The World Dragon's Heir - Chapter 469
Chapter 469: Amerton Court
Once the ladies were all gone to change, Alexis came out to talk to Dominic.
“What’s this I hear about you thinking the Amerton Court was a brothel?”
“It sounds like one. I mean, come on? ‘We’re escorting the ladies of the Amerton Court’ totally sounds like a travelling brothel.” Dominic defended himself.
The Princess laughed quietly, while the few servants who hadn’t accompanied their ladies to the showers bit down on their hands to stifle the sound of their laughter.
“And the fact that they’re all fourteen to sixteen years old?” Alexis asked.
“You haven’t been to the slums in a while, have you? But that’s not the point, who could tell under six kilos of powder and rouge? You can’t even see their facial features.”
One of the maids rushed out of the room, and Alexis rolled her eyes.
“It’s a custom in the southeastern nations, they think that it makes them look more mature and reliable, like a good wife.”
Dominic shrugged. “You could put them in a simple corset dress with no makeup and pigtails, and half the young Barons would be on them like a fat kid on a cupcake.”
“That’s not a glowing recommendation of the Barons.”
Dominic shrugged. “Not every man can be as cultured as I am to truly appreciate the finer aspects of a warrior bride.”
The maids who had arrived with the Noblewomen looked utterly baffled by their interaction, until they realized that Alexis wore a pendant that marked her as a Royal Paladin, and that she had a sword on even in a formal dress, while Dominic only carried a single dagger as a token of being armed as a Duke should be.
A maid stepped forward, hesitant, but in need of answers. Dominic nodded, and she began to speak quietly.
“Your Grace, is there a custom here that our ladies should be carrying weapons?”
“Oh, not at all. Princess Alexis is a Paladin, so naturally she is armed. I am a Sorcerer, so I only carry a token blade that I will enhance with magic if I need it.
Well, there is also a gun under my coat, but that’s less traditional and more practical.
Nobody expects Noble Ladies of any age to be armed, that is what the guards are for. There is also little need for it here, among friends. We’ve got fifty Mountain Trolls on guard, nothing short of a full invasion could breach the Manor.”
The guard nodded to the maid, confirming Dominic’s words.
He had seen the armour that the trolls had, and if that was representative of the whole force, nothing was getting into this manor. Even if it was a full invasion.
“Did you get them settled?” Alexis asked, curious what Dominic had ordered.
“Into an empty courtyard. It will be a bit of an imposition on the meetings, but it’s the only place with space for so many.
The servants can use the barracks when they’re not on duty, as the residence isn’t intended for so many. The maids are bringing in extra beds to the Courtyard, and the ladies are showering in the barracks while their rooms are prepared.
We have the supplies, they just need to be arranged for the guests.”
Alexis nodded. She knew what they had in storage, and there was more than enough to deal with the situation, though they would be a bit crowded in one courtyard.
Still, she didn’t object to Dominic’s decision. Putting them all together would keep them from settling in and waiting for more single Nobles to come visit.
The girls who went on international tours were normally less wealthy, not the eldest or even the second daughter, and becoming desperate to find a good husband, so they could avoid becoming an older man’s concubine.
They were all technically members of the Royal or senior Noble lineages, but their options were extremely limited at home, and if they couldn’t prove themselves by securing an alliance without family assistance, they would get whatever was left over.
The sound of joyful laughter carried from the barracks across the yard, and Alexis rolled her eyes.
“We could have left them in the old barracks, and they really would have been fine.”
Dominic shrugged. “Well, I thought that I might give them a tour of town tomorrow. It will get them out for the day, so the Envoys can work, and they might be able to find something that they need.”
Alexis laughed. “They won’t have much spending cash, they’re hoping to get married off before they run out of Dowry.”
Dominic shrugged. “Well, perhaps they’ll need a bit of fresh air? Getting them out of the house and moving around is a good start on its own, after being trapped in the carriages for weeks.
Besides, it will encourage gossip, and if I bring a maid with me, we might even learn something about current events to the south.”
They had passed through Amer and Mitfield, so they should have some idea of how things were going, even if they hadn’t stopped much.
“Alright, that is an excellent plan for tomorrow. I have asked the kitchen to have something made for them that isn’t soup.
Larry and the other Trolls were happy to share, but I’m sure the ladies will appreciate it if their dinner comes with bread rolls or sandwiches.” Alexis agreed.
If the Veiled Maids were with them, there was a limited amount of trouble that they could get into.
The real issue would be keeping them away from the Envoys, who were all ranking Nobles who had unwed younger family members. They were prime targets for the travelling bride convoy.
Not just because they were available, but because the alliance would benefit both families.
However, it would also completely derail their negotiations, and lead to even more guests arriving in Wistover for the formal betrothal and pre marital meetings.
She was hoping to get all the trade deals signed and dispatched before anything else happened to change their minds. If they started getting notions of bringing Amer into the deals, they would be at it all winter before anything was finalized.