Chapter 11 : A conversation under the moonlight

She stood casually as her curvaceous body was highlighted by the illumination of the bright moon. Lexia took another sip of the wine and started to descend from the balcony. Her hair swayed as if each strand of hair that fluttered were slivers of moonlight. Once her foot touches a part of the air with each step, her magic creates a thin ice layer for footing. The voluptuous breasts swayed while her thin night gown swayed with the wind making you almost see what is underneath. She was like a goddess descending from the heavens.

She finally reached the ground and walked closer to Roth.

"What troubles you, my boy?" She smiled.

Her lips were now tinted with the purple wine which makes her look more seductive.

Roth was flabbergasted at the whole sight. He desperately needed to calm down as the woman in front of him was too alluring. She wore clothes that barely covers any skin, and were almost see-through! He could slightly see the two mounds on her breast and the strings used for her underwear. He looked down and started to breath heavily to calm him and 'himself' down.

*Pfft* "Hahaha" Lexia laughed and took another sip as she noticed his demeanor.

"I guess you are also becoming a man." She sat next to him.

"So, what's wrong?"

There was a brief silence and only the wind breeze could be heard.

"Lady Lexia, can you please wear proper clothes first?" Roth pleaded.

She pondered for a moment.

"No, and why are you acting like that anyway? I'm like your mother." She lightly knocked his head using the end of the bottle.

"Yes, but you are…" He hesitated as his words might hurt her.

Lexia poured another glass and took a sip.

"True…" She sighed, knowing what he meant.

Another moment of silence befell them.

"Why did it get so depressing? So, tell me what's wrong?" She decided to pursue the previous topic.

Roth obliged as the mood was dampening.

"It's about Ray." He sighed.

Lexia paused her drinking, intrigued by the mention of his son's name.

"Did both of you get into a fight? That's unusual."

She resumed drinking as she recollected her memories, but not a single moment that the two fought each other.

"No, you know we will never fight. And if we did… " Roth paused and looked at Lexia. "I will not do a thing."

Lexia smiled at the sweet boy, while Roth retracted his gaze immediately as he was tempted again.

"What is it about Ray then?" She gently swirled the wine in her glass.

He glanced at her.

"Don't get angry." His eyes darted back at the ground.

"Go on." Lexia agreed as her lips touched the glass.

"I think Ray is a little dumb." Roth frankly said to the boy's mother.

Lexia involuntary spat out the wine she was drinking and traced her outer lips to get rid of excess liquid.

"Sorry?" She wanted to repeat what she heard.

Roth fidgeted.

"I mean, not dumb dumb, but… " He scratched his head as he didn't know how to explain.

"But what? Any examples?" She filled her glass again.

"It's like he doesn't know, or maybe he knows but ignores that Lilian likes him." He explained.

"But I'm sure that he likes Lilian too. He looks at her with infatuation from time to time." He continued with a confused face.

Lexia finshed the glass, poured another, then finished it again.

"Not the boy too." She sighed in disbelief.

Lexia was distraught at this revelation and convinced herself that maybe it was just a coincidence or misjudgment.

"Can you be more specific?" Lexia inquired to be sure.

"Well, there was this one time where Lilian was inviting Ray to go stroll in the town when we were training. She looked at me hinting, that I wasn't included. Of course, I noticed the intent and didn't say a word. But, Raymond insisted that I come along. I tried to reason out that I have jobs assigned by Lord Glidal, but he was persistent and tried to negotiate with his father about this." He complained.

Lexia was silent and still drinking. Roth continued his rant.

"Another time, Lilian brought lunch. It was a basket full sandwiches she prepared for us. She was very eager to know what Ray's reaction to her cooking was. And did you know what he said?" Roth made Lexia guess.

Lexia pondered and sighed.

"Go on." She urged.

"He said directly to her face, Roth's was better." Roth cringed remembering this blunder.

Lexia started to crease her eyebrows and poured more wine.

