Chapter 73

THE claps of hooves against the cobblestones were gaining Ian’s attention because he was near the Stone Tower. He sighed because Ian knew that he would be condemned by Nick for letting his wife be alone when they had just returned from their wedding trip to Lake Ngis. And what a terrible trip that was.
Makeshift bed and tent. Alluring sirens’ songs. Never got a chance to go hunting in Ngis Forest.
Ian sighed before he thought to himself that it would be best for them to be away from that haunting, beautiful place for now. He knew that it would not be good for Emily and himself if they were to be caught by the sirens and drowned in the place that was called Down Under.
Ian shivered underneath his outer coat before the carriage stopped in front of the Stone Tower. He smoothed his coat before the footman opened the door and Ian stepped out of the carriage. He looked at the Stone Tower that was built next to the Royal Castle.
Ian took a deep breath as he went inside the tower to go to the important meeting. That was until he saw Niklaus coming his way. His arms were broad.
“Ian, mate! How are you?” his best friend asked before he was pulling Ian into a hug.
The duke patted his back as Ian did the same to his. Then, they were looking at each other as Nick was arching his eyebrows. There were questions in his eyes but Ian shook his head.
“Not now, Nick. I think we had best go to the courtroom before Tom explodes. I heard that he was reaching his tipping point to yell at anyone,” Ian said as Niklaus snickered. Then, the duke elbowed him.
“You know what I think that Tom needs to control his temper?” the duke asked as Ian was shaking his head. Niklaus smirked.
“A lady in his bed. That should calm him down rather than brooding all day,” he said before Ian chuckled, shaking his head before going inside the courtroom as they saw that Tom was glaring at him.
Oops… busted.
“I heard that. And I don’t need that from you guys. You’re supposed to be ignoring the queen’s request for us to breed and continue the line. And I will be the one that will not comply with her,” Tom said as he glared at them, “unlike you two!” he snarled.
The earl was taking his seat, looking down at the maps that were being laid out for his work as well as the ledgers that were being picked up from the treasury to pay the tenants for their hard works. Ian sighed.
“It looks like our first approach was not successful,” he said as he was removing his coat, putting it on the chair that he occupied before Tom was shaking his head.
“No, and it would seem that Dan will not be joining us for a while. He got a situation down there in the South,” Tom said as he dipped a quill into an inkpot as he was writing something on the parchment. Niklaus went to check it out.
“What are you writing about?” the duke asked as the earl was focusing on his task. Tom shrugged.
“I think we need to make some changes to the tenants’ agreement. It’s the other way that we can try to be diplomatic with those workers that have been feeding us for generations before we work our way up to tell the queen,” he said before Niklaus was arching his eyebrow.
“And why would we be bothering her with this? You know Ara trusts us to handle this kind of situation if it ever happens,” Niklaus said, as he was ready to defend his cousin in any case that he could.
Tom stopped writing on the parchment, rubbing the ink off of the quill before setting it aside. Then, he turned his amethyst stare on the duke.
“And you think that the young queen would ever learn about her own country if we’re the ones that have to solve every problem that came her way? And how can she be a tough ruler if she did not even know how to handle the riots in her own dam country?!” Tom said as he was looking at Niklaus.
Ian noticed that the duke was clenching his jaws and his hands were turning to fists. Then, Ian stepped between them before he broke into the fight that was bound to happen.
“Hey, hey, hey… come on, guys. You know how hard it is to govern a country and our young queen has just hit her one and twentieth birthday anniversary. I know that she might be lurking around in others’ businesses but I am sure that she had the purest intention in every action that she did.
“And can I just say that her cunning mind is what has made her such a great ruler that this country has ever had? Would you agree with that, Nick? I mean, apart from the fact that she’s your cousin and all, I think Arabella was doing the best she could to make sure that the Higher Court continued its tradition to be the one that advised her on such things as how to govern the country and perhaps dissolve the riots that were brewing from the inside?
“I am sure that the young queen knew what was happening inside her own country and governs it with an iron talon, right?” Ian said as he was looking at his best friends. Tom was turning away, rubbing his dry mouth as Niklaus was taking a deep breath. Then, he sighed.
“I guess Ian was right. Ara might seem that she had a lot of free time on her hands, but believe me when I say that she’s the most cunning cousin I ever met. Not to mention that she’s the only cousin I had from my father’s side,” Niklaus said as the duke was smiling, shaking his head slightly as Tom was turning to look at him. Ian was watching both of them, wanting to be prepared to dispute a fight if necessary. Then, Tom snickered.
“Tell me about it. I cannot believe that she’s that cunning when she’s like, what? 7 or 8 years younger than us?” Tom said before Niklaus smirked.
“That’s Dragomir for you, Rambova. You had better remember that we can get our talons to sink deep inside your bones if necessary,” Niklaus said as his eyes were turning black. His inner Demon was rising, wanting to protect what was considered its protection.
Tom looked before he nodded at Niklaus. Then, the duke’s familiar blue eyes were there as Niklaus was patting Tom’s shoulder before the duke excused himself to meet with the young queen.
Ian knew that Niklaus would be trying to convey what the earl had just talked about and hoped that his cousin would do something about it. Ian sighed.
“You shouldn’t have provoked him like that, Tom. You know how it is for Nick to be protective over his cousin,” Ian said before Tom was sighing, rubbing his neck as he waited for the earl to explain his action earlier. Then, Tom shook his head.
“Sorry, mate. I think these situations were getting to my head. And not to mention that I have to be back in Royal Lothso at the end of this month. It has been a long time since I had the time to enjoy my country estate without anything to worry about,” Tom said before Ian laughed.
“No wonder you’re pissed off. Are you getting an invitation from the queen about a certain request?” Ian teased the earl before Tom was glaring at him. His violet orbs were burning with malice to make Ian’s life miserable for the next few days.
“Whatever, Kain. I don’t need to talk about it with you and, for your information, I haven’t been called by the queen just yet. So, I might be safe from her plotting to get me a bride,” Tom said before he went to his table and dipped the quill inside the inkpot before starting to scribe on the parchment as Ian was smirking at him.
We’ll see about that, tough guy, he mused before making his way to help Tom to sort out the ledgers to find a satisfactory solution to their current situation in the countryside.