Bab 29: An agreement
Luciana was back in the parlour again after Dahlia left.
"I might have gotten myself a wife." Raziel said to her when she joined him.
Luciana frowned. "I don't believe you."
"She agreed to marry me. I think the plan on my father's side was to get someone who would agree to marry me after meeting me."
Luciana shook her head. "I thought the plan was to scare them off."
"When did we make that plan?" He asked. "And you seem disappointed. You don't want me married?" He then lowered his voice and said. "Or maybe you want to marry me instead, just so you can see more of my naked self."
Luciana stood up immediately. "Thank you for your company your highness."
She then left quickly before he could say more, while Raziel laughed at her reaction. This side of her was totally new to him.
____
The next day came quickly, and the whole castle was busy and boozing with people, in preparation for the king's wedding. Evelyn was getting all the attention she needed from her husband to be, and she felt happy that she would be queen in a few hours.
Meanwhile the day was like a vacation for Raziel. No work, no women to meet, even though they were all at the castle, as they were also guests for the wedding, and he didn't plan to attend the wedding.
He thought he would be meeting his father after his meeting with Dahlia, but fortunately for him, the man was too busy to see him.
A knock was soon heard on his door.
Would these people ever let him be?
"Your highness." Lorenzo's voice echoed. "Your presence is needed in the throne room right now. The king wants you to meet with some people."
"Who are they?" Raziel asked in a low voice, knowing Lorenzo could hear him.
"I don't know most of them, but I was able to recognize Lady Dahlia and her father. Princess Evelyn is still there, together with the king. I think her father is there too." Lorenzo reported.
"Nobody important."
"Nobody is important to you your highness."
Raziel purposely took his time getting ready, just to annoy his father. When he was done, he went to the throne room, only to meet a bunch of people he didn't know, and didn't want to know.
He walked in like he owned the place, his face straight, but kind of hostile. He walked to his father and offered a bow.
"Sorry I am late your majesty." He then went to take a seat.
The king held Evelyn's hand who sat beside him, and he gave her a comforting squeeze. He knew she was angry at Raziel's refusal to acknowledge her presence.
From the corner of Raziel's eyes, he saw Dahlia's father urging her to go sit with him, but the lady seemed to be a stubborn one, and she refused. The duke tried his best to not lose his temper with her.
Raziel was mostly absent minded during the meeting. They talked mostly about expanding the slave trade to boost the economy of the kingdoms. Sometimes Raziel felt like humans were nothing but livestock to them.
"Prince Raziel, words got to me that you that you are very much involved in the slave trade. Tell me about it." One of the men there said.
King Mikael knowing that his son was very much against the trade, and he would probably say something that would displease the people there answered on his stead.
"The prince had always been a great contribution and support to the trade. In the past few months, he alone had bought and sold thousands of human slaves within and outside the country." The king lied, while Raziel just only gave a sly smile.
At the end of the talk, Dahlia's father stood up to speak.
"I would also like you all to know that my daughter would be getting married to Prince Raziel."
Murmurs were heard before the room erupted with claps and Raziel and Dahlia were congratulated.
"My daughter has had a rough time finding a suitor, as none of the men she ever met were to her taste. But one meeting with the prince, she already agreed to marry him."
Claps erupted again. The only people who were displeased were Evelyn and her father. Evelyn's father was mostly displeased that he left his daughter and had already moved on so soon, as though she was not good enough. While Evelyn felt disrespected that they were announcing his marriage to someone else in her presence, and on the day of her wedding.
Raziel glanced at Dahlia and their gazes met. She must have been looking to get his attention.
Her eyes were pleading. He could tell that he didn't want him to deny her there.
When Raziel did not respond to her, she suddenly got up.
"Excuse me your majesty." She addressed the king. "I would love to steal the prince away for a moment."
The people present there smiled, and they gave them permission to go wherever they want.
Dahlia dragged Raziel outside the castle, and to a place where no one was.
"What is it Lady Dahlia?"
Her hard expression softened, and her gaze turned pleading.
"Please just agree to marry me, I beg you. You don't actually have to marry me eventually. Just agree for now. My father is on my neck."
She then glanced behind him to ensure no one else was there. Raziel followed her line of sight, but saw nothing.
"My father will kill me if I go back home without marrying you. They have a list of suitors for me, and I don't want to end up with any of them."
"So you are asking me to just agree, but I don't have to marry you eventually?"
"Yes. I promise not to be a burden to you or give you problems of any sort. I just want to be free." She begged desperately.
"What will happen when the time comes for the wedding?" Raziel asked her.
"We will call it off, and I will go back home. I will tell my father that you are not interested anymore."
"But that will bring hostilities between our kingdoms. And I will get the blame." Raziel responded to her thoughtfully.
"Fine. I will take the blame. I will tell my father that I couldn't cope with you. Anything. Just don't let me go back."
"And what if at the end, nothing works?"
"I will run away." Dahlia responded.
"What is stopping you from running away now?"
"Because I have no money. Everything I own has been taken from me. I have no where to go. The only way I can get back everything I own is if you agree to marry me. Please your highness."
"And what is in it for me?" Raziel asked her. "I have no reason to help you."
"Honestly Prince Raziel, I have nothing to offer you. And that is why I am pleading with you. What can I even offer you?" She asked.
"Maybe not now, but sometime in the future."
She hesitated for a while before she nodded.
"I agree."
He then extended his hand for a handshake, and Dahlia stared at him for a while, before shaking him.
"And I must warn you your highness. Your father will have you sign a blood oat that you will marry me."
Raziel frowned. "How do you know that?"
"After my meeting with you, I complained to your father how I am not certain that you will agree to it. I am sorry for that. He then assured me, and told me about the oath, and told me not to let you know. He thinks I am desperate to marry you."
"Do you have any idea where the documents are?" Raziel asked her, and she shook her head.
"Just avoid signing anything."
"Don't worry about that. Just play your part, and I will play mine." Raziel said to her.
"Thank you Prince Raziel." She said with a sigh of relief.
Without answering her, Raziel left to his quarters, skipping the meeting, and possibly his father's wedding.
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