It wasn't long before Blanc returned, accompanied by an older woman, likely in her forties, with striking red hair and ruby-colored eyes. By then, Celine and Miyanna had risen from the bed, dressed more appropriately to receive a Daughter.
"Welcome, Daughter," said Celine, inviting her to take a seat, "A cup of tea perhaps?"
"Celine and Miyanna of Blood Denegis, I greet you," the Daughter replied, her face emotionless as she went and took the seat that was offered to her.
"Was it difficult, my love?" Celine asked, looking at Blanc.
"Not at all, actually," Blanc shook his head, taking a seat near his wives, "The Daughter was having a conversation with the Matriarchs by the time I got there."
"Any concerning news?" Celine wondered, turning towards the Daughter.
"None worth mentioning," the Daughter said, taking the cup of tea Miyanna filled before sipping quietly from it. "Now, I wish to know why I was summoned."
Celine cleared her throat before replying to her question, "We wish to let your Order know that our husband is willing to aid in your request."
"Is that the truth?" The Daughter asked, turning towards Blanc.
"It is," Blanc nodded, firm in his resolve. "Whatever your Order requires of me, for all it has done for us in the past, and all I hope it will do in the future, I will do everything within my power to help as long as it does not involve me sacrificing my life for it."
The Daughter, though emotionless even now, turned to look at Celine and Miyanna, who gave her only a silent nod in reply, telling her all that she needed to know… for now.
"We will take note of that," the Daughter said with a nod. "The Sanguinarch Order is grateful for your dedication to preserving our alliance. Rest assured, Blood Denegis will not go unrewarded. However, I'm afraid I cannot offer further details at this time."
"Whenever you need my help," Blanc said, "Until then, I hope my word will offer your Order peace of mind in choosing us as allies."
The Daughter met his gray eyes, her gaze unwavering. "Lord Blanc, you have no idea how much that truly means to them."
"My love," Celine placed a hand on her husband's shoulder, "We wish to have a word in private with the Daughter for a request of ours. Until then, could you please take some of the trays back to the kitchen?"
Blanc wanted to ask what their conversation was going to be about. But he held his tongue, only painting a warm smile on his face, before replying, "But of course. Should I bring something else in return? A refill of tea, perhaps?"
"That would be delightful," Celine replied, before locking lips with him.
"Thanks, Hubby," Miyanna added, before she, too, turned to kiss him.
With a quiet thank you from the Daughter, Blanc picked two of the trays still full of carrot cake and went out the door, leaving his wives to continue their chat with the Daughter.
"He does not know," the Daughter said once Blanc was outside the range of their conversation.
"Nor will he remember," Celine added, "Is that acceptable?"
"Preferred, actually," the Daughter replied.
Celine sighed, "How long will it take to set everything up?"
The Daughter stood silent for a while, staring at the table as if reading the reply between the lines carved in the wood.
"Three months for the chosen Daughters to arrive in the Empire, a week to set the place inside this Domain, then three days for the potion to wear off," she listed, her gaze turning back towards Celine and Miyanna.
"Good," Celine nodded, "We will still be pregnant by then."
"How many Daughters will come?" Miyanna asked the important question.
"That is not something I have to know," the Daughter replied, "But it is safe to assume between fourteen and twenty."
"Their age?" Miyanna continued.
"No less than twenty-five, as it is customary," the Daughter responded.
"We also want something in return," Celine joined in.
The Daughter turned towards her, "Very well, speak your terms."
"We want a personal Daughter, present at all times, regardless of our location, to ensure smooth communication with the Order, as well as three other favors we will require at a later date," Celine listed, her back straight, her gaze prideful as she looked into her eyes.
The Daughter remained silent, her sight turning back to the wooden table.
"You ask too much, Celine of Blood Denegis," she said after a minute.
"Do I? Our proof is growing inside our bellies, yet you say we ask for too much despite your request," Celine muttered.
"Besides the Daughter, all we can do is one favor," the woman replied, raising a singular finger in the air.
