Family Business (AMW Only)

[Marimaia]

"That interest in keeping Saint Lucia independent is most reassuring to hear, Mister Wright."

Lysander smirked as he continued. "Well I won't lie to you, having the ear of any government can be very useful. It's also not like there are vast numbers of companies beating down my door at the moment to discuss Caribbean cooperation, so Universal Exports certainly seems best positioned to be a partner if we do eventually commit to substantial ventures here on Saint Lucia. Anyway, if you'll excuse me I have to prepare for my meeting with First Minister Baptiste as I'm due at Government House in a couple of hours, and I'm certain you can relate to my wish to make an excellent impression on him."

The young Margrave stood and offered his hand towards Wright. "It was very nice to meet you today, Mister Wright. I have your office contact details so further discussions can be scheduled once the extent of Margrave investment on Saint Lucia has been decided."

[Marimaia]

Government House
Castries, Saint Lucia
15:00hrs Local Time, 2nd July 2018

After changing into attire best described as 'smart casual', consisting of a white shirt and a pair of white slacks, Lysander and some of his entourage made the half-hour journey to Castries and arrived on time for the young Margrave's scheduled meeting with First Minister Baptiste. Two of the Emiri Guard had remained at Cap Maison to ensure that no-one entered Saman House while their master was away, while the two Emiri Guard who had accompanied Lysander to Government House remained outside with the two SUVs. As Lysander and Topan approached the front entrance of Government House, they were greeted by First Minister Baptiste himself who wore a broad smile as he addressed them.

"Your Excellency, this is truly a great honour! Welcome to Saint Lucia!"

After Lysander introduced Baptiste to Topan and the First Minister eagerly shook the manservant's hand, the three entered Government House and proceeded to the residence's reception lounge. Decorated primarily in white and mahogany, the lounge was not a particularly large room but it was sufficient considering how few international dignitaries tended to visit. Baptiste took a seat on a comfortable white and mahogany couch while Lysander sat on an identical couch opposite him, with a mahogany coffee table between them; Topan took up his usual position, standing behind Lysander with his hands behind his back. A housemaid soon appeared carrying a silver tray which bore a cup of coffee and a tall glass of cherry-flavoured cola with a long red straw, a fact which slightly impressed Lysander as Baptiste had obviously done some homework in anticipation of the meeting. The pair took a moment to sip at their respective drinks while they quietly sized each other up. Baptiste was actually a little nervous despite Lysander's complete lack of intimidating features as he knew full well that a successful meeting could ensure his political career for years to come, but he hid it well.

"So, how are you finding Saint Lucia?"

"Well I haven't gotten to see a great deal of the island as yet, but I like what I've seen so far." Lysander paused as he sat back and crossed his legs. "You have a true rarity here First Minister, an independent Caribbean island. I mean it's basically Saint Lucia and Saint-Laurent in a sea of crown colonies and overseas territories. Considering all the competition you must have for tourist revenue, you seem to be doing well for yourselves."

Baptiste nodded. "Well, we've tried to position ourselves as an alternative destination. Saint-Laurent is still quite conservative outside their tourist areas, and inside the tourist areas you've got a lot of flashy casinos and the like. I understand that your family owns one such casino resort, Blacksail Bay. Saint Lucia tries to appeal to tourists who want a quieter and more private vacation experience, we're a small island with primarily enclosed resorts. Of course we do have a lot of competition from the Latin and British vacation islands, but thankfully there are enough tourists looking for what we offer here on Saint Lucia. Some people simply want to get away from their own empire when they go on vacation and Brits seem to like us because we used to be part of their empire, we offer a combination of the familiar and the different for them."

Lysander sipped at his drink. "Speaking of enclosed resorts, Cap Maison has a great deal of potential if marketed correctly and given some extra investment from my family, but I have a couple of potential concerns regarding the island's infrastructure. I understand that you're trying to find a partner to redevelop Hewanorra Airport?"

Baptiste sat forward in his seat and nodded, eager to finally start discussing business. "Yes that's correct, Your Excellency. My party won last year's elections on the promise of delivering development and investment, and Hewanorra is top of the list. It's our only international airport so it's one of our major links to the world outside the Caribbean."

"Greater capacity and the like would allow for more tourists, that benefits every resort on the island as well as all of the ancilliary businesses that supply the resorts. Have any of the resort owners stepped forward with offers for the airport yet?"

Baptiste shook his head. "Unfortunately not, we were hoping that one of them might step up but no joy thus far."

Lysander looked thoughtful for a moment. "My father has given me carte blanche with regard to Saint Lucia operations, so....I think my family could become your partner in Hewanorra. We have the money and we also know the right companies for the development, we can use the same ones who built Margravia International Airport. It would be a good starting point."

"Starting point, Your Excellency?"

Lysander smirked at Baptiste's questioning. "As I said before, an independent Caribbean island is a rarity with many investment opportunities. We could go to the British, or the Latins, or one of the other powers with investment proposals but it can be a chore dealing with their 'commissions' and 'agencies' at times. Much easier to come here with investment proposals because you're actively seeking such things. We could work wonders with the cooperation of a sensible yet ambitious government."

Baptiste began to smile as well. "Oh, we are certainly an ambitious government and we would be sensible enough to seriously consider any proposals that your family brought to us, Your Excellency."

