Chương 122: Dashing Good Looks

"It's a slight fever. Dr. Cooper-Fontaine said that he shouldn't have ridden for so long. He's exhausted and had some shock. He reacted badly." Tori sat on a stool beside Axton's bed with the comcry on the bedside table. She wiped the sweat off of Axton's face and neck as he laid there, his breathing uneven.

"I shouldn't have let him go to Sun Garden alone," Piers said, sounding disapproving.

"I will be there soon."

"All right," Tori said.

"We'll watch him tonight."

"Thank you, Tori." Tori gave him a small hum and Piers ended the call.

"How is he?" Antonia looked into the backroom of Axton's tent. Tori brought a small towel to a bucket of water at her feet that she was chilling with ice crystals.

"His temperature will go down soon, my lady," Dr. Cooper-Fontaine replied. He was by the other bedside table with a small teapot. He was grinding some dried medicine in a stone mortar and a metal tea basket was next to him.

"Duke Alvere is fatigued and should rest. I will have him drink this tea. It will lower his fever." Antonia nodded.

"Thank you, doctor." She looked at her daughter as Tori continued to wipe Axton's head and neck to try to relieve him.

"Tori, do you want to take a break?" Tori shook her head.

"Piers is on his way. Ewan will come and switch places with me for a few hours. Sebby will relieve him after. We're fine, Mama." Antonia lingered, watching the doctor finish concocting some medicine to lower Axton's temperature. He brought over a small cup with the finished drink and Tori leaned forward to urge Axton to lift his head to drink.

"My lady." Axton's voice was still hoarse after drinking tea. He propped himself up on one arm and looked towards Tori's mother.

"Thank you...." Tori looked towards her mother and Antonia opened her mouth, but Axton continued on.

"The duchy knights that guarded my mother's room when she was sick and dying... that guarded me... they were Guevera knights, weren't they?" Tori sat up straight and looked at her mother with surprise. Antonia seemed to take a deep breath, but her stern posture didn't falter.

"We had concern that the duchy knights would be influenced by Duke Alvere or his mistress, so I arranged with your mother to secure loyal knights." Axton closed his eyes and nodded.

"Mr. Merced told me. I didn't know."

"You were a child, Axton. You were not meant to know," Antonia told him quietly.

"Perhaps if I wasn't so stubborn, I could've been of more help with your mother." There was regret in her voice and her eyes glistened.

"When did you suspect that my father would stray?" Axton asked. Tori turned back to him and held up the teacup, hoping he'd take another sip. He dutifully leaned forward, and she tilted the cup up so he could drink. Antonia was quiet for a moment, as if thinking.

"The first day I met him, he had allowed that woman into his home unaccompanied and alone, knowing he was betrothed to Genevieve. He had no issue with such a thing and dismissed my and your mother's concerns. He always dismissed it. I knew then he couldn't be trusted." Her green eyes met Axton's with lingering disappointment.

"Not because he didn't love your mother, but because he continuously favored another." Antonia's jaw clenched and Tori could see the hatred in her mother's eyes.

"I will never forgive him." Axton closed his eyes and laid back against the bed.

"Neither will I."

"Mama, it's getting late," Tori said as she put the now empty cup on the nightstand.

"Go back and rest. I'll wait for Piers." Antonia gave them a nod.

"You are also to return to your tent when he arrives. Rest well, Axton. As long as you are the Duke of Alvere, the Guevera March will support you."

"Thank you... Auntie Toni." Antonia paused at the exit of the back chamber, as if letting his words sink in. She nodded wordlessly and slipped out.

"My lady, do not strain yourself. As soon as His Highness or Ewan arrive, go rest," Dr. Cooper-Fontaine told her in a gentle voice.

"The crystals you've set, and the tea will help ease His Grace." A small smile tugged at Axton's dry lips.

"It's strange to be addressed as such." Dr. Cooper-Fontaine chuckled.

"You must become accustomed to it, Your Grace. You are Duke Alvere now." With that final reminder, the old doctor stepped out of the tent, leaving Tori at Axton's bedside.

"You should've stopped to rest at the palace or your apartment when you started to feel feverish," she said as she dunked her hands into the bucket of cold water and wrung out another piece of cloth.

