Chapter 836: Shocking Announcement
The next day, there was a banquet in the morning to honour all the guests who had arrived for the wedding which happened the previous day. It was a last greeting from Guan family before all the guests left to return to their own territories.
Everyone arrived to attend the honorary banquet.
Nathaniel once more was waiting for the news, as Arthur had assured the previous night that he would not let it happen, and he wished to find his friend there. But Arthur was nowhere to be seen.
"He must be busy handling matters on his side after his sister denied the marriage," Aaron tried to assure him.
The banquet began. And soon, Duke Guan came to the center and got everyone’s attention to thank them all.
By the end of his thankful speech, he said, "...And today, I am delighted to inform you of another good event happening in our family."
Duke Guan was Evie and Arthur’s maternal uncle, a close family.
"My niece Evie and Lord Mortem’s son Nathaniel are engaged," he announced. "You all can offer them your blessings."
Nathaniel froze in his place. His expression darkened, and he was about to step ahead, but Arlan used his magic and held him in place.
"Don’t cause a scene here," Arlan mumbled. "All the eyes are on you. Your actions might reflect badly on not just you but her. Even if you do not care, you must."
Nathaniel gritted his teeth and kept his calm. Everyone came to congratulate him, which he accepted with a quiet nod.
His gaze moved to his father, who was busy accepting congratulatory greetings from others. Now his father’s status was elevated even more when he was being connected with the Clarence family.
Lord Clarence, Evie’s father, was delighted and was accepting the greetings as well.
Evie was nowhere to be seen, nor was Arthur.
Nathaniel’s and Evie’s fathers came together. Lord Clarence, Evie’s father, made an announcement.
"I am sure you all are waiting for the grand wedding after this announcement," Lord Clarence began. "But as you all know, the previous year my father had passed away, and as per the custom of having a two-year mourning period, we cannot have any event in the family for another year, such as a wedding.
"So, after making an engagement pact between the two families, Evie will be sent directly to Lord Mortem’s family as Lord Nathaniel’s bride. There, they will have customs on their side carried out to finalise the wedding ritual. And as for offering a celebratory banquet, we will carry it out after another year, when the mourning period in my family is over."
Duke Guan stepped in and said, "Until then, you can consider this banquet as my niece’s wedding celebration. After all, I am her maternal uncle, and we are a family."
Everyone agreed to it and once more congratulated the two families.
After a while, Nathaniel left the banquet. There was no sign of Arthur and Evie even now.
Aaron followed him out. "Calm down."
"Where is Arthur?" Nathaniel asked, gritting his teeth. "He said he would fix it, but... here they have already planned to send her to my home as my wife."
"I will look for him," Aaron said. "It won’t be good if you go there that everyone now knows about your wedding with her."
Nathaniel hummed.
---
At the Clarence family’s guest mansion, Arthur went to Evie, who was sitting quietly in her room instead of going to the banquet.
He was aware that a while ago Evie had talked to their father, and he was sure things would happen the way he wanted.
But now, knowing his father had made an announcement of his sister’s wedding, he wanted to know what exactly they talked about. Why did things end up this way? Did their father pressurize her against her will?
She was young, gentle, obedient, and never truly voiced her opinion clearly. That was worrisome to him, but that’s how she was, raised to be a perfect noble lady.
He regretted that if he hadn’t always been away on borders, he would have made her into someone brave and bold, like how Erin’s brothers always supported her.
He failed as a brother, and that truth would always weigh down on him.
"Evie," he called her gently, considering she was saddened by the outcome and forced into an unwanted marriage.
She was sitting in the chair, looking through some beautiful trinkets kept before her on the table. Afternoon sunlight from the large windows filled the room, brightening her beautiful face, her eyes full of admiration and innocence as she picked each of the trinkets to check them.
Upon hearing him, she looked at him, her hand still holding a small, colorful dreamcatcher.
It reminded him of Evie from her childhood days, when he used to bring such things for her from his various trips, and she loved them rather than any expensive gems or clothes. Even now, she was the same.
Guilt filled his heart to see his sister’s life ahead in the dark. He walked towards her and sat in the chair opposite her around the table.
"Herald gave these to me," she said, her voice soft, devoid of any sadness.
Herald was Duke Guan’s twelve-year-old son, Evie’s cousin.
"They are beautiful," Arthur said, looking at those colorful things.
She hummed and asked, "Brother, you didn’t go to attend the banquet?"
"I had, but I returned when Father announced your engagement with Nathaniel," he said, observing her to see what must be in her mind, but she was calm and responded with a quiet hum.
"Evie, what happened? Didn’t you tell Father what you want?" he asked, finally, impatiently.
"I asked father if he would like to consider this marriage proposal once more, but Father said he has made the right decision for me and I will be happy there," she said calmly. "He looked forward to seeing me married to Lord Nathaniel. He was entirely over the moon."
"And then?" Arthur asked.
