My Lady Chef novel Chapter 36

Belmont's POV:

I stared at the Ezran who looked fit to be tied the moment he came to the Royal Palace to report for the last time to my father.

As Crown Prince, my position was in the seat closest to my father. I could see that he did little to hide his annoyance at being summoned from his home.

Seated in front of him was King Julius Solarius IV, Current Monarch of Illios and the current Sun of the Kingdom. His silver hair and periwinkle blue eyes are a family trademark and inherently; the one who possesses these physical traits is usually favored for candidacy as the next King.

My father was still fit for his advancing age of 50 years and is dressed in his court clothes with his scepter in his gloved hand and a hidden sword strapped to his waist.

His blue eyes looked frostily at the duke whose head was bowed before him.

"I have heard of your recent change in marital status Lord Ezran. Did I do something to offend you when I suggested a few suitable matches a month back?" My father asked in an amiable voice but I can feel the simmering anger beneath it.

And so it begins.

There is a reason my father wants the Duke of Aisenburg under his kingdom. His wealth and power match that of the royal coffers; His lineage was also nothing to scoff about as he is a descendant of the Wyvern Lord, one of the Four Dragon Lords of Arcana.

Plus there was no secret that the Duke has strong supporters in the other dragonkin, who are all powerful in their own right as well.

He could leave and start his own Dukedom if he wishes to and his skill and power during times of war have won many victories for the Holy Kingdom and he has remained undefeated.

This made my sire eager to keep Ezran happy but he also wanted leverage and a means to keep him tied to the kingdom.

For years, he has proposed several matches with daughters of the closest men from his faction. He even tried to betroth the First Princess Miranda as a show of favoritism since my spoiled sister had always coveted being wed to the Kingdom's most powerful man.

But the stoic Lord of Tartarus refused them and my father cannot punish him or risk alienating his most powerful ally.