"I didn't notice."

"You almost fell off Blue River when you arrived. How could you not have noticed?" She gave him a frown as the water dripped between her pale fingers.

"If the knights weren't nearby to catch you, you could've fallen off and broken your neck."

"Your confidence in my ability is flattering."

"You're welcome." A cold, wet piece of cloth touched his heated neck, and he tilted his head back to expose it further. Tori was careful not to entangle his messy hair as she patted the cloth over the exposed flushed skin.

"It was once very common for children of duchies to have a betrothal," Axton said, his gray eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Duke Sinan and the other two duchesses my mother's age all had betrothals, but they were broken off when they came of age. I often wonder why my mother didn't break hers off. There were better choices." Tori nodded and she found herself smiling a bit.

"The General Marquis?"

"Is he not a better choice?"

"If I were your mother, I would've picked him in a heartbeat," Tori said.

"I've seen both your father and the General Marquis. The General Marquis is much better looking." Axton raised a brow as he tilted his head towards her.

"Isn't he too old for you?" Tori barely held back a laugh.

"Why do you and Piers think that I'm interested in him? I just think he's handsome. It's not a crime to appreciate his good looks." Axton squinted.

"Have you no embarrassment in saying such a thing?"

"What's there to be embarrassed about?" Tori straightened her back and looked at him with confidence.

"I should give a compliment where it's due. Don't you hear me say it all the time? Ilyana is very beautiful. My brothers look very good. Piers is pleasing to the eye." She named off examples and Axton chuckled. He seemed much more at ease now than when he arrived earlier that night and so Tori was happy to humor him.

"What about me?" he asked, looking at her with amusement.

"Obviously, you are also very handsome." His smile widened.

"Elaborate."

"Is it necessary?"

"I'm not feeling well, so it would help." Tori snorted.

"Okay... let's see...." She lifted her eyes and thought for a moment.

"Where should I begin?"

"My dashing good looks and charming personality." She couldn't stop the snort-laugh that escaped her.

"And here I was, having confidence in your humility, as well. But if you insist." Axton cracked a smile. She leaned forward and brushed his curly dark hair away from his face.

"You have beautiful eyes. Have you heard the saying 'eyes are the windows to the soul'?" He tilted his head a bit.

"No, where did you hear that?"

"I read it in some obscure book." Tori shrugged.

"The gray is very clear and bright."

"And what do they tell you about my soul?" She scrunched her lips and thought.

"You are attentive and loyal. They always seem to be smiling and it puts people at ease. In fact, when we first met, I felt comfortable with you. That's not to say that you're too indulgent. Your eyes are firm when you're serious. That concentrated and focused look is very attractive. We were telling Albert that people seem to be most attractive when they are doing something they are passionate about."

"Is he still trying to get a girlfriend? He'll have a difficult time during the internship. Knowing what Piers is having him do, he's too busy." Axton gave a small look of pity.

"I think he's given up for the summer, but we'll see when school starts," Tori said. She cocked her head.

"Do you know anyone who may be suitable?" Axton rolled his eyes.

"When would I have time to find someone for Albert? Look at who I have to babysit."

"So, you prefer to be addressed as 'nanny' now as opposed to 'sir'?" a low, somewhat annoyed voice said from behind the flap of the tent. The fabric shuffled and the flap was pushed up. Piers slipped into the backroom with his lips in a tight line. His cold, violet eyes settled on Axton.

"You talk a lot for someone who is sick." Axton smiled a bit, but didn't answer. Tori removed the damp cloth from his neck and looked over his shoulder.

"You got here faster than I thought."

"I was already near the encampment when you called," Piers replied. He approached Axton's bed and narrowed his eyes.

"What happened at Sun Garden? Did you run into your father?" Axton took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"No. Mr. Merced said that he left a few days earlier with that woman." He began to tell the two of them about his visit. Initially, it was only to check the state of Sun Garden and make sure that all traces of his father and his father's second family were removed. He didn't expect to see an entire hall seemingly frozen in time. He went quiet and a faraway look filled his gaze. He told Piers and Tori about the portrait. With each detail, Tori's eyes narrowed, and her face distorted with disgust and confusion.

