Chapter 73 - Challenge

"What?" His voice was low but Alexandra was able to hear it clearly. His cold voice rang inside her ears and sent a chill down her spine, the way he looks at her, he looked like he was annoyed. Alexandra gulped and her palms sweated. She completely forgot what she was about to say when she heard his voice. Crap, crap, crap, crap, what do I do? What do I say? She asked inside her head. She was reckless and she didn't think about what she should say to him.

Crap, he looks annoyed, she thought to herself and tried to calm down her racing heart. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm herself down and regain her composure. Even Carlos was struck still at her position and doesn't know what to do, he can't find the right words to say. The miss looks so determined to speak to him, I don't want to stop her but at the same time I want to, Carlos thought inside his mind as he looked at Alexandra then at Prince Chandler's personal knight who was staring at Alexandra with a shocked yet amazed expression plastered on his face.

What was Prince Chandler's personal knight's name again? I think it was Cortez or something, Carlos said as he stared at him. Prince Chandler's personal knight was rather a calm, carefree, and gentle one. He doesn't hate Alexandra but at the same time, he doesn't like her, what he felt towards him was neutral. Thankfully, he didn't react like how Gilbert's personal knight reacted. He was one of the knights who knew about Alexandra's existence. There are less than 10 personal knights including normal or ordinary knights who know about Alexandra's existence. Lysander, the emperor's personal knight, he was probably the first one. Alexandra's personal knight—Carlos, Christian's personal knight—Gabriel, Gilbert's personal knight—Philip, Chandler's personal knight—Cortez, and Gilbert's personal knight—Christopher. Those were the personal knights who knew about Alexandra's existence.

"Stop calling out to me if you aren't going to say anything, annoying," Prince Chandler said before he turned his around and looked ahead of him. He was about to take a step down the stairs when Alexandra shouted making him stop: "Wait!"

Prince Chandler looked like he was ticked off. "Could you please stop calling out to me when you aren't just going to say anything?! It's so annoying!" He said and he completely turned around, he was annoyed but Alexandra didn't do anything bad. Is his patience really this short? Alexandra asked herself and she gulped. She opened her mouth to speak but what came out was a shout.

"I will prove to you that I'm not that type of person that you thought!" Her voice sounds so determined and the expression that was on her face was rather a brave and determined one. However, when she realized what she said, she panicked inside her head. She remained still at her position with the same expression. Carlos was dumbfounded yet amazed that she was able to say that regardless of what happened earlier.

Prince Chandler pursed his lips into a thin line and before he turned around he spoke, "Do whatever you want," That was like an approval but at the same time inviting her to a challenge to see if she really can prove it. He went down the stairs but his personal knight stared at Alexandra. Alexandra looked at the personal knight and their eyes met, he smiled warmly and gently before he turned around and followed the prince walking down the stairs. The sound of their footsteps resonated and rang inside Alexandra's ears and when they were fully out of their sights, Alexandra and Carlos heaved a sigh of relief at the same time.

"You were brave, Miss. I never expected for you to do that," Alexandra heard Carlos say after he sighed. She looked at him at the corner of her eyes, "I, too, was shocked at what I did," Alexandra replied back as she recalled what she just said earlier.

"I will prove to you that I'm not that type of person you thought!" It rang inside her mind, what expression was I making? Was it a fearful one? Was I smiling? Did I look pale? She asked inside her head. But one thing was for sure, what she did was completely an act of bravery. She never expected that she was that brave. However, she doesn't know how to prove it to him.

It was brave and reckless, what she did was totally brave and reckless. How can I prove it to him when I completely don't know where I can find him and he is close with Prince Calixander, what if I happen to bump into him while I was talking with Prince Chandler? This is stressing, I wish I could take my words back, she thought to herself. But what I said was also the right thing and the best thing because what other good things can I say to him other than that? And that is what I want to do to him, to prove that I'm not wicked or a bad person. The only problem is how maybe I could ask or gain some information at older brother Christian and probably older brother Gilbert too, she thought. A serious expression plastered on her face.

"Miss?" Carlos called out to her when he noticed that she was quiet and not speaking. She didn't even move from her position and just remained still. Alexandra's train of thoughts was cut off when Carlos called out to her. She was pulled back to reality. "Y-Yes?" She responded and turned her head towards Carlos, looking at him, her eyes blinked multiple times as she spoke.

Carlos smiled at her before he replied back, "Do you want to go back to the library now?" That wasn't a question, rather it was a request since they have been standing here for a while, not doing anything but just stare at somewhere. Alexandra realized that they were still standing and remained still at their position, so she nodded and smiled back at him. She turned around and walked back to the library while Carlos followed behind her quietly.

--

"You're back!" Christian said in a loud tone of voice. He was glad that Alexandra was able to come back completely fine. There was a sense of relief coming from his tone of voice and Gilbert just darted their eyes in their direction. Alexandra smiled at him and walked towards the direction of her desk. "Yeah," Was what Alexandra said before she sat down her seat and heaved a sigh. Carlos followed her and stood still beside the desk.

"What did you tell him?" Christian asked in a curious tone of voice. A curious expression plastered on his face as he spoke, Alexandra hummed first before she responded. "Something about telling him that I'm not the type of person he thought then proving it to him," Alexandra responded in a gentle tone of voice and Christian's eyes widened in shock. He looked at Gilbert who had the 'I-Told-You' expression plastered on his face. Alexandra is really brave, unexpected, and reckless, he thought to himself and looked back at Alexandra who was flipping the pages of the book she was holding. It was the one she read earlier but have to stop because she needs to go back to their palace to eat her lunch.

