A Bastard's Allure-Chapter 81: Lord Brumfort

A carriage halted in front of the Mysthaven gates, the old wheels screeching loudly against the rocky road. One look alone and one could tell it was owned by a middle class lord from the wastelands.

The guard on duty stepped forward, his eyes locked with those of the older coachman. The coachman’s eyes were sunken, way deeper as if looking within himself and the outside world at the same town. One would mistake him for a vampire if not for his human complexion. His bald head was wrinkled. He was scary to say the least.

"Who’s inside?" The guard asked, approaching the carriage wearingly.

"Lord Brumfort and his daughter, the Lady Leana," the coachman man replied, his voice raspy and bored.

The guard’s eyes spark in curiosity. Stories about Lady Leana’s beauty had spread far and across the land. Rumor had it that her beauty once enchanted a vampire lord who wanted to conquer the wastelands, but she seduced him and stabbed him in the eye, leaving him to death.

"If I may, My Lord and Lady. Kindly step out," he announced. "I’m sorry but it’s the king’s order."

Silence befell at the gates for a moment before the old carriage door creaked open. An old man stepped out first, stroking his grey beard as his eyes surveyed his surrounding.

"Mmh," a voice sounded from inside catching the old man’s attention.

"Oh. I almost forgot." He extended his hand, taking a feminine hand into his and guided a lady outside. Her face was veiled making the guard crease his brows in anticipation.

"My Lord, Lady. I know it’s unbefit my station to ask this but I have to see the Lady’s face."

"What? You believe the Lord of the wastelands is walking with a hired assassin?" Lord Brumfort asked, his jaws clenched.

"No, My Lord..."

"Waste another minute of my time and I’ll be happy to inform the king how incompetent and uncourteous his guards are towards his Lords and Ladies."

"I’m sorry My Lord," the guard apologized with a bow. He heard the Lord scoff before taking Lady Leana’s hand. He lifted his eyes slightly to catch a glimpse of her round ass before she disappeared in the carriage.

"Welcome to Mysthaven MiLord!" The guard yelled as the carriage passed into the city.

Inside the carriage, the old Lord let out a sigh. "It was not as easy as you had predicted," he said, cursing the grey beard resting on his chest. "If this is how it feels being old, it sucks!"

"You’ll get used to it," the Lady informed. "Unlike you, I have everyone staring at my ass and wanting to catch a glimpse of this skin."

"I should have been born a lady," Lord Brumfort said. The carriage snaked inside the capital and halted right in front of the throne hall. Tonight, there would be a party to welcome the king and prince of Althenia.

Lord Brumfort stepped out of the carriage, stroking his beard as was his custom. Lady Leana followed shortly after without his help. Brumfort’s eyes locked with the coachman’s.

"He scares me!" He admitted.

"Demons aren’t scared of a living dead human," Leana commented, gathering her skirts like the lady she was.

"About what you said in the cellar... The mating thing."

"It’s a common thing in demons," Leana explained as they started ascending the flight of stairs to the throne hall. She got a compliment or two from a random Lord. "We are incomplete without our mates."

"Incomplete?" Brumfort asked with creased brows.

"A demon’s powers manifest fully once they have marked or been marked by their mate." She offered a smile at a Lord who greeted her, a curious Brumfort trailing beside her.

"Marking? Does that mean, biting her?" He asked.

"You have the answer, My Lord," Leana answered when she saw a gentleman approaching.

"Lord Brumfort, Lady Leana," he greeted the duo, a glass of wine in his free hand.

"Lord..." Brumfort feigned remembrance.

"I’m the herald’s son," corrected the man. He was tall and we’ll built. "Though I’m serving in court nowadays," he added with a smile.

And turning to face Leana, he took her hands into his, planting a kiss on the back of her hand. "I’m honored to be the first to greet you, My Lady," he said, their eyes locking through the transparent veil.

"The pleasure is mine," she replied, her voice smooth and musical.