She shook her head and whispered as Axton finished.

"Is he crazy?"

"He is guilty and regretful." Unexpectedly, Piers spoke up. He sat on the edge of the bed, beside his knight and looked down. Axton let out a small, bitter laugh and looked back at the ceiling.

"All the guilt and regret in the world won't bring my mother back. It won't make us a happy family."

"Were you ever a happy family?" Tori asked. It was a sincere question. Axton's eyes reddened.

"Yes." She leaned over and stroked his hair back again.

"Go to sleep, Axton. When Ewan comes to switch, we'll wake you for another cup of medicated tea." He reluctantly closed his eyes. Tori continued to dunk and wring out the cloth to cool Axton's heated body.

"Thank you for taking care of him," Piers said.

"I should've gone with him to Sun Garden."

"No one knew he'd get such a shock that he'd get a fever," Tori replied in a soft voice. She frowned.

"Riding to Horizon would've been enough. He should've taken a rest there."

"He wanted to get as far away from Sun Garden as possible," Piers said. Tori believed him; no one knew Axton as well as Piers.

"Where are the former duke and his mistress?" Tori looked towards Piers. His people were watching Axton's father, as well as Montan. Piers didn't look at her and continued to stare at Axton.

"He is staying in a small flat in the Seventh District." Tori frowned.

"The Academic Quarter?" That was where Lycée and Université were. It was also where Axton and Piers' flat near Université was located. Of all the places in Horizon, why would Axton's father stay there? Did he want to create chances to see Axton? You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"There is no movement other than leaving for meals. He has been staying away from Montan Alvere. If he comes to Axton, my knights will keep him at bay," Piers said. Tori nodded.

"Do you want to stay with him until Ewan comes?" His eyes flickered towards Tori.

"Are you leaving?"

"I still have things to do."

"Then, I will watch him." Tori gave him a small nod and stood up. Piers took her seat next to the bed and paused.

"Do I need to use the cloth to keep him cool?"

"Just for a little while longer, until the medicated tea starts to take its effect." Piers nodded and as Tori left, she heard a sopping sound, followed by a gasp and swearing.

"What are you doing!" Axton seemed to choke.

"Cooling you down."

"Wring out the water first!" She sighed and walked outside. She walked to her tent a few steps away and returned to her desk. A series of clamps were fixed on to the edge of her desk, along with a magnifying glass and light crystals. A piece of tiger eye was clamped in place, cushioned by some strips of leather. Tori sat down and adjusted the magnifying glass over the face of the crystal. She picked up a metal tool that was as thin as a pencil and had a sharp tip.

She grounded before starting to carefully scrape Old Sulfae into the crystal. In two days, she would go to Horizon to meet with the master jeweler, Master Monde, to have a few talismans she carved mounted. Time was running out. Before she left for the hunt, her cousins, her brother, and her parents would leave. When she returned from the hunt and the Empress' birthday banquet, they would see off Constantine.

"She is very active and there is a good chance she could lose it," Tori told the slender, white-haired man on the other side of the counter. Master Monde opened his workshop earlier than usual that day. Tori left Viclya well before dawn to have several talismans mounted for her cousins. She was accompanied by Henrik, Ewan, and Axton and the three young men were lingering around the store, looking at pieces of jewelry on display.

The front of Master Monde's workshop was a storefront with many pieces of elegant, intricate jewelry and other expensive trinkets on display. A customer could buy a ready-made piece or request something similar to be made. The workshop itself was narrow, but deep. There was enough room for Tori and the other three to look around without bumping into each other.

"Perhaps mounting the talisman on a cuff would be good. The cuff can be stretched out as she gets older," Master Monde said as he studied the blue tiger eye in his hand.

"I don't usually see something like this on a crystal."

"I based it on the pattern used for crystal charms," Tori said.

"Yes, yes, Jorge has told me." Master Monde lowered his hand and smiled. His blue eyes crinkled up as he looked across the counter.

"I didn't think he'd take another pupil in his old age. When I heard, I was surprised. You must be quite talented." Tori shook her head.

"It's the opposite. I'm actually quite weak. My brother is the talented one. He can charge a crystal almost as soon as he picks it up."