But it's not a bad thing, he said inside his mind and a genuine smile crept up his lips. "By the way, will you borrow that book?" Christian asked as he looked at the book Alexandra was reading. Alexandra turned her head towards his direction and thought for a moment. She smiled at him as she shrugged, "Probably If I can't finish it today. But I can probably finish this since it's just thin and there are only a few pages left," Alexandra said and flipped the page to the next one. "I see, I already finished mine," Christian responded and Alexandra diverted her attention away from the book, she whipped her head at his direction with her eyes wide in shock. "That fast?!" She asked and looked at the book that was placed on top of his desk, right in front of him.

"It's not that thick, so I was able to finish it. Besides, I am a fast reader," Christian replied as he laughed shortly after. Well, that makes sense, Alexandra thought as she nodded multiple times. She was about to return her attention back to her book and continue reading when somebody suddenly entered or emerged out of the bookshelves which surrounded them. The familiar face of a person wearing the same uniform as Carlos and the other personal knights inside the room greeted her sight. The expression that was plastered on his face was a gentle one but at the same time, it looked serious.

Right, he was father's personal knight—Lysander. What is he doing here? Alexandra asked herself and stared at the personal knight who just arrived. Gilbert and Christian's attention was on him too and they wondered why he was here instead of standing beside their father accompanying him as he did many things. "Blessings and Glory for the Queenilia Empire," He said first as he bowed to show respect. He spoke in his usual tone of voice and Alexandra just stared at him.

Lysander lifted his head up and cleared his throat before he spoke, "His Highness wishes to see you at the courtyard for his afternoon tea party, Prince Gilbert can come too if he wants. That is all," He said before he bowed as he said, "May the Queenilia's sun shine down upon you," He turned his back against them and started to walk away. Alexandra completely forgot about the tea parties she would usually have with her father in the afternoon. He was so busy in the past few days that he failed to have his afternoon tea with her.

She misses having tea parties especially eating the desserts or sweets but she just ate earlier with Harrison. Well, it's not bad to eat some more, right? I hope my teeth would be fine after eating so many sweets in a day, I'll just drink plenty enough of water like what would Diana tell me and brush my teeth longer this night, she thought to herself and got up her seat. Leaving the book behind her desk. Is older brother Gilbert coming? I think he will not since he doesn't like those type of things and would prefer to read somewhere alone, Alexandra thought to herself and heaved a sigh as she waited for Christian to walk up to her.

"Prince Gilbert, are you going with them? Well, you prefer to read alone, so—" Gilbert's personal knight, Philip was cut off shortly by Gilbert who stood up and responded with only two words which made Alexandra's eyes widen in surprise, Christian was struck still at his position as he completely stopped on his tracks.

"I'm going," That was what he said before he walked off on his own but stopped mid-way and tilted his head back to look at Alexandra and Christian, meeting both of their shocked gazes. "What? Are you coming or not?" Gilbert asked before he continued walking. Gilbert is coming with us? Is this for real? Alexandra asked herself and snapped out her thoughts when Gilbert completely out of their sight and left them behind.

"Wait!" Alexandra shouted and ran after him along with Christian, afraid to be left behind. She has completely caught up to him after a few seconds, Gilbert slowed down his pace, that's why. They are now walking at a steady pace now and Alexandra looked around the place, looking for Lysander's figure. It just has been a minute or two after he left but he's already gone or he was completely out of their sight. He probably teleported to where their father is.

--

Upon arriving at the courtyard, Alexandra saw his father patiently sitting on his usual chair with the table filled with all sorts of cakes which made Alexandra's mouth water. "Papa! I missed you!" She ran towards his direction and stopped an inch away from him. There was a huge grin plastered on Alexandra's face and her eyes darted at the sweets, and then at his father who had his usual expression plastered on his face. Lysander was standing not far away from them.

"We just saw each other earlier morning but why are you acting like we haven't seen each other for years?" Alexander asked, a frown placed upon his lips as he stared down at his daughter who was looking up to him with that same friendly yet idiotic expression plastered on his face. "This is how I usually act around you, papa!" Alexandra said and ran towards her seat. Christian and Gilbert were already sitting on their seats and looking at the sweets placed on the table. Alexander's eyes darted at Gilbert's direction, "I didn't expect that you will come today, Gilbert," Their father said in his usual tone of voice. Alexander was rather talkative today, to be honest. Normally, he would remain silent and just start sipping his tea. Gilbert just nodded his head as a response but the expression on his face was rather gentle and soft.

And thus, their tea party began. The atmosphere which surrounded them was light and bubbly, Christian and Alexandra happily talked with each other about the new books in the library and once in a while Gilbert would butt in and tell his honest opinions but it wasn't bad. Their father would just listen to their conversation while sipping his tea as always.

Carlos was proud, seeing them 4 together happily talking with each other. Having that type of atmosphere that makes it seems like they are treating each other like family disregarding what they call Alexandra. If this continues, then everything will be back to where it once was, he thought to himself as a gentle and joyful smile plastered on his lips. I really hope that the miss could do it.