The servant finished refilling the cups.
Alyssa waved him away before taking a sip of her tea.
“Now, there’s another matter we need to discuss. Keldras should be engaged.”
Valdax nearly choked on his drink.
“They’ve already founded House Helvindar. Why push for another marriage?” Rianna asked.
Alyssa gave her a measured look before continuing.
“As far as the nobility is concerned, you’re a family of two. Your wife isn’t an elf, and they won’t acknowledge your other children as legitimate heirs.”
“That’s irrelevant,” Valdax interrupted.
“It isn’t,” Alyssa replied without missing a beat.
“Alliances matter. If House Helvindar forms a marriage alliance with one of the High Houses, there will be little cause for concern.”
She took another sip.
Valdax waved a dismissive hand.
He neither needed nor desired political power.
“Not interested.”
Alyssa sighed.
“Rianna’s family already favors you. You rejected their marriage proposal and still founded House Helvindar. They respect you for that—but only to a point.”
She set her cup down.
“Neera of House Barriret would agree to anything you asked. That’s a problem in itself. The rest of her family despises you.”
Rianna nodded.
“He’s made that perfectly clear. Neera’s husband can barely stand to look at me simply because I’m sitting at your table.”
“The traditionalists aren’t happy either,” Rianna continued.
“Your house consists of only two males. There’s no matriarch. Most of them would support you if there were an engagement.”
“Get to the point,” Valdax said.
“There is one candidate who solves nearly every political concern,” Alyssa replied.
“Who?”
“Maylene.”
This time, Rianna choked on her drink.
She wiped her mouth, a half-smile tugging at her lips that never quite reached her eyes.
“You’re not serious.”
“Maylene is spoiled. She’s entitled. She has practically every bad habit a rich girl can have. She’d make Keldras completely miserable.”
“You expect me to saddle my son with a spoiled noblewoman for politics?”
“I’m not saying she’d be easy. I’m saying the political benefits are difficult to ignore.”
“Your parents proposed this arrangement,” Alyssa said.
“I’m sure they know their own daughter well enough to make a rational choice.”
Rianna let out a dry laugh.
“You give my parents far too much credit.”
“The conversation is irrelevant,” Valdax said.
“I’m not going to make decisions about my son’s life without his consent. And even if he agreed, Ziri would be furious if I made a decision that important without her.”
“Oh gods, I didn’t think of that. If you agreed, she would have torn your arm off and beaten you to death with it,” Rianna said with an uneasy laugh.
“I doubt she’d go that far,” Valdax replied, not sounding very sure of himself.
Alyssa blinked.
“She’s that possessive?”
Rianna smiled.
“Only where Valdax is concerned. She’s perfectly polite to everyone else.”
“Except me,” Valdax muttered.
Rianna laughed.
“You married an orc. What did you expect?”
Valdax turned serious again.
“You know, Keldras will never agree to this. I don’t think he cares much about romance, but he’s stubborn. He never agrees to what others suggest is a good idea.”
Alyssa looked between them.
“Surely he’ll at least listen.”
Valdax and Rianna exchanged a glance.
“No.”
“Not even slightly.”
“You sound very certain.”
Valdax leaned back.
“I’ve known him for seventeen years.”
He adopted Keldras’s perfectly blank expression.
“Impossible.”
Rianna burst into laughter.
“Gods, you even got the expression right.”
The dining room door swung open, and the three children entered.
“I am grateful for your time today. One cannot help but admire the sheer scale and composure of this home. It is quite impressive,” Keldras remarked.
Saphira snorted.
My house was nicer.
I imagine it was fairly glittery, Keldras responded dryly.
Alyssa folded her hands together.
“You are quite welcome. I trust my children were responsible and informative guides?”
“Of course,” Ereliara replied.
“Couldn’t have asked for more,” Keldras agreed.
The conversation settled into a brief silence as everyone resumed their seats.
“There is one final matter I’d like to discuss.”
“I believe I’ve found an excellent match for you, Keldras.”
Valdax put a hand over his face and sighed.
Rianna tried to suppress a laugh.
Ah.
That explains it.
I wondered why we’d been summoned only to be separated almost immediately.
She wanted us to become acquainted beforehand.
Keldras sensed a conflicted emotion from Saphira.
There are certainly worse political marriages, she said mentally.
Seriously?
Keldras responded.
Naturally.
She’s a princess, and competent, if somewhat reserved, Saphira replied.
Keldras stared at Alyssa, his thoughts hidden behind an unreadable expression as he appeared to consider the offer.
Around the table, anticipation settled over everyone.
Alyssa waited with practiced patience.
Rianna watched Keldras with open curiosity, while Valdax already looked resigned, as though he knew exactly what answer was coming regardless of who the proposed bride turned out to be.
Ereliara’s thoughts raced.
Mother must mean me.
So that’s why she asked me to accompany him.
It makes sense.
Lord Valdax’s reputation alone would make him a valuable in-law.
Her shoulders stiffened, though her face betrayed nothing.
A look of utter shock spread across Amalica’s face.
He looked at his sister, then at Keldras, and finally at Valdax.
A broad smile quickly lit up his entire face.
Alyssa looked around the table, briefly puzzled by everyone’s expressions.
Alyssa frowned.
“Why is everyone looking at Ereliara?”
…
“…Rianna’s sister, Maylene.”
Ereliara was confused for a moment.
…Then why am I disappointed it wasn’t official?
Keldras’s train of thought was much the same, though it quickly shifted.
Who is Maylene?
I didn’t even know Rianna had a sister.
She certainly knows how to confuse a room, Saphira thought.
I preferred the princess.
Despite herself, she felt somewhat relieved, though she still didn’t understand why.
Then Amalica suddenly blurted out,
“I thought you meant Lia!”
Everyone turned to stare at him.
Valdax looked mildly amused.
Rianna burst out laughing.
Keldras gave him a blank, unreadable stare.
Ereliara looked absolutely mortified.
Alyssa slowly turned to her son, utterly baffled by how he had reached that conclusion.
Originally this scene was supposed to be a smaller part of Chapter 2 but i couldn’t fit it in without being super long so i gave it its own chapter instead.
Let me add a few more light hearted jokes to diffuse the political talk so i’m happy with it.