"Talent isn't measured only in strength, my lady," Master Monde said with a small smile. He looked back at the several crystal talismans on the counter.

"This one can be mounted on to a solid circlet around the neck and the golden tiger eye can be a medallion."

"Can I purchase a chain with that medallion?" Tori asked. She liked the sound of a medallion.

"One suitable for a teenage boy." Aiden was growing and she wanted him to wear the talisman, but she also wanted the talisman to look good, especially when he joined the navy. She liked to think she had good taste.

"Of course, my lady. What about the red tiger eye?"

"Also, a medallion, something he can attach to his clothing and a bit smaller," Tori said. The red tiger eye was for Riri, while the blue ones were for Ava and Maeve. Marco and Mateo would also get blue tiger eyes, but as they lived in Horizon, Tori could give it to them later. Priority went to the children leaving and Constantine.

"And what about this amethyst?" The amethyst was about as big as her thumb, but the engraving was on a flat surface less than a third the size of the crystal.

"And can this be put on a thick thumb ring?" Tori asked.

"Here is the measurement." JP had managed to get Constantine's thumb ring size at her request. She didn't know how he did it, but he managed to get it.

"Yes, however I will have to cut the crystal."

"That's fine. I purposely only engraved on a small portion bearing that in mind."

"I can have these pieces ready for you at the end of the week."

"So soon?" Tori had been sure it would take at least a week, not three days. She nodded.

"If I cannot make it, I will send someone to pick them up." The agreement was made, and some papers were brought up to finalize the sale. Tori paid in advance before taking her receipts and thanking Master Monde.

"Are you finished?" Ewan asked as he turned around and saw Tori stepping away from the counter. She nodded.

"Yes, let's go to Duel," Tori said, walking towards the door. Axton held the door open for the three of them and Tori climbed into the waiting carriage. Ewan and Henrik climbed in with her while Axton mounted Blue River. When Tori and the other two left later that day, Axton would remain and do follow up work in Horizon for Kasen until they left for the hunt. Tori was not privy to his exact duties.

She wouldn't see Axton again until they met up in Granite Tower for the Empress' Birthday Hunt thrown by Duchess Fekete. It didn't take long for them to reach the Fourth District and roll to a stop in front of the three buildings in the midst of renovation. The carriage was parked close to the curb and Tori leaned towards the window. She narrowed her eyes and held out her arm.

"Henrik, is that man who I think it is?" she asked. Across from her, Henrik scooted to the edge of the bench and peered out the window. A sneer reached his lips.

"It looks like we were identified last time."

"What's going on?" Ewan asked, looking at each of them.

"Remember that Henrik and I went to Golden Cow Mercantile to study the competition?" Tori asked as she looked back at him. Ewan squinted and nodded his head.

"Yes...." Tori looked back towards the window.

"That man worked there and followed us around the store, watching us."

"He's looking at our buildings and trying to look between the boarded windows," Henrik said.

"He must've recognized Tori or me as the owner of Lions Gate." Ewan frowned and squatted by the window.

"What do you think he wants?"

"What do you think?" Henrik scoffed.

"He wants to find out what we're doing and see if we're competition." Ewan leaned forward to try to get a better look and lifted his hands to brace himself against the door. A click was heard, and the door was pulled open. His hands pushed against nothing, and Ewan let out a yelp as he tumbled out of the carriage.

"Ewan!" Tori shot to her feet and looked out the door. Axton had grabbed hold of him before he fell face first into the curb.

"What are you doing?" Axton frowned as he pulled Ewan to the side and helped him to his feet.

"Sorry, Master!"

"It's our fault," Henrik said as he jumped down. He glanced further down the street, to where the man from Golden Cow had stopped when he noticed them. Axton gave him a quizzical expression. Tori took hold of the railing and stepped down carefully.

"Someone is trying to see what we're doing in there." She looked towards the double doors up the steps. Two guards were stationed on either side and only one of the doors was part way open. Axton narrowed his eyes.

"Someone suspicious?"

"One of the cow man's people."

"I see." Tori pretended she didn't see the man watching them as she straightened her back and walked towards the steps leading to the door. The ramps she wanted were in the process of being built, as the metal of the railing still needed to be installed. The two guards on either side gave her a small bow of their heads as Henrik helped her up the stairs. Tori paused by the doorway.

