NOVEL WEB Chapter 22: Ambition
Its only been a week since Ezrel attending noble gathering.
Now his rumors once again spread among the noble.
Little did he know this time there not only a rumors a about.
But the noble already begins the move to secure him.
---
There was a whisper clinging to the fog.
Not one spoken aloud, but the kind passed through laced teacups and folded letters.
The kind of whisper that came with wax seals, noble crests, and hidden ambitions.
It started with thirteen letters.
All addressed to Lord Dormir.
All asking for the same thing.
Which is...
"We humbly propose a union between our daughter and the Serene Heir."
All those letter will start with this sentence.
Start from minor noble like them to Ducal house.
The all want Ezrel to be their son in law.
And Lord Dormir, of course, read every one with a mild smirk and a goblet of wine while crossing his leg.
--
Lady Dormir did not hate the proposals.
As his mother she will help her husband find the best and suitable partner for Ezrel.
Therefore, when the letter arrived..
She sorted them like catalogues.
Baron daughter, Viscount daughter, Count Daughter and Duke daughter.
She further category them into those noble girl attitude like quite girl, arrogant girl.
Welll...
There also a special category which is fertile girl.
Most girl in this category already reached age 16 where they can have a child as soon they get married.
Not only that, only beautiful girl can get into this category.
"A girl from House Clarenith is quite refined and beautiful ," she murmured.
"But the Halbrant offer is more politically sound but im afraid she cant give us grandchild. She doesn't look fertile."
" How about the king? Arent his daughter also likes our son???" Lord Dormir asked.
"His messenger arrives next week." Said the messenger who stood there with a blank face like he doesn't heard anything.
Lady Dormir chuckled.
"Our Ezrel… already attracting royalty. A pity he doesn't know. Well.. im sure she likes it after all she also beautiful."
Lord Dormir smiled. "He doesn't need to know. He'll will thank us when the crown fits."
---
While both his parent arrange his future...
Ezrel Dormir, Serene Heir of House Dormir, had no idea.
He spent the morning curled sideways on a bench, chewing toast slowly and staring into the garden mist.
He felt something was wrong, of course. He always did when the air turned this heavy.
Like even the birds were eavesdropping.
He just didn't care enough to ask.
---
That evening there a small gathering hosted by Lady Dormir.
The tea event was small but exclusive cause it attended only by trusted noble families.
The one who sent engagement letter.
Among them there was House Ilyara, whose youngest daughter had long admired Ezrel from afar. She believed she was different.
She did not want to own the Serene Heir, like other ambitious girls.
She simply wanted to sit near him. To speak. To offer tea. A quiet gesture of goodwill.
Maybe if she lucky she can offer a son.
She doesn't even want status she only want him.
She arrived in a sea-blue gown, practiced a dozen calming smiles in the carriage, and breathed deeply before approaching the garden steps.
Ezrel sat beneath a willow tree, unbothered, half asleep.
He wore the his normal lazy expression of someone who had not been woken willingly.
She stepped forward.
A maid appeared. "This table's reserved, my lady."
She moved left.
Another maid "just happened" to need that space for flower maintenance.
She tried other table.
A guard's boot landed near her hem by mistake.
She retreated.
She waited.
She tried again during the scone service.
Her path was blocked again.
Nothing loud. Nothing rude. Just… constant redirection.
---
That evening.
She returned to her carriage an hour later and cried quietly into her gloves.
"I thought I could reach him," she whispered.
"But I wasn't supposed to."
Her mother calmly replied to her.
"You will get him... The only difference is either early or later ..
Dont worry....
Dear."
---
Later...
That story was told by the driver, to a baker.
And it continued to other person..
And by the week's end, a new rumor had bloomed.
"The Serene Heir cannot be approached unless chosen."
---
Two days later...
Ezrel sat at breakfast. The toast was undercooked. The butter slightly too warm. His face spell unbothered. His hair messy like usual.
And then, without any sign.
His mother said, in her usual voice like it was not her business.
"You've been engaged, Son...."
Ezrel blinked.
" What?"
"I think there something in my ear can you said again". Said Ezrel with one hand trying to pick his ear.
"Marriage."
He stopped chewing. Hand slowly raised up.
"To…?"
"A princess of the capital."
He turned to his father.
Lord Dormir raised his cup.
"Congratulations, son. One day, you'll be king."
Ezrel swallowed. Slowly. Nervously.
"Since when are we royalty?"
"We're not. Yet."
Ezrel stared at the butter. Then at the wall. Then at the window. And lastly and his sister.
So that's what the whisper was.
I knew there something going on
Out loud, he said nothing.
But in his head.
I just wanted nap.
I just wanted rest.
And now I'm halfway to the throne.
Someone save me.....
---
Lysette's Pov
That night, Lysette stood in her room, brush resting on her vanity, ribbon tied with obsessive perfection.
She had heard the whispers. She had seen the letters.
And now… her brother was engaged to other.
She did not cried.
She did not panic.
She simply dont care about it at all.
After all, according to her.
"If the world ties him to another…
Then I will be the one who ties him to stays."
She didn't know who the princess was.
She didn't care.
Ezrel was not someone to be given.
He was to be kept.
---