Lysander grinned. "My primary concerns as of now are Cap Maison, this Hewanorra Public-Private Partnership, and looking at the other businesses on Saint Lucia to see if anything catches my eye. Does your government have any laws against, say, all of the island's media being owned by the same organisation? If I'm innocently going around buying new businesses then I don't want to fall foul of any regulations."

Baptiste chuckled at the idea, as he doubted that there was anything truly 'innocent' about someone acquiring companies as easily as Lysander made it sound. "Well we've never been in such a position so we've never legislated against it. I imagine that Anthony Mallett might want to complain in such a situation but then he always complains." He noticed Lysander's quizzical expression. "Anthony Mallett is the leader of the opposition United Democrat Party, Your Excellency."

"Ah, well I have no time for complainers."

The First Minister nodded approvingly. "Well said, Your Excellency. So have you got a time limit on your stay, or is it open-ended?"

"Oh, open-ended. I have no idea how long it will take to look at the island's business potential so I'm here for as long as I deem necessary."

Baptiste smiled once again. "Well, if there's anything I or my government can do to help you out while you're here, please feel free to call me at any time."

[Marimaia]

Cap Maison Luxury Hotel and Spa
Saint Lucia
12:28hrs Local Time, 4th July 2018

Lysander had to admit that Cap Maison did not really require much in the way of improvement. He had spent the entirety of July 3rd at the resort, examining the various amenities on offer and grilling Adrian Hunte about the usual clientele who frequented Cap Maison. Lysander had also decided to dine at the resort's premier restaurant, the 'Cliff at Cap', drawing the intrigued gaze of several other patrons who had never dined in the same establishment as someone of Lysander's notability. He had slept in late on the morning of July 4th because he was in no particular rush to get anything done, he had no scheduled appointments with anyone and he had elected to treat the day as a proper 'vacation day' of his working vacation. So after finally hauling himself out of bed at 11:30am, Lysander had showered and was now reclining on his favourite couch in his black silk dressing gown, sipping at a cup of sweetened tea while reading a copy of the Voice of Saint Lucia, one of the two newspapers on the island that produced three issues per week. As there was not really a great deal of news to report on with such a small nation, Saint Lucia boasted a mere six different newspapers, four of which only published one issue per week.

As Saman House's phone began to ring, Lysander continued to read the newspaper, completely ignoring the sound and barely registering a reaction when Topan answered it. After a brief conversation with the front desk, Topan placed his hand over the mouthpiece of the handset and addressed his young employer.

"The front desk says your cousin has arrived and they want to know if they can come to see you."

Lysander frowned and turned to Topan with a quizzically raised eyebrow. "My cousin? My father would've told me if he was sending someone, who the....oh."

"What?"

"You don't think it's one of the other Margraves? Although why would the Macau-Quanzhou branch send anyone over here? Tell the front desk that I'll see them."

After relaying Lysander's permission to the front desk, Topan hung up the phone and walked over to the couch. "If it is the Macau-Quanzhou branch, don't you think you should get dressed?"

Lysander shrugged with a smirk. "No need. They know that we Margravian Margraves are more relaxed about things like that, side effect of being wealthier. I wonder who they've sent over?"

The resident Emiri Guard entered the lounge and reported that the other guards stationed in the neighbouring villa had observed three suited individuals approaching, so Lysander informed him of the situation and he radioed his colleagues to let them know that the approaching trio were expected. Lysander then asked Topan to open the doors between the lounge area and the verandah so that he could observe their approach from his vantage point on the couch; a few moments later, three individuals of Serican descent came into view, one slim and about 5'11" while the two flanking him were both approximately 6'5" and heavier in stature. The two obvious bodyguards were dressed in black suits with white shirts, no neck ties but adorned with identical pairs of tinted sunglasses. The right hand bodyguard had his hair cut short with a goatee while the left hand bodyguard was completely bald. The smaller individual between them was dressed far more distinctively, wearing a soft pink shirt and white trousers with a lighter pink suit jacket which was covered in an intricate black flowery design. The two bodyguards stopped at the steps to the verandah and their employer continued up the steps, stopping in the doorway to take off his sunglasses and run a hand over his neatly styled short dark hair. After tucking the sunglasses into his jacket pocket, he regarded Lysander with a grin and spoke with a slight Serican accent.

"Cousin Lysander."

Lysander set his tea down, got up from the couch and walked over to him, his own grin becoming wider with every step. "Cousin Darui." The pair exchanged a warm hug, during which Darui's right hand began to wander down Lysander's back. Just before it reached his butt, Lysander giggled and reached back to move Darui's hand to a more appropriate spot.

"I see you still don't care about boundaries."

They broke the hug and Darui winked playfully. "I see you're still almost letting me get away with it." Turning his attention to Topan, Darui offered a friendly wave in the direction of Lysander's manservant. "Afternoon Topan, how's the family?"

