Hot debate.

The chill of the autumn air whipped past Alexander's sweaty skin as he gasped for air.

"How… How is this dancing?" He wheezed, grabbing Karl's shoulder tightly. 

Karl smirked as he looked over his shoulder.

"My mother taught me to dance, ya jerk."

Alexander swallowed. 

"Your mother was trying to kill you then."

"Bold move to train your opponent." 

Karl chuckled before turning to see Jules grinning. 

"Or did you feel pity for Sir Alexander?"

"Pity?"

Karl raised an eyebrow. 

"I felt that for you."

Karl and Alexander laughed, but it was short-lived. Alexander groaned under the weight of his aching muscles. 

"Ahh…" 

Jules crossed his arms. "Serves you right, though I wonder…" he raised a hand to massage his chin.

"Hm?" Alexander replied, straightening up.

"Louise and Elizabeth may be able to teach you a thing or two about grace." Jules's grin was sly, and his eyes narrowed.

Why, you little shit.

"Leave them out of this," Alexander replied, "I've had enough at lunch."

Karl smirked. 

"You'll have to confront them eventually, or they'll eat you alive."

Alexander groaned, running a hand through his damp hair. "Why does it matter? Why do they care?" 

"Isn't it obvious?" Jules asked.

Alexander stared blankly, "Obviously not."

"You're a familiar guy, close in age and destined for greatness." Karl chimed, "If anything, I'd be worried if they weren't after you."

Jules nodded. "Exactly; you never had a choice, Sir Alexander."

Alexander frowned. "I don't care what either of you say; I'm my own man, with my own plan."

"You're an idiot."

"A fool, if you will."

Alexander rolled his eyes.

Was he being an idiot?

Probably.

Did he care?

No.

"Alright, ladies, time for our daily run!" Raphael threw his hands in the air emphatically, with a laugh that echoed for miles.

Everyone groaned.

— — —

Alexander stepped into the student council building, his eyes narrowed as he massaged his neck.

"Hi, Alex," Elizabeth tilted her head as she smiled warmly. How was practice?"

"Terrible." Alexander stated bluntly, "Raphael had gone mad."

Elizabeth giggled, "has he?"

"Yeah, the guy has us dancing for our festival event and says it'll be a 'competition.'" Alexander made air quotations.

"Oh, that is mad," she nodded, "though I must admit, I'd love to see you dance."

Alexander raised an eyebrow, "you'd be disappointed, I suck." 

He sighed, stepping towards Elizabeth. 

"This whole thing is stupid."

Elizabeth hummed. "It must be exhausting."

Alexander grabbed the bridge of his nose. 

"You don't know the half of it. Everything I do gets turned upside down…" 

He sat beside Elizabeth, "…like normalcy just hates me, you know?"

Elizabeth leaned close. "I know," she said smoothly, reaching for his hand. "But you've handled yourself well; if nothing else, you're resilient."

"Resilient," Alexander mumbled. I wish I were rich and powerful, strong enough to keep to myself." 

He leaned back in his seat, Elizabeth's fingers locking against his. "Instead, I have to play by everyone's rules, not my own."

"That does sound nice, to play by your own rules." Elizabeth admitted, "But you know, that's what friends are for."

"Allies to grow your influence, and what's more influential than a princess?"

Alexander blinked before turning to meet Elizabeth's gaze. 

"You…" he tried to speak, but words failed him.

Her pink eyes twinkled with an unrelenting intensity.

"I?" Elizabeth asked teasingly.

Alexander's lips flipped between a frown and a smirk. 

"I know what you're doing." He replied with narrowed eyes. 

"But you aren't winning, understand?"

Elizabeth giggled. "I do."

God damn it, she's playing me.

Alexander smiled. "I'm serious, Elizabeth; I want nothing to do with your little schemes."

"Okay." She chuckled before brushing a strand of hair from her face.

The duo exchanged a long silence, struggling to maintain a straight expression.

Eventually, Elizabeth broke the silence.

"It's getting late now. Should we go?"

Alexander nodded, standing up while yawning. 

"Yeah, let's go." 

He helped Elizabeth out of her seat before leading her outside in the cool autumn air. 

The day had been exhausting, and sleep was all he had in mind. 

— — —

The next day, while walking to lunch, Louise confronted Alexander again.

