Chapter VI

“You arrived. . .quite late than the expected time. That’s a first. I’ve always branded you as the most punctual amongst us all”, the creepy ass magician of Ellysia commented, tentatively drumming his fingers on the hardness of his oak table— grinning mischievously towards her direction, that made her shudder in disgust.

“My schedule has always been packed. You should know that”, she retorted, rolling her eyes before throwing the rolled up parchment from her hidden pockets. Clementine then scoffed, crossing both her arms in front of her chest, averting her gaze from the man and towards the opened windows that allowed the cold sensation of the wind to enter in the musky tower— easing her anxiousness and woes. “I got held up by castle work. I should go now— I still have a lot to finish”,

“Oh?”, Florencius questioned, standing up from his chair with one of his brows raised, lips curving into a frown along the way. “Leaving so early? Why don’t you join me for a cup of tea, Miss Clementine? As a form of gratitude and celebration for completing a job well done”, he offered, gesturing his hand over a small round desk wherein the essentials for tea were laid. Porcelain yet antique wares were neatly positioned on its rightful place, desserts and cookies of various flavors and artistic designs were situated in the middle— beckoning her to take a vacant seat and help herself for some drink.

But no.

She isn’t going to fool herself over such cheap tricks.

“I’m good”, she replied with a curt nod, tongue touching her inner cheek as she restrained herself from attacking the magician head on. He had a way with her nerves, he knows how to push her buttons, knowing that she is one to explode almost immediately if the person she’s currently with was someone as suspicious and cunning as Florencius. She needs to calm down, and by means of calming down— she needs to go back to Celeste. “Pardon me for my rudeness”,

Clementine then disappeared within a flick of a finger, casually appearing in one of the halls inside the palace with a scowl plastered on her soft visage. Her right hand reached up to rip something that has attached itself from the back of her cloak, near her neck— eyeing it with a burning passion to strangle the perpetrator who even dared to send a bug to which she assumed was purposely enchanted to track and watch her wherever she went and whatever she does.

‘That piece of shi—‘,

“Big sister Clementine? What are you doing in here?”,

Big doe optics stared at her in bewilderment, soft squishy cheeks awaiting for her to pinch— the young prince stared at his sister figure, confused at the fact that she was standing right in front of his door that seperated the interior of his room from the hall outside. He had just came from the library, having done a few reviews for his current lesson that his educator taught him recently, he was about to enter his room when he spotted a familiar patch of white hair from the distance, and knowing who it was— he wasted no second and approached the lass with hidden excitement. He hadn’t seen her in the morning, which saddened him and had been waiting for her arrival to chat with her.

And now that she’s here. . .Brixton couldn’t help it but grin from ear to ear, bubbling in excitement that would soon erupt from being held down.

“I did not realized that I unintentionally teleported right in front of your chambers, sorry”, murmured her, attention still focused on the bug that in her hold that soon disintegrated into smoke and nothing else. Yes, she had burned the pest right in front of the innocent young Brixton, who watched her with a nervous smile.

“What was that, big sister?”, he inquired, obsidian hued orbs trailing from her silvered optics towards her hand that was magically unscarred from the burning fire that ate away her wrist till her fingertips. Then again, she was a magician, she could do wonders with her will.

“A nasty bug”,

“Oh”,

Silence fell over them afterwards, with only the cricketing sound of crickets engulfing the area. Their breathing were as noiseless as possible, leaving them with nature playing its usual tunes in the background. Both of them have literal no idea how many minutes had passed, and they would’ve stood there in complete quietness had it not been for the sudden sound of someone clearing their throat from short distance, to which garnered their attention in the process.

And it was as if her day couldn’t just get any better. . .

“A-ah, Dominique! Is it time for sword training?”, Brixton asked the newly arrived fellow, turning sideways in order to face the swordsman prodigy, who kept his distance a two meters away from the previously conversing magician and prince. He purposely wanted to give as much space as possible, not wanting his head to get decapitated by the feisty cat that was now glaring daggers in his direction. If looks could kill then he had probably long kissed the marbled grounds, devoid of life and welcomed by death.

“No. Aethan and I are scheduled to spar a few minutes from now. I just felt like exploring the castle— I never really familiarized the place as of yet, and decided to make a tour of my own, until I happened to stumble into you”, Dominique explained, gesturing his hands every now and then like a pro he is in conversations, mentally laughing nervously at the fact that the lass before him, continued to stare at his form like a wolf to a sheep.

’She doesn’t like me one bit, huh?’

“Is that so. . .then does that mean. . . I could get to talk to big sister for the the rest of the day?!”, Brixton exclaimed in glee, practically bouncing in simile to that of a bunny in anticipation. He really wanted to spend his time with Clementine, talk to her about anything that’d his mind would come up, no matter how weird and out of place they were.

“More likely— yes”, the prodigy answered, nodding his head twice with a small smile marvelling his visage. For a moment, Clementine noticed how soft and caring he was as she glanced at him subtly, not realizing that her glare had now turned into something neutral— blank almost. As far as she is concerned, Dominique was never related to Brixton in a way, yet he treated the child as if he was family— a brother.

‘Dominique. . .’

Clementine could faintly recall the day wherein the current Earl of Aradelle paid a visit to the palace. She was standing beside the emperor that time, conversing about things that involves the kingdom of Celeste and its growth. The magician was introduced to Alexis Vaygne, and she was also informed that the lad was a really close relative, a nephew of the king and a cousin to the princes. Yet during one of their luncheon, wherein she was miraculously invited. . . She eventually realized how Alexis never dared to even spare a glance on Brixton who sat beside her.

Alexis conversed with Aethan and King Lawrence more— leaving Brixton out of the picture. Heck, he didn’t even ask the brunette about his day nor even adressed the young prince, despite their status in the royal lineage. He was rather bold to ignore his blood relative. She remembered standing up in an abrupt manner, having enough of the Earl and his ignorance. The magician eventually excused herself alongside Brixton politely, and after the go signal, she dashed her way through the halls pulling the youngest prince wherever she went.

“Alexis. That damned bastard. So disrespectful. Treating you like some sort of stranger when you’re related by blood. Not even sparing you a glance or even a nod of acknowledgement”,

“It’s alright, big sister! I grew accustomed to it. Ah, it’s only normal for them to ignore me. I mean— I’m a son of a whore right?”,

Heaven knows how much old he was when he spoke those words. Seven. . .he was seven! So young yet miserable. She almost fainted on the spot when she turned her head to gaze at him back then, trying her best to read his obsidian optics that glowed in sadness yet acceptance. He accepted their rash treatment. He forgave them no matter what sin they’ve committed to him.

Shaking her head to rid of those thoughts, Clementine released a shacky sigh, patting Brixton on top of his head to earn his attention. “Let’s go. You want to spend some time with me, right?”, she questioned, smiling at the child who nodded his head again and again, latching himself on her arm with a huge grin on his face.

“See you later Dominique, enjoy your tour! I’ll be going with big sister now!”, He exclaimed, waving a hand towards the royal guard, before dragging Clementine with him, laughing as he started to ramble about the events that happened during her absence. At some point along the way, the magician glanced from her shoulder, nodding faintly to the royal guard as a form of acknowledgement, surprising the lad in the process.

‘Then maybe. . .he isn’t bad at all. Yet still— I’ll keep an eye on him, just in case’,