Treasure Quest, Chapter 9: The Truth Comes Out
Pairing: Captain Dean x Rhaya Payton (OFC) Other Characters: Captain Crowley, Lucifer, Benny, Jack (mentioned). Lord Darius Payton, Lord Ashton Kane, Damon Sharpe, Connor (OMC's), Captain Keira, Carissa Payton, Darcy (OFC's).
Word Count: 4921
Warnings: A bit of swashbucklin' in the church, defending honor. Mention of murder (Carissa + Isabella's backstory). Some separation anxiety leading to a bit more of Rhaya's self-doubt and self-isolation, Karma finally comes around for Stepmother and Annoying Fiancé. (also some great nicknames for the Annoying Fiancé).
Series Summary: Rhaya Payton is the daughter of the governor of Ochana. She grew up listening to her father tell her stories of pirates and treasure maps. At a gala one night, her stepmother, Carissa, announces Rhaya’s engagement to Ashton Kane, a wealthy nobleman. Only problem is, no one checked with Rhaya first. After overhearing plans made by her fiancé, Rhaya decides to go on the run and stows away on Captain Dean’s ship. What will happen when he finds her?
This Chapter: So, who is it under the veil....?
Lots of secrets are revealed in this chapter, both with Lord Ashton and Lady Carissa, starting with a nugget of truth from an unlikely source. Captain Dean and Rhaya inch ever closer to each other, each learning that their feelings for the other are not unrequited. After a short reunion, Captain Dean has to leave Ochana, but promises to return. As the separation goes on longer than expected, Rhaya begins to doubt Captain Dean's word. Her father grows worried for her, then receives notice that a new player has emerged, and decides to throw a banquet in his honor. Who is the new mystery man? Tune in to find out....Enjoy!
A/N: To all of you who have read, liked, reblogged, commented, or interacted with this story in any way: thank you. There will be one more chapter to wrap things up for our favorite captain and governor's daughter. It has been my pleasure to bring this story to life for you, and I appreciate you all. ❤️
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"WHERE IS RHAYA?!?" Ashton thundered.
When the veil was lifted, the bride standing at the altar was not the same one who had fainted earlier and stopped the ceremony. No, it was Darcy who had taken Rhaya's place, wearing the horrendous wedding gown chosen by Carissa. And she only hoped that enough time had passed to allow Rhaya and the others involved to leave the church.
Ashton grabbed Darcy's arms and yanked her forward until they were almost nose-to-nose. "Where is she?" he demanded again.
"Let. Her. Go. NOW." Lord Darius glared at Ashton until he released his grip on the young woman's arms. "Darcy, I need you to tell me where my daughter is," he pleaded.
Darcy debated whether or not to tell the governor about his daughter's location. Though she was dependent on the governor for her livelihood, the safety of her friend was more important. Thus, she remained silent and did not respond.
"Please, Darcy. I need to know if she is at least safe and hasn't been kidnapped," he implored.
"Lord Darius, I can assure you that she is safe and in good hands, though she is no longer in this building," she revealed. "Please understand that I hold you in the highest respect and consider you my family. But for her protection, I will not reveal her whereabouts."
All parties glared at each other in silence while they tried to decide on the next move to be made. Amused laughter broke the stalemate, as necks craned to determine the source. Lucifer rose from his seat and sauntered over to where the groom and his future in-laws were gathered. As soon as Lord Ashton's eyes landed on Lucifer, his anger exploded.
"YOU!! You were supposed to keep my bride from escaping, yet she managed to give you and your men the slip! What the hell kind of pirate are you anyway, that you can't seem to keep track of a woman for crying out loud?!? Your reputation makes you out to be some kind of ruthless sea captain who'll do anything to get what he wants. 'Ruthless'? HA! I'd say more like, 'worthless'," Ashton spat out.
Lucifer's hand moved quickly to the grip of his sword, but he did not draw it. "Have a care with your words, Your Lordship. As I recall, you sought me out when your bride left you the first time. Therefore, if anyone should be worried about a 'reputation', I'd be concerned about your own," he pointed out. "Lest you find out firsthand exactly how ruthless I can be," he added darkly.
"Oh come on, Lucifer, we all know you're not going to waste your time teaching a lesson to some pompous, arrogant jerk," a voice called from the church's open doorway. "He doesn't deserve a woman like Rhaya anyway."
