Chapter 55

  The Williams family stepped into the great hall of the keep and immediately spotted their host. The Count stood front and center of the steps leading up to the throne, awaiting them with a practiced smile.

  Even as Earnest Wicks announced their entry, Theodore’s mind was racing to interpret the scene. Why was the Count greeting them standing up and not sitting on his throne? What were his intentions? Was he projecting friendship and an open-mindedness, or was he insinuating otherwise?

  And where were the glorified ministers, the cabal of advisors who had come along with the Count? Why was the Count alone and meeting them by his lonesome? Was Hektor being dismissive of his elders or was there another reason as to not assemble his advisors? Or was it something simpler, that the Mayor and his family were not deemed worthy and important enough to merit a grander welcome?

  The supposed implications almost stalled Theodore from offering his respects.

  As they had practiced, the Williams marched up to the Count. Theodore and Lauren approached side by side and halted at the appropriate distance, which served as the que for Chelsea to position a pace behind her mother, while little Robert did the same beside his father.

  As rehearsed, Theodore and Robert bowed to a knee while Lauren and Chelsea performed a heavy curtsy before their lord.

  Their act of fealty was observed in silence and prolonged to emphasize its significance, before Hektor eventually uttered, “Rise.”

  The Williams stood to attention to and found Hektor staring them down with an imperial detachment.

  Hands behind his back, Hektor addressed them in a regal volume that travelled throughout the hall, “Well met, Mayor Williams, Missus Williams, Miss Williams, and Master Robert,” he nodded to each in turn. “Your fealty is accepted.”

  And then, like a flip of a coin, Hektor smiled and his demeanor changed entirely. His aloofness thawing immediately to transform into something affable. “Please be at ease,” he said warmly, his tone relaxed and gentle. “That formality done with, allow me to welcome you to my new home,” he stepped up to shake the hand of Theodore and a very eager Robert, followed by daintily raising the ladies’ hands chivalrously with a soft bow.

  “Thank you, My Lord,” spoke up Lauren, observing the niceties.

  The abrupt change in attitude had Theodore reassessing the Count and ruminating as to his intentions, but approaching footsteps had everyone turning their heads to acknowledge the newcomer.

  “Allow me to introduce Sir Eric Gideon,” spoke Hektor as the Knight came to stand by his side. “I hope you wouldn’t mind him joining us for the evening.”

  Another turn of greetings ensued at the new arrival. Theodore anticipated more people to make an appearance and his gaze unconsciously turned to the numerous entryways into the hall.

  Apparently, he was transparent in his assumptions as Hektor corrected him, “It will be just us today, Mayor Williams. Whilst my people are most eager to make your acquaintance, I was selfish enough to insist on having a get-together with you and your lovely family before the others.”

  “As you wish, My Lord,” Theodore offered subserviently, still testing the waters.

  “Please, Mayor Williams, I would like for us to speak plainly,” Hektor suggested with pretend exasperation. “It will take some time for us to build a level of trust, but we should start at the soonest. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “As you say, My Lord,” Theodore parroted.

  With a rueful smile, Hektor looked to Lauren aggrieved. “Sir Gideon was the same at the start,” he mock whispered to her. “It took me a few weeks to get him to call me by name and have a conversation that involved more than a sentence at a time. It seems I have to repeat the feat with your husband.”

  “Your respect means a lot to us,” Lauren chose her words judiciously, very much in favor of the valuing her husband’s trust as something worth striving for.

  “Ah, where are my manners?” Hektor reprimanded himself. “Shall we?” he extended his arm invitingly to Lauren who promptly took the Count’s offer. “This way, if you please,” he spoke to the others as he began leading with Lauren by his side.

  By unspoken agreement, Theodore walked by his son while Gideon and Chelsea mimicked Hektor and Lauren as they paired up.

  “You look lovely, Missus Williams,” Theodore heard Hektor compliment his wife. “As do you, Miss Williams,” he offered with a turn of his head towards Chelsea.

  “Thank you, My Lord,” Chelsea replied demurely, trying not to draw attention to herself.

  For but a moment, Theodore worried that Chelsea had caught the Count’s interest, but that was quelled just as quickly. He could see that Hektor was only being courteous and polite in his mannerisms.

  As they walked through an arch and by an intersection of corridors, Theodore had to place a restraining hand on Robert’s shoulder who was getting antsy in his curiosity. Both the fort and the Count were proving to be very exciting for the lad who was bubbling with enthusiasm, yet tethered by childish shyness.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Sparing an eye to observe the surroundings, Theodore found it rather bland and barren. The foundations and walls seemed in tip-top shape, but much like the exterior, the décor was somewhat lacking to expectations. He supposed that would eventually change with the Count settling down.

  Further ahead, Lauren and Hektor were engaged in polite conversation. While Theodore couldn’t follow them verbatim, he gathered it was mostly Lauren discussing the fort and offering suggestions to the Count, informing him about the craftsman in Roheim that would aid the effort of furnishing his new home.

  Theodore was smitten and all the more taken with his wife for promoting the locals to the Count’s service. And if he was reading things right, she was making waves in persuading Hektor into giving some serious consideration to offering commissions locally.

  Soon enough, Hektor invited them to a drawing room that at first glance appeared to be more poshly furnished for hospitality.

  As the family was taking in the room, Hektor shepherded them to a set of sofas.

  “Dinner will be at nine,” Hektor informed them, taking his own seat near Sir Gideon. “That leaves us the better part of an hour to get acquainted.”

