Alexander rode in the carriage to the Duke's mansion. Even in the winter, the flowers were well-maintained. The gardener could be seen pruning the dormant shrubbery to help it survive the cold.
Alexander made a mental note of the luxury and extravagance of this mansion compared to the Count's. It was obvious that the Duke was far richer than the Count. A Duke was significantly higher in rank than a Count, so it made sense that he would be richer as well.
After the carriage came to a stop in front of the mansion, Reginald opened the door and escorted Alexander inside, and led him to the drawing room. "Please wait in the drawing room while I inform my master of your arrival." He bowed and left to inform the Duke.
Alexander took in the grand views in the drawing room. Although this kingdom was less advanced than Stanarussi, he could tell by the gold frames and statues that the Duke was incredibly wealthy. He began to think about the possibility of staying in this kingdom and all the improvements he could bring, with the right funding.
Reginald smiled to himself as he knew that the Duke would be pleased with this turn of events. He had been dreary since Alisa turned down his offer, but she had not mentioned a previously arranged marriage. This changed things, possibly in the Duke's favor.
Knock, Knock. "Your Grace, I have good news." Reginald knocked and waited for the Duke to allow him to enter his study.
"You may enter, Reginald." The Duke allowed him to enter half-heartedly, but was still focused on the paperwork he had been working on. He wasn't very excited about the "good news" his servant was bringing. He had been trying and failing to brighten his mood for months.
Reginald entered and bowed to the Duke, "Your Grace, you have a visitor from Stanarussi. The Baron Alexander Blanchard, brother of Alisa, or the young Lady Elisabeth Blanchard, arrived this morning in a new flying machine in search of his sister. Apparently, she escaped from an arranged marriage to a Count with their late father's flying machine."
Duke Orla was intrigued when Reginald mentioned Alisa and looked up from his paperwork. "Well, this is interesting news indeed. It appears that Lady Alisa was not exactly honest with me when she gave her reason for going to Kanta."
He pondered this new information for a minute and smiled at the conclusion. If Alisa were running away from an arranged marriage to a Count, then he, as a higher nobility, may be able to offer a higher bride-price to her brother. He would be saving her honor, as well as getting the bride that he desired. "Let's not keep our guest waiting!" announced the Duke as he stood and prepared to meet this new Baron, possibly his future brother-in-law.
Duke Orla went to the drawing room to greet Baron Alexander. He gave orders to the servants along the way to set the dinner table for a welcome feast and prepare the best guest room.
He entered as Alexander was admiring a golden statue and smiled to himself as he thought of the possibility of his plans' success. If her brother was interested in gold, he had plenty of gold to offer in exchange for the bride of his choice. "Greetings, Lord Baron Alexander, and welcome to my home. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Duke Charles Magne Lancaster of Orla." He introduced himself with a flourish.
Alexander bowed to Duke Orla and introduced himself, "Greetings, your Grace, I am Baron Alexander Blanchard of Stanarussi. I have traveled in search of my younger sister, Lady Elisabeth Blanchard. I was told that you may have some information regarding her whereabouts."
"You may address me as Charles, and yes, I did have the honor to host your lovely sister a few months ago. We can discuss it over a welcome feast. Please follow my servant to lead you to your room to freshen up. It must have been a long and arduous journey." Charles motioned for a servant to lead Alexander to his guest room.
Alexander was happy to receive such a warm welcome. His opinion of the Duke was instantly higher than the Count's, who always treated him as a servant. Ideas began to form in his mind. If I can make a deal with this Duke instead of the Count, that would be great!
"Thank you, Charles. You may also address me by name. I will freshen up and be ready for the feast soon." He bowed slightly and followed the pretty blonde servant out of the drawing room. Alexander was enchanted by the mansion's decor and luxury the more he saw. The guest room was better than his room in his tower!
After quickly freshening up, he was led to the dining room. Again, he was in awe of the grandness in front of him. The room itself was grand, but the food was equally visually stunning. After weeks of stale biscuits, dried meat, and fruits, he was eager to taste these new delicacies.
The Duke ordered the servants to begin to serve the feast. They ate in silence until Alexander was full. Charles waited for Alexander to be full and in a good mood before he began the discussion. "I do hope that everything is to your liking. Lady Alisa enjoyed the food and the garden. It is a pity that winter has made the flowers less vibrant, but we can retire to the library, if you wish."
Alexander was more than satisfied with the meal. This was the best food that he had ever eaten. His decision to stay was becoming more appealing. At the mention of his sister, his mood slightly dropped. He tried to hide his distaste and asked, "It's fine, we can talk here. How long did my sister stay here?"
Charles grinned at the memory, "She came and left quickly. She only stayed for the night, but left quite an impression. She told me that she was seeking her cousins after the death of her father, but never mentioned a brother or an arranged marriage."
Alexander could not hide the hate on his face for a second, and the Duke noticed. "My sister escaped with our late father's inventions and our late mother's jewels. The Count has given me a high-bride price and funded my inventions in exchange for my sister's return."
Charles saw his opportunity and offered, "If I may be so bold, I can offer a higher bride-price as well as funding for your inventions if you decide to accept my offer of marriage to your sister. She would make an excellent Duchess."
Alexander's eyes widened at the mention of more money and funding. He smiled and shook hands with the Duke. "It would be my sister's honor to be your Duchess."