"They're doing well, thanks." Topan had inwardly relaxed upon recognising Darui Liao-Margrave as he was by far the most easy-going of the Macau-Quanzhou Margraves that Topan had encountered. Only one year older than Lysander and pretty much the same height, Darui was in fact Lysander's fourth cousin by dint of them sharing great-great-great grandparents back down the family line before the divergence of the two modern branches. Darui hailed from a 'sub-branch' of the Macau-Quanzhou Margraves who had intermarried more freely with Sericans in Quanzhou and Macau, and that was pretty much all that Topan remembered about the family connection between the two because trying to sort out offshoots of the Margrave family tree gave him a headache at best. It spoke volumes about the Margraves that Topan found nothing unusual about the interaction between the two. The two branches of the family liked to hold annual joint parties to reconnect and celebrate the family's prosperity, the last one having been held in Margravia City; Darui had become more and more tactile towards Lysander with every party to the point where he was now positively handsy, a fact not helped by Lysander finding it rather flattering and amusing. Topan knew full well that if Darui wasn't a family member then Lysander would have taken great exception to his wandering hands, so he chalked it up to Margrave eccentricities and left it at that. Aside from his tactile tendencies towards Lysander, Darui was quite a cheerful young man who always made sure to show the proper respect to his elders in both branches of the family.

Lysander returned to the couch and reclined once again, visibly brightened up by his cousin's surprise appearance. "So what exactly are you doing here, Darui? Does your branch have interests in Saint Lucia that I don't know about?"

Darui settled into the armchair opposite and crossed his legs. "Well, truth be told...no, we don't have anything here. Uncle Bentley read about your branch buying this place, then he heard about you coming here, then he heard about Prince Alejandro coming here, and he figured something was going on so he sent me over. I am to find out what you're planning, if anything. Unfortunately he didn't tell me why I'm finding this out, just that I have to. Maybe he's interested in investing in whatever you're doing? I didn't really want to ask because, well, it's Uncle Bentley."

Lysander shook his head in amusement at the mention of Bentley Margrave, the current patriarch of the Macau-Quanzhou branch. "Trust Bentley to send a spy when he simply could've asked, although I won't complain that he sent you. At the moment the plan is to look at other businesses on the island with an eye to acquiring useful ones, although my father and I did briefly discuss a possibility that Alejandro has inadvertantly strengthened. Alejo mentioned talking this place up to high-flying Latins if he enjoys himself here, but realistically we can't just have one resort dedicated to the rich and powerful. My father and I did talk about possibly paying off Saint Lucia's national debt and buying up as many local companies as possible, especially the resorts, then turning Saint Lucia into what would essentially be one single Margrave holding here in the Caribbean. Have one area of the island for the wealthy and powerful, another for the less wealthy, provide decent employment for the islanders, and turn a decent profit. Our friends among the Emiri and al-a'yan families of the Caliphate are always looking for new vacation spots and I know that they'd be interested in coming here if we're running the place."

Darui nodded approvingly. "Interesting. A resort island frequented by the upper crust of both the Caliphate and the Latin Empire would undoubtedly attract interest from the wealthy citizens of other nations." He paused for a moment and looked quite thoughtful before continuing. "Considering what Uncle Bentley's orders were, I think I should probably stay on Saint Lucia for the time being. That way I can find out what you're planning as you come up with it. Of course that does rather depend on you wanting me to stick around...."

Lysander smiled at Darui's obvious fishing. "Of course I want you to stick around! Where are you staying anyway?"

"I've got a penthouse jacuzzi suite at the Royalton Hideaway, it's only about a two minute drive south from here." Darui beamed happily at his cousin. "You'll have to come round and see it, I think that it might be a place worth acquiring."

[Marimaia]

Golden Sand Real Estate
Castries, Saint Lucia
14:40hrs Local Time, 6th July 2018

Matthew Bailey had been in the real estate business for just over ten years on Saint Lucia, primarily catering to those looking for vacation homes on the island. Now in his late-forties with a comfortable office in the capital and five employees, he made a good enough living although his wife Samantha insisted on keeping her job at the Voice of Saint Lucia just in case the real estate market on the island turned bad. While he had heard about the Margrave takeover of Cap Maison from Samantha as well as the subsequent arrival of several notable individuals, Matthew had not seriously expected to see Lysander Margrave and a small entourage walk into his place of business and start looking at the various properties he had displayed on the wall. However, that was precisely what he was now faced with. He was somewhat hesistant to approach at first due to the fact that Lysander was chatting rather excitedly with a young man who Matthew did not recognise but was obviously of Serican descent; there were also three other individuals who had entered the premises and appeared to be observing every action of Matthew's employees. Inevitably his salesman instincts kicked in and Matthew casually strode over to the party, smiling amiably.

"Good afternoon gentlemen! Welcome to Golden Sand Real Estate, my name is Matthew. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Lysander continued examining the property displays while Darui turned to Matthew with a friendly grin. "Hi there, I'm Darui Liao-Margrave and this is my cousin Lysander Margrave. I'm pretty sure you already knew who he was though, he's kinda famous. He's looking at high-end properties, potential vacation homes and that sort of thing."

"Well you certainly came to the right place, we have several such properties in our portfolio so I'm sure that your cousin can find one he likes."

Darui shook his head with a chuckle. "You've obviously never dealt with Margraves. We're not talking about one measly purchase, you'll be lucky if he leaves you with any left."

"Can you two not talk about me as if I'm not here?"

Matthew looked mortified as he heard the sheer indignation in Lysander's voice. "Apologies, Mister Margrave. I meant no disrespect."

Darui cleared his throat and gestured towards Lysander. "Your Excellency."

"Oh, of course. Apologies, Your Excellency."

Lysander finally turned to look at Matthew. "Apology accepted. Now then-" He paused as he looked more closely at Matthew's name badge. "-Mister Bailey, there are quite a few properties on here that I'm interested in. If they all meet with my approval then you'll be a far wealthier man thanks to the amount of commission I'll be paying you, but I must insist that you keep the details of these transactions private. If word gets out that I'm interested in these properties then the current owners might jack up the price, and if that happens then I will not be going through with a single purchase. Do I have your agreement?"

