Chapter 103 - Decisions (1)

Eventually, Carlos and Alexandra arrived in front of the huge wooden door with a golden knob. Carlos was the one who knocked and spoke, "Your highness, Alexandra has arrived," Was what he said before they heard a voice coming from the inside: "Come in."

Carlos held the golden knob of the door and he twisted it open as he gently swung the door, revealing what was the inside. The usual silent and dull atmosphere of the room greeted her as she entered while she roamed her eyes around, a golden chandelier hanging in the middle of the ceiling which brightly lit the whole room. Alexandra's eyes darted at the person sitting behind the desk with papers stacked on top of it. He was still working, reading, and signing all of those papers even at this time of the night where he should have been resting or sleeping. Lysander was standing still beside the desk, looking at Alexandra with a blank gaze.

"Good evening, papa," She greeted her father who was still reading a document. She grabbed his attention causing him to put down the paper he was holding and looked at her with the same cold gaze but it didn't scare her or something. "What is it that you want to tell me?" Alexandra asked, her voice was gentle and it was laced with curiosity. She was anxious and curious about what he would tell her. Alexander let out a sigh before he spoke, "I have been thinking about this for a while," He said and stopped.

Alexandra's heart was racing and she gulped, waiting for the next thing he will say. What is it? What is he going to tell me? Why is he taking so slow in speaking? Why does it feels like I'm in a competition and he is going to announce the winner? Drum roll please, she thought to herself. She can't breathe properly as she waited for him to speak. It feels like this was their first meeting but they are sort of closer this time and they aren't this pressure in the atmosphere but she was still anxious. She fidgeted and played for her fingers as she stared at her father.

"Since you already got close to your brothers, sort of you managed to get close with them. You established a good relationship with them. However, you would always limit yourself when going here. Sometimes, there is a specific time or day that you have to go here in order to not be caught or be seen by other people. I think I should not be keeping you in the dark anymore," He said. Alexandra's eyebrow creased as he tried to decipher what he said inside her head. She doesn't know what he is talking about and she can't completely understand what he was trying to say. Pardon? What does he mean by that? I know that I got close to my brothers and what about it?

Carlos listened to every word the emperor said and after connecting all the dots and clues even if there were only a few of it, his eyes widened in shock and realization. It feels like he was struck by a flash of lightning when he realized what her father was trying to say. However, Alexandra remained confused.

"I don't know what you are trying to say, papa," Alexandra said, confusion written all over her face. Carlos grinned and he looked at the emperor who was staring at Alexandra, his gaze gentle yet cold. His features softened as he stared at her. Just like how a father would stare at her daughter. Then he opened his mouth to speak and what came out from his mouth completely shocked Alexandra.

"I've been thinking about introducing you to everyone," Was what he said.

Alexandra's jaw dropped and she blinked multiple times, trying to process what he just said. Just those 8 words greatly affected her and did some great impact on her, she felt what Carlos felt earlier. It feels like she was being struck down by lightning as she processed everything. She looked confused and shocked. She was speechless, she doesn't know what to say. What does he mean by everyone? As in everyone in this empire? Am I going to have my debut? But as who? She asked herself multiple questions which she knows she can't answer by herself. This was unexpected, truly unexpected.

"Everyone? As in EVERYONE?" She asked, emphasizing the word 'everyone'. "Not literally everyone, just the people inside the palace. You don't have to worry, I only have a few staff including the guards and palace wizards. There are only like 25 of them in total, they are all friendly," Alexander responded nonchalantly. Wow, that's less than I thought but still… Why does he want to introduce me to everyone suddenly?

Her question was answered when he spoke once again. "Keeping you in the dark would be better but if I have decided to introduce you to everyone when you're older, then that would cause some confusion and problems, so it's better for them to know you early, as much as possible. We should start at the smallest and that's the people inside the palace, the servants and such. I have talked to the Elders about this and all of them approved, thinking that this was a better decision. I am going to introduce you as my daughter," He said and the last thing that he said shocked Alexandra. She can't believe what she just heard from him. He's going to tell everyone that I'm his daughter? Is he for real? Am I dreaming? Is one of my dream or goals going to happen?

"Of course, there are still going to be problems but it would just be minor ones. I assure you that everyone here is friendly and they won't do anything stupid to harm you, although they would be distant at first. There is no prophecy or something telling that you are cursed or you are the one who will cause the destruction of the empire. Even if at first, I thought of you as a curse, I was just overwhelmed by my emotions at that time. I apologize," He was being sincere and that made Alexandra blink in surprise. The Elders, being the people who are more experienced than him, has decided to tell him that he should be sincere even just for once and told him that his children inherited his cold personality or nature, they find it annoying, it feels like there were 4 Alexanders. Excluding Christian of course.

She felt warm and light, it was the feeling of success, the feeling of able to reach and achieve one of your goals. But…

"But I still need your decision or opinion, you can think about it for the moment and give me your answer tomorrow or the next day," He said.

--

Alexandra and Carlos were already on their way back to the palace, Alexandra was clearly distracted as she walked. Everything that happened earlier, it was unexpected and shocking. It was like she just woke up in the morning, feeling refreshed than ever when a bomb suddenly decided to land in her house.

"Miss Alexandra?" He called out to her, grabbing her attention and pulling her back to reality. "Yes?" She responded, not looking back at him but instead straight ahead of her. "Are you thinking about what your father told you earlier?" He asked in a gentle voice. His voice sounded loud and it rang inside Alexandra's ears, "Yes. I wasn't expecting that, to be honest. I didn't think that he would do that and think of me as her daughter, I thought he still hated me or something," She responded.

A smile crept up Carlos' lips, "I told you before already. His highness, your father, is slowly starting to love you and think of you as his daughter. Even I was shocked when he suddenly said," He said in a reassuring tone of voice. "Yeah…" Her voice trailed off. There were multiple thoughts running inside her head, completely distracting her and pulling her away from reality. She was tired and sleepy from all of these. It isn't like she was sad or annoyed because of what her father told her earlier, she was happy but she was thinking about how the people would react finding out who she is. Suddenly appearing 7 years later after the empress, the emperor's beloved wife, passed away.

"Are you thinking about what the people would say or react when his highness would introduce you as his daughter?" Carlos said as if he read what was inside Alexandra's mind. Alexandra didn't respond and just continued walking. Carlos let out a sigh before he spoke once again. "The people in the palace are definitely friendly and you can easily approach them but they are distant and aware of you first, they will think that you're danger but they aren't that mean who would push you away or call you mean names. However, if you talk with them every day and act like how you are when you're talking with your brothers, your father, Diana, me or even someone you are close with, they would get close with you. Besides, they aren't stupid enough to do some things that would harm you knowing that his highness would get angry and fire them," Carlos explained.

"But your opinion or decision will still be respected and followed," Carlos added and silence surrounded them as they walked back to the palace. The cold breeze gently blew and caressed her bare skin, it felt soothing and calming. The night was quiet and you could hear the sound of crickets, the Wistalia Trees were glowing and Alexandra smiled seeing the sight of it. Somehow, what Carlos told her helped her and removed all of her doubts.