The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 851: Chapter 637: Marriage Considerations, University Construction

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Bang! Bang, bang!

With three consecutive gunshots, two wild rabbits fell upon the sound, drawing cheers from the watching guards and servants.

Indeed, the two hunted animals were game for Arthur and William; Peter, although not a poor shot, found himself at somewhat of a loss with such swift-moving creatures.

Seeing a somewhat crestfallen Peter, William could not help but console him, “You did very well, Peter. The first time I hunted, I couldn’t hit the game either. With diligent practice, I believe you’ll certainly hit your own game next time.”

Heartened by his brother’s encouragement, Peter’s mood lifted slightly, and he nodded vigorously.

Arthur nodded in satisfaction at William, who had taken the initiative to comfort Peter, and said happily, “We’ll have an extra roast wild rabbit for lunch; you all can share the other one.”

The two rabbits they had got weren’t too large, but they were definitely more than enough for Arthur’s household alone.

Distributing the game to the servants and guards was also a way to curry favor with the people, a concept that was already at the forefront of Arthur’s mind, being someone who valued public sentiment highly.

Returning to their resting place with the two youngsters, a few chefs had already nearly finished preparing a sumptuous lunch.

Watching the little ones quietly enjoying their food, Arthur suddenly smiled and turned to Queen Mary, asking, “The European royal family contacts you a great deal more these days, don’t they?”

Queen Mary was initially taken aback but then, following Arthur’s gaze toward William and Anna Miller, she came to a realization and nodded, saying with a smile, “Indeed, there are quite a few more, Arthur. Do you have any preferences in mind?”

After all, William and Anna Miller were both 16 years old; it was time to start looking for suitable marriage prospects for them.

The European royal family observed distinct differences between the nobility and commoners, and their matrimonial alliances had to be with other royal family members, and at that, the legitimate offspring of a king or emperor.

This meant that across the world, only members of the European royal family were deemed suitable partners for these two youngsters.

Whether it was William or Anna Miller, their statuses had already decreed that they would not have romances of their own, only marriages they would strive to maintain.

As Arthur’s eldest son, William, according to the succession laws of Australasia, was the first in line to the throne of Australasia.

This also meant that William’s wife might very well become the next queen of Australasia, making the choice of candidate all the more crucial.

Although Anna Miller would not inherit the throne, as Arthur’s only daughter, her importance was similarly significant.

Arthur was quite fond of his only daughter and was willing to listen to Anna’s own opinion, within the bounds of propriety and general suitability, to let her choose a partner she favored for an alliance.

This was the confidence that came with the might of Australasia; it no longer needed to seek allies through marriage, as the foundation of British-Australian relations had already ensured Australasia’s stability.

Arthur understood that a marriage with love in such a royal family was a precious rarity, and this was the most valuable gift he could offer Anna.

Hearing Arthur and Queen Mary speak so, William and Anna understood what they were soon to face.

William, who appeared calm, swallowed hard, revealing that his heart was not as tranquil as he presented.

“Anna, during the National Day celebrations some time ago, what did you think of those European princes?” Servants had already brought the food and left, so there was no need to worry about eavesdroppers, and it was then that Queen Mary directly posed her question.

Many countries had participated in the previous National Day celebration, with many members of the European royal family visiting Australasia.

As William and Anna Miller grew older, many European royal families had approached Queen Mary, expressing a desire for an alliance.

However, at that time, Queen Mary had declined, partly because the youngsters were still young, and partly because such decisions needed to be made at the national level and thus, were ultimately up to Arthur.

With Arthur having brought it up, Queen Mary naturally wanted to finalize marriage arrangements for William and Anna as soon as possible, to allow the royal family to flourish and grow.

“I didn’t have much contact with them, so no particular impressions,” Anna answered honestly.

During that National Day celebration, with the focus primarily on state affairs, there were not many banquets involving royal family members, and Anna attended even fewer.

Under such circumstances, it was entirely normal for her to have no significant impression of the European royal family members or princes.

Nodding, Queen Mary then turned her gaze to William, asking with a smile, “Little William, have you taken a liking to any of the princesses?”@@novelbin@@

While William’s marriage would certainly have to prioritize alliances of interest, knowing his thoughts was still important.

William also shook his head, saying shyly, “At that time, I was studying politics with Mr. Larasia and did not pay much attention to that.”

Seeing that neither youngster was prepared for their impending marriages, Queen Mary reluctantly nodded, ready to take her time in selecting the right matches.

After all, they were just over 16 years old; there was no rush in this matter.

As the conversation continued, time passed quickly. After lunch, it wasn’t long before Arthur returned to the kingdom, urging the youngsters to focus on their studies.

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