The Duke of Rochefort was not a man to cross, neither in the battlefield, nor at court. His tall stature, and his cold, piercing blue eyes could freeze the blood of the most battle-hardened soldiers. However, it seemed as if he was a completely different person when talking about his daughter.
"It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace. Please, accept my congratulations on your victory. Your daughter is very fortunate to have such a brave and fearless father," Lucian said with a smile.
The Duke was not the easiest man to please, especially when it came to compliments or flattery, and Lucian was aware of it, but he didn't want to be rude, either. He wanted to give the impression of a man who was genuinely happy to see the Duke, and who was not afraid to show it.
"Are they your people?" the Duke asked, pointing with his gaze at the rest of the men. The other group had no idea how to respond to the unexpected attention. They straightened their backs and puffed their chests, but their hands were fidgeting with their clothes, their eyes avoiding the Duke's.
"I apologize for the sight, Your Grace. They were not expecting to meet you," Lucian said, and the Duke nodded in understanding. "They are not used to dealing with nobility yet, but they are learning. I'm sure they will become fine men in no time."
The Duke motioned for Lucian to join him at the carriage, and he followed. The carriage was big enough to fit more than two people, and the inside was luxurious, with plush seats, and a small table in the middle, where a few maps were spread out. There were also some books and scrolls on the table, and Lucian recognized the one with the seal of the King of Varia.
"Sit," he ordered, and Lucian sat opposite of him, "I have no time for long conversations, so I'll make it short. I don't care how you feel about this arrangement, nor do I care what your intentions are. If you harm my daughter in any way, I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life. You can count on my help as long as you protect her and make her happy. But if you do anything to hurt her, I'll not hesitate to cut off your head."
Lucian swallowed the saliva in his mouth at the sudden threat, "Weren't you the one who offered her to me, Your Grace?" he asked, trying to sound as polite as possible. "The decision was yours, not mine. If you are so protective of her, then why did you decide to marry her off to a man like me, in the first place? I'm sure there are many suitors who would be more than willing to have her as their wife. You could have picked any of them instead of me." He eyed the scroll with the King of Varia's seal, trying to switch the subject, "I heard a new successor has been chosen for the throne. Is that true?"
The Duke didn't answer, and instead asked, "Is there anything you want to know about her?"
"Are there any things that I should know about her, Your Grace?" Lucian asked in return. Was the Duke wondering how much he knew? Like he would ever reveal their little affair, not after that sudden threat, for sure.
"Do you know why His Majesty agreed to this marriage?" The Duke picked up a scroll with the foreign king's seal on it and handed it to him, "Read it, and then tell me if you are still interested in marrying my daughter."
Lucian took the scroll from the Duke, and read it. A marriage proposal.
"There's plenty of fish in the sea," the Duke said, "Her status ensures that there will always be someone willing to take her, no matter how unruly she may be. Even a king," he pointed with his chin at the scroll, "She has no shortage of men to choose from, and neither do you, Lord Arclight. So, if you are looking for an escape route, this is it. I will not hold a grudge against you if you refuse to marry her."
"Your Grace, with all due respect," Lucian started, and the Duke interrupted him, "Speak freely."
Lucian paused, then continued, "We both know what will happen if you offer her to the wrong man. I will at least treat her as a woman, not cattle to be bought and sold. And I want to believe that you want the same for her, too. Unless I'm mistaken, and this is all a ruse to get rid of her."
The Duke's face remained unchanged, but his words became more and more contradicting, as if he was regretting his past choices, "She shot you, how will I be sure you won't take revenge on her?"
"You are already paying me with a generous dowry, Your Grace," Lucian said, "Besides, I am a businessman. I don't believe in revenge, only in profit. And I see no profit in taking revenge on her."
The Duke leaned his back against the back of the seat, "I don't trust people who can talk their way out of trouble. It makes me wonder what else you are hiding behind those honeyed words of yours."
"Then, what do you want me to say, Your Grace?" Lucian asked, "That I hate your daughter and I want her dead? That I'm planning to poison her food and drink, or stab her in the back when she least expects it? I'm not a saint, Your Grace, but I'm not a monster either."
"No, but you are ambitious," the Duke said, and Lucian didn't deny it, "There are a few houses I need to be dealt with, and you've proven yourself quite capable at getting rid of troublesome pests. Take care of them, and I will make sure my daughter won't come near your playthings again. A free man...how does that sound to you?"