Chapter 21

"And what if I spoke the truth", Prince Dwayne, finally recovering from his shock, snapped. His glare swivelled from Alexis and Alastair, that prank Alexis pulled already frustrated him, but then the Emperor actually appeared.

'Was it even a prank?' He thought, clenching his teeth.

"Trying to undermine those I deemed worthy is a big sin on its own". The Emperors cold, shrewd words had Prince Dwayne stepping back, wondering if he was, truly, in trouble.

"I would never insinuate anything of the sort your majesty!" He objected in futility.

"That's a lie if I've ever heard on..." Alexis spoke up, but was ignored.

"I'm just saying there are much better candidates for you, Helio, for example, has trained years for such a position and this woman", he glared at Alexis, sharply, "has done nothing to earn any position in the palace, let alone Royal Mage".

"But Helio is your man, not mine."

A wind blew between them just then, Prince Dwaynes blonde locks blinding his face and Alexis' hair did the same when a sound suddenly broke out.

*Slap*

Alexis and Alastairs eyes widened as they stared at the shocked prince who looked at his hand in betrayal. A look of astonishment on his face as his hand moved back and-.

*Slap*

His already red cheek, glowed brightly after he slapped himself.

"What are you doing, brother?" She could hear the stifled laughter in the Emperors voice and she herself struggled to keep her lips down.

The prince stared at his hand and then as if realising something his head snapped to Alexis who was still holding back her giggles.

"You! You made me slap myself!" He screamed and that was it. That was Alexis' last straw and she broke down in laughter.

"Ahaha haha haha, Oh My God!!" She heard Alastair snort as well, but she carried on laughing until she had tears in her eyes.

"Stop laughing! This is a grave sin! This is treason!" He continued to yell.

Alexis finally died down a bit and wiped her eyes. The prince looked as furious as one could be. His violet eyes shook along with his body. It was a challenge to not laugh again.

"What did you mean, when you said I made you slap yourself?" she couldn't stop her grin as she saw the image of her spoiled younger brother in him.

"With magic you stupid wench!" He replied in a fit of rage.

"But... you know, I can't do any magic yet, I haven't been trained", she frowned at him, despite the urge to laugh again, "you shouldn't blame such things on people who aren't involved". She shrugged at him as if to say 'tough luck' and turned around to leave.

"Don't you dare leave!"

"I'm heading back Alastair, you can stay if you want", she drawled as she ignored the princes cries.

She promptly heard footsteps beside her as a shadow could be seen beside her. He didn't seem to speak a word to the prince and she soon realised why when she caught sight of his face.

His face twitched all over, he was still containing his laughs.

'Why? Does he do it for an image?' She pondered.

She turned and saw that the Prince had left as they neared the marble steps. Alastair was still silent.

They entered the castle and as soon the door shut she heard hysterical laughter.

"His face!- that look!- priceless!" We're the shouts between his gasps for air. Alexis stood stunned. She had already heard it but she couldn't help but find his laugh so beautiful.

He finally stopped and turned to her with a grin that made her heart do a strange jump, he touched her head and leaned towards her face which heated up at the distance between them.

"I don't think I've ever laughed so much before. You're such a clown". Strangely enough, when he spoke, his words sounded much warmer. Nicer, Alexis might say. He had a glow in his face that she had never witnessed before.

'Was all he needed a laugh? Was that why he was so grumpy?' She questioned in her mind and didn't dare say it out loud because she enjoyed his good mood.

"Well Alastair, I'm heading up to read more of those books Emilia left me", she walked up the long flight of stairs and Alastair walked beside her. The dwarfs also came in from outside and followed along, quietly and interested in the turn of events.

"I must thank you". He randomly spoke, surprising Alexis who was suspicious with his suddenly nice behaviour.

"What for?"

"You wouldn't understand".

"Then why did you thank me?" She said taken aback.

"Because I felt like it" she was fed up with him at this point.

"How did you appear like that in the garden?" She curiously inquired, trying to catch up with as he walked speedily up the stairs.

"I came the normal way".

"No. No you didn't. There's no way you could move that fast. That day when I almost died on the stairs, you also appeared randomly!"

"Well you lived, what the point of worrying about less important details?" He turned back at her with smirk.

"I-"

Alexis could even start her sentence as the Emperor just disappeared. In thin air. Her shocked face morphed into anger.

'Why do the people here do this all the time!' Her lips thinned as she stomped up the stair with arched brows.

She was later informed that people in the royal family were usually born with the ability to teleport within a 500 metre radius.