Matthew blinked a few times before responding. "Of course, Your Excellency."

Lysander beamed with glee and clapped his hands together. "Fantastic! Shall we get started?"

-------------------------------------------

Cap Maison Luxury Hotel and Spa
Saint Lucia
19:50hrs Local Time, 6th July 2018

"I don't think he could quite believe his luck when you scheduled all those viewings, cousin."

Lysander grinned at Darui. "All that potential commission will make him a wealthy individual, so I think he can be trusted to keep his mouth shut about his new client."

The pair had returned to Cap Maison after a lengthy meeting with Matthew Bailey which saw Lysander booking viewings for forty-one properties, although thankfully some of these properties were next door to each other on newly constructed developments. All of the properties were classified as 'high-end' with excellent views, proximity to beaches, and other aspects which made them particularly desirable. Lysander's intention was to acquire them so that notable individuals could then visit Saint Lucia while staying in Margrave-owned vacation residences; by owning the residences the Margraves would also be able to keep track of who was staying on the island and also be able to blacklist specific individuals if necessary. The viewings had been spaced over the following few days so that Lysander would not be rushed off his feet with work, as he had every intention of continuing to enjoy himself whenever possible. After some dinner the two Margraves had returned to Saman House where they were now relaxing in the lounge, Lysander once again reclining on his favourite couch while Darui occupied the armchair opposite. Their respective bodyguard details were busy keeping a watchful eye for any potential intrusions, while Topan had been excused so he was in his own room talking to his family via video chat. Darui undid the top two buttons of his black shirt as he made himself a bit more comfortable.

"So do you think there might be any room on Saint Lucia for a Macau-Quanzhou branch holding at all? If I can report something like that to Uncle Bentley then it might impress him."

Lysander smirked in amusement. "Since when has Bentley Margrave ever been impressed by anything?"

Darui chuckled. "You have a point. All the same, we have a lot of experience with casinos and there's only, like, one here on Saint Lucia. Admittedly it's in a shopping mall and it's on a scale much smaller than anything that the Macau-Quanzhou branch usually bother with, but it would be a start. Thankfully the size means that I could dip into the Liao-Margrave fortune to possibly acquire it without having to beg for access to the wider Macau-Quanzhou branch assets. If the current owner can be convinced to sell of course."

"Just do what the Margravian branch does. Make them an offer so ridiculous that they'd be stupid not to sell." Lysander paused for a moment. "If you end up needing any extra funds just let me know."

"Appreciate it. I'm sure there's some way I could thank you..." Darui grinned cheekily and winked at Lysander, who shook his head and giggled.

"You're incorrigible, Darui. What am I going to do with you?"

Darui cleared his throat, uncrossed his legs, and leaned forward with an impish smirk. "A few ideas spring to mind."

Lysander tapped his chin in mock thoughtfulness, a wry smile developing as he did so. "Since we're the only two Margraves on the island and no-one's around to frown disapprovingly, well except for Topan, how about a little challenge?"

"Go on."

"Buy the casino. If they refuse your first offer and you end up needing more money, regardless of whether it's from me or anyone else, then I get a third of the casino's profits for as long as it's operational. Shutting it down and reopening it under another name doesn't get you out of it."

Darui narrowed his gaze slightly. "What if they do accept my first offer?"

"If they accept your first offer then you get to make good on all of your suggestive remarks and your adventurous hands. You get me. I'll need proof that they accepted your first offer though."

Darui rose from his armchair and stepped closer to Lysander, extending his hand. "Shake on it, cousin."

Lysander got to his feet and clasped Darui's hand firmly. "May the best man win."

Darui mischievously bit his lower lip and lightly ran his thumb over the back of Lysander's hand. "When I win, we'll both win."

[Marimaia]

Fortune Cove Casino
Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia
09:30hrs Local Time, 12th July 2018

Located twenty-one minutes north of Castries and fourteen minutes south of Cap Maison by car, the village of Rodney Bay had transformed from a sleepy fishing village into one of the major tourist areas of Saint Lucia. Now a busy commercial area packed with restaurants, cafes, and retail outlets, Rodney Bay was well-known for its considerable opportunities for duty-free shopping. Two major shopping malls dominated the retail sector of the village, the JQ Rodney Bay Mall and the newer Baywalk Shopping Mall, and Baywalk had the distinction of housing the only casino on the entire island. Drawing some degree of inspiration from Rodney Bay's alleged historical links with piracy, Fortune Cove Casino offered over two hundred slot, video poker, and multi-game machines, as well as classic casino gaming such as roulette, craps, blackjack, and table poker. Fortune Cove also featured a twenty-eight screen sports bar with a wide variety of beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, as well as a small food menu which featured snacks, burgers, hot dogs, wings, sandwiches, and a small assortment of sides. Unfortunately business was not as impressive as may have been expected for the only casino on a resort island. Other Caribbean islands featured far more impressive casinos so gamblers often spent their money elsewhere, a situation not helped by the fact that various cruise liners also featured their own gambling establishment onboard. In response Fortune Cove had started running a variety of weekly special events such as Ladies Nights and reduced prices on various drinks, and they had also introduced a membership scheme where regular patrons earned loyalty points which could be traded in for refreshments or used to pay for their gambling. Several employees had unfortunately had to be laid off as business was not exactly booming despite it nearing peak period for summer vacations and Fortune Cove's owner, a forty-seven year old entrepreneur named Robert Lewis, was looking for something of a breakthrough. News of the Margrave acquisition of Cap Maison had piqued the interest of many businesspeople on Saint Lucia and Lewis had hoped that Lysander Margrave might visit Fortune Cove so that he could make some publicity out of it, but there had been no sign of such a visit taking place anytime soon. There had been something of a surprise for Lewis though, as he had received a request from one Darui Liao-Margrave for a meeting, albeit under condition of keeping it quiet.

