The World Dragon's Heir

The next morning, the sound of bugles in the distance pulled Dominic out of bed right at first light.

The Cygnia army didn't use bugles, they used Trumpets, the tone was different. But if it were someone who didn't know what they were doing, it might be a sign that one of the Barons was in trouble.

Dominic was instantly on his feet and getting dressed, while Alexis went to the shower first, but moving no less quickly.

"That is the morning horn of the Mitfield Armies. We've got foreign visitors incoming." She called as she got clean.

Dominic grumbled to himself and began changing clothes.

He had been dressing for a military intervention, but it was likely to be something closer to a Royal Reception for a visiting foreign dignitary.

Once he was in a properly Noble looking outfit with a fancy black coat and his sabre hung at his hip, Dominic went downstairs and left the maids to finish getting Alexis ready to receive guests.

Ella, of the Royal Guard, greeted him at the door. "I have sent a runner to the town guard to escort the guests in. The barracks are currently unoccupied, but we don't know how many men they came with."

Dominic nodded. "Alexis says that it's the Mitfield military's morning wake-up call. She's getting prepared for guests. How long do you think we have? If it's that friend of hers, what was his name? Prince George? I should prepare a gift."

Ella laughed. "We're already on it. Royal gifts are part of the Princess' duties, even if the money comes from the Duchy budget. If it is Prince George, she will gift him a new walnut cracker. I've sent someone to have Pops fancy one up already.

If it's not him, we can gift them one of the hanging lamps from the factory.

The trainees have made a few working orbs already, and they've been assembled into copper and glass coach light housings.

Not the original plan, but the Techno Wizards thought that they would sell just as well as interior lights, as you can hang them on a pole or tractor when working or travelling at night."

Dominic chuckled. "It seems that I'm the one who is two steps behind again. Good work."

The runner was one of the veiled maids, and she arrived at the Manor with the potential presents moments before the horns started again, signalling that the unit was on a parade march, announcing their presence to the locals so that the Duchy could prepare for their arrival, and not mistake them as invaders.

Dominic appreciated that the approaching Noble had gone to such lengths to ensure that proper formalities were followed. It gave him time to prepare, and to review the proper responses, which he hadn't really had to use since he had learned them from the Tutor.

This would be the first time that he was hosting someone who was close to or at his own social standing, so he couldn't be quite as informal with the reception.

But what was approaching the bridge into the village was not the small military detachment that Dominic had been expecting.

Instead, there were close to ten thousand troops now stopped on the far side of the bridge, while a small honour guard on horseback escorted their officer through Wistover village toward the Manor.

That side of the river wasn't as heavily populated, the army wouldn't cause any trouble camping right where they were. But there weren't really any other options, even if they would.

A town the size of Wistover couldn't host ten thousand soldiers, no matter how you looked at it.

"It's Prince George." Alexis whispered as the honour guard approached, led by a nobleman whose white hair and receding hairline made him look much older than his face suggested.

Dominic kept pace at Alexis' side as they went to meet him at the base of the stairs, while Jasmine and the veiled maids waited to take the horses to the stables.

Alexis smiled at the visitor, who winked conspiratorially at her as his herald prepared the introductions.

"Prince George Mitfield, Duke of Dunestow, has come for a social visit." The herald declared.

Alexis smiled. "Uncle George is always welcome here. Please, do tell him to come down so we might greet him properly."

Prince George swung his leg over and dropped to the ground with smooth agility before the herald could put steps beside his mount.

"Duke Dominic, it's good to meet you. Your reputation precedes you." The Mitfield Prince began.

"Only good things, I hope." Dominic replied politely, and the middle-aged man began to laugh in a most undignified way.

"I can see why everyone says that the Princess is most taken with you. You share the same sense of humour."

Princess Alexis had a reputation as a violent tomboy and Paladin, hardly suitable as a Princess in the minds of many of the Nobles, while Dominic was considered infamous in the region, thanks to Dagos' embellished retellings of the invasion.

"Please, allow us to get your men settled, and we can retire to the cigar lounge for a nice chat." Dominic replied, instead of cracking an inappropriate joke.

George's eyes lit up with excitement. Good cigars were challenging to come by in Cygnia, but he did enjoy one.

The question was whether Dominic had prepared any imported cigars, or if he would have to suffer. Perhaps the Wistover Duchy had some decent liquor? It had been a long trip, and they had a lot to discuss.

Fortunately for Dominic, they had Julio, who had stocked the house and prepared for everything.

He had purchased decent wine vintages as well as good cigars from Skiple from the Merchants.

Dominic didn't miss that under her dignified smile, Alexis was actually overjoyed to see this guest, but to show up with ten thousand soldiers said that the 'social visit' was anything but.

However, they wouldn't speak of that outside where anyone could hear them. It could wait until they were safely out of public view, and the Prince's men had been given a moment to settle themselves.