Capítulo 80: 'And what if that's where all this leads?'
"It's a bit excessive, to be honest. But I appreciate the gesture, Emperor Augustus," Amelia nodded lightly.
"It's not excessive at all if you consider the other balls and parties hosted by the empress before. You're the first-ever duchess in Creador and you're coming-of-age is just as important. We don't have a daughter, you see, so the empress was excited to host it."
"The empress?" Amelia's brow rose. She's never heard of the empress arranging such a ball after she had an accident.
"Yes. You two have met, I believe?"
"Well… yes, we have. By accident. When I came here with Mister Vance after Duke Vernon's birthday, I happened to come across her in the garden."
"Ah! So that's what happened…" Augustine nodded as if he was considering something, "Anyway, it was her who told me that she wanted to host a ball for your sake. It has been a while since she hosted one after… after her accident, you see. I hope you'd see this celebration in a new light."
"I see…" the duchess' voice was low. They didn't part ways nicely with the empress last time, since her demeanor suddenly changed when her grandfather arrived. There was so much in her plate that time that she forgot to ask him about it, and he never opened the topic or asked what the empress talked to her about. So why is she suddenly hosting her a ball?
"By the way, if you don't mind, can I call you Amelia?" He said it so nonchalantly like it wasn't a big deal that all thoughts of the empress vanished in an instant. Like any other ruler in the room gets to be called by their title, why single her out? Amelia was at a loss for words. How should she response? This is the first time she's meeting with them privately like this. "Sorry if that came out a little aggressive. I was close with your mother and--" the emperor stopped when Vernon shifted on his seat. "Anyway, if you would allow me, that is."
The only person who probably didn't notice the shift in the air was Duke Robina with his smug look, pretending to know it all when all he's been doing was suck up to the emperor and take Ayland's achievements as his.
Amelia looked over to Vernon but his attention wasn't on her. She glanced at Alexander but he was looking at Duke Mulford with a rather conflicted look which made the duchess' brow arched for a heartbeat.
"Duchess Amelia," she finally mustered to say with a straight back and hands clasped together on top of the documents in front of her. "I'd prefer to be called by who I am, a duchess." At the corner of Amelia's eyes, she noted an approving nod from Vernon and Elias which relieved her. She's been thinking that she might've been a bit rude towards the emperor.
An awkward laugh broke, and Augustus gestured with his hand, "Of course, of course," he said, "where are my manners... I apologize for offending you, Duchess Amelia."
"There's no need for you to apologize, your majesty. I was just pointing out my own thoughts on the matter." She bowed her head a little then glancing to the side where Christa was, she saw her lady-in-waiting smiling at her.
This is only the fourth time she's seeing the emperor. The first time was back in Aclador where he knighted her before returning to Osmea, and the second was when she attended her first Gathering. She can't recall seeing him back in Osmea too, so when the emperor said that he was close to her mother, Amelia thought that it might be from the time that her mother was still the princess of Pradour's attendant. But if they're close, then why is her grandfather not fond of the emperor?
Amelia wondered as her eyes fell on Alexander. He has been awfully quiet. She thought that he might've made a remark or two already given that he was nicknamed the 'rebel duke'.
"Other than Duchess Amelia's presence for this Gathering, I'm also glad that Duke Clement is here for a change. I'm sick of hearing your secretary's usual script."
"Well, Cice's here so I thought I must be too." He said and Amelia choked on her saliva. Calling her Cice after correcting the emperor to call her duchess is a bit of a stretch. She prepared herself for this, alright, but not this prepared.
Seeing her struggle to clear her throat and take deep breaths, Oswyn and Christa stood up but she quickly stopped them with her hand. She shouldn't have thought of that too early--the duchess cursed mentally.
"And there's some things I want to discuss myself." The duke went on.
Augustus gave the duke a piercing look, but Alexander only leaned back, his left arm on the table with his thumb lightly tapping on the documents, his right elbow resting on the armchair, and one of his legs stretched out under the table.
Before anyone can utter another syllable, Duke Robina clicked his tongue from across the table. He's seated in between Vernon and Augustus; his delicately formed fingers with 6 rings, one finger had 2 rings, hugging a goblet of wine annoyed Amelia. If only he didn't look like the older version of Ayland, she would've done something to him a long time ago.
"This is the problem with mercenaries," he whispered sideways, but everyone still heard.
At the corner of her eyes, Alexander's jaw tightened as he fixed the way he sat, clenching his fist. Even the emperor and Vernon, as well as Elias and the others were all bracing themselves for the trouble brewing. Maybe, secretly, they wanted Alexander to land a hand on Duke Robina to put him in his place.
But that's not happening today. Not when she's got important matters to address.
"We..." All eyes shifted to her. "...actually have some matters to discuss, don't we, L-Lex?" If she could dig a hole and stick her head in it, she would. The duke started it, calling her intimately. She didn't want to follow suit, but she felt the need to reciprocate.
"Both of you?" It was Elias who questioned with a bewildered but cautious tone.
"Simply put, it involves both our duchies, and probably everyone's in the long run." Amelia clarified and she heard almost everyone let out a sigh of relief but at the same time at a loss for what's up her sleeves. Even Alexander was too dumbfounded to retaliate. Why wouldn't he? He knows nothing of the sort of topic Amelia was about to bring up. It was Oswyn who suggested it to her earlier while she was having breakfast in her room after getting ready. "Shall we get into business or is the Gathering just some kind of formality to make the ducal houses look oh-so important?"
She must've struck a nerve or something as the air around the room changed. Vernon shifted on his seat, Duke Robina cleared his throat, and the emperor leaned forward.
