Chapter 62

IAN was taking the gloves and the tall hat from the butler as he was getting inside the carriage that waited for him. He sighed before tapping his cane on the roof to signal the coachman to drive.
The horses neighed as the clops of hooves were the only sound that he heard. Ian was looking at the townhouse that he occupied with his wife, Emily Hassildor. He smiled at the fond memories that they were making as well as the thought of the wedding trip that he had planned for Emily.
Then, the carriage stopped as Ian had arrived at the Stone Tower, the place where the Higher Court met and planned to help the young queen establish her reign over Niapachad Island.
The footman opened the door as Ian got off. He nodded at the servant as he made his way to the huge oak doors of the Stone Tower. He greeted some familiar faces before he noticed someone that he had never thought of seeing at that early dusk.
“Tom!” he greeted, before Thomas Rambova, the Earl of Raine, turned as if his violet stare could kill a man. But Ian was so used to his cold exterior when inside, he was cinnamon. Not that Ian would tell anyone that Tom was a softie that liked to keep a tough exterior.
“Kain,” Tom greeted, keeping the formality between them whenever he was in public. Ian laughed at him before gripping Tom’s hand in a firm handshake as he smiled.
“It’s been a long time. I thought I would not see you again after my wedding reception. So, what brings you to the capital?” Ian asked before Tom arched his eyebrows at him. Then, the earl smirked.
“Well, we have our meetings, Kain. That’s why I am here, and not meeting with someone else,” he mumbled the last part before Ian smirked.
“She’s getting to you, isn’t she?” Ian said as Tom glared at him. Then, he left Ian as he was making his way to the courtroom.
“Not in the way that you thought, Kain. And let’s go. We’re already late,” Tom said as his outer coat flared out behind him. Ian shook his head as he looked like a villain that was planning for world domination. An eerie villain if one looked at him, with his chilly violet stare and dark hair.
I wonder who his wife will be, Ian thought before following Tom’s pursuit to go meet the others.
Ian arrived a few moments later, as Tom was already seated at his usual spot, at the back of the courtroom, glaring at everyone present there. Nick was smiling at Ian as he was talking to Dan, Viscount of Vyckos, about some finery that the duke wished to get for his wife. Ian nodded at Dan and Nick before he was looking around the courtroom for a certain baron. Ian arched his eyebrows.
“Marsh isn’t here?” he asked before Nick was shaking his head. Dan smirked before patting Ian on the shoulder as he sighed.
“Oh, you know how it is. Marsh went on an adventure in the name of the young queen, not having time to send some telegram or missive to us. We’re that unimportant to him,” he said as he was nodding, playing the drama king he was. Ian rolled his eyes before removing Dan’s hand from his shoulder.
“Okay, enough of that, I think we had better start by solving the problem of Fell sending a missive to the queen that there were some rebellions that were happening around the country,” Tom said, as everyone turned to look at him. The earl was taking his seat, taking out some parchment with ink and quill. Then, he turned to look at his friends who were still standing around the courtroom. He arched an eyebrow.
“What?” he asked.
“I thought I was the only one that knew about this. But I’m afraid that Arabella has been playing us again,” Niklaus said as he was shaking his head, thinking about his young cousin that was put in charge of the whole country without the supervision of her parents. But of course, there’s the prince consort, Aiden Dragomir, to watch her back and advise her if necessary.
“I just had a meeting with her this morning. And it would seem that she wanted us to solve these problems as soon as possible,” Tom said before he was drawing the map of Niapachad Island. He made some markings on the map as he explained to the others.
“Okay, so Fell told us there was some unrest in Moorgis, Saintsing, and Towngasp. I think we should start there for some clues about what was brewing in those places,” Tom said as Niklaus was arching his eyebrows at his friend.
“I just went to Moorgis last month. I don’t think that anything was unsettling there. Sure, the market can be a bit confusing and the villagers were complaining about not having enough land to produce more food for North Msallste, but I don’t think I should take note of that,” the duke said as he was looking at Tom. Ian nodded.
“And to think that these villages have in common was that they were providing food to the aristocrats in the nearest town. I think the farmers were trying to raise more tenants’ payment for their yardwork,” Ian said as the others were nodding in agreement. Dan was rubbing his mouth.
“I don’t ever hear such complaints about it. If so, then my estate manager was evading the problem by not talking to me,” the viscount said as Niklaus nodded.
“I think it’s time you had your mistress, Dan. That would be good for your household so that you don’t have to revert to your estate manager about anything,” Ian said, smirking before the visitor flipped him off. Ian laughed.
“Enough! We have to send missives to those villages’ leaders and tell them that we’re about to solve some of their problems so that there will be no more future problems with the crops,” Tom said as he was marking some inputs that Niklaus gave about Moorgis. Then, the earl turned to look at the viscount. He arched his eyebrows.
“Is there something that you noticed in your village, Dan? Some input would be great for us now,” Tom said before Dan sighed.
“I haven’t visited the village in the longest time. I think the last time that I was there was when I was a baby with my parents. God, how time flies,” he said sadly before everyone else patting his shoulders, giving him some strength. Tom sighed.
“Fine. When you go there later, tell me what you notice. And I suspect you need to go there undercover because the villagers are not happy with us right now. We’re supposed to be guiding them but we’re stuck here with the instruction from the queen to breed and find a bride,” Tom said before everyone was looking at him. Nick arched his eyebrows.
“I thought you went to meet Arabella just for the missives?” the duke said as he was chuckling softly. Tom growled.
“Not another word about marriage and ladies. I had enough of that, thanks to you two idiots,” Tom said as he was glaring at Ian and Nick. They both laughed. Ian shook his head.
“Oh, Tom… you will be surprised when the queen wants you to find a bride,” he said before Tom was rolling the map of the country, glaring at his best friends.
“Whatever it is, I will keep my distance from her. I advise you do the same, Vyckos,” he said before the earl was leaving the courtroom, wanting to solve the problem as soon as possible, it seemed. Dan chuckled.
“If what he said was true, then I think I might be heading back to Stonelockteco to see what’s up,” the viscount said before leaving the courtroom as well. Ian shook his head before Nick was clearing his throat.
“Well, it’s you and me now, Kain. Do you have anything else to talk about the problems that we have with these villages?” Nick asked him before he turned to look at the duke. Ian smiled before he was gripping Nick’s shoulder.
“There is something I like to ask…” the marquis said as his amber eyes shone with mischief as Nick was arching his eyebrows at him, just waiting for the bomb to drop on him.