"Has that man on our right been here long?" The guard didn't make any noticeable moves, nor did he glance towards the man she was referring to.

"Today, no, my lady. However, he has come by a few times this week. He's tried to peer into the building several times when the doors were open to bring in materials." She frowned and kept her eyes ahead of her as Axton pushed open one of the doors for her.

"Has he tried to enter?"

"Yes, my lady. We stopped him and informed him unaffiliated persons are not allowed inside," the other guard replied.

"He attempted once. Afterwards, he would keep his distance, but try to look inside."

"I see. Keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't look inside or enter." The two guards gave her a nod and she walked into the building. Henrik was already speaking to Master Blomgard, who was pointing out the shelves behind the main counter that had just been installed. Ewan let out a whistle as he looked around.

"Where are the gaming tables going to be?"

"There will be one down here for demonstrations and several upstairs, with one in each room," Tori said.

"Everything seems to be moving along well."

"Countess, Master Villalobos' two apprentices have arrived. Would you like to meet them?" Master Blomgard asked.

"They're in the back." Tori gave him a nod.

"I will go. Please continue." She walked over the sawdust-littered floor and through the doors behind the counter to get to the back room. The doors separating the two spaces were not yet installed. As she entered, she found that more presses had arrived and that one of them was operational. Clanking was heard as she watched the machine move up and down as a man kept his eyes on the press.

"Countess Guevera!" She turned her head and saw Master Villalobos walking towards her with a slight limp. He looked over his shoulders.

"Lorena, Tino! Come and greet the Countess!" At once, a man and woman paused their work and came over. The man was missing part of his left leg, from the knee down, and had a wooden stump. The woman had a scar across her cheek, but she smiled brilliantly at Tori. Both of them raised their fists to their chests and hit them.

"Countess Guevera!" They lowered their heads and Tori gave them both a nod. It seemed that like Master Villalobos, they were also former knights.

"Sirs, thank you for coming all this way," Tori said.

"I know that my endeavor is out of the ordinary, so I will depend on your skills."

"It is a pleasure, my lady," Tino said.

"My wife and I are quite excited to take part in this. We were knights assigned to Commander Guevera, your uncle. I am Augustino Carrera, and this is my wife Lorena Carrera de Rio.

""We have been selected to come here from Presidio and will take on apprentices of our own from your villagers," Lorena told her. Master Villalobos nodded.

"They apprenticed for me for five years and are now qualified printers. We will work to train your villagers for a year. After that, I will return to Presidio, and Tino and Lorena will stay to oversee the print shop as long as you ask them to, my lady."

"Is that all right?" Tori asked, looking at the couple.

"I am asking you to move here for an unknown period of time. Should we set a target date to have you return?"

"That is unnecessary, my lady," Tino said, shaking his head.

"We will stay as long as you need us to."

"We have moved our family here." Lorena looked unperturbed.

"My mother lives with us and our two children. Lord Sebastian has already prepared the temporary residence papers for our family and had our children registered at the Fourth District's primary school." Her brother didn't tell her about this, and Tori tried not to appear too surprised.

"How old are they?"

"Junior is eight and Ines is six." Lorena smiled, proud.

"They enjoyed the children's games and were excited to come when they found out that we were going to work at the printer that made the games." Tori was relieved. She didn't want to transplant a family, especially one with little children, but it seemed that the family was willing.

"Have you tried the games I sent?"

"Yes, we've played the games according to the instructions with friends of ours before we left," Lorena added with an excited nod.

"The Guevera knights have expressed their interest."

"They asked for a guide and gameplay book to be sent back," Tino told her.

"If our lady is willing."

"Of course," Tori said.

"The tabletop role-playing games seem very popular with knights. The imperial knights stationed at the delta often play during their off time." She looked towards the printing presses.

"Can I take a look?"

"Certainly, my lady!" Master Villalobos led her to the working press and, as Tino went through the process, Master Villalobos explained each step. Tori asked questions every now and then, nodding as she watched husband and wife work as a team to print and adjust papers. Tori recognized the print as one of the guides. They showed her the individual sheets that still needed to be cut, trimmed, and then bound.

