The Duke's Secrets

Chapter 7 - The Duke's Dilemma

Having finished his discussion with Elizabeth, the Duke returned to his office to find a man pacing inside with his arms crossed. He was a tall, slender man in a black suit, with short brown hair and dark black eyes behind a pair of glasses. The man only stopped when he noticed the Duke, glared at him, and pointed behind him in a huff.

"Alistair? Oh...right," the Duke mumbled, looking past him.

Several towering stacks of papers were scattered across the Duke's desk. He had thoroughly forgotten about the vast backlog of paperwork, and though monstrous, he promptly settled into his seat to deal with them head-on. He read one document, signed another, edited a third, and passed yet another to Alistair to review and ensure smooth progress.

"My Lord...what role will that girl play in your plan?" Alistair asked, breaking the silence amidst the shuffling papers.

"Elizabeth, Alistair, not girl," the Duke replied, still immersed in his work. "For now, she is but my guest in my castle and should be treated as such."

"Then why is her room on the fourth floor, my Lord?" Alistair questioned. "Guest rooms are on the third floor for a reason. She—"

"Elizabeth will likely stay with us for a year," the Duke interrupted to answer Alistair. "I thought assigning her a room better suited for an extended stay than a simple guest room was more appropriate in this case. And because Elizabeth is special."

"Special? What do you mean special? That means nothing!"

The Duke let out a sigh as he set his papers down. He was well aware that Alistair wouldn't drop his line of questioning until he was satisfied, and being one of the Duke's closest advisors, it was well within his right to question him—even press him for an answer.

"Elizabeth...is special for many reasons, Alistair. She appears to be nearly in the same awakened form as I am, yet knows nothing about it and eerily lacks any flow of magic in her body. That sword Young Alexander used, supposedly indestructible, is proof, as it bears a crack down its blade after she wielded it. And just today, she told me she could sense I was lying about James—she's special, Alistair."

"What? Wait...no, that last part is quite fortunate," Alistair murmured. "She could be a great asset in negotiations with the other Dukedoms. Her presence could grant us a considerable advantage. We could even—oh, she is special, very special."

Alistair's grin stretched from ear to ear as he envisioned how Elizabeth could be an invaluable asset, so much so that he had all but forgotten the other two examples the Duke said.

"Enough," the Duke interjected, halting Alistair's spiral. "Elizabeth is my guest, not a tool for our advantage."

"Now, now, my Lord. Long-term guests should contribute, no? Especially those who've tried to end your life and now rest just a few chambers away."

"That doesn't make her all that unique. Many who call my castle home now, at one point, tried to take my life...and if I remember correctly, didn't you attempt the same when we first met? And look at you now. You're quite literally my right-hand man," the Duke quipped, as Alistair always stood to the Duke's right.

"T-That was different. Plus, back then, I was still on—"

The Duke stood from his seat and put his hands on Alistair's shoulder.

"I needed no explanation then, nor will I ever. So, let it be for now, Alistair. Let's just get this paperwork done before the day ends!"

Alistair nodded, and they promptly resumed their work. Alistair reorganized the papers to optimize their workflow and came across an unusual document that brought a smile to his face.