"I mean, Lilian also has problems because she is headstrong but when she is met with a direct contact with Ray, she immediately retreats. But Ray…" Roth exhaled as if letting out pent up stress.

"Let me guess." Lexia said while crossing her legs.

"Ray can hold any conversation or any skin contact with Lilian right?" She asked for confirmation.

"Yes." He agreed.

"But once any romantic feeling or semblance was in place, he denies it. This is apparent especially when other people are involved - like this morning." She tilted her bottle and there was no more.

Lexia swapped the bottle with a new one and started pouring again.

"He is also oblivious to other girls. He is always headstrong and honest, a main point that Lilian probably like. He acts nonchalantly with Lilian but backs away when it's time to shoot." She started drinking again.

"How, how did you know?" Roth, shocked the pinpoint analysis of the Lady.

Lexia breathed a heavy sigh.

"He is exactly the same. No, maybe even worse that his father." She sadly looked at the wine dancing in her cup.

"What?!" Roth was shocked at this revelation. He didn't expect that the man he respected was like this too.

"But, Lord Glidal is –" He was cut off by Lexia's gloomy voice.

"The same Roth, he is the same." She ensured.

"I was the one who was making the moves until I cornered him." She laughed as the memory surfaced.

"He couldn't get any hints I dropped, he couldn't confront my feelings, but he would certainly do everything for me. That's what Glidal was like." She smiled.

Roth nodded at this and went into deep contemplation.

The wind whistled as both were in their thoughts.

"So I was thinking." Roth broke the silence.

"How would I make them both be together?" He voiced his desire to help.

Lexia took a shot and looked at the boy with warm eyes.

"Well, first don't rush things. You'll be looked as an annoyance if you do." She warned.

"Try to talk to Lilian first, and be her ally on this endeavor. Ray will surely decline any attempt and feign ignorance as 'just friends' anyway." She said her opinion.

"Since Ray wouldn't go with Lilian alone, and requires you to be there, just go. Like going to the town, tell Lilian you'll be providing support silently." She continued.

Roth was nodding as he heard this. It was an idea that never crossed her mind since he was always blatant about getting those two shy friends together.

"Alright, I'll talk to her tomorrow about this." He smiled as the thing that bothered him went away.

"Thank you Lady Lexia." He grinned at her.

"No problems." She started drinking.

"What about you Roth? Anybody interests you?" She was curious now.

"Hmm. Nobody yet really." He replied.

"Really? What about the maids, I heard most of them talk about you dreamily." She asked.

"It's just fun to tease them. But as far from feelings goes, nobody yet." Roth assured.

"What about me? Your little brother was acting up just a while ago." Her mouth exuded the sweet scent of alcohol.

Roth's face suddenly flared up at this embarrassing situation.

"Please, Lady Lexia, any man will react like this when you are revealing too much." He defended himself.

"Such a serious reply." She pouted.

They both stared to laugh at this nonsense.

"Alright then Roth, I'll see you in the morning. Good night." Lexia stood as she felt that nothing is left in conversation.

"Thank you. And Good night." Roth bowed and started to walk away.

"Ah! And Roth." Lexia called his attention.

"Come by here at the same time, and tell me how their progress is. Ok?" She continued.

"I'll be happy to!" He smiled and bowed again.

Roth's figure was gone and she drank the remaining wine in her glass. She dematerialized the glass that burst into tiny shards of ice. The bottle was placed back in the ring and, she ascended to the balcony the same way she went down.

Lexia took a last glance at the moonlight.

"It seems nighttime isn't going to be lonely anymore." She smiled.

She went into the room and straight on to the bed. Although Glidal wasn't there yet, she smiled peacefully as her pillow guided her to the land of dreams.

These nightly conversations would continue almost every day. Aside from Roth delivering gossip news to Lexia, it also became a place in which Roth could ask Lexia about problems he found in his three concepts.