The presses had been working for a few days and a pile of character sheets and basic rules had been printed already. Tori planned to sell beginner sets in neat canvas envelopes that included a set of character sheets, basic rules, a set of dice, a map, and a gameplay guide. Soleil didn't have cardboard and it was too much trouble to make individual boxes for each set of games, so Tori went with large canvas envelopes stamped with the Lions Gate Duel logo. It was simple and affordable, as well as easy to carry.

"Countess Guevera!" Master Blomgard rushed into the back room just as Tori was about to try to print a page herself. She looked up and tilted her head.

"A man is asking for the owners outside. Mr. Skuldsen has gone and asked me to come get you." Tori's lips tightened into a line, and she apologized to Tino and Lorena as she stepped back.

"What man?" she asked as she walked towards the doorway leading to the lobby. She asked, but she had an idea of who it was.

"I don't know him, my lady, but I have noticed him walking past the store several times."

"The cow man's minion...." Tori muttered under her breath. She quickened her pace and could see Ewan standing in front of the door with Axton, blocking the entrance. She reached them and patted their arms to let her through.

"There is no need to be rude, young man. I only want to know what your business is selling," a shrill, annoyed voice came from the street. Tori squeezed between Axton and Ewan to see Henrik standing at the bottom of the steps with his arms crossed. A middle-aged man with sharp eyes was standing in front of Henrik, almost an arm's length away and appeared to be trying to intimidate him. Tori held back a sneer.

Henrik was rather slender, but he'd grown taller since his first year of Lycée and had been dealing with pushy merchants most of his life. Even if he looked like a pushover, he was far from one. Not to mention Ewan and Axton, and two guards, were looming behind him.

"And I want to know why you are asking," Henrik asked in a calm voice.

"The Fourth District is the home of Golden Cow Mercantile Company," the middle-aged man said as he lifted his chin and seemed to look down on Henrik.

"We know all the businesses that come here. Let me tell you, young man, not many last more than a year or two."

"Is that a threat I hear in your voice?" Tori called out from the top of the steps. The middle-aged man looked up and narrowed his eyes. Tori met him with defiance.

"You're the man who followed us at Golden Clown."

"Golden Cow!" The man hissed as he threw his arms at his side.

"Young lady-""She is the-""No, it's fine," Tori said, raising her hand to stop Ewan from correcting the man. Ewan looked at her and stepped back reluctantly.

"The Golden Cow doesn't own the Fourth District and we are well within our rights to set up shop here. If you're curious, you can drop by during our grand opening in a few months."

"Months?" The man looked past her and at the building.

"How many stores are you opening?"

"Just one." His eyes narrowed.

"But you bought three buildings." Tori cocked her head and looked at him as if he were dumb.

"Do you not know what renovations are?" His face reddened.

"If you think you can compete with Golden Cow-""We're already competing with Golden Cow," Tori cut him off in a cold voice. She slowly walked down the steps, holding her cane firmly in her right hand as she passed Henrik and stood in front of the man. She lifted her cane and moved the lion head handle under his chin to hold his gaze as her eyes narrowed.

"Since you're here, I trust you already know who we are." The man scowled as he lifted a hand and tried to bat the handle away. Tori was a head shorter and put her cane down, but a low, heavy pressure came from her.

"You are part of Lions Gate, aren't you?"

"Yes." There was no point in hiding it now.

"A year and a half ago, your owner tried to steal my designs and accused me of plagiarism. Is he thinking of trying again?" She smirked and the middle-aged man glowered.

"Your store, no matter how large, can't compete with us." The man looked at Tori with ridicule.

"A few novel pieces of clothing are nothing. As I said, nearly all the shops that have opened here in the past few years closed within a year or two. They can't compete with us, and neither can you."

"Perhaps you're right," Tori said. A small smile pulled at her lips. Upon hearing this the man looked proud, as if he had won the argument.

"Lions Gate isn't here to compete with Golden Cow." Surprise filled Henrik's face and he snapped his head towards her, silently asking what she was saying. Tori didn't falter.

"Lions Gate is here to destroy it. Congratulations. You will get to watch it happen up close."