Ashton's head whipped around at the comment, determined to learn who made it. His eyes narrowed as they landed on Captain Dean Winchester, whose arms were crossed over his chest. A lazy smirk graced the captain's face, almost daring Lucifer or anyone else to make a move against him, but knowing that no one would.
Dean was wearing a black leather jacket, left open to show off a crisp, white tunic under it. The shirt was loosely laced at the top to show off the medallion hanging from a solid gold chain. His black trousers were tucked into his knee-high boots, and a red sash was tied around his middle. A brown leather belt was buckled over the sash, with his sword securely fastened to it and a knife tucked into a thigh holster.
"Who, exactly, are you and what business do you have here?" Ashton demanded.
"I am Dean Winchester, captain of the shipping vessel The Black Diamond," he declared. "My purpose here is to ensure the safety and well-being of the governor's daughter, Rhaya. We met when I discovered her as a stowaway on my boat. In the time we spent together, we became such good friends that she confided in me the reason she ended up hiding on my ship."
A glimmer of understanding crossed Ashton's face, which morphed into a sneer. "Ah-ha! You mean you kidnapped Rhaya and held her for ransom on your ship, away from her loved ones," he retorted. "Your only goal was to keep her long enough to collect on the 50,000 gold pieces, except Lucifer beat you to it."
"I didn't ask for any ransom and don't know anything about 50,000 gold pieces. None of that makes any difference to me. No, I know she ran away on her engagement day because she overheard her fiancé reveal his true intentions for her. Such as, once married, it was his plan to steal some treasure map from his father-in-law and collect on it. Then, at some point, he would arrange for his new wife to meet with an 'accident'. One from which he would make sure she would not survive," Dean explained coolly.
"Lies! Absolute fabrication, and I will suffer this indignity no longer!" Ashton shouted, drawing his sword. "Defend yourself, sir, as I will with my blade. Mark my words, I shall be vindicated against such slander!" He lunged forward, slashing at Dean's midsection, the tip of the weapon narrowly missing him.
Dean drew his sword as well, with the intent to protect himself against Ashton, but not to inflict any lethal wounds. He was mostly successful in blocking Ashton's attacks, only sustaining superficial injuries as the two of them roamed about the sanctuary.
In one particularly heated exchange, Dean turned quickly and lost his balance, then fell on his back into the front pew. Ashton lunged forward, his knee on Dean's chest pinning him down to the bench. The nobleman hovered over Dean, his blade aimed straight at the captain's chest. The two men stared at each other, Dean noticing the extreme level of anger and hatred in his opponent's eyes.
"ENOUGH!!" Everyone looked up to see that Rhaya and Keira had returned to the church in time to prevent the fatal blow from being struck. While everyone was distracted, Darcy snuck out of the church to let her know what was happening inside. "Get away from him, Ashton," she ordered.
"Rhaya," Dean whispered. He took advantage of Ashton's momentary distraction to shove his opponent away and scrambled away out of range of his sword.
As he hit the floor, Ashton broke out of his trance and hurried to his feet in an attempt to re-ignite the conflict with Dean. "NO! He told everyone in here a preposterous story about me stealing from your father and then arranging to have you suffer a deadly fate. How could you believe such lies, Rhaya? You know I'd never do anything to hurt you," he pleaded.
The sound of someone clearing his throat drew everyone's attention to the side door of the church. "I don't think that's entirely accurate, Lord Assbutt," Crowley smirked. "I have someone here who can corroborate Dean's version of events." He moved aside as two members of his crew stepped forward, with Damon Sharpe being held in restraints between them. "Caught him trying to sneak out of here to avoid prosecution."
After recovering from the initial shock of seeing his daughter returned to him a second time, Lord Darius approached Crowley's prisoner. "Is this true? Did Ashton plot to steal from me and kill my daughter?" he demanded.
When he didn't answer, Crowley forcefully nudged Damon's shoulder, nearly making him lose his balance. "Yes, it's true, and Lady Rhaya was smart to run away. Ashton hired Lucifer to find Rhaya and bring her home, only he wasn't too specific as to how it was to be accomplished," Damon remarked. At this detail, everyone looked around for Lucifer, but he was nowhere to be found.
Damon continued. "After your daughter ran away, we searched through your study. We found where you'd hidden the map, but it had already been removed."
"That's because once I overheard you two idjits and your plans, I had to make a break for it. I knew all along where my father had hidden the map, and I took it with me when I fled the mansion. I intended to find the treasure on my own. Instead, I made a deal with someone I trust a hell of a lot more than Lord Assclown. I have no doubt that by now, the treasure has been found and is long gone from its hiding place, but in good hands," Rhaya assured the group. She caught Dean's eye and gave him a soft smile, which he returned.