  The Williams were caught slightly flatfooted at the Count’s candor. Though Theodore suspected that it was spoken in good humor, he and his family were understandably tentative to take the first step.

  It turned out to be Robert who was bravest of the lot when he uttered in a small voice, “Can you really do magic?”

  Everyone stilled. Lauren and Chelsea’s heads snapped to Robert, but Theodore had his eyes trained on the Count. Focused as he was, he could have sworn that Count’s expression fractured into something grim and ugly. But it was so abrupt that in a blink of an eye he wasn’t sure if he had imagined it.

  “Robert!” scolded Lauren in a hushed tone. “Where are your manners?”

  The boy flinched, flustered by the admonishment.

  “Missus William, please,” Hektor interjected politely. “If not for Robert, we would have kept staring at each other mutely like statues,” he said with a smile. “As to your question,” he spoke to Robert, “yes, I can do magic.”

  The request of a demonstration was all but postered on Robert’s face.

  Hektor smiled indulgently and looked around. Deciding on something, he lifted his hand towards a vase of flowers nearby. Three lilies with stalks intact levitated from the vase, plucked from the bouquet. Rising up and then floating over to hover in front of the Robert, Lauren and Chelsea, an ethereal lily for each of them.

  “That is the gist of my magic,” Hektor spoke humbly to the wide-eyed audience. But for Theodore who maintained his composure better, his family accepted the levitating flowers with trembling hands.

  The family took turns looking between the flowers in their hands, the vase and Hektor. Meanwhile, the Count waited on them with a sheepish expression that grew increasingly embarrassed.

  Sensing Hektor’s awkwardness, Lauren sought to divert the attention. “What do you say, Robert?” she spoke to her son leadingly.

  Catching on her mother’s tone, Robert nervously muttered, “Thank you, Count.”

  The others nodded long, both in gratitude and pardon at Robert’s innocent faux pas.

  “How are you settling in, My Lord?” Lauren led the attempt at small talk before Robert could put his foot in his mouth and divert the attention away from her son.

  “Well, thank you. Mister and Missus Wicks, my chief of staff,” Hektor clarified, “bless them, had everything in order before my arrival.”

  Lauren nodded along. “And how do you find Roheim?” she probed.

  Hektor took a considerate pause. “Roheim is lovely, Missus Williams. I confess that I am not the most well-traveled, but I would say that Roheim is a hidden jewel of a place. And if the people are anything like your family, then it makes it all the more special,” he complimented.

  “You are too kind,” thanked Theodore. As he spoke, Hektor’s focus latched on to him. The Count appeared to make up his mind on some subject and chose that moment to deploy his scheme, proceeding to address Theodore directly.

  “You have many admirers, Mayor Williams. My people are most impressed. They sing your praises and laud your conduct and administration. Only good things. All of them say to me to that you are a fair and competent leader who is beloved by the people.”

  Despite the endorsements, Theodore felt himself clench. He could feel the Count cornering him into a trap.

  “Most of all, you have my mother’s approval,” stated Hektor. “She speaks highly of you and she wouldn’t have sent me here if she didn’t trust you and believe you to be a good man.

  “You have her endorsement, and that convinces me of your character more than anything ever will.”

  “Duchess Sabina is most generous. I hope to be worthy of her trust,” Theodore proclaimed solemnly.

  Hektor sighed as his shoulders slumped. “Please allow me to speak plainly. As much to ease your worries so that we can enjoy dinner to its fullest and not fret about unpleasant surprises.”

  Hektor sat straighter and made his case. “I am young and inexperienced, Mayor Williams,” he confessed, unabashed by the claim. “Not a difficult deduction to make. As I am, I am a novice at governance. And contrary to popular belief, I was never inclined towards politics. Never fancied it.

  “Yet here I am because of circumstances not of my own making, but very much due to politics,” he spoke the word ‘politics’ like it was a curse. “I did not want this. I did not ask for this. I am here to fulfill my duty. I am here because of politics,” he repeated.

  “So believe me when I say that I am ‘not’ here to replace you. Nor to censor you, nor usurp your authority,” he stressed. “Quite the opposite in fact. I wish to work under your guidance and learn by your example.”

  Hektor looked to Theodore imploringly, desperately willing to get his message across and convince him of his intentions. Witnessing Theodore’s persistent suspicion, Hektor shook his head.

  “You do not believe me. I can see that,” Hektor commented, passing a not-so-subtle look Chelsea’s way and raising a hand to forestall the Williams from apologizing. “That is logical. It would be in blind faith for you to take my word for it. I only hope that in time you will come to see things differently.

  “Still, let me assure you that I am not here to cause an upheaval or bring about change for the sake of change. I am more than happy to let things be as they are and follow your lead. For you to be the Mayor and carry forth your duties as you have these many years.

  “The caveat remains that we do have to work together. I could while away and let you do all the work, but I am not allowed to do that and nor I do I wish to be so useless.”

  Silence descended as the Count stopped speaking and the Williams digested what was said. Skepticism seemed to be the most prominent emotion followed by the urge to confront the Count on his claims.

  “What are you proposing?” Theodore extended an olive branch.

  Hektor was visibly pleased at the encouragement. “As I said, I wish to work with you. And that we make the most of the opportunities I bring.

  “I am Duchess Sabina’s son and engaged to Miss Croft,” the Count stated plainly. He needn’t say more. The opportunities clear as they were numerous.