"You must be anxious. Your wedding is soon, isn't it, Miss Shang?"
"That's right, Your Majesty. It was six long months of preparation for the wedding, and every day I feel more anxious."
"At least the lady had enough time to prepare her wedding and make sure everything is perfect" Lucian smiled as he reached out his hand and picked up a macaron "I admit I'm jealous."
"Don't say that, Your Highness. Though your marriage is being rushed through, I must say it will be wonderful."
"I wonder why you are in such a hurry..." Asked Eugene innocently.
Magnus choked on the tea, covering his mouth with a cloth to cough. The omega looked at the younger brother and quickly answered him.
"It's just for... precaution."
"Precaution?"
Cassander uttered a low laugh, as if he was amazed at the scene of Magnus trying to keep his younger brother innocent. Although the adults knew well that sooner or later he would find out the truth, especially because it was the subject of the moment.
That is... Eugene was already seventeen years old. He would soon debut, despite against the taste of his older brothers. Something he should know, to the point of asking questions like those just to leave his older brother in an embarrassing situation.
"You must have heard about the mercenary attack your brother and Lucian experienced a few days ago, don't you know?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Well, we just think that if we hurry their marriage, it will be safer. Lucian can be under the protection of the Grimwood, which has a very strong personal army."
"We are the strongest in the Empire, after the imperial army, of course!" Eugene boasted with excitement, but soon the curiosity shone on his face "However, I believe that the palace should be safer, no?"
"Hahaha, in theory. The palace is not a safe place at the moment. Lately we have noticed many nobles being hostile to Lucian. Therefore, we hope that marriage is a way to protect it."
It seemed very convincing the excuse that Cassander gave, even Magnus caught believing. Well, it was still a mystery for the omega why the Emperor made the marriage proposal between him and Lucian. Although it is quite common for him to receive that kind of proposal from other heads of families, but coming from the most powerful man in the Empire?
It made sense that they would do this for Lucian's sake.
That is if Magnus did not remember the words of the servant beta he heard the night before. "The eighth prince saw the death of the Grand Duke". At his core he felt the urge to roll his eyes laughing in pure derision of those words, however, noticing the movement of Lucian and the whole imperial family aroused his curiosity.
Spying on the alpha by the corner of his eyes, Magnus watched every elegant and delicate movement of the eighth prince. Despite having a crown on his head and the genes of an alpha, Lucian was too weak. However, Magnus saw firsthand that he was someone's target. A renegade and introverted prince was being hunted by someone from within the palace while desperately trying to hold on to him.
"Mag, you must protect His Highness, is that right?!" Eugene said suddenly, holding his older brother's arm.
Blinking stunned, Magnus just nodded.
"Ahm? Ah... sure, I'll do that."
"I am shocked to see nobles being hostile to His Highness. I could see that after their engagement party, many nobles are showing hostility shamelessly."
"Most nobles are superb and easily believe that the title they carry is an armor that makes them omnipotent" Lucian said calmly, sipping a sip of the tea and smiling lightly at the sweet taste.
Ah... why was he noticing such useless details of the eighth prince?
"Your Highness is right, I also went through a lot of trials when I inherited my mother's title. Although we are a small viscounty, many do not think I am worthy of Jesse."
"Sympathy for your pain, my dear." Said the consort in a warm tone.
Magnus' reddish eyes assessed Cassander. Everyone knew of his tragic history, the fact that he was the Emperor's personal knight and was badly wounded in battle before he got married. It was such a wound that took him from the battlefield. Cassander used to be the commander of the first division of the battalion, while Magnus' father was commander of the second battalion.
With the war going on and the Emperor expanding his territory, it was natural that lives would be lost. It reached the point where the Emperor united the two battalions when Cassander was forced to retire by the wound. He refused to appoint a new commander, since there was no one as good as Cassander. After the former Grand Duke died, Magnus was appointed the new commander by inheriting his father's title.
Of course, Magnus was always curious to know what were the abilities of Cassander, however, the health of the consort was not so strong since that injury.
"Even during the engagement party I saw something similar happening." Lucian said suddenly "I learned that the Pendleton family received a baronial title, and so I invited them to the engagement. But I realized that the only daughter of Baron Pendleton had difficulties to fit in."
"My goodness!"
"Did something like that happen?" Magnus questioned, raising his eyebrow.
Lucian looked at him and sighed low.
"Of course you wouldn't notice, you was surrounded by nobles babbling to you. But I saw her from afar on the dessert table."
"Oh, I saw it too!" Victoria said after thinking a little "Was it a lady with short hair?"
"That's right!"
"When the messenger warned me about Jesse's delay, I saw this lady alone in a corner of the hall. I was even intrigued, since I never saw her at any social event."
"If you are talking about the Pendleton family, they are quite prisoners because they are learning to manage the new lands that the Emperor gave along with the title." Jesse has commented.
Pendleton? It was an unusual name, but it didn't sound strange to Magnus. Where did he hear...
"I heard some ladies cursing the poor woman. I'm afraid she's having trouble getting into high society."
"If she has debuted, it would not be good for her to be alone. Especially if she is single" Cassander commented.
"Haa... I wish there was something I could do for her."
Magnus then remembered! Immediately he looked at the prince with disbelief. Was that what he was snooping on during the engagement party? And why was he interested in a woman? Was he planning something again?
Whoa! Last night Magnus discovered that his fiancé was someone who moved silently like a weak predator. Still, he was a predator who knew how to grab his prey.
Did he intend to trap someone else in his trap?
His unbelief grew worse when he noticed Lucian's upset expression, as if he was really worried. Magnus narrowed his eyes without knowing for sure what bothered him in that expression of his fiancé.
"I understand your concern, my son, but if one of us suddenly patronizes her, I fear it would bring no benefit. The envy of other nobles would increase, and even rumors could be spread."
"Well, if you're worried about Miss Pendleton, and she's really having trouble fitting in... I think we should include your family in our wedding invitation. What do you think, dear?" Miss Shang said sweetly, seeming content with Lucian's concern.
"I don't see any harm, dear. If it makes you happy, then we can wait for the Pendletons' presence."
With Jesse agreeing to invite Miss Pendleton to his wedding, Lucian smiled happily behind the cup. A smile that was not of relief, but as if he had conquered something.
Such a smile did not go unnoticed by Magnus.