Lord Darius raised an eyebrow at this turn of events, only barely suppressing a smile and filing the information away for later. While Damon was relaying his part in the scheme, the governor's guards were slowly positioning themselves to arrest Lord Ashton. With a nod from Lord Darius, his men grabbed the groom and dragged him to the dungeon, kicking and screaming the entire way. Damon was escorted as well, but with much less resistance.
Carissa whipped around to face Rhaya, her face full of fury. "Do you realize what you've done? You made your fiancé look like a fool, this time by leaving him at the altar, and now he's been arrested!" she screeched.
"What I've done? What about what you've done?? You announced my engagement without consulting me first, so of course I ran away. When I was forcibly returned by Lucifer, you moved up the wedding date and chose that--that--hideous wedding gown for me to wear. Then, as if that's not enough, after everything you've heard about Lord Pain-in-the-Ass, you still take his side?"
"You are a selfish and ungrateful brat, just like your mother!" Carissa seethed. "We used to be friends before she got married and moved away. It was then that I realized she never cared about me. She only pretended to be my friend until she got what she wanted, no matter who got hurt along the way."
"You're lying, Carissa! My mother would never have intentionally hurt anyone!" Rhaya vehemently defended.
Carissa scoffed. "Believe what you want, but I knew I had to get even. I arranged an invitation to the governor's mansion as a respite from some 'personal issues' in my life. That allowed me to get close to Isabella and your father so I could drive a wedge between them. I wanted her to lose that which was most precious to her. At first, nothing I tried was working. Therefore, I had to resort to more....aggressive measures."
Lord Darius' face grew pale. "What are you saying, Carissa?" he whispered.
"I made sure I had access to Isabella's meals, drinks, and snacks when they were served. Little by little, Isabella started to get sick from what I was adding to her food and drink. From there, it was only a matter of time before her illness reached the point of no return." A dark smile twisted her lips as she recalled her endeavors.
It was one thing to suspect her stepmother of such a horrible act of murder. However, it was quite another to have the perpetrator confess her crime and show no sign of remorse. "Y--you poisoned my mother?" Rhaya gasped, to which Carissa simply nodded. "How could you do that?? I loved my mother, but you don't care, do you?? Because for you, it was all just a means to an end! If you had only gotten over your stupid jealousy and let her and my father live out their lives together," she sobbed.
"Now Rhaya, dear, you know I could never have done that. I had to get your mother out of the way so your father could see her true character. And with you being so stubborn and unladylike, I had to find someone who was willing to put up with you long enough to get you out of the picture. Thus the engagement to Ashton, who assured me he could keep you on a tight leash. Although you made a mess of that too, didn't you?" she growled. "I see I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands once again."
With a loud snarl, Carissa lunged forward, her hands outstretched to try and grab Rhaya by the throat. At the last minute, the governor's guards seized Carissa around her waist and pulled her out of reach. They dragged her to the dungeon, with a wild, crazed look in her eyes as she howled to be let go.
Dean rushed to Rhaya's side, both to comfort her and keep Carissa away from her. As soon as he got within a few steps of her, she flung herself at him. He quickly caught her and closed his arms around her and held her against his chest. One hand rubbed up and down her back to soothe her, while the other stroked the back of her head. He whispered in her ear how he was here for her, that she was safe, and he wouldn't let anything hurt her.
Lord Darius quietly observed their interaction as the captain comforted his daughter. It was clear that they had become quite close in the time she spent aboard his ship. He made a mental note to meet with Dean in private to determine the nature of their relationship.
As Rhaya's father, he wanted to know the captain's intentions towards his only daughter. The governor smiled, feeling as if he was witnessing the beginning of a new love story, and decided that it deserved to be celebrated. At some point, though, he would also have to deal with his own feelings about Carissa's betrayal, but that was a problem for another day.
"Well, if there are no more criminals to be hauled off to the dungeon, I say we should all return to the mansion and sort some things out, hmm?" Lord Darius suggested.
Everyone chuckled and murmured their agreement as they climbed into the waiting carriages. Dean opened the door to one of the cabs and grinned when Rhaya slid her hand into his so he could help her inside. At first, she sat on one seat, while he sat on the other. Once the carriage was underway, Dean moved to sit beside her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she nestled into his side, closing her eyes when she felt his lips softly brush her temple.