"I’m surprised your father did make it here today. The last time I saw him, he was bed ridden."

"God has been kind to him," she replied. Brumfort didn’t like the fact that they were discussing his demise in his presence. If he was Brumfort in the first place.

The music started playing low in the background as more guests poured in. "May I have this dance?" The herald’s son asked, his hand outstretched. Leana looked at her ’father’ for redemption but he had other plans in mind.

"It’s okay," he replied. And adding with a hint of sarcasm, "Just don’t scratch my daughter." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"I won’t, I promise," the Herald’s son answered. Brumfort tapped Leana’s shoulder but she gave him the ’what do you think you’re doing’ look.

The herald’s son led Leana to the dance floor, though hesitant, leaving Brumfort alone. He grabbed a drink from a maid’s tray, looking for a way to escape from the crowd.

Walking to the far end of the hall, he found an open door that led to a hallway to the king’s quarters. If he followed it, it would eventually lead him to another hallway to Elena’s room.

His footsteps echoed on the marble floor despite trying to remain low-key.

"I hate these shoes!" He mumbled, stealing a quick glance at the boots he wore. They outer sole was made of wood!

A maid or two curtsied him on the way. Everything was going according to plan so far, his plan. The initial plan died the moment he left Leana in disguise at the dance floor with some random handsome guy. He just didn’t want to get her involved in all of it. She was his mother after all.

He was nearing the corner that branched to the other hallway when he heard someone call him from behind.

"Lord Brumfort?"

Frozen in his tracks, he silently turned around to see king Andrian Thornhart and some weird looking Caucasian man walking into his direction.

"What a pleasant surprise," the king said until he approached him. "I thought you couldn’t make it. Look at you, healthy and strong like I’ve never seen before. So the rumors were false!"

Brumfort gave a slight nod, before bowing. "Your Majesty."

"This is prince Charles of Althenia," he introduced, to which Brumfort gave a slight bow. "And now that you’re here, we can discuss about the wastelands. I hear the truce is broken."

"Yes, Your Majesty." God knows he was struggling to form a coherent response. He was used to be bowed at, now the tables had turned. "They’re taking hundreds by the day."

"Worry not Lord Brumfort. Once prince Charles is married to my sister, we’ll have the fleet to attack the filthy creatures by the sea while my army attack on land. Victory is in our grasp!" He curled his hands into fists.

Brumfort’s eyes scanned prince Charles. So this was the guy. He saw the scar on his face. From the looks of it, Elena wasn’t going to stomach his presence alone. At least the guy couldn’t hold a candle against him when it came to looks.

The herald appeared from the corner, his hands rested on his back. Andrian’s eyes met with his, receiving an affirmative nod from the herald.

"It’s time!" He said, letting out a sigh. "Why don’t you come sit with us at the high table?"

Gabriel was tempted to refuse the offer, but it’d only raise suspicions. "I’d be honored, Your Majesty," he replied. The king led the way.

"A word with you, My Lord," the herald interrupted, holding Brumfort back for a while.

"Your daughter. She’s as beautiful as they say, even when veiled. I had a chance to see her in the hall, dancing with my son. You could have seen them together." He added with dreamy eyes.

"You and I have a lot to talk once the wedding is over," he added before hurrying to catch up with the king.

Gabriel could have rolled his eyes if the old sockets let him. This was the nth time he cursed for choosing this disguise. But prince Charles’ body looked even worse to have. Elena would slap him across the cheeks before he revealed his identity.

Releasing a sigh, he followed the trio inside the hall. Two empty chairs were waiting for him besides where Charles sat. One, he believed was for the bride to be; his wife!

His eyes darted around the crowd of revellers on the floor and landed on Leana. She was still hooked with the Herald’s son, though uncomfortable with the situation.

The drums sounded in the hall drawing everyone’s attention. The dance floor was cleared immediately, everyone taking their respective seats.

"Princess Elena Thornhart!" The herald announced with his ever majestic voice before the double doors swung open.