"Won't you tell us this business you're referring to, duchess?" Augustus said in a low, firm tone. His pale blue eyes eager for more information.
Amelia also cleared her throat. Her heart pounding so much it's all she could hear.
"After some time studying about it and talking to it with my council, we have come to a decision that it would be of utmost benefit for Osmea to open a road between the southern kingdoms and Thuenia—" Duke Robina suddenly exclaimed, slamming a hand on the table, stopping Amelia. The others were also visibly astounded.
"That's treason in the making!" he sounded bewildered, his hands making grand gestures in the air, and Amelia's eyes narrowed at him.
She lied when she said she studied about it, but she didn't lie when she said that she spoke to it with her council—well, sort of. The topic was mentioned by Sybil's father and Jude Colt briefly during one of their meetings; the longer meeting about it would have to be when they get back.
Looking at it from another's perspective, it does seem like she's trying to establish her duchy alongside Alexander's. With Osmea's landmass combined with Thuenia's, they'd even be bigger than Guvien—not to mention wealthier, if not, at least on par with the kingdom.
"I'd look the other way of you accusing me of treason, Duke Robina, for the sake of my friendship with your youngest son, Ayland." She snapped. "As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," she let the words hang for a few second, glancing at the emperor to gauge his reaction but he had none registered on his face. "Osmea's fortress-like mountainous terrains is what separates the empire to the southern kingdoms of Ragalla, Guvien, and Toutis in the far south. Merchants have opened routes, passing through kinder parts of the forests for them to travel to get here. But we all know that the mountains and the forests have a life of their own. Only experienced guides can weave through without facing any, or at least minimal, problems along the way.
"It's about time Osmea think about herself without worrying about considering others." As Jude once said, with Osmea's abundant resources, they could be on par with Alexander's duchy if only the past dukes had been a little greedier. "I plan to establish three routes. One for Ragalla, the other near the borders of Ragalla and Guvien which will make it easier for Toutis to travel, then one for Guvien since they still use the sea route to go to Thuenia.
"Of course, this will take years to achieve and, I know fully well how much this project entails. Osmea will need resources and—" Amelia was cut again but this time she was more than willing to forgive it.
"And Thuenia will fund it. Osmea will be the new center for trading and will probably be the new capital for commerce. The streets will be busier than ever, and establishments will sprout where there is space. Other than farmers, Osmea is also full of craftsmen, tinkerers, innovators, and people of the arts that the humble dukes before Cice gave importance to and cultivated. It's a shame that her duchy is now only being considered just as a little more than a farmland." Alexander sounded too proud that Amelia almost teared up. Remembering the promise he made when he proposed to her, her heart felt full at how fondly the duke talked about her duchy, about how he stood up for it and her ideals. If he didn't say anything, she would've come out arrogant and demanding because she's too roused right now about the project that her mind's wondering off one idea from the other and her mouth couldn't keep up.
"You might be thinking that this seems to only benefit Osmea and Thuenia. From a businessman's point of view, with roads already established from our duchies to the capital and elsewhere within the empire, travelling would be faster which means trading and business would be faster. There'd be less port activity given that Toutis and Guvien would rather travel by land than spend weeks at sea, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to take.
"However, as a duke, these routes pose a security concern for Osmea as this makes it easier for enemies to slip in and out of the empire," Alexander glanced at Amelia and she lightly nodded her head, considering his words. "As Cice said earlier, her duchy is what separates us from the other kingdoms—it's our first line of defense. And though we have treaties signed, it's still just a piece of paper." He let the others complete the thought, so the room went still. The only sound made were their own breathing, sighs, and the shuffling of fabric from shifting in their seats, as well as few papers rustling from restless hands.
"When do you plan to start this?" Attention flew towards Vernon who had his arms crossed.
"Middle of next year or maybe late next year. It's just a proposal right now and we are still gathering reports on where these paved routes should be. We also want to consider the wildlife and flora in our mountains since they're the once that will be affected once this project starts. As you know, the Florences have always tried to balance it out with nature. Right now, our priority is our people. There have been conclusions on the establishments of merchant guilds throughout the duchy. I'm glad to have very capable and insightful people around me." Amelia's eyes traced from end to another but only Duke Robina was readable.
"Is this why Duke Clement has been spotted in and out your palace, and why he's staying in your manor at Calser?" Augustine extended his arm, his index finger lightly tapping the table.
"Hah! For all we know all that rumor about them getting married is reason enough that this is clearly treason!" Amelia could here Ancel and Jyver's sword belts as Ayland's father pointed at them aggressively. And one should never point at a duke—or in her case, a duchess. "They'd establish these roads, make a name for themselves, and the next thing we know they're getting married and asking for independence!" he was pointing them, pointing at the air, and waving his hand when he's done.
"And what if that's where all this leads?" Alexander's eyes widened as the duchess straightened herself. Her question directed towards the emperor rather than Lucius.
"Before you even consider that young lady," his snicker made to insult both her and Alexander. "Are you really going to waste almost two millenia of peace we've enjoyed throughout our empire for your petty whims?" the quiet tension building up since Lucius Robina mentioned treason a while ago finally exploded and the servants behind them shared nervous glances at each other. Jyver, Ancel, and Elias at the ready to defend their own, while the others tried to read deeper into the situation.
Will this lead to an argument between Bruiles and Osmea? Thuenia will clearly side with Osmea, but would Aclador, Amelia's second family, side with her this time being the sword and shield of the empire? And the emperor, how would he answer? The duchess just indirectly dropped two life-altering food for thought: one, the possibility of asking for independence of both Osmea and Thuenia, and two, the possibility of their union both in marriage and their duchies.
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