As the carriage traveled the road between the church and the mansion, Rhaya tilted her head to catch Dean's gaze. "I've missed you so much," she murmured. "All those nights we spent together, staring up at the stars and talking?" She snuggled deeper into his side. "Mmm. It's been far too long since we've done that," she sighed.
"I've missed you too, sweetheart. And....I'm sorry," he mumbled against her skin.
Rhaya pulled back in surprise. "What on earth do you have to apologize for?" she asked.
Dean's gaze dropped to the floor. "Because I....I didn't protect you, which allowed Lucifer the opportunity to grab you and force you to come back," he remarked.
"There's nothing you could've done to stop Lucifer. I gave in because they were going to hurt Jack and Kelly if I didn't. I was returned home, unhurt, to my father, where I was safe. Except for Carissa, anyway. I suppose the worst part of it all was having to listen to Lucifer for the entire voyage home," she muttered.
Dean laughed at her assessment of the situation and tucked her into his side again, with a bit tighter grip around her shoulders this time. He heard her sweet sigh of contentment and closed his eyes, with his head resting on top of hers. The movement of the carriage lulled them both to sleep, one which the footman was reluctant to disturb. The creaking door caused Dean to stir in his seat, then he gently nudged Rhaya awake.
Upon exiting the coach, Dean held his hand out to assist Rhaya as she stepped down. Her hand was still in his when they walked into the mansion and were greeted by several of the staff. They had heard about what happened in the church, and were secretly glad that the wedding did not go through. Lord Darius had already arrived and given instructions for the staff to prepare rooms for his guests.
Captain Crowley was escorted to his own room, with his and Dean's crew members bunking together in pairs or threes. Rhaya had already left for her room to freshen up, when Dean was approached by a staff member, informing him that Lord Darius wanted to speak to him. He agreed and followed the path to the governor's study.
***
The evening began with a feast in honor of Dean and Crowley, to whom Lord Darius was grateful for their assistance. Ashton, Damon, and Carissa were in the dungeons for the time being, with their fates to be decided at a later date. Lucifer was long gone, with Connor's guards confirming The Red Dragon's departure.
Dinner gave way to dancing, where most of Rhaya's dances were saved for Dean, to no one's surprise. She twirled around the floor with Benny, who was a surprisingly good dancer. Jack was a little more awkward in his movements, but Rhaya didn't seem to mind. There were a few dances with her father, but as expected, the majority of her time was occupied by Dean.
The festivities lasted until just after midnight, at which time everyone said goodnight and retreated to separate quarters. Lord Darius gave his daughter a hug and a kiss to the top of her head and bid her goodnight. Over her head, he caught Dean's eye and his stern gaze softened before giving him a wink and heading to his room.
Holding hands, Rhaya and Dean walked to her bedroom door. "Thank you for a lovely evening, Dean. I thoroughly enjoyed dancing with you. Had no idea you were so talented," she teased.
"Well, there's a lot you don't know about me, sweetheart, but I'm sure lookin' forward to showing you," he replied. One hand rested on her hips, tugging her closer to his body until it was almost flush against him. His other hand trailed up her side, his fingers ghosting their way up her arm until his hand was cradling her face. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, which drew Dean's attention and he was overcome with the urge to kiss her.
Dean began to slowly lean closer, his eyes constantly searching Rhaya's for any signs of resistance and finding none. He paused a fraction of an inch before their lips would be touching, still allowing her the chance to back away, but continued to hold his attention. With an almost imperceptible nod from Rhaya, Dean smiled as he prepared to close the gap and find out exactly how soft her lips are.
"Hey, Rhaya, Dean--oops," called Keira from in front of her room. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt....whatever. Goodnight!" With a knowing smirk, she dashed inside her room and hurriedly closed the door behind her.
Muffled from his head resting on Rhaya's shoulder, Dean groaned. "Goodnight, Keira," he ground out. This caused Rhaya to giggle and when Dean lifted his head, he was grinning as well.
"I'll make sure and get even with her sooner or later," she promised. "See you in the morning?"
"Absolutely, darlin'," he remarked. "I'll have to meet you down at the docks, though, because I need to return to Alcaria. There are some things I must take care of; however, my word is my bond that I will come back to Ochana for you."
Rhaya's face fell at the mention of another separation from Dean. "You're leaving? But you just got here," she pouted. "Do you really have to go so soon? How long will you be gone?" she asked, tears threatening at her lash line.