Robert had taken the liberty of looking up Darui on the internet and had been both intrigued and a little worried upon discovering exactly who he would be meeting this Monday morning. While Darui certainly had a penchant for posting cheerful and occasionally adorable photos on his social media accounts, he had graduated from the University of Macau with a Master of Science in 'International Integrated Resort Management'. Some brief extra research revealed that this involved studying both gaming and non-gaming operations within the context of an integrated resort, in particular the management of successful resorts of the type which Macau was famous for. Combined with his extended family's formidable presence within Macau's gambling industry, Darui evidently had quite a background in casino ownership and management. Robert Lewis was therefore interested that someone like Darui would want to meet with him and believed that it must have something to do with the Margrave presence on Saint Lucia, but he was also somewhat worried because he didn't want to accidentally antagonise a member of undoubtedly one of the most influential families on the planet. The meeting had been scheduled for 09:30 and Fortune Cove opened its doors at 09:00, so there would be fewer patrons inside than later in the day. Robert was waiting in the main foyer wearing his best suit, checking his smartphone every few minutes as the time of Darui's scheduled arrival drew closer. A few seconds before 09:30, Darui casually walked into the casino with his 'henchmen' in tow; while the bodyguards wore their usual black suits and tinted sunglasses, Darui's attire consisted of a grey suit jacket and trousers with a black turtleneck top. As he entered he removed his own sunglasses and looked around briefly before noticing Robert Lewis, at which point Darui smiled broadly and approached him.

"Mister Lewis?"

"Yes, that's right. Mister Liao-Margrave?"

Darui offered his hand to shake. "Call me Darui."

Robert shook his hand and offered a slight smile of his own. "Shall we continue in my office then, Darui?"

-------------------------------------------

Upon reaching Robert's office, Darui's bodyguards waited outside while Robert and Darui went inside to discuss the reason for Darui's appointment. The office was a comfortable size and painted in an off-white colour scheme, while the furniture consisted of a comfortable couch, a matching armchair, a simple wooden desk, and two chairs positioned either side of the desk. A forty inch television with built-in Blu-ray was mounted on the wall opposite the desk while the desk itself was occupied by a desktop computer. Two filing cabinets were positioned next to each other to the left side of the desk. The walls featured framed photographs of the casino's interior as well as framed certificates which were required to legally operate the establishment. As Darui took the seat in front of the desk, Robert prepared them both some coffee and then took his own seat behind the desk.

"So Darui, you asked to meet me this morning but you weren't exactly forthcoming about why. I'm guessing it's got something to do with the Margrave family buying Cap Maison and then Lysander Margrave showing up on Saint Lucia."

Darui grinned. "Very astute. I've been on the island a few days now and since my family are prominent casino resort operators in Macau, I thought I'd take a look at the casino industry here on Saint Lucia. I wasn't expecting Fortune Cove to be the entire casino industry here. So how is business at the moment?"

Robert shrugged slightly. "It's pretty good. Obviously things pick up later in the day as our local clientele work during the day, and tourists are usually more in the mood to gamble on a night out."

"So you're not worried about the potential of Margrave investment then?"

"Why would I be worried about something like that? If your family are investing in Saint Lucia, especially in resorts and that sort of thing, that could end up bringing more visitors."

Darui replied with an almost apologetic expression. "This is the thing.....the Margraves who are investing in Saint Lucia also own Blacksail Bay on Saint-Laurent. I don't know if you know it, but it's a grand pirate-themed casino resort. Live performances, colourful mascots, you name it. Saint-Laurent is only a couple of hours away by aircraft. The family prefer to keep business within their own holdings if possible, so I wouldn't be surprised if they start offering day trips to Blacksail Bay as part of a package for anyone staying at their resorts. It's just good business sense."

He took a sip of coffee before continuing. "I searched for this place online and I've seen the stories about staff being left go and all that sort of thing. You don't have shuttle buses operating between the casino and the major resorts, and several of your online reviews indicate that those tourists who do come here believe that the locals are the reason why you're still in business. You're relying on tourists finding this place for themselves and that will become an even more unreliable strategy if Margrave-owned resorts are offering trips to the Margrave-owned casino in Saint-Laurent. I don't mean to be rude, Mister Lewis, but Fortune Cove could end up being left in the dust unless you do something radical."

Robert frowned as he could see which direction the conversation was heading, and his tone was rather terse. "You wouldn't be telling me all this unless you already knew what I needed to do, and I'm guessing it involves you somehow."

