Chapter 24

Alexis soon found herself in a carriage, a sense of excitement and adventurous romances taking her logical thinking away as she had her head outside the window.

'Like a child', That's what Alastair thought as he stared at her.

Whether it were the purple hills filled with colourful flowers, or the white lakes with large salt rocks at it shore.

"What is that?" She asked when she saw it's crystal appearance with the sun sparkling off it. It was so magnificent and mystical that she couldn't keep her eyes off it.

"A lake..." Alastair stared at the girl with an irritated face. He heard Sir Morningstar chuckle with amusement.

It made him even more irritated.

But then he remembered, she was from a strange, loud world. With high building and finely made rooms. Rooms without a single draft, despite her, obviously, plebeian origin.

'It must be like a vacation for her...' he thought.

When Alastair realised Alexis and Hector we're heading off to the orphanage, he suddenly wanted to go too. It surprised him because he hated going out usually, but for some reason going out today seemed more... welcoming.

He glanced at Alexis again, her short brown hair was brushed straightly down and her brown eyes seemed honey golden, not the dirt brown he was used to, in the sun. He felt stunned for a moment and then quickly

turned away, a red hue lightly specked his cheek. She was a pretty girl, and most would agree to that, but she seemed to not care for her appearance at all.

He didn't bother to think it might be because her mind had been preoccupied, thinking of other matters, like *cough* escaping *cough*. But she was patient and waited for the right moment, knowing full well that the pitiful king who was framed for sins he didn't commit, was actually a terrifying demon regardless of that.

"Is that the orphanage?" She said, smiling at the white building that came to view and then frowning when she noticed how dirty the building was. The white it used to be made that so clear. She spotted children, who looked to be in a daze and frightfully thin.

"W-what?" She whispered fearfully, hoping she wasn't seeing what she was, "Why do they look like that? W-why does it?-" she choked slightly as she spotted a child with large protruding eyes that clung to the skull of a small, small child.

"Ah, they must be the children from the Eastern Empire" it was Hector who spoke. He said it like it wasn't his problem.

"I didn't ask where they came from! Why do they look like that?" Alexis snapped.

Alastair sighed.

"They're different. How do you think children from a defeated country will be treated? Like heroes? Survivors? The sufferers they are?" Alastair interrupted, something happened in his mind just then. Like a trigger was pulled and his deep thoughts fell from his lips, something he had come to terms with.

"Them. They should take the exam". Alexis suddenly spoke startling the two.

"But they don't even speak the same language, it would be a waste", Hector said, a frown on his face.

"But a spell?-"

"They're to advanced for me", he shook his head with an apologetic smile.

"I'll do it. Teach me".

————————

She jumped out of the carriage, leaving the hand Hector to her in the dust, ignoring the set of knights who had been waiting outside, they were human and seemed more scared of the beings inside the carriage than the dangers outside.

They had taken a shabby carriage, concealing the fact the Emperor had joined the ride.

"I'm waiting inside here". It was all the Emperor said as he shut the door, a frown on his face. Something bothered him.

Alexis didn't mind and just stared ahead at the Orphanage, she noticed how far the Eastern children walked from the towering white building and clenched her teeth.

Finally a man with a pot-belly welcomed the two with a smile, "Welcome to my humble orphanage, I am Tanian, the director of the orphanage. The exam room has been prepared".

"I want the Eastern children to partake in the exam", Alexis had to hold back a truck load of rash feelings. She wanted to bash the mans head in.

"E-Eastern?" He was taken aback and then burst out laughing, "Ha, that's a funny joke Miss". He gestured for them to follow him and when they didn't and he realised the annoyed face Alexis had and the mask Hector wore, he stopped and frowned. "You're not serious, are you?" He said in perplexity.

"Completely. Now get a section made for the Eastern children. Separated. Now". She was still holding back because she couldn't anger him if she wanted to change the way the Eastern kids were treated.

"Don't joke around!" The man said, his face reddened.

"I'm not joking!"

"And who are you to tell me what to do?" His red face bellowed at her. He suddenly gasped and the blood rushed from his face so fast it was comical. Alexis already identified the warmth from the figure behind her as they grasped her shoulder.

"You speak to his Majesty's Royal Mage". The voice was low and deep, but still, the whole room heard every word.

"Y-Your Highness!" The once arrogant pot-bellied man was now shaking, reduced to shaking legs and a hunched back.

"What my Mage says is my command", and the man understood, that the small girl he laughed at was actually someone he shouldn't mess with.

Alexis on the other hand felt strangely flattered by Alastair's unexpected support. She realised if he wanted, he could really have anything he could ever want.

'But... why is my heart beating so fast?' It wasn't only her heart, but her face felt very hot.

"Not much of a Scumbag now, am I Dirt?" He muttered into her ear which made her heat up more than before.

"C-come on Hector! Let's sort out that spell!" She shouted as she grabbed him by his arm and walked to the place the man had gestures to be the exam room.

Alastair frowned at them from behind, he felt a prickly sensation in his chest and thought it might be better to stay away from the pair of magic users. Until he could stop feeling this way.