The Duke's Decision

Avery was wandering around the castle gardens, deep in thought on the subject of suitable suitors. His aunt’s criteria had seemed reasonable in isolation, but in conjunction, they became quite strict. After two centuries of rule, most of the major noble houses of York were either populated by descendants of the old Silver Duke (making them cousins of a measurable if usually distant degree), and most of the rest seemed to have unsavory undead connections once one began to look.

That left mostly very minor houses and nobles from outside of York. A single minor house was too small to matter much politically; an outsider, though, would be from a family pledged to a different master. How could he ensure the loyalty of his future bride? Or, for that matter, the loyalty of her family? He’d sent for James, hoping for further advice on the subject.

The possibilities for treachery seemed endless. As he turned possibilities for conflicting oaths and interests over and over again in his head, he briefly entertained the possibility that he ought to find a woman who had no interest at all in becoming duchess, as such a woman would clearly not be planning any mischief. Perhaps, instead of choosing between the women who came to him, he should search actively among the suitable brides who weren’t being thrown in his face.

He knelt by a rosebush, holding perfectly still as he let the scents of a rose waft into his nose. After a moment, a bee buzzed by his face, exiting the flower and flying away, disappearing over a topiary peacock. Avery shook his head. He could not abandon his duties as duke to chase after disinterested women in the hopes of finding one he could trust without reservation any more than he could chase down the bee as it flew over the hedges and out of sight.

No, the list of probable suitors in and about York that Maude and Marcus were compiling would have to suffice. He’d have to trust in their vetting and in his own plan. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind him – someone walking fast and with purpose.

It was Marcus; the seneschal was carrying several sheets of paper. “Your Grace!” Marcus called as he approached. “I talked with Lady Maude and James, and we’ve finished compiling a complete list!” The seneschal was grinning broadly as he spoke. “At least, a first version. I am ready to go through it with you.”

“Splendid news!” Avery exclaimed happily. “I didn’t know that James was back in York so soon. Thank you all very much for putting together the list so quickly.”

With a broad smile that reached the corners of his bright blue eyes, Marcus tried to hand him the list.

“No, Marcus, I don't need to look at it,” Avery said, pushing the papers away unseen. He looked away, looking at a rose and running his fingers through the foliage supporting it. The thorns slid over his silvery skin without puncturing it.

“But… don’t you want to at least look at the names?” Marcus blinked, a quizzical expression taking over his noble features. As Avery began to walk down the path, Marcus followed, papers in hand. “Surely you will want to come to a decision, and… well, perhaps narrow the selection somewhat. While each woman meets the criteria Maude set out, you may find some of them unappealing.”

Avery shook his head as he walked under a plaited arch of vines. “I need you to make out invitations to everyone on the list. We're going to hold an event in the great hall. Make out the invitation to the worthy girl, the head of her household, and the heir of the head of the household, if we know who that is.”

“Of course we do,” Marcus said, then paused, looking at a neat row of tulips. “There are a few cases where I don’t know, but Maude likely knows everything, and if she does not, Gregor can fill in the gaps for her – he’s one of James’s assistants.”

“Not James himself?” Avery asked. He bent over, plucking a tulip neatly out of the ground.

“James said he needed to see to certain matters with you, and then he would be on his way again,” Marcus replied, looking over at a bench. “Speaking as your seneschal, I felt rather put out that he didn’t share them with me, but the master of hounds has his secrets.”

“More than I can imagine,” Avery said. He sat down on one end of the bench, patted the spot next to him, and then sniffed the tulip. “I don’t think I even want to know all of his secrets, and I’d rather not test his loyalty by trying to find all of them out. Some things I don’t need to know.”

Marcus sat, folding the papers over in his hand. “It’s a strange thing to say that you don’t want to know everything,” the seneschal said. “Meaning no disrespect, Your Grace,” he added hastily.

“I can’t know everything, so I’m trying to focus on knowing the important things,” Avery said, twirling the tulip in his hand idly. “Now, where was I? Yes. Make out invitations to all the women on the list, but don’t send them out just yet. I need to gather all of the principals in York before the next step in my plan; so the first step will be to send a short note to the woman, her father, her brother, whatever is appropriate, intimating that I’m interested in arranging a private meeting in the near future. Word it in such a way as to make it clear I intend to move very quickly on the matter of marriage, but promise nothing specific.”

“Your Grace, there are some families that have come to York with multiple eligible daughters, granddaughters, nieces, cousins, and so on,” Marcus said. “I would too, in their shoes, two or three shots being likelier to land the prize than one. Are you sure you would not like to look at the list a little bit to narrow it down to the best out of each family?”

“I had not considered that possibility in my planning,” Avery said. He paused, considering. “I don’t think I can decide fairly. In such cases, include them together on an invitation to the whole family. I'm sure they can figure it out amongst themselves. My decision does depend on what happens later.”

Marcus let out an exasperated breath, the sheets of paper crumpling slightly in his hand as he gave the silver-skinned young man a frustrated glare.

“The event at the great hall – the one to which all the suitable suitors will be invited to – I want that to be as soon as practical given the logistics of invitation and scheduling. I'll also want to arrange a formal public announcement the day after the event at the great hall,” Avery continued. He knew he sounded a little pompous making that statement aloud. But even if every single girl on the list turned him down at the great hall, he still needed a wife – and if he didn't, a public announcement would be needed to quell the swirling rumors.

“A round of letters, time for heads of household or heirs to travel if they are not already here in York… I think that might be accomplished in two or three weeks. Perhaps the evening after Isolde's ball, which would give you a chance to look at no small share of the girls in person,” Marcus said. “Would that be alright?”

“Not the evening – I want it to happen at high noon. None of the guests – the girls, the heads, or the heirs – should be suffering from the aristocratic disease,” Avery said. “If Maude or James missed identifying one, though, it doesn't hurt to schedule it at a time that a vampire would be forced to miss. Did Maude explain that particular criterion to you?”

“Oh. No, she didn’t,” Marcus said. “I guess that explains why none of the d'Ivry girls are on the list. You might see some of them at Isolde's ball, though, if you change your mind. Would you mind explaining this event a little bit further? Will you need dancing? Music? Food?”

“Arrange the hall as you would if my predecessor was holding court. Bring his usual accouterments out. If you're not sure where some of them are stored or how to handle them safely, ask Lucas or Maude.” Avery frowned. “Actually, ask both Lucas and Maude, even if you think you know how to handle them safely. There’s one thing in particular I want to be there with me in the great hall, and that’s one of the old duke’s more dangerous possessions.”

Marcus shuddered. “The truth sword?”

Avery nodded. “Yes, the truth sword.” He looked at the tulip one last time, and then tossed it off to the side. “You said James wanted to see me?”

Marcus nodded. “He’s likely in the kennels with the dogs.”

Avery stood, dusting off his hands. “If he isn’t, the dogs will know where he is, in any event. I’m surprised he hasn’t already been in my head to say hello.”