Darui nodded. "Like I said earlier, I've read up about this place. You bought this place in 2014 after the previous owners spent four years trying to make it profitable and you've had some limited success, but the online reviews and news stories paint a picture of a struggling establishment. I'm willing to bet that the sports bar is your biggest source of revenue because that's the main reason why locals come in. That would be perfectly fine if this was just a sports bar, but it's a casino. Fortune Cove needs to be able to keep up with the future of Saint Lucia and I can help with that. Rather than having all those potential Margrave customers going to Blacksail Bay on day trips, they should have the option of coming to a modern slick casino that's only a few minutes away. Fortune Cove has to be able to keep up with the competition and I know a thing or two about that. My extended family own several casinos in Macau and they all turn a good profit because they treat the customer as if they were a special guest. A couple of complimentary drinks throughout their time on the premises, a couple of small wins to get them hooked. Attractive staff who treat them with respect. Your staff all wear a uniform, it's okay for restaurants and the like but if your casino has something of a pirate theme then the staff should follow that theme. Bouncers dressed like pirate thugs, things like that. Themed shuttle buses that run from the enclosed resorts. Regular buses aren't going to get much notice, but brightly coloured buses with pirate motifs will get attention. Cooperation with the resorts so that Fortune Cove is mentioned in their brochures. There is so much that could be done but isn't being done!

"So here's my pitch to you, Mister Lewis. I would like to buy Fortune Cove from you, and after talking it over with my father last night we're prepared to offer you sixty million Saint Lucian dollars. We will then assume your debts and pay off the investors who are owed money. That is if you want to sell outright and have nothing to do with Fortune Cove. If you want to stay involved then we will offer you forty million for the casino and keep you on as Casino Director, managing the day-to-day running of the casino. In that scenario I will warn you, we take casino management very seriously and my father will undoubtedly want to appoint someone from Macau to watch over you."

Darui offered a pleasant smile and leaned forward. "Sixty million in your bank account and no more worrying about this casino, that sounds like one hell of a deal. With that sixty million you could invest in something else here on Saint Lucia and as someone we've already done business with, the family would be willing to give you a hint about an excellent future investment opportunity. If you want to refuse the offer then that's your right of course. If you want to try to implement the ideas that I previously mentioned then so be it, but those ideas all cost money. Have a think about it by all means, just keep in mind that we Margraves look after our friends exceptionally well. All-expenses-paid vacations to the best resorts in Macau are not unheard of."

[Marimaia]

Cap Maison Luxury Hotel and Spa
Saint Lucia
20:37hrs Local Time, 17th July 2018

While Topan had indeed been rather unimpressed when Lysander informed him about the challenge set to Darui, he had not been especially surprised by it. He remembered Lysander's complaint to Prince Alejandro about his best chance at a successful romance and Darui Liao-Margrave certainly fulfilled the criteria. He was already wealthy and influential by dint of being a Margrave, so would not be pursuing Lysander out of a desire for such things. While Topan was not entirely sure that Darui necessarily 'worshipped the ground that Lysander walked on', he was clearly fond of him and would undoubtedly be better able to understand Lysander than most individuals. Having served at Lysander's side for so long, Topan recognised the challenge as not only an attempt by Lysander to create some entertainment for himself but also as a method of finding out if Darui truly was interested in more than simply being handsy with him. Darui had continued to visit Lysander since the challenge was set but had refused to discuss the situation with the casino, simply stating that 'events were in motion' before changing the subject. In truth Topan had half-expected Lysander to contact the casino owner to covertly bribe him into taking Darui's offer but the young Margrave seemed content to allow Darui to handle the challenge on his own.

Lysander was in an evidently good mood on this particular evening. He had finished viewing the majority of the properties that he had booked to see with the real estate agent Michael Bailey, and he had been satisfied with the standard of all of them thus far; it looked like Bailey would indeed receive a considerable windfall in the form of the commission he would be receiving from the sale of so many high-end properties. Lysander had spent some time talking to his father through a secure line as the Margravian branch of the family had more than enough money to indulge in such security measures, and Emir Thomas II was more than pleased to hear about his son's apparent industrious efforts. Emir Thomas had also found it rather amusing to hear that the Macau-Quanzhou Margraves had sent someone of their own to Saint Lucia, especially since it was Darui Liao-Margrave as the Emir was well aware of Darui's previous antics with regard to Lysander. Of course Lysander conveniently omitted any mention of the 'little challenge', even though his father would not have been surprised to hear of it. He knew his son too well to be surprised by him these days. Lysander did however discuss the potential for more significant investments in Saint Lucia which would require the involvement of the family's larger corporate entities, and Emir Thomas agreed to discuss his son's ideas with the operating executives of the various companies over the coming days. With that concluded Lysander had enjoyed a room service meal of rock crab with fennel linguini, and was now relaxing in Saman House's private outdoor pool, perched on the small ledge seat which was positioned about a foot beneath the surface in one of the pool's corners. Clad in a pair of black designer swimming briefs, he leaned back against the side of the pool and made a slight contented 'hmm' as he enjoyed the pleasant evening temperature which hovered around 26°C. Lysander closed his eyes for a few moments before hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, at which point he opened his eyes again and turned his head to see Darui walking towards him, hands behind his back and no bodyguards in sight.

"Evening San-San, how's the water?"

Lysander's eyebrows arched at Darui's choice of nickname as it was not one that he'd ever heard from anyone, let alone Darui. "San-San?"

Darui smirked playfully and crouched down at the side of the pool just to the right of Lysander. "So, I believe that there was a challenge set. I had to approach the owner of the Fortune Cove casino, the only casino here on Saint Lucia, and buy it from him. If he refused my first offer then you would get a third of the casino's profits for as long as it was operational, but if he accepted my first offer then you and I have a date with your bedroom."