"Three favors and you can send ten more Daughters," Celine added, "But the favors must be upheld by swearing on the Vita."
The Daughter fell silent once more, this time for more than ten minutes.
Minutes in which Blanc returned once, bringing the newly made tea.
"Is she okay?" he wondered, looking at the Daughter stare into nothingness as if she were a corpse.
"Not to worry, my love," Celine waved off his worry, "She is thinking about a proposal of ours."
"I see…" Blanc muttered, grabbing two more trays before turning on his heel and walking towards the door.
"Aren't you curious, Hubby?" Miyanna wondered, baffled by Blanc's silence on the matter.
"Of course I am," Blanc nodded honestly, "But it is not my place to ask something you do not wish to speak of. I trust both of your judgments enough not to worry about the contents of what you are talking about."
Without waiting for a reply, he left the room, leaving Miyanna even more baffled than before. Though it would be a lie to say she did not feel good knowing how much Blanc trusted them.
A minute or so after he walked away, the Daughter raised her eyes, before a single word left her mouth.
"Deal."
"A pleasure doing business with the Order," Celine nodded, putting her hand forward, "To a fruitful alliance between us."
The Daughter took her hand and shook it lightly, "And to wise choices."
"Indeed so," Celine grinned, "But now, I have to ask you to enjoy our carrot cake, it's beyond delicious, please have some before you go."
"I am satisfied with what we spoke about today," the Daughter replied, getting up and turning towards the door, "Good day to you, Celine and Miyanna of Blood Denegis."
"Was adding ten more wise?" Miyanna sighed, placing her forehead on the cold wooden table.
"For two more favors from the Order, yes," Celine nodded.
"I still don't fucking understand all these high politics, all I want is so much simpler than what we are doing now," Miyanna complained.
Celine giggled lightly, "Believe me, sister, my wish is exactly the same, but for that to happen, much will have to be done before we achieve it."
"Will these three favors take us there?" Miyanna wondered in a whisper, more to herself than to Celine.
"No, the gameboard is too large for that to grant us the victory, but it will ensure that we will not fall too soon from the table," Celine explained, "Which, for now, is more than enough material for us to work with."
Silence fell over the two as they both got lost in their own thoughts, pondering the future and how it would unfold for them.
It was at that moment that Blanc rushed back in, "Father-in-Law has returned."
"Has something happened?" Celine jumped to her feet, worried.
"No, he looks fine," Blanc replied, catching his breath, "But he is summoning all to the inner mansion."
"Any idea why?" Miyanna asked.
"Not sure yet, but he did not come alone," Blanc said as he moved to change his clothes into proper Noble Blood ones. "I did not see who it was, but I assume they will be present."
"In that case, let's not delay further," Celine replied, trying to guess what was happening.
After Blanc finished changing, they rushed out, heading towards the inner mansion, passing maids, butlers, and guards in quick succession, not paying them any mind as they approached the large doors.
The man standing guard at the door cleared his throat before speaking.
"Lord Blanc of Blood Denegis, together with his two wives, Celine and Miyanna of Blood Denegis, have arrived," he said out loud before opening the door of the hall wide open, before moving out of the way.
Blanc entered first, with his wives walking behind him on both sides as they entered the hall.
Inside the circular chamber stood a single chair at its center, while three others were arranged between stone pillars thick enough to conceal whoever sat to their left or right. As they took their seats, their eyes drifted over the partially veiled figures framed by the other pillars.
On another set of similar chairs sat the Matriarchs of Blood Maroux. To their right, half-shrouded by their own pillars, stood Blanc's mothers.
And to the left of the Matriarchs, fully visible, stood the Daughter they had spoken with earlier.
There were other veils, but Blanc did not have the time to figure out who sat in them for a familiar voice soon began speaking.
"Since we are all present, I think it is time to begin," Lucien said, as steps echoed around the chamber.
From the far right, a veil moved out, making way for him as he approached the chair that stood in the middle of the room.
"Welcome, all of you, to the Maroux Concord," Lucien said, taking his seat.