Revenge of the Heir

Dinner and a show

Eric and Holly went to her parents house, as Eric made them a fancy dinner from what he had learned during the Summers at West Point. When all of the students had gone home, he had taken courses that were not normally offered to the Cadets. He had had no home to go to after the deaths of his parents. Commandant Greene had been his guardian, and he spent his Summers preparing for the next school year.

Holly took him to their home in Pittsburgh, and walked straight inside with him following behind her as she called for her mother.

"Mama, where are you?" she asked as Eric closed the door.

"Living room, how come your home?" Hellen asked as they heard her stand up and Holly led them through the house.

"Had to come home to see my mom, tell her the good news." Holly said as they walked into the kitchen where her mother met them.

"How are you Eric?" Hellen asked as soon as she saw him and was a little surprised when he put the bags on the counter.

"I am very well Mrs. Winters, bit busier than I expected I would be so soon after graduation." Eric replied as she hugged him tightly.

"What news my dear?" Hellen asked as she looked at Holly and saw the ring adorning her finger. She squealed as she ran to her daughter, hugging her as well. "When did it happen?" she asked.

"Last week, we had a lot of business to take care of afterward. But that is only the first of many surprises tonight." Holly told her slyly as she looked at the bags.

"What's all this?" Hellen asked as she looked at her.

"Dinner." Eric said simply. "If you will allow me the use of your kitchen that is?"

"Of course, mind if I ask what we are having?" she asked him.

"Beef Wellington, with risotto and sauteed green beans." he said as he began pulling out the ingredients. She saw that he had fresh ingredients, and the only thing he wasn't making from scratch was the puff pastry.

"What's the occasion?" Devon asked.

"Daddy, behave." Holly said as she walked up and hugged him. She saw his eyes widen when he saw the ring, and knew that the two of them were now engaged.

"When's the wedding?" he asked looking at his daughter and hugging her tightly before she slapped his chest.

"There are a few things we will need to discuss before we set a date." she said looking at him. "It is more complicated than I could have ever imagined."

"Do you love him?" her father asked her.

"More and more now that we can actually date without breaking the rules." she told him honestly.

"Does he make you happy?" her father asked as she nodded. "Than that is all that matters. The complications will work themselves out. " Devon said as he looked at Eric. "What complications?"

Eric looked at him, and knew he would never believe what Eric would say. So he pulled a ring out of his pocket, and handed it to Devon Winters who looked at it.

He recognized the ring instantly, as anyone from the Empire would. "This is the family ring of someone from the Lord's Council." he said as he handed it to his wife.

"When we get married it is yours." Eric told him as his eyes went wide. "These complications are a little more than need worked out."

The look on both of their faces was one of pure shock, as both of them found a seat at the table while he began preparing to cook.

"How long have you known?" Devon said as he looked at Eric. "Which family do you belong to?"

"It is a long story, and I have known for many years. I however could not tell anyone in order to protect my identity. Allow me to make formal introductions now that this is no longer the case. I am Lord Eric Heinrich." he said offering his hand to Devon Winters whose eyes widened.

"Heinrich's are the high seat of the Lord's Council." he said in shock as he shook the young man's hand. "How did you survive?" he asked.

"I was at West Point a few days before the attack. Almost no one knew, because I had been placed in Protective Custody under WitSec. Commandant Greene was assigned as my guardian, and I spent 15 years planning my return when I was told their plane had been destroyed." Eric told him as he went back to preparing for the meal.

Hellen looked at her husband, before she looked at her daughter. "Devon, what will we do? That circle usually has lots of security." she said as he saw the fear cross both of their faces.

"That is one of the many complications we must resolve before we make the announcement. I assure you that I will cover the expenses of whatever security you need." Eric told them both as he chopped the mushrooms he was preparing to make into a duxelle. "There are multiple options, and you do have some time before they must actually be made. The ceremony in the Capitol is in a week, and I would greatly appreciate if you were there with me." he told all 3 of them.

Hellen looked at him and nodded. "That is when the announcement will be made?" she asked.

"Yes Mama, that is when." Holly said as she looked at them.

"How much is this security going to cost?" Devon asked.

Eric looked at him knowing why he wanted to know. "I assure you the cost is not an issue for me, especially now. But if you wish to know it will likely cost $10 million per year after it is established." he said as he kept working on dinner.

Both Hellen and Devon looked at him like he had rocks in his head when he said that much money every year. "There is no way we can cover that expense." Hellen said as she looked at her husband.

"Mom, it will be covered, I promise." Holly said as she grabbed her mom's hand.

"How?" Devon asked.

"The family provides security for all members and their immediate families. Yours will be a drop in the bucket of the overall expense every year. If you would like we can make it part of an employment package." he offered as he began preparing the filet mignon to be seared.

Devon looked at him with a curious look as Holly snorted. "What is it you think I do Eric?" he asked.

"I was under the impression you worked as a Biomechanical Engineering." Eric said as he heated the pans he needed.

"You think you can make use of my skills?" Devon asked.

Holly laughed as she had asked that same question a few days before. "You can even have your choice of projects." she said as she slid him a card with from the largest biotech firm in the Empire.

Devon's eyes widened as he looked at it, and was surprised this was happening. "I do not want a handout." he said proudly.

