiled brightly at me. “Your change, Duke.”

“Tell me, Luciana, how old are you?”

“I’m seventeen Duke and I only work here in the afternoons so my father can rest. He’s very ill and I help where I can.”

“Milo remember to ask Ivan about this. Keep the change, Luciana, you are a good daughter.”

“Thank you, Duke!”

Milo and I left the store and headed back to the Town Hall just as Ivan stepped outside. He smiled when he noticed us and he walked towards us. “The Elders wish to resume the meeting.”

“That’s a good sign right?” Milo slapped me on the back and I had to grin.

We headed back to the meeting room and I sat down in my seat as Milo poured drinks for the both of us. He settled down next to me and I took a sip of the bourbon. I decided I liked it and made a mental note to have some sent to the castle.

“Before we start talking again I want to know about Luciana, the teenage girl working at the little grocery store.”

“Her father is Marius, his illness is the bottle and his fist. Luciana is a good girl, works hard and she keeps her head down.”

“Something needs to be done about her situation. She’s a young girl and everyone deserves a chance at a good life.”

“I’ve heard she does quite well in school and she’s a dutiful daughter, looks after her father and pays off his gambling debts.”

“Ivan, let her come to the castle tomorrow when the shop closes for a meeting.”

Ivan nodded his head and a few of them looked curiously at me. It was clear that they weren’t used to anyone from Bucharest being honorable and honest.

“Duke Grey …”

“Wynter.”

“As you wish, Wynter, we’ve decided that we’ll watch you closely, follow your lead until you give us a reason not to.”

“That’s all I ask for, Elder Valeriu.”

“Good, then the next topic on the agenda is your mistresses.” Milo sat up a bit straighter in his seat and I had to hide my chuckle but Elder Andrei noticed it and glanced at Milo.

“You will need to give your brother a title if he’s to enjoy the comforts of it.” Elder Gavril looked me in the eye.

“What do you propose?” I had no idea where they were going with this but I got the feeling that they were trying to put aside their differences with the throne and give me a chance.

“Marquess of Mintia, that means he’ll answer to you but given that he’s your brother we have no objection to the title being given to him. We have one concern though.” I knew exactly where Elder Gavril was going with this.

“Milo won’t feed on anyone. He survives quite well on blood bags and when he needs fresher blood he feeds from me.”

“I prefer type B positive though, personal joke.” Milo grinned and a few of them smiled back, getting his joke.

“You wanted to say something about the mistresses.” I hadn’t forgotten about the earlier remark and we’d veered off the topic quite a bit.

“Being a mistress is a job opportunity, one girls apply for. It is seen as quite an achievement for the families if their daughters are accepted for that year. Their salaries from that year usually gives them the financial boost to further their own lives, it is a tradition I’m afraid we cannot let go of.”

“Sire Grey has yet to meet any of the new mistresses currently residing in the castle.”

“How many of them were sent from Sinaia and Bucharest?” Ivan blinked twice and then swallowed.

“Six.” His answer confirmed my theory because wars had taken place because of pillow talk, treason too.

“Send them on their way. I’ve already told you that I have no need of the King’s spies in my household, also any member of the staff that is linked to the King. I want them all gone.”

“We have many unemployed people in Mintia that would do well in the castle.”

I looked at Elder Marku, since it was the first time he’d said a word, and nodded my agreement. My focus now was Mintia and the people that lived here. I had no desire of word getting back to the King about what I was doing.

“I think this was a good first meeting, Elders. I look forward to proving you all wrong.”