Chapter 49

Several days passed like this, things had changed a bit in the palace. She noticed Roger and the other knights appeared more often than a bit around the palace. She didn't know they existed up until recently and now they walked the grounds as if they had always been there.

They were all friendly too, waving anytime they noticed her and calling her out as Miss Fairy. Even the serious Sir Roger was calling her Miss Fairy. It was embarrassing.

"You guys are here quite often. What's the occasion?" She asked one day, to the smallest of the bunch, George Phollio.

He gave her a curious stare, a look that didn't belong to a child, nor did it belong to an adult.

"Because of some business", he answered still giving her that stare.

"Business? Then do you guys come like this to the castle all the time?"

He looked up with a thoughtful face.

"No", he shook his head, "This is, for most of us, except Roger that is, our first time. The emperor never really used to speak to us much. He's very different now".

"I see", Alexis wondered if maybe her presence had helped him a bit and then shook her mind of her self-centred thoughts..

"Hey, Miss Fairy?" Asked the boy who sounded more like a child at that moment.

"Hm?"

"Can you fly?" His eyes twinkled.

Alexis stared at him, mouth gaping.

That was the end of their conversation, interrupted by Angela who told Alexis some guests had come for her and are waiting in her room.

She followed Angela curiously, not a clue as to who might be visiting her. When they reached the room and she pushed the door open to reveal masses of silks, lace, nets and linens that were sprawled around her room.

In the centre of them stood two women who smiled nervously at her, as if she were a wild dog or something.

"Miss Mage, I am Delila a new seamstress hired by his majesty and this is my assistant Mary. We were ordered to make a dress for you and Lady Emilia", Alexis blinked at them. They were human. Not dwarfs or elves. Plain human.

'What happened to, 'I don't like humans'?'

Nonetheless, she just smiled back at them.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Alexis the royal mage", she walked in, being careful with all the fine fabric that lay on the floor.

"We placed all the fabrics out and were wondering what you would like us to use? What colour? And design? We have prototypes drawn in this book!" Delila handed her a thick, large book which she placed on her table when she finally managed to get there.

"O-Okay, lets see what might suit me".

And soon began a ferocious war of what exactly went well with Alexis and what didn't. What complimented her tone, what bought out her eyes, what made her taller and slimmer, what made her look kinder and more frail.

It was horrible.

Alexis had learned so much about herself, thing she didn't even bother to consider like how angled her hat should be to suit the little freckle on her chin.

After an hour or two they left and ran to their next victim. Emilia. She wouldn't be much of a challenge at all.

Something that bothered Alexis when she heard it was that these women would be staying in the main palace despite their race. It was nice to see more humans around, but it was starting to feel a bit strange and unsettling.

But it seemed she'd get no silence today as the door sounded out a knock from the other side and opened to reveal the scumbag prince.

"Miss Fairy!" He said as he moved to step in, but Alexis quickly held her hands to him to stay were he was.

"You can't enter my room. No man can enter my room!" She said not wanting to re-experience what happened with Alastair.

Dwayne stood outside the door with a weirded out expression. He thought she wouldn't bother with aristocratic etiquette but it seems he was wrong.

"Then I'll wait for you in the main garden, near the bleeding heart tree", he gave a polite bow and left.

Alexis didn't want to meet him, and had no intention to do so. She just sat down in her bed for a while before she realised he'd probably still be waiting.

She left her room with her dwarfs following closely behind and came to the tree, he waited there patiently and when she arrived he gave her a scowl.

"You made me wait an hour! Who makes a royal prince wait so long?" He questioned, his face looked as insulted as one could be.

"Me, I guess. Now tell me why you called me here?" Alexis casually spoke sitting on the grass, Dwayne who thought it was a very commoner thing to do felt awkward standing up and soon also sat on the grass next to her.

"I called you to speak because we have a plan", this peaked Alexis' interest.

"Plan?"

"Yes. My father made a plan to disgrace my brother on his birthday. And you are the main star", he pointed at her with an excited expression.

"Me? What do you mean?"

"When we put our plan into motion you must claim to witness what had happened. If it's you, a lot of people will be bought".

Alexis didn't know what that meant but she smirked internally. She knew they'd do something like this. She knew it!

"And what is exactly is the claim?"

"I can't discuss that. You'll understand when it happens", he stood up soon, glancing around, "I need to leave since I can't stay long here and I have already wasted a lot of time. I trust you'll do a fine job", he gave her a pat on the head and left.

Alexis touched her head with disgust.

'Gross'.

She gave a small laugh staring at Dwaynes back. A part of her questioned why he was so trusting and confident in her loyalty, she didn't know that he was always treated like such and so had never expected to be betrayed by anybody who decided to work with him. He didn't know they were all too scared to go against the will of the crown prince, but Alexis was different.

'If I'm the main star the I can easily sabotage them… but' she glanced back at Dwaynes receding back, her brows knit together. 'what if this is also a set up?'