Prince Alex shrugged, unconcerned. "I think that she will take it better than you’re expecting. Just the fact that it will be over and done with, and she will get her first choice without any Royal Arguments should be enough."
That was a solid argument.
Princess Alexis hadn’t been in any hurry to get married in the first place, but Dominic was more concerned that she might start a rebellion if her sister was forced into a political marriage in her place.
Or worse, that she really did have the vision of a perfect wedding in her mind, and had simply refused to tell anyone about it so they could prepare.
The maid brought out a bottle of fine Cognac, and popped the cap to let it breathe for a moment before pouring.
"Oh, that is good. I don’t know that I’ll be able to go back to soldier Rum after that." Dominic sighed as he sipped the strong liquor.
"I don’t know how you drink that stuff in the first place. The only thing worse is the gin that they make. That stuff is just vile." Prince Alex replied, disgusted by the thought.
"Nearly as vile as Pineapple." Alexis agreed as she walked out of her room with her hair down and wearing a dressing robe over her nightgown.
She walked over to the table, and Dominic poured her a shot.
The maid looked scandalized at the thought of a Princess drinking hard liquor like a Soldier. Even the maids didn’t touch such things, much preferring wine.
"Have you two finished discussing my future without me?" She asked, then sighed as she sipped the Cognac.
"Almost. We would have gone into more details, but he is to be my brother-in-law, and some things wouldn’t be appropriate." Dominic agreed.
"You two are incorrigible. Now, did he insist on an immediate wedding, or hedge around the topic?" Alexis demanded, facing Dominic.
The Prince sighed. "You know that I wouldn’t do that. However..."
"You would strongly encourage that it is done before the war ends?" Princess Alexis guessed.
"See, no need to get upset, we’re both thinking the same thing."
"Don’t you mean all three of us?" She retorted.
"No, just the two of us. What Advisor Dominic is thinking definitely isn’t suitable for polite company.
But we did get a chance to chat a little about his lineage.
Nothing definitive, but enough to confirm that none will contest his right to Noble Title." Prince Alex clarified.
Dominic winked at the Princess, who blushed, then stuck her tongue out at him and downed the rest of her drink so she could pour herself another. This time with an ice cube.
"At least the preparations will be easy." Dominic heard one of the Noble Sons’ guards at the door mutter to himself.
"How is that?" Dominic asked.
"Well, she’s a Princess and a Paladin of the Order. The formal wedding ceremony is detailed down to the last movement. All we need to do is bring in the right people, and it can be prepared in a matter of hours. They’ve mastered the routine by now." The officer explained.
"Right, your father is also a Royal Paladin, isn’t he?" Princess Alexis asked.
"Yes, Your Highness. Currently deployed with the Crown Prince."
"Well, we shouldn’t be short on witnesses. If we can get my Royal Guards here, we will have all the Order members we need. Then we just need a priest and one more male Royal." Princess Alexis pondered.
Prince Alex laughed. "You underestimate my powers of preparation, little sister. My Royal Guards were in the airship accompanying my ground troops. Plus, the other Royal doesn’t have to be a Cygnia Royal. There are Princes from West Keria, Bostoveria and Chip here. If we want to hold the ceremony, we only need a few hours to get everyone in place.
However, I am certain that more time is needed on your side, and we probably shouldn’t cause a spectacle until things are a bit more settled.
We wouldn’t want to ruin your honeymoon with a Civil War or Succession Battle."
-----------------------
Four hundred kilometres northwest at the Royal Castle of Erenil, Prince Kaizon was in a rage.
"You said that it would work! What is this I’m hearing that not only did Viscount Boscom survive, none of the titled foreign Nobles attending his false coronation are dead either?
Did I hire a Mercenary Army or a bunch of housewives bragging about their skill with a kitchen blade?" He roared at the Mercenary General kneeling in front of him.
The man had been mercilessly whipped, with his back in tatters, and bleeding onto the floor.
"Your Majesty, we weren’t aware that the Wavemates Prince and the Cygnia Second Prince were at the ball. Their magical abilities were too great for our men to overcome, and then they managed to have that decrepit old High Priest cast a Revivification Ritual on the dead." The Mercenary pleaded.
Prince Kaizon scoffed, and turned to his loyal Generals and Nobles.
"Send out the messages. The new King of Dagos has taken the throne, and a coronation will be held here in seven days. The traitor Viscount and his band of cowards at Albroles are to be executed on sight by any loyal son of Dagos." He demanded.
"Yes, Your Highness. Long live the King." His Advisor agreed.
"Long Live The King." The Nobles in the room echoed.
But there were no others there to hear them. The only ones who knew of this meeting were already in the room, and no foreign Noble nor nation had shown any true loyalty to his body double in the time before the attack in Albroles.
He had no use for cowards and traitors. Even if he had to rebuild the nation from the ground up, he could do it with just loyal citizens.
Kaizon gestured harshly for the Nobles to clear the room, then called his Advisors forward.
"How are things in the north? Have we prepared the next phase in the plan?" He asked, confident that they would return the answer he wanted.
"Yes, Your Majesty. The only Nobles from north of Boscom that are not with us are the Duke Modbury, and General Wigin. Those traitors are in Albroles, but Modbury is under siege by the Cygnia scum. They won’t last long once the ceasefire ends."
Kaizon gave a cruel smile. "Excellent. Put the plan in motion, we don’t want that bastard Boscom alive by the time my coronation comes. And for the sake of your families, don’t fail me again."