Chapter Eleven: Better You Than I
1739 Words
Marquis, Edward L. Alpensa.
“Father is…is my sister….” Regina bit her lip, “How is my sister character-wise.”
“Arusei, you mean?” the Marquis asked.
“Yes.”
“She is very sharp, quite smart. So, I am certain that she will help you adapt well in the Academy, now that you will no longer be homeschooled.”
The girl before the Marquis puffed her cheeks.
“Are you saying that I am slow?”
“No honey,” the Marquis smiled, “Just that she might be of help to you.”
“But, father, you realize that you have mentioned nothing of her but her intellect. It is easy to assume that you assume me slower than her?”
“No, you have been away from society so-,”
“So, do you think I am as sharp as her or-.”
“You are, I am certain. After all, you have your mother’s and I’s genes.”
“Wow, father, nice save.” She chuckled.
The Marquis wiped fake sweat off his face in an exaggerated manner, adding to the melodious laughter in the tight space.
It was mid-morning, and the trip to the school was for more reasons than the Marquis was willing to admit.
His calls were no longer getting through to either the maid or Arusei, facts which only added to his desperation. Desperation, he had no desire to feel.
Gods, but if only Arusei would behave! Then he could simply rejoice in the return of his baby.
A soft voice interrupted his spiralling thoughts.
“Is…is she, Arusei, I mean, really going to be the Empress?”
“Where did you hear that?”
“From Uncle Samuel,” She replied, “He said that you wanted her to be the Empress even though she was not your real daug-,”
“Regina!”
The girl startled at the harshness of his voice, so he softened it.
“Regina, she IS my daughter.”
“More than I?”
“No, never, my love for her does not take away my love for you.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart.”
The response warranted a smile from the lady, and again her gaze turned out the carriage window.
They were a few hours away from the academy, but he was still nervous at the meeting of his two daughters.
How the hell would he address both Arusei’s stubbornness and the meeting of his children?
Perhaps one at a time and separately. There is no need to jostle Regina’s view of her sister.
Still, it is not as if Arusei is an uncooperative child. Perhaps she has a good reason for the mess forming at her insubordination.
“Father?”
“Hmm?”
“W- why can I not be the Empress?”
The Marquis’s heart stilled.
“Pardon?”
“N-no, I just mean…Look at what Arusei is putting you through, would it not be easier if I, who is actually willing to uphold the family name, m-married, the crown prince?”
“Its… it is not that..” the marquis sighed,
“You do not think that I can do it?”
“No, I do, but…Arusei knows the ins and out of society better than you do,”
“But I can learn, it is not as though everyone is born with knowle-,”
“Enough, Regina! Let us stop the topic.”
“But father-,”
“No,” he said, “No, you will not take Arusei’s place.”
Regina did not seem amused by his set of boundaries. However, it was for the best. Even though she did not understand it now, she would later.
The marquis grabbed the paper beside him and buried his nose in it, hoping it would at least grant him some respite from his thoughts
*
*
*
Lady Arusei E. Alpensa
“Lady Alpensa, I am not sure how we can make this up to you.” The Dean began, his expression solemn.
“How you can ‘make this up to me’?” I frowned, “Dean Grantworth, I do not think that you can, ‘make this up to me’.”
“My clothes, my maid, my room!! Is this the sort of security you provide to nobles?”
“We require all upper noble students to apply to the academy with their own securi- “
“On what forms did I consent to such matters? All I know, is that I was denied access to the upper rooms that require my signature on the security forms by one of the students in this school, a school that, by the way, claims to provide some semblance of equality with commoners. I would have been more than happy to provide my own security, but I was never given that choice!”
“I understand that you are upset-,”
“Upset? UPSET? Dean Grantsworth, I am LIVID! Utterly furious! How could this happen under the school’s watch?! Just wait till I get a hold of the tabloids.”
“Lady Alpensa.” The dean sighed then buried his head in his hands. “I truly extend the deepest apologies I can for the predicament presented. I shall ensure that your rooms are upgraded and that you-.”
“There is no need for that.”
“Pardon?”
“I do not need you to ‘upgrade’ my rooms, the horrors I endured? I will not-,”
“One million gold will be deducted from your fees.” He interrupted, “That, my lady, means that even your children’s children will school for free in this establishment.”
“An establishment that cannot even guarantee my safety?”
“We are looking into the matter. As we speak, we have our team on the case-“
“A team that let the break in happen, in the first place!” I clarified, “Do you not understand my words?”
“I understand, lady Alpensa.”
“So you keep saying. But I do not think that-,”
“We will also permit you to bring your own security.”
Does he think I intend to leave the school? Is that why he keeps cutting me off?
“Dean Granstworth.” I began into the tense silence that had formed, “Last weekend, I was summoned to the imperial palace.”
“There,” I continued, “His imperial majesty asked me to take his son’s hand in marriage.”
The paleness on the dean’s face grew, so much so that he neared blue.
“What use do you think a person of my calibre would have for handouts? A million gold off my fees? My own guard?” I shook my head, “Is that not how it should be? Why offer my rights as though they are favours?”
“The...” he sighed. “Please, please, lady Alpensa,”
“‘Please?’ Is that all you can say? You were not the victim of vandalism, Dean Grantsworth. I WAS! Under a roof that I was promised was safe. I should be the one feeling what you think you feel! I should be the one to say ‘please!’! Those should be my words!!”
“Two hundred million gold.”
“Two hund…what?” I frowned.
“I am offering..to give you two hundred million.” The dean spoke softly, as though unsure of his decision.
“Are you offering to ‘give me’ two hundred million, or are you ‘buying my silence?’, there is a difference, so I advise you to identify it before I storm out and make good on my threats.”
“I…” the dean began then sighed, “The school needs your silence, so, I am, no we are, trying to buy it.”
“One billion.”
“What?”
“One billion gold, and you have a deal. You'll have my silence or whatever?”
“One billion is a preposterous amount-,”
“The academy is worth seventeen billion, so I do not find my response ‘preposterous’.”
“Yes, but such an amount will leave a dent on the academy finance records!”
“Oh, what should I do? My maid! She was severely wounded!! Gods, what if I had been in that room!-”
“Seven hundred and fifty million.”
“One billion and a permit to leave school grounds whenever I feel like.”
“What? That is not how negotiations work.”
“Well, that may be so,” I crossed my legs, “But one of us is more desperate than the other, so I can only go up.”
“A permit and eight hundred million.”
“One point two billion gold, a permit, and I will not let a word of this spill, even to the Marquis.”
A knock sounded on the door.
“I am in a meeting,” the dean responded.
“You should perhaps let them in. Who knows, it could be important.” I smiled.
The dean flinched at my remark. For a while, he kept his stern gaze on me as though trying to read me.
“Come in,” he said.
A brown-haired man with thick curly hair popped his head into the room.
“Mr Grantsworth, the Marquis of Central Norvig, is here.”
At the announcement, a feral look crossed his face.
“Did you-,”
“You have to understand, dean, the capital and our estates are far apart. You have had me grounded for the past six hours. I have had no contact with any of the students in the school, let alone the lecturers. How could I have called my father here?”
“Then how can he-,”
“Perhaps he wishes to speak of matters pertaining to the Imperial family?”
The dean grit his teeth, and after a way too long sigh, he spoke.
“Fine, deal.”
“Wonderful.” I smiled.
“But you need to sign a contract before you see your father,” he said, then turned to the secretary that was halfway inside the room, “Marlow, you know the one, plus a gate pass.”
My smile widened.
“Of course, it is only fair.”
- Writer