"I couldn't help but notice you following after Elizabeth yesterday evening," Louise stated, crossing her arms. "Still too ignorant to see she's playing you?"

Here we go…

Alexander exhaled sharply. "Louise, I just want to eat in peace, please." 

"Oh please," Louise said with a scoff, "if you wanted peace, you wouldn't be eating in a place like this."

Alexander looked around, "what? Where else am I supposed to eat? Louise…"

"Use your mind before it falls between your ears." Louise muttered, "Or has your brain become mush?"

Alexander bit his lip as he fought back the urge to scream. 

"What our friend meant to say is, why don't we have lunch in the library? Just the three of us."

Louise's friend Anna stood at Alexander's side, smiling warmly as she nudged my shoulder. 

I raised an eyebrow. " The library?" he asked skeptically. I didn't even know you could eat there."

Does this mean I could eat anywhere?

"Well, you can," Anna chimed, "and we'd appreciate it if you did."

Alexander crossed his arms, "what's the catch?" 

"There is no catch, you idiot; it's better than that ghastly place anyway."

"Huh?"

"We don't want Her Highness involved." Anna corrected.

"We'd like the chance to talk without distractions. To get on the same page."

Alexander glanced between the two girls.

"You want to eat lunch with me to avoid Elizabeth and the others?"

Louise rolled her eyes. "You talk like you can't function without her."

Alexander pulled his lips back. 

Anna chuckled, "Just this once, Alexander; think of it as meeting on neutral ground."

Alexander sighed, massaging his jaw as he narrowed his eyes. 

Part of him wanted to ignore Louise out of spite. Primarily because of the way she acted, like she owned everything and he was at fault.

But he was curious about Louise's sudden change in behavior, too. 

Well, if it's only one meeting.

"Alright." Alexander relented, "lead the way."

Anna beamed. "You won't regret it."

"I doubt that," Alexander muttered with a chuckle.

"About time," Louise grumbled. 

Anna led the group to the library, a calm place with a comfortable atmosphere. 

It was quiet, with only a few students scattered about the room.

Anna led the group to a secluded corner in the back. Next to a large glass window and shelf of books. 

Louise was the first to take her seat at the table near the window, with Anna sitting beside her and Alexander sitting across.

With everyone settled, Alexander was the first to break the silence. "So, what's with the sudden interest in my life?

Louise frowned, "isn't it obvious? You're being played for a fool." She hissed.

Alexander sighed. "This again."

"It's true, you let Elizabeth drag you around like a pet. From practice to class and lunch. You barely, if ever, resist her."

"And what do you know, Louise? Because from where I'm sitting, that's just being a good friend."

Louise laughed bitterly. 

"Don't let your idiocy show. Elizabeth is anything but a friend. You'd see it if you weren't so enamored with her."

Alexander exhaled slowly. "See what, Louise?"

"That she's using you. Why do you think she touches you so much? It's not for kindness; it's to establish dominance."

To establish dominance, is this girl serious?

Alexander chuckled. "Goddess, you're starting to sound jealous. Is this what this is about?"

Louise frowned with a glare. "You should be thanking me. I've had every right to let Elizabeth's influence swallow you."

Alexander leaned back in his seat. 

"Oh. Is that why you ignored me for a month? Is that why you called me names? Is it because I should be thankful?"

He scoffed. 

Louise was always difficult, but she kept to herself. Or she did, before suddenly deciding to play hero.

"Louise, you're a real piece of work. Do you know that?" 

Louise tightened her fist as her eyes flared with frustration. "I ignored you because you're dense!" She barked, "I didn't want to waste my breath on deaf ears, yet here I am arguing with you."

Alexander shook his head. "This isn't an argument. You are jealous because Elizabeth knows how to use her words."

"How dare you?!"

Alexander leaned forward, "I dare because if you think I'm going to sit here and take your worthless jabs for thirty minutes…"

Alexander stood up, his chair screeching against the marble floor. "…you're dead wrong, I'm done."

Louise flicked a hand at Alexander, "Run then, you coward." 

Alexander ignored her, storming out of the library while rolling his shoulders. 

He should've known how this would end, but that's fine. 

Louise wouldn't fool him again.

Anna dropped her face into her hands. "Goddess Louise, you couldn't stay calm for five minutes?"

Louise crossed her arms. "It's not my fault."