Alexander's Point of View...
This day started with so much potential. I finally managed to track down my younger sister, and for some reason, this wealthy duke wanted to offer a higher bride-price and to fund my inventions. I don't know what these men see in Elisabeth, other than her looks. She is quite bland.
She mostly stayed locked up inside her room in our tower, and usually did not even come to dinner. My father and I had mostly ignored her existence ever since she was born. The wet nurse cared for her after my mother passed away during childbirth. I hated her for taking away my mother, and my father hated her for taking away his wife.
I kept my distance and let her know that I hated her ever since she learned to talk. At first, she tried to play with me, but how could I play with a murderer? After a few failed attempts, she learned not to ask to play with me.
My father had to keep up pretenses during formal events, so my sister never went without proper clothes and food, but he avoided her as well most of the time. As she grew older, her resemblance to my mother was more prominent. It was a constant reminder to both of us, so we spent most of our time in the lab.
I had almost forgotten about her until the Count wanted her as his bride. The Count had signed a marriage agreement with our father, but after our father died, the Count came to me as the new head of the family. I was all too happy to be rid of such a curse. He offered to fund my inventions and gave me a sizeable bride-price.
Finally, this useless sister would be worth something. I could finally be rid of her and be able to continue my inventions in solitude. Unfortunately, one night, she snuck out of her room while I was sleeping and decided to run away. I don't know how she heard about the marriage, because I had never discussed it with her, but she decided to run away instead of staying and upholding our family's honor.
Women in high society are raised to wed other noble men. It is a fact in our society. This is the way that she could repay me for the loss of my mother, but instead, she chose to make my life more difficult. Not only did she steal our father's flying machine, but she took the plans as well as several useful inventions.
Later, I found out from the servants that she dared to steal our mother's rubies. I was so angry that I nearly blacked out in rage. This girl will be the death of me if I have to keep her any longer!
Luckily, the Duke wants her as his Duchess. I could not care less who she ends up with, as long as I do not have to see her ever again. She has caused me enough misery in my life.
This morning began with a sumptuous breakfast, and we began to pack for our journey. The duke told me that it would only be a half-day's journey up the mountain to this new land called Kanta.
Of all the places that my sister could run away to, why did she choose such a backwards civilization? We come from the most advanced kingdom in the world, and she chose to go to the least advanced kingdom, which was only founded less than a quarter century ago.
I will never understand what goes on inside the mind of that girl, but at least she should be easy to find. I was told that all of the people in Kanta have black hair and grey eyes due to some mountain spirits. It sounds bizarre to me, but a strawberry blonde girl should stick out like a sore thumb in a sea of black-haired people.
We do have distant relatives on my mother's side who live in Annalaias and Kanta, so I assume that she will have found our cousins. I should be able to explain the situation and take her back. As the head of the family, it is up to me to decide who she marries. As a female, she has no say in the matter.
We set off on my airship. It is larger and easier to steer than the original design that my father invented. The duke came with me to propose in person. He seems to be smitten with my sister. That works in my favor, since he will pay handsomely. He is the second most wealthy man in this kingdom aside from the King.
The journey up the mountain was scenic. The duke and I discussed the weather and our plans once he married my sister. He offered to build me a mansion of my own and pay for any new inventions that could improve his home or town. This was the best of both worlds for me.
We reached the peak of the mountain in the late afternoon. I thought it might take time to locate my sister, but to my surprise, she was standing at an altar in a wedding dress! The duke was saddened by this realization, but I was angered. How dare she marry another man without my consent?
I will get nothing if she marries another man, who, by the looks of him, was a native to this poor kingdom. I would not allow this! It was a good thing that I arrived before they finished the ceremony. I still had time to stop this abomination of a wedding, but I had to think fast!
I reached for one of the explosives I brought with me and aimed it at the other flying machine. I did not want to leave her any other way to escape a second time. Boom!
The sound of the explosion stopped the wedding as expected. The people were scared. Good, I can use this to my advantage. I will take her back by force if necessary. One way or another, she will not escape me again!