"It shouldn't take more than a couple of months to put everything in order in Alcaria, then I swear I will be back for you, my angel," he vowed.
She thought for a moment or two then gave him a sigh of acceptance. "Two months isn't too long, I suppose," she conceded. "You won't forget about me if some other woman comes along, right?" she wondered.
Dean hooked his finger under Rhaya's chin and tilted her head up so he could see her face. "Not a chance, sweetheart, because you are absolutely impossible to forget. And there is no other woman in the world for me except you," he finished softly.
Rhaya gave him a watery chuckle. "There's no other man in the world for me except you," she responded. After several more seconds passed, she pushed up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Dean," she whispered before stepping around him to enter her room. She gave him one last shy smile before closing the door.
Dean's fingers brushed his cheek, which still tingled a bit where Rhaya's lips had kissed him. A goofy smile broke out over his face, knowing the woman he loved returned his affections. With a spring in his step, he continued on his path to his own room, eager to fall asleep and dream of Rhaya.
***
Early the next morning, Dean and his crew made their way down to the docks and prepared to sail home to Alcaria. Hugs with Benny and Jack were exchanged, with each man reluctant to leave Ochana so soon. The chefs were kind enough to send baskets full of breads, muffins, cookies, and other treats, which were appreciated by all.
Saying goodbye to Dean was the last thing Rhaya wanted to do, but she knew he had to leave. As she lay in her bed that night after the banquet, she realized how much she had grown to love him in their short time together. In her mind, he was a part of her future in so many ways, and she couldn't imagine her life without him. However, because she loved him, she had to let him go. She had to have faith that if he returned, then he would be hers forever.
Dean had done some soul-searching that night in bed as well. When he'd first met Rhaya, he thought she was some spoiled and entitled member of the so-called ruling class. Every day, every moment spent with her since then has been the real treasure. She wasn't brought up to be a fragile, delicate, wisp of a woman who needed a man to cater to her every whim. She was an independent woman, strong yet kind, a testament to the way her parents raised her.
"I wish you didn't have to go," Rhaya remarked, her voice thick with emotion.
"I know, darlin', I wish I could stay and spend more time with you," Dean replied. "But I will be back in two months. I have some business matters to settle in Alcaria, then once that's all out of the way, I will return, my sweet girl," he whispered. His hand cradled her face, his thumb caressing the apple of her cheek. He gave her a soft smile as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.
The two of them stood on the docks for what seemed like hours, with Dean gently swaying with Rhaya in his arms, her head resting on his chest. He never wanted this moment to end, because it felt perfect to keep her close to his body and in his warm embrace. Finally, Benny reluctantly approached the couple. He informed his captain that they needed to leave soon if they wanted to sail during the most daylight. He gave Rhaya a quick smile then left her alone with his captain.
Rhaya gave Dean one last squeeze then pulled back a bit out of his embrace. This time, it was her hand that reached up to caress his stubbled cheek. "Hurry back, hmm? I'll see if I can maybe send messages through Keira. Hopefully your paths will cross at some point, right?" she gave a watery chuckle.
"I promise that if she stops by Alcaria, I will make sure that she doesn't leave without a message from me to you." He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. "You are the absolute best thing that's happened to me in such a long time. I am so happy you came into my life, Rhaya. I will be back for you, darling."
"I'll be waiting," she whispered. She closed her eyes as Dean pressed a kiss to her forehead. He gave her one last embrace before backing away from her. A shiver went up her spine at the change in temperature without him by her side. She watched as he walked up the gangplank to the ship and handed off his bag to Jack. He hurried to the rail to catch one final sighting of her, his face breaking into a smile when he finally made eye contact.
As the ship left port, Rhaya stood rooted in her spot on the docks. She was determined to remain in place until she could no longer see Dean waving at her from the stern of the ship. Tears continued to streak down her face, but she made no effort to wipe them away. At some point, Darcy joined her in watching The Black Diamond sail away, her arm draped around her dearest friend. Eventually, the ship disappeared into the horizon, and the two women solemnly returned to the comfort of the mansion.
***
The first few weeks without Dean seemed to pass quickly, mostly because her father kept her occupied with business matters for Ochana. He sought her opinion on certain subjects and she was allowed to sit in on a few meetings with his council members. Darcy tried to keep her busy as well, doing whatever she could to shift Rhaya's focus away from Dean's absence.
