Disperse

"Hello, young master," Alex said as he slid all the way to the car, laying on his back.

"Hello, Alex. How are you doing?" He asked, smiling up at him from his position on the ground.

"Very well sir," he said holding a hand out for him to grab onto.

Dorran took his hand and let Alex pull him up with as much strength that he needed.

"Dor! Are you ok?" Carlotta ran to him, cheeks flushed red and a little bit of a smile remained on her face.

"I'm ok." He said, dusting the snow off his back. For some reason, he didn't feel as cold as he did before which was peculiar.

"That was amazing, Dorran!" Shia declared as soon as she reached the car, out of breath from laughing too much.

"Thank you." He said, "You should try it sometimes."

"I will." She answered back. "You'll join me, right Max?"

"Sure." He said a faint smile on his face. He still held the cup carefully in his hands.

Kaia rushed to Dorran, eyes laced with concern, and began checking his face and all other exposed parts of his body to make sure he isn't hurt.

"Kaia, I'm fine." He said as she grabbed his arm and swung it back and forth. "My hand's not broken."

"You don't know." She signed at him, doing the same to his other hand.

"I think I would know if I broke my hand or not." He said but still allowed her to confirm as much as she wanted.

She took off his hat and pulled him down to check that there is no damage done there.

Seemingly satisfied, she gave him his hat back and went to Max. Taking the cup from him, she ran to Alex and held it out to him.

"What's this?" Alex asked, looking at Kaia but he couldn't understand what she was trying to say so he looked at the others.

"It's for you," Dor said, fixing his cap back in place.

"For me?"

She nodded her head, still holding the cup out to him.

"Thank you so much." He said, taking the cup and taking a deep gulp immediately. "That hits the spot."

"Oh, here, these too." Shia walked to him and handed the bag of cookies to the man.

"Thank you." He said, reluctantly taking the bag. "You shouldn't have to do this for me."

"It was Kaia's idea," Carlotta said as she opened the car door and entered in. "Is everyone coming?"

"Yes," Dorran said, sitting in the passenger seat immediately, no doubt turning up the heat once he sat down.

Shia entered in right after Carlotta and Max waited at the door for Kaia. She gave a nod to Alex and ran into the car.

"Can I sit by the window?" She asked.

"Sure," Max said, entering in the car first.

Alex stood there for a couple of seconds, holding the bag and the cup of hot choco in his hands while he stared after Kaia.

"Alex, are you ready?" Ran called from the window that he didn't bother to open while he spoke.

"Yes, young master." He said, a faint smile on his face as he walked to the driver's seat and they were off.

_____

"Alex?" Carlotta called to him from the back seat as they made their way to the main highway.

"Yes, miss Carlotta?" He said, looking at her from the rear-view mirror.

"How long have you known Dorran?" She asked with her big golden eyes.

"Ever since he was about … the age of ten." He said with a chuckle.

"Really? How long have you been working with for him?" She said with a slight gasp.

"Alex worked with us when he just turned twenty. He is twenty- five now, right?"

"I am honoured that you remembered my age, young master." He said, hands expertly turning the wheel.

"You all treat me like I am part of the royal family or something." He said rolling his eyes.

"In some ways, you are, young master." He answered as Carlotta exchanged her seat with Shia and leaned forward in between the two seats.

"Because my father is part of the higher council?" He asked, looking at Alex from the corner of his eyes.

"In some ways, yes." He said without hesitation. "You are like royalty to a lot of people."

"I agree with Alex." Carlotta piped in, "I have seen how people looked at you just from this morning alone. Though, I am impressed that no one approached you."

"Not everyone knows who I am until they hear of my surname." He said looking at her with a soft expression. "Most just assume I am some kind of important person. Though I don't know why."

"It could be the way you carry yourself," Carlotta said. "You do walk like a very important person."

"I do?" He asked, "I walk like how I've always walked."

"And what kind of walk is that?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at him.

"I don't know."

"He was taught everything." Alex joined in, "From the way he should walk to the way he should eat. Well, Dor is anyway."

"That would explain his absolute lack of table manners," Carlotta said with a nod of her head.

"I am not lacking that much in manners." Ran insisted, "I just do not wish to stick to them unless necessary. After all, it is tiring to be so perfect all the time."

Silence filled the car as Alex concentrated on his driving and Carlotta stared at him, amused.

"What?" he asked, a little peeved at their reactions.

"Just like a princess," Carlotta said with a grin.

Alex couldn't stop the little bit of laughter that came out of his mouth as she said that.

"Alex." Ran scolded.

"I'm sorry, young master." He said, clearing his throat. "But she is right."

"Of course I am." Carlotta gave him a triumphant smile and turned to Alex, "How was he as a child? Was he naughty?"

"He was a very obedient child." He said, "From the time I started working in the place, I have never seen the prince smile."

"Who are you calling prince?" Ran asked, glaring at him.

"You are," Carlotta said, taking his hat off and messing his hair.

"Please don't treat me like a child." He said, taking the hat back from her.

"I think you're cute," Carlotta said as a blush crept up his neck to his ears.

Ignoring that, Carlotta turned her attention back to Alex, "You said that you have never seen him smile before? But he smiles really often. Albeit it's mostly a cocky smile."

"The cocky smile we know. Also the fake, obligatory smile." He laughed. "It's only after he has met you all that a genuine smile comes out more often."

Carlotta turned to look at Dorran with a Chester smile on her face while the poor boy is trying to hide his face by pulling his hat lower on his head.

He kept his gaze on the window and the world outside as the other cars passed by them in the lanes of the road.

"What was he like then?" Carlotta asked again. "He hardly ever talks about himself so I want to know a little bit about him."

"The young master has always been brilliant at whatever he does." Alex began. "Smart, intellectual and with the circumstances of his house, he has had to grow up faster than a lot of the other kids his age."

"I saw him in a video once," She said, "It was some kind of conference meeting and he was with his father. They both look so alike I thought his father was him at first. But then I saw the kid with the blank look on his face and recognized him immediately."

"Yes, he usually accompanies his father to some of the conferences. He has astounding people skills and witty answers to whatever the people asked him so he became a favourite easily."

"Did you just call me a kid? I am older than you. You know that right?" Ran managed to pull himself out of the cap and turned to Carlotta.

"Not in that video you aren't." She answered back without missing a beat. "You looked so cute in a suit."

"I still wear suits, though not full ones." He answered, indignant. "You've only called me old, though."

"That's because you do look like an old man." She giggled. "You should be wearing shirts and pants, not dress shirts and trousers."

"I think he looks fine in them," Kaia said, after listening in on the conversation for a while.

"Of course you do, Kaia. You think no one here can look bad no matter what they wear or how their hair is." She said, patting her cheeks.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Shia spoke up now.

"Not at all," Carlotta said, dismissively. "I am just sharing my thoughts as she is doing the same. But I believe that you should dress for how you wish to appear as."

"You're not wrong. But you don't have to dismiss Kaia like that."

"Like what exactly."

"Ok, everyone." Max quickly jumped in. "We are approaching Shia's house. Let's all just wave at her from the door otherwise, we will never leave."

Shia laughed, "Just drop me off at the gate, Alex."

"Sure."