Both Bradley and Marcus were in their feelings.
The former was excited to see a letter from the young mistress, while the latter was pondering.
Marcus hadn't received any word from his elder siblings since they left their father's land.
He had repeatedly sent letters to them, certain that they had received his letters, but none of them had sent any response.
It was only after a year of consistent messaging that Marcus got the memo.
They didn't want to have anything to do with him.
That was how it had always been.
"Milord, you haven't opened the letter," Bradley said.
He had been standing with anticipation, but Marcus hadn't moved.
Right, I forgot to consider how the young lord will feel. If only you were kinder to your siblings, perhaps they would have at least sent word since.
Bradley thought pitifully.
If Marcus had heard this statement, he would have laughed.
No one truly understood why he schemed against and meddled with his siblings' lives while he was younger.
Perhaps only his father did.
But it could be summed up in one word.
Attention.
Marcus figured at a young age that his siblings hated him, and he understood why.
But because of their father, his siblings rarely did anything to him.
To have any interaction with him, Marcus would have to get on their nerves.
That was the only way they'd acknowledge his existence.
The last son was treated like an outcast.
Despite all of this, Marcus didn't hate them… but a part of him that felt this familiar love towards them, died a few years ago.
He was sick and on the verge of death, yet none of them visited. None of them sent word.
This ebbed a part of him.
Nonetheless, he was the son of his father, he was a Sirdi.
What could have happened for Elisa to send word to me, is she in trouble and needs my assistance?
Marcus Wondered.
Elisa was the third child, doted on by almost everyone around her, including her elder brothers.
No, she should know that I barely have anything to my name. What could it be?
"Milord?" Bradley called out for the seventh time.
"What!?" Marcus snapped and frowned at him. He was trying to think and his thoughts were continuously being disturbed.
His reaction didn't faze Bradley. "If you're so curious, there's only one way to find out. Open the letter."
Marcus sighed and stared at the sealed paper for a few seconds before he finally moved to open it.
He turned away from Bradley, not letting him see what was written in it.
Petty! Bradley sighed.
Marcus slowly read the letter and his expression morphed from a deep frown to a look of surprise and then a deeper frown that even carried a hint of anger, before it settled to a flurry of blinking.
"Milord, what does the letter say?" Bradley's patience was waning.
"Elisa… is a mother now," Marcus uttered with disbelief.
"What!? When did this happen? When did the young mistress get married? It can't be that she had the child out of wedlock, isn't that too blemishing!?"
Marcus glared at the panicking Bradley, but his look didn't work on the man. Or rather, Bradley was too distraught to notice the look.
This was someone who also knew and cared about his sister.
He couldn't be stopped from saying some things.
"When did the young mistress become so reckless? Who is the father? What sort of bastard is he!? He needs to be de-balled! No, those crazy stewards that chose to leave and serve under Lady Elisa, what were they doing when this happened!?"
"If you de-ball my nephew's father, wouldn't he come for your head?" Marcus said dryly as he took a seat to calm his mind.
"That man has to be punished at least," Bradley said.
I had the same thoughts. The audacity to lay his sinful hands on my sister! Shit, why do I even care? Elisa didn't even consider her status, why should I care…
But I'm an uncle now. I have a precious nephew. Marcus felt unbelievably happy about the news of a nephew.
Perhaps because this was someone related to him that didn't necessarily hate him… yet.
Uncle.
The word sounded weird in Marcus's mind as it referred to him
Would Elisa pass her hatred of me to her son? She can't be that petty, right?
"I know… but, Elisa said… she's getting married to him," Marcus added and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
This news was what made him angry. The father of his nephew… he had the urge to murder the man.
"What!?" Bradley shouted and his outburst began to subside.
"The mistress is getting married?"
Was this good news?
In a way, yes. But who was she getting married to?
What is the person's status?
How powerful is the man to dare hold a hand of the fallen noble's descendant in Ulha?
"Congratulations?" Bradley was unsure of what to say.
"She has invited us to come and attend her wedding as family and guests of honor. The wedding will be taking place on the third day of February, in her domain Isola… just close enough to the end of winter." Marcus said as he looked at the letter again.
"Can I read the letter, sir?"
Without answering, he slid the paper towards Bradley.
"Are you going to attend, sir?" Bradley asked with a bit of restraint, fearing that Marcus would say no.
"I… don't know." He said sincerely. "Why is she suddenly inviting me over now? What has changed? That nephew of mine has already seen two winters, so what has changed for her to think of inviting me to her wedding?"
"Milord…" Bradley didn't say it, but he couldn't tell that Marcus was hurt.
Perhaps it's best if we don't speak about this now. There's still time to decide.
Suddenly, his brows pricked up. "Oh, I almost forgot. There's also another letter from a noble in the Eastern District."
Bradley retrieved a letter from his inner pocket.
Marcus opened it with much interest or hesitation and read through it.
"Hmm, another invitation. This time, it's a ball." His fingers drummed the table slightly as he fell into thinking. "It seems like the Royal Council didn't completely dismiss my previous letter. They might have sent someone over."
Marcus smiled, taking his mind off his sibling's matter for now.