"I do not give handouts." Eric said as he slid the mushrooms and onions into one of the pans before he put the meat in the other. "If you accept the job I expect you to perform, otherwise it will just be the security detail."

Hellen chuckled as she looked at Eric. "You two will get along fine." she said as she looked at Holly. "So how long have you two been planning this?"

"Mama, when he says he didn't tell anyone, he means it. Until a few days ago I thought his name was Christensen. In fact, I found out about it from the President before I did him." Holly told her mom as both of their eyes went wide.

"When did you meet the President?" her father asked.

"Last week Papa, it has been a maddeningly quick change I was not expecting." Holly told them.

Eric prepared the dinner for them as they talked, and talk they did as Hellen wanted to begin planning the wedding already. He had to laugh when the argument about money came up between them, as Hellen was telling her they could only help so much.

"Momma, will you trust me when I say he doesn't care how much it is going to cost?" Holly asked exasperated as she knew she had to plan an elaborate wedding as he was a Lord. They were expected to be extravagant.

"Just because he is super rich and powerful, doesn't mean he doesn't care." Hellen said stubbornly looking at him. "How much of a budget do we have dear?" she asked Eric looking to win the argument.

He chuckled at the expression before he turned to look at her. "I trust your daughter Mrs. Dawson." he said simply.

"Yes but we need a budget." she insisted. "How much money do we have to work with from your family?" she asked making him smile.

"You are asking the wrong person about what a wedding budget should be." he said trying to keep himself out of the argument between them. His answer clearly amused Devon as he chuckled in his chair in the other room.

"That may be, but if we are going to plan this wedding right, we need a budget. Devon and I have saved a little money to help with this, but it would be nice to know what you can contribute." Hellen said as Holly pleaded with him to just give her an answer.

"Ok, would a billion be enough to cover the wedding? Or would 5 be better?" he asked as he heard her father snort before he began laughing hysterically and Hellen's jaw about hit the floor.

"See momma, I told you it wouldn't be an issue." Holly said as Hellen stood up and walked to the counter as he was still looking at her.

She was studying him closely as she approached the counter. "You aren't joking, are you?" she asked him.

"What?" he asked her as the timer went off for the Wellington's. "I told you I had no idea."

"Your serious!" she exclaimed as he nodded. "Just how rich are you?" she demanded as she sat down on the stool as Eric leaned in.

"Me, or my extended family?" he asked her.

"You." she answered.

"With or without my inheritance from my father?" he asked her with a smile.

"Without?" she asked first as he smiled.

"82 million." he told her what was in his personal account from his college days.

"With?" she asked.

"113 Billion liquid, $320 Billion real assets." he said quoting the numbers as he had a lot of reinvesting to do. His father's trust had been set up a certain way, and it built cash value over years so he would have the funds needed to live once he gained access.

"Dear, you remember Lord Birmingham's wedding a few years ago?" Devon asked her as he walked into the dining room.

"That was an embarrassment." she said simply as they all chuckled.

"That embarrassment cost him a $100 million." Devon said as he folded the paper. "Some of the more extravagant Lord's Weddings cost in excess of a billion. I would take what Holly is saying s truth, as he is standing here listening to you and not saying a word. Facts are we are likely going to have to adjust of what we perceive as normal, our daughter has found an amazing man, and it is going to change more than we hoped." Devon said as Eric began slicing the meat just before he served it.

"What do you mean Devon?" Hellen asked as she glared at him.

"We are going to have to move, as this house is nearly insecurable. It will open a lot of doors, as people will try to get to them through us. Even the families of the Lord's Wives have been drastically changed in history. I would even be willing to bet the Heinrich family has rules on how much they can contribute to those costs for us." Devon said as he understood some of the intricacies of the Lord's Council.

"Your allowance will likely take getting used to too." Holly mumbled as her mother flipped around.

"Allowance?" she asked as Eric laughed.

"Everyone, dinner is ready. I believe the program is about to come on as well." Eric said as they walked into the living room. Holly had told them the plan was to watch the show while they ate.

Hellen was indeed a fan of his, and gushed every time he did one of his tricks while cooking. Especially the way he made the meals look so exquisite so quickly.

They showed his first two tables when the host of the show came on. 'Now for our final table of the evening, we recently helped celebrate a special event for a young couple. These two are recent graduates of West Point, and are on the verge of going on to great things.' the host said as their segment aired. They hadn't realized that dessert was a baked Alaska, made by none other than Chef Maestro himself.

As soon as the two of them appeared on the screen, Hellen squealed as she recognized them. "That's why your here!" she exclaimed as Eric went into the kitchen and began preparing to serve them the Baked Alaska. She peppered Holly with questions the entire time, and was so jealous when she saw they had gotten his most famous desert on top of it. "I wish I could try that. How long ago did this happen?"

"About a month ago." Holly said as Eric walked in with dessert.

"So you sure you want to try this?" he asked as he served them their dessert. Hellen looked at it slightly disappointed.

"It's not the same." she pouted as she took it.

"Actually it is, he flew it in this morning for me." Eric said as he sat down next to Holly. "That was why it was already prepared when we arrived."

Hellen tasted it, and she loved that she got to try a dessert her favorite Chef had made personally. "This is absolutely amazing." she said as she took another bite.