"Yes, I remember. You've been telling me that 'events are in motion' for the past few days."

"Well, events are no longer in motion because they've reached their destination."

Lysander's eyes widened and he turned to face Darui properly, resting his arms on the side of the pool and then resting his chin atop his arms. "I stipulated that I need proof, remember?"

"Taken care of." Darui then brought his hands round from behind his back to reveal that he was clutching a document, which he waved at Lysander. "Some emails back-and-forth between Macau and Saint Lucia, followed by one of our lawyers jetting over here to have a chat with the owner's lawyer at a signing meeting this morning. Sixty million Saint Lucian dollars for Fortune Cove, there are some debts and outstanding investors to pay off but that's just part and parcel of business. Took a couple of days but Mister Robert Lewis saw the wisdom in selling up and having an easier life. I hereby present to you a copy of signed legal documentation for your approval."

Lysander stood up properly in the pool and reached for a nearby towel to dry his hands before taking the document from Darui and perusing it. "So you don't actually own it just yet, but this contract confirms that he's selling to you for sixty million."

"Exactly. It will probably be another week or so before all the correct paperwork's been sorted out but the important thing is that he's signed this. No going back on it now."

Lysander smirked as he returned the paperwork. "So you spent sixty million Saint Lucian dollars just to get me into bed?"

Darui grinned and leaned closer. "You told me I had to."

"Well then." Lysander also leaned closer and bit his lip slightly. "You've earned your reward."

As Darui moved ever closer to kiss him, Lysander stepped back slightly and yelled "Topan!" as loudly as he could while Darui momentarily wobbled before steadying himself and successfully not falling in. Topan appeared in the lounge doorway after a few seconds with a look of concern as it was very rare that he was yelled for.

"What's wrong?"

Lysander giggled slightly and smirked at him. "Darui will be staying the night, could you ask Sami to stay with the other Emiri Guards tonight?"

Topan folded his arms and adopted a rather cheeky tone. "Sure, no problem. Then I'll stay in my room with my headphones on and do my best to drown out whatever echoes through the villa. Make sure you don't keep the rest of the resort up, obviously."

"Look out, Topan's getting feisty."

Topan narrowed his eyes at Lysander's comment and shook his head in amusement. "Darui, don't keep him up too late, okay? He gets grumpy when he's tired."

Darui chuckled and flashed Topan a thumbs-up. "Understood."

[Marimaia]

Cap Maison Luxury Hotel and Spa
Saint Lucia
06:13hrs Local Time, 18th July 2018

Darui awoke with a quiet murmur and continued to lie on his back for a few moments as he gradually opened his eyes. The white cotton canopy of the kingsize four poster bed filled his vision until he moved his head to the right and glanced out of the windowed doors which led onto the verandah. There was a light rainfall outside which was unable to reach the closed doors due to the overhanging roof, although the villa's private pool was rippling as the drops of precipitation made their slight impact upon the surface. Darui then moved his head to the left and a smile spread across his face at the sight of Lysander dozing peacefully next to him, lying on his stomach with his arms wrapped around the pillow that his head was resting on. After taking a moment to appreciate the peacefulness of Lysander's sleeping face, Darui rolled onto his side and moved closer before planting a soft kiss on Lysander's forehead.

"San-San."

The gentle whisper caused a flicker of Lysander's eyelids as he woke up and blearily regarded Darui through half-open eyes. "Hey. What time is it?"

Darui raised his head to inspect the clock which was positioned on the nightstand on Lysander's side of the bed. "Almost quarter past six."

Lysander continued to slowly blink himself more awake until he let out a yawn, at which point he inched closer to Darui with a developing grin. "That was one hell of a night."

Darui chuckled and nodded, reaching out to gently slip his arms around Lysander. "I still can't believe I finally got you into bed, it was definitely worth the wait." He paused for a moment and slightly bit his lower lip mischievously. "Fancy another go?"

Lysander's eyes widened, as did his grin. "If you're ready to go then it would be a shame to waste the opportunity."

---------------------

When the pair finally managed to tear themselves away from the bed an hour later, they headed directly for the well-appointed ensuite bathroom which adjoined the bedroom and got into the sparkling white shower bath. As they enjoyed the torrent of warm water cascading onto them, Darui showed a great level of care as he washed Lysander's shoulder-length black hair for him, gently teasing the Sheikh's scalp with his fingertips as he did so and smirking at the appreciative little noises being made in response. Once the shower was over and they had dried themselves, Lysander and Darui returned to the bedroom to get dressed; Darui pulled on the black shirt and black chinos that he had worn the previous night while Lysander simply slipped on his favourite black silk boxers and matching dressing gown. As Darui finished buttoning his shirt, Lysander slinked over and loosely wrapped his arms around Darui's neck before kissing him.

"Staying for breakfast? We could get something delivered from the resort's restaurants or we could send Topan out to pick it up."

"Oh, I'm sure he'd love me for that. First time staying the night and I'm responsible for having him sent out for breakfast."

Lysander tilted his head slightly as Darui slipped his arms around his waist. "I like the way you say 'first time' as if there's going to be a second time."

He then giggled at Darui's slightly deflated expression. "Of course thinking about it, I'd enjoy a second night like that." Lysander then idly ran his index finger up and down the back of Darui's neck. "Then a third, maybe a fourth, we could always see how a fifth goes..."

