Chapter 60

Alexis glared at the letter. It was of such good quality that it stood out against the wooden table.

She picked it up, carefully scrutinising every inch of the envelope, turning it around to catch a beautifully hand drawn picture at the back.

Alexis drew her finger on the familiar thing with a melancholic smile. It was an anemone, a flower she would've never been familiarised with if it weren't for her grandma. It was the meaning of it that made her wonder just what was the contents of the letter.

"Faded hope…" she murmured as she ripped the envelope open. She roughly and impatiently ripped out the letter reading its contents with furrowed brows.

Plan has been called off for now. Further procedures are uncertain, any last minute plans cannot be disclosed and you might have to go with the flow.

Burn this letter immediately once read.

- D K

Alexis chuckled at the princes letter. She, along with Alastair and Joshua had already uncovered what the royals had planned and this just further proved it. She wasn't completely sure what Alastair had planned and he made it clear he wouldn't tell her quoting that, "I have a strong feeling you'll wear it on your face and end up telling someone".

Alexis fumed at his unfair assumption. He didn't even know how well she handled secrets, and sure she didn't handle them well, but he didn't know that!

'Alastair!...'

Worry gnawed at her mind.

What was coming would be risky and dangerous and whether they'd make it out alive would be uncertain.

No.

'We will make it out alive' she would make sure they did, even if she hadn't the faintest clue as to what would be going down.

She tucked the letter under her sleeve and made her way to where Alastair was ready to show him the almost solid proof. She didn't expect a strange beautiful elf woman to be sitting opposite him.

Her hair wasn't silvery but more of a pale pink, her yellow eyes, that stared at Alexis' unexpected arrival in surprise, were so beautiful. The gleam of sunlight they got caught in gave them a glow.

"Who might you be?" She asked, voice so elegant and smooth.

"I- I- I'm Alexis, the royal mage" Alexis barely caught herself from getting lost in the woman appearance. She glanced at Alastair who was unperturbed by the woman and rather looked annoyed.

"What is it, Alexis?" Alastair asked, his tone was soft and his expression much less annoyed.

"I wanted to show you something, but I'll come back later at a better time. Please continue".

And like that she sprinted off, managing to escape from the room effortlessly and was only stopped by an eccentric cotton candy haired man.

"Joshua?" She exclaimed, just avoiding crashing into him.

He gave her a teeth revealing grin and grasped her shoulders, doing a U-turn along with her so she faced Alastair and the elf lady both of them stared at them. The elf lady looked concerned whereas Alastair didn't seem to look at them, but rather at the hands on Alexis' shoulders.

"Alexis, meet my dearest friend from Dai. Alice Lovelace", he pushed the unprepared Alexis to the woman who stood up and curtsied.

"Oh- um- nice to meet you", Alexis held out her hand. She was starting to feel like an idiot at her earlier actions.

'God I must look like a mess'.

"And you as well, Miss Alexis. I've heard many things about you on my way here", she grasped Alexis' stretched out hand which Agathus would shake his head at if he were present and shook it with an excited expression.

"Oh- um- thanks" Alexis fumbled, glancing at the strong grip the elf lady held her hand in.

'Ouch'.

"No, thank you! You're an inspiration for all women that are oppressed because of their gender. You showed the world that status and gender have nothing to do with capabilities", her eyes gleamed.

'D-Did I? When exactly?...'

"Even in Dai, where things like racism doesn't happen so much, woman and slaves are always oppressed but you bring hope." As if she had something personal she had started to tear up while staring Alexis with such a grateful expression that Alexis couldn't help but sympathise.

'I see… even in a magical place there are still the ugly truths of the world'.

"I'm glad I could be something of the sort. I'll do my best to live up to the expectations of those suffering".

"You already have".

Alexis felt something strange at her words. It was… something amazing and scary, to be looked at like she was actually worth a dime and be a role model that was praised. Something she had longed for when she got her results.

It was like a dream come true.

"Thank you", her words were soft, escaping her mouth while she basked in the unfamiliar feeling.

Someone cleared their throat, breaking their moment.

Joshua gave them a troubled look as he received glares from both ladies.

"Sorry to interrupt ladies, but we currently have a date in session", he coughed gesturing to Alastair who gave Alexis a vague expression.

"What?" Alexis frowned in confusion looking at Alice for clarification and then like a switch she got on.

The positive emotions she had felt had fallen. Crashed. Shattered.

The hand holding letter under her sleeve loosened and the letter slowly drifted to the floor. She only realised when it had landed on her shoes and she gasped, grabbing for it and hiding it behind her back while trying to fish up an excuse for the curious eyes that landed on her.

'Shit I can't handle all this. How am I going to?-'

"Oh my, Miss Alexis, do you also have a lover? Why am I surprised? men must line up for you" Alice exclaimed, covering up for Alexis without realising.

Alexis' face flushed, from relief of course, but naturally, under the circumstances, it was misunderstood.

Joshua started to chuckle, "it's written all over her face. Wasn't that a flower on there? How romantic", his genius cells not present at all.

"I- Yeah- I'm just going to head back and come back again some other time", Alexis gave a nervous laugh.

She glanced at Alastair whose expression didn't change until she was put the door and out of ear range, finally unable to hear all the gross hoots she received from Joshua.