Chapter 19

"I-Er-" Alexis looked at the expectant stare on Joshuas face and then the smirk on the scumbags face.

'He was totally attractive... the hottest guy I've ever seen. I mean that face... and then that bod.' She couldn't compare him to any actor or a man she's actually seen because it wouldn't do him any justice.

Alastair was definitely attractive to women.

She felt her face heat up.

'If I say yes I'll never live through the torment!'

"If you don't answer then I have no business here. I don't like personal feelings mixed up in my research." Joshua, with a disgusted face, moved to stand up.

Now Alexis had no choice.

"H-he's attractive to human women." She stammered out.

"Is that so?" Came from both of them at once. Joshuas interest peaked by the answer and his highness... his highness was still smirking and clearly not done with his words.

"I should be careful if you're so attracted to me, I shouldn't lead on any plebeians" the grin on his face widened when Alexis flushed a deep red.

"That's right your highness, leading on your mage would be disastrous." The supposed genius nodded.

"Oh, it must be so hard keeping your hands to yourself. Is that why you spied on me bathing?" He continued to taunt.

Alexis was fuming now ignoring Joshua, who gasped.

"You might be a visually appealing Scumbag, but women like a decent personality as well!" She shouted in a fit of rage and then ran off, slamming the door behind her.

"S-Scumbag?" Alastairs anger flared up, "How dare she?" He was about to race after her but remembered he had company.

"I'm sorry for holding you back your highness, but you should owe this alliance to your mage." Joshua spoke, he had a fond smile on his face. He had grown to really enjoy the interesting girl's company.

"I've already figured that much, you rejected all the letters for a private audience until you became acquainted with her." Alastair sat down again, he met Joshuas smile with a strange smile, one that was shaky and unfamiliar. Something that had been dormant for so long and forgot just what it used to be.

'She really was the one.' He thought.

"She set me at ease in your palace, despite the rumours of how you initiated a war with a country our size, all the while killing your step-siblings. There are even more gruesome rumours, but when all of us saw that small, mouthy girl by your side we all realised if that was how she conducted herself around the king than she wouldn't be alive, unless, the rumours were truly exaggerated." He explained. Joshua was sure that the main palace would see more positivity soon.

"She is very mouthy." Alastair agreed, and again smiled, but this time it was natural, and found a place on his face. He face went neutral again and he turned to Joshua, "Since you'll be a close confidant of mine soon, we need to make a contract and I should explain more about that war."

"No need. After I met Miss fairy I did some research and soon realised the truth behind the war." A solemn look haunted Joshuas face as he spoke, "your majesty, I'm sincerely sorry. The crime I have committed cannot be forgiven and so, instead, I offer you my life."

Alastair's eyes widened.

—————————

Alexis was in her room again of course and didn't dare leave it for fear his highness stood outside, waiting for her to leave so he could laugh and taunt her.

Hours went by and she had food which did nothing to cure the headache that got worse as she read.

"Angela, is it true that all elves migrated from the Kaedmen Empire twenty seven years ago? Do you know why?" She asked to the the dwarf who was cleaning out the hearth.

"Yes, Miss. Because elves are very magical and beautiful creatures. They are discriminated heavily against by humans and were extremely exploited in the Kaedmen Empire, after his majesty was born it got much worse so they all left together one night. We all thought they vanished, but rumours said that they're in Dai and are much more happier."

Alexis had read about Dai, it was a place where humans and magical people had lived together for so long that there was no discrimination at all. It was the peaceful place that all magical people dream of.

She carried on reading, somehow retaining a lot of information and then it was dinner time. She wasn't hungry but knew if she didn't eat now an hour later she'd be hungry. So she took a bite and went to open the window for some fresh air.

She didn't expect to look down and yelp, "A-Angela! Lights! There are lights down in the gardens!" She shouted.

Angela, worried and uncertain, moved to the window and looked down. She gave Alexis a puzzled look.

"What lights?" She asked.

"The light blue floating ones! Don't tell me you can see that!" Alexis cried, they floated around slowly almost like huge, slow and very blue fireflies.

"Those are blavus birds... they only wake up in the night and enjoy flying around flowers." Angela spoke very slowly, almost like she was explaining to a distraught child.

"Woah... I thought they were lamps being carried by sloths or something." She was calmer now that she knew what they were. "Let's go to the garden." It was random and out the blue, but Alexis felt giddy and excited at the idea. That, and she desperately needed a break from the books.