Darui smirked and lightly brushed the tip of his nose against Lysander's nose. "Maybe even a sixth?"

"A sixth is a distinct possibility. Mmm, this is definitely my sort of vacation. Throwing money around and being ravished by a gorgeous guy, what's not to love?"

"You think I'm gorgeous, San-San?"

Lysander shrugged nonchalantly. "You're okay, I suppose. I've seen far worse." He paused for a moment before laughing to himself. "Cousin Roderick springs to mind."

"Oh lord, Roderick Margrave." Darui made a show of shuddering at the thought and then facepalmed for added effect. "Why would any Margrave choose to look like that? It's not like the family couldn't afford to get things corrected. Well, you've successfully killed the mood now San-San, all I can picture is....well, that."

Lysander giggled victoriously before stepping back slightly and taking Darui by the hand. "Come on, I fancy cheese and bacon on toast."

As Lysander led him out of the bedroom by the hand, Darui snorted loudly. "How can you still have an appetite after invoking Cousin Roderick?"

[Marimaia]

Cap Maison Luxury Hotel and Spa
Saint Lucia
18:25hrs Local Time, 21st July 2018

"Flowers for the most beautiful Margrave on the planet."

Lysander laughed as Darui produced a large bouquet of flowers from behind his back and offered them in a manner that possessed similarities to a noble presenting an offering to their monarch, bowing slightly and extending his arms out. After taking the offered bouquet and sniffing them, Lysander stepped closer and lightly kissed Darui on the cheek.

"You're the first guy to ever actually buy me flowers, I could get used to this. Topan, could you put these in some water for me?"

Topan slightly raised an eyebrow as he took the flowers from Lysander and made his way to the kitchen in an attempt to find something to put the flowers in, while Darui slipped his arms around Lysander and gave him a gentle kiss. "How was your day, San-San?"

"Well I finally finished looking at the properties, Bailey is over the moon because I'll buying up all of them. I also talked to Daddy about potential next moves, we've come up with something very exciting."

"Let's grab a seat so you can tell me all about it."

Lysander almost seemed to bounce as he made his way to his favourite couch and reclined back with his legs stretched out, lifting them slightly so that Darui could sit next to him with Lysander's legs draped over his lap. Darui began to idly run a hand up and down Lysander's left leg as the Emiri heir launched into a description of the family's next stage on Saint Lucia.

"So the plan is to incorporate Cap Maison and the properties I'm buying as a new business entity here on Saint Lucia. It'll be forty-nine percent owned by Margrave Holdings and fifty-one percent owned by me. There'll be a Chief Operating Officer appointed who'll be in charge of the day-to-day stuff because I can't stay on Saint Lucia forever, and the company will work to establish as close to a monopoly as possible in the resort industry here. It'll be called Lysmar Resorts."

Darui smirked slightly at the fact that Lysander was obviously naming the proposed company after himself. "Makes sense, any potential candidates for COO in mind?"

"Not yet, but I'd imagine that there are quite a few executives in our empire who would be worthy of promotion. I could even find someone here on the island to do it. Daddy did actually suggest you, but he doesn't know that you'll be coming back home with me when I leave."

Darui's eyes widened at the casual statement. "I am?"

Lysander tutted before continuing. "Of course you are! I know you bought that casino but you weren't going to stay here to run it, were you?"

"Well no, there'll be someone from Macau moving over here."

"There we are then. Now, in addition to creating Lysmar Resorts we're going to bring in the biggest gun in our arsenal to properly cement Margrave interests on Saint Lucia. There's an oil storage and transshipment terminal just outside Castries that was brought under government administration when the previous owner needed to offload it. The Margrave Oil Company is going to offer to buy it, and First Minister Baptiste would be an idiot to refuse. The Saint Lucian government don't have the know-how to maintain an oil terminal in the long-term but the MOC definitely do. They'll bring in their own security, their own terminal manager, and most importantly their own investment agenda. We get the COO of Lysmar Resorts liaising with the manager of Fortune Cove and the local head of the MOC, the three of them consult with us regarding anything substantial and they cooperate to entrench the family as the dominant force in the nation's economy."

Darui nodded approvingly. "Sounds like you've got everything planned out, San-San. Soooo.....just going back to an earlier point, I'm coming to Margravia with you when you head home?"

Lysander's expression suggested that Darui was questioning the most obvious fact in existence. "Well you're not staying here, and I don't want you going back to Macau anytime soon, so I want you to come back with me." As he finished speaking, Lysander looked down and started picking at the cuff of his sleeve as if he were a nervous teenager who had just confessed to a crush and was awaiting a response.

"San-San, are you saying you'd miss me if I wasn't around?"

Lysander looked up with a slight scowl as he could hear the amusement in Darui's voice. "The sex is good. That's all."

Darui knew that there was definitely more to it than that but Lysander was unlikely to openly admit it, so he nonchalantly looked away and let out a forced sigh. "You're right, it is pretty good. I suppose it's good enough to warrant coming home with you when the time comes." Out of the corner of his eye Darui saw Lysander's face light up but he elected not to comment on it, instead turning to face him with a slight wink. "Want to go out for dinner? You still haven't tried the food at the Royalton Hideaway, it's particularly good."

Lysander tapped his chin a few times before responding. "Sure thing, you can tell me about your day over dinner. I'll go get changed."