Chapter 40

The carriage seemed constricting. It wasn't Alexis who felt bad, or that bad anyway, the thought of Alastair and Felicia stressed her out. It was Felicia who seemed depressed, her eyes glued to the ground, her lips frowned and hands clasped together. She looked like she was attending a funeral.

Alastair, on the other hand, didn't seem to care and every so often he threw Alexis a vague stare. She'd return it, with a raised brow but he'd just look away

"Who was that Bentley man?" She asked, wishing for the quiet atmosphere to disappear.

Felicia snapped out of her wallowing at her words, her face full of disbelief.

"You don't know who Bentley Barrow is?! Oh dear god…" she held her head, eyes full of shock, "you're the royal magician and yet you don't know about one of the best Magicians in the empire, hah…" she seemed to be depressed all over again.

"The best magician in the empire?"

"That's right", Alastair interrupted, he glared outside as if the fact annoyed him, "He's known as one of the best magicians and used to be the previous royal magician , back when my father ruled. He retired when my father did and decided to dedicate his time to the academy. He inherited it from his late uncle".

Alexis hadn't thought he'd be such an admirable person, she frowned as she thought of him.

'Rude… he was really rude".

"To think he was such an important figure. I hope I won't see much of him from now", she shuddered at the thought.

"Unfortunately, you will be seeing him very soon".

That was what Alastair said before the atmosphere of the carriage returned to its former self. Alexis could only look outside, catching the eyes of the crowd of people who blocked everything that wasn't flesh from her sight.

It was like a rainbow with all those hair colours.

The carriage stopped before the castle and Alexis stood to move only to be stopped again by Alastair

"I need to speak to you". The words scared her even though Alastair was neither her mother or father. She found it silly, but the serious look in his eyes ignited a fear in her.

Felicia left without saying anything, her brows bought together in despair. Alexis stared in wonder at her and the moment she did, the door shut and she sat in silence with Alastair.

"Alexis", she looked sharply at Alastair who rarely said her name. When he did she felt a weird fluttering in her stomach.

"Yes?"

"Earlier when we were walking to the academy, you grabbed my hand. Why?" The gaze in his eyes was something that made Alexis hold her breath.

Hope.

It was full of expectations and nerves.

She didn't answer, her mind raced to find an answer to the look in his eyes. Avoiding that one conclusion that lay around, always being ignored to avoid the worst case scenario.

"Because, you were shaking". She firmly said ignoring the whispering in the back of her head that she ignored.

"But you could've ignored it", he leaned closer, more desperately, his fingers brushing against her hand. They treaded carefully as if they were afraid, but afraid of what?

"I'm supposed to help you, I have to improve your public image", she looked away, hoping he would leave it at that and this wouldn't escalate.

"Was that it?" She heard him scoff and didn't dare look back at him.

She heard him move closer to her and shut her eyes, his breath touched her ears. At this point she found her eyes shut.

The door open and shut, he had left.Leaving Alexis to stare at where he last was with an expression a puppy might make at the thought of being abandoned.

The princess and ambassadors got ready to leave, their week of vaca- ahem, work- came to a slow and anti-climatic end. The princess stared with an expression one might have when they were getting over a breakup.

She was smiling, agonisingly wide, with such fake cheery behaviour Alexis felt worried for her. She seemed to be the only one who understood her mental health because everyone else just whistled about what a good mood she was in.

"Your highness, Alastair Kaedmen, thank you so much for accommodating me in spite of my unanticipated appearance", she curtsied and then turning to Alexis, a frown littered her face and for a moment Alexis could see her true feelings before the cheery mask came back.

It was of jealousy, the expression.

"Princess Felicia, it was an honour meeting you", she spoke just how Agathus had engrained into her brain.

"Alexis. I'll come back to the Kaedmen Empire soon and when I do, you will meet your match".

"Oh-I'm Sorry Princess. I don't know where you got the idea but I don't like girls", Alexis said with a purposeful innocent face.

Felicias face twisted in disgust. She gave a glare to Alexis as if she was the lowest of low and left with her ambassadors following closely by.

Alexis noticed the young boy who had spoke to her in the garden throwing her a quick wave which she returned with a warm smile.

"Don't just smile like that at every man", Alastair whispered under his breath to her.

"I don't know what you're talking about", Alexis replied looking away, the memory in the carriage still fresh in her brain.

Alastair was silent down after that, his fist clenched as he thought of all the times she had so carelessly smiled at any man in sight.

'Hector, Neon man and even that Silver' he scowled, 'and yet, she never once smiled like that at me…'

He left the moment the doors to the marble palace shut.

Alexis stayed there, turning away from the tyrants back and heading straight to the garden, today wasn't a good day for the short haired girl whose hair wasn't so short anymore.

It wasn't common for women to have short hair in the Kaedmen Empire or just about any country in the world she was in. That was why Felicia had such long hair, it was also why most people assumed she was a fairy. But her being a slave was also a good explanation for it.

Anyway, the reason it wasn't a good day today was because it was the day of her last lesson with Hector and the words he last said to her lingered in her mind.

She walked to where there lesson usually took place and like as always, he sat there, waiting for her.

It was magic. Literally.

As much as she wanted to meet Amelia she knew Hectors absence would put a damper on her mood. He was, after all, her sole confidant in this strange fantastical world.

"Hector".

"Shall we start on elements today? It'll be your last lesson so it might"-

"No. Let's not have a lesson today".

"Alexis? You're already behind on everything, my two year old nephew has a better grasp on his mana than you do", the insult was a low blow for Alexis' already damaged ego and despite the tears of pain at the thought she continued to speak with her resolution.

"I want to tell you my story".