In the beginning, Keira was able to pass along a few messages between the captain and her sister. The missives helped to banish the melancholy feelings they each held at being apart from one another. However, as the weeks seemed to drag on, fewer and fewer letters were passed, until at one point they finally stopped.
When that happened, Rhaya tried to ignore the doubts creeping through her mind, the ones telling her that Dean forgot about her. She fought them back, replacing those thoughts with the memories of being in his arms and sharing tender kisses with each other. She remembered how it felt to dance with him at the party given by her father after her wedding to Ashton fell through.
As time wore on, it was becoming more difficult than others to banish the fears. Especially the ones that told her that the reason he hadn't yet returned is because he found someone else to make a life with. The time they'd spent together on his ship and the memories made there were becoming more distant in her mind. She confined herself mostly to her room, only emerging for meals, or the occasional council meeting when her father requested her presence.
Around the two and a half month mark, Lord Darius was becoming more and more concerned about his daughter's self-imposed isolation. He quickly called a meeting of the heads of staff, Connor, Darcy, and fortunately, Keira was due to arrive any day. He suspected that Rhaya's misery had quite a bit to do with a certain green-eyed sea captain. His thoughts drifted back to a conversation he'd had with Dean about his daughter.
>>>Flashback<;<<
The governor poured himself and his guest a glass of whiskey, then took a seat in the wingback chair opposite of the captain. Dean had a feeling that this meeting with Lord Darius would have occurred at some point; that it was less a question of "if", rather than "when". The governor's opening volley got straight to the heart of the matter. "So, Captain Winchester, tell me about your relationship with my daughter."
Dean chuckled nervously at first and after taking his first sip, he gave the governor a rundown on how they met and got to know each other. He talked about his first impression of her and how it compared to what he thought of her now.
"I'll admit, we didn't really get along at first, but eventually we found our way. She's amazing, Lord Darius. Kind, hard-working, eager to learn, and is okay with not being the smartest person in the room. Although we know she usually is." They shared a laugh.
"She's my first thought when I open my eyes in the morning and my last when my head hits the pillow at night. Of course she's a gorgeous and enchanting woman, anyone can see that. But her inner beauty is only equal to or greater than her outer beauty. And I love her," Dean admitted.
Lord Darius hummed in response. "And how do you plan to support her? I know the life of a sea captain means long stretches of time away from home and doesn't always pay very well."
He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "Sir, if she'll have me, your daughter will want for nothing. My business is solid and profitable, thus, I am able to support her well." He leaned back, a shy grin on his face. "Though I'm hoping that I won't have to leave her behind very often, because she'll want to join me out on my ship. She's a very capable and intelligent woman, thanks to your encouragement of her education."
>>>End of Flashback<;<<
A fond smile briefly tugged at the corners of the governor's mouth as he recalled the conversation that occurred nearly three months ago. He wished for Keira to arrive soon, since Rhaya was out in town on a few business matters for him and would soon return. He hoped that there would be some news to share, that Keira had made contact with Dean and carried a letter from him.
A knock at the door broke Lord Darius out of his reverie as he opened the door to let Darcy in. Keira followed having just returned from her important mission. He invited both ladies to join him in some afternoon tea and fresh chocolate chip cookies. Darcy took care of serving, while the governor discussed the assignment and news from Alcaria.
"Everything is in place, Lord Darius. He'll be arriving here in two weeks, though I'm sure if he could be, he'd be flying here right now," Keira grinned. In her last visit, she learned that Dean had been made a duke, courtesy of his newfound wealth. "I think we should have a reception to announce his new title and formally introduce him as our newest trading partner."
Lord Darius stroked his stubbled chin as he considered her suggestion, finally nodding in agreement. "Two weeks should be enough time to plan for his first 'official' state visit," he replied. "We'll need to alert the staff, set the menu, make sure we have everything cleaned from top to bottom, and arrange the accommodations."
Darcy volunteered to coordinate with the various staff members, while Keira promised to keep her sister busy. Formal gatherings were never Rhaya's forté, invariably opting to keep her nose out of the process as much as possible. This time, her father arranged for her to be fitted with a new gown for the occasion. Then she would stand where she was told and greet the visitor with full charm and grace, as expected.
But this would be no ordinary state visit by a foreign dignitary and his entourage. The festivities were being held to introduce the new Duke of Rosevale, both to the world and as Ochana's latest trading partner. Not much was known about him, other than he was only recently granted his title due to his enormous and vast wealth. However, within two weeks, everyone would know the identity of the Duke of Rosevale.
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