Chapter 135 - Night (1)

Alexandra and Ferdinand are packing their things up as they were already finished with today's session. It lasted for like 3 hours and Alexandra was exhausted. It felt like all of her energy was drained out, although she was able to keep up and remember what her tutor said her head was aching because of all that information and knowledge. Ferdinand stood up as well as Alexandra and she bowed at him while saying, "Thank you for your hard work. See you again tomorrow," Was what she said as she kept her head low. Ferdinand showed a faint smile before he responded, "Thank you for your hard work too, young miss. I will see you again tomorrow," Alexandra lifted her head as he spoke.

She smiled at him, her eyes closing in the process and he turned his back against her before he walked towards the door of the room with Carlos standing on the side. He opened the door for him and closed it after he stepped outside. When Alexandra heard the sound of the door closing, she sat back down her seat and let out a sigh. She sounds like a person who just went through so many things today. "Young miss, would you like me to get you some water?" Carlos asked seeing Alexandra's current state. She looks like a vegetable, a dead one. Figuratively.

"No, it's okay. I just want to rest a little," Alexandra responded and she leaned back on her seat while closing her eyes hoping for her headache to go away. It has been 3 weeks, but no visit from Harrison. She doesn't know why, but she feels frustrated.

I want to talk to him.

--

After Alexandra ate her dinner, she was already heading towards her room along with Diana and Carlos as usual. She is going to take a bath before she goes to sleep as always. The walk towards her room was quiet, it feels like the sound of her footsteps alone was just like a bomb that exploded. This silence is making her uncomfortable but she doesn't know how to break it, she doesn't know what to talk about in this situation. Even if she did, the conversation will immediately end after a few seconds.

She wasn't exhausted or tired but she badly wants to sleep. She was rather feeling lazy today so just some small tasks or things would make her exhausted or tired. After a few minutes of walking, they finally arrived in front of the door of her room which was opened by Carlos. Diana and Alexandra entered the room while Carlos remained outside, standing still and on guard which is what he should and would do.

"Please wait there, young miss. I am going to prepare the bath for you first," Diana said in a gentle tone of voice as she smiled at Alexandra who smiled back at her also. Diana turned her heel around and she headed towards the bathroom door and she went inside. Alexandra walked towards the couch and sat on it while she waited for Diana to come out.

She recalled everything that happened for the past weeks. She was introduced to the people working inside the palace. Unexpectedly, they were nice and friendly just like what Diana, Carlos, and my father said. Although I still haven't met any palace wizards and healers aside from Rowan who would be walking around the palace or appear around her out of nowhere which would startle her. He has this cunning or teasing personality or attitude. But he isn't exactly a bad person because of that. His usual target is Isabella who is easily flustered despite her strong and carefree personality. You could either say they get along really well or they hate each other's existence.

The others are completely okay with me. I would talk to them if I saw them and they would happily respond to me. Sometimes, they would even give me candy or chocolate. Isn't that just sweet? Overall, nothing bad has happened… yet.

As Alexandra was spacing out, thinking about some things, she didn't notice that Diana was calling out to her trying to grab her attention as she stared at the ceiling. "Young miss?" Diana approached her as she called out to her once again. "Alexandra?" She stopped in front of her, a worried look across her face as she looked at the young miss who finally snapped out of her daze as her train of thoughts was cut off.

"Ah, Diana. Is the bath ready now?" Alexandra asked as she looked up to Diana with a gentle smile across her lips. "Are you okay, young miss?" Diana didn't answer her question but rather, she asked her with a gentle yet worried tone of voice. Alexandra hummed as she tilted her head to the side, a questioning look plastered across her face. "Yes, I'm okay. Why do you ask?" Alexandra responded but Diana just shook her head before she said, "Nothing. It's just that you weren't responding even though I called out to you multiple times already. Are you bothered about something? You can tell me anything," Diana said her tone of voice still worried.

"Ah, it's nothing. I am just thinking about something. About what Ferdinand taught me earlier, I was recalling all of it," Alexandra lied and smiled at her to reassure that everything is fine and alright. "If you say so, young miss," Diana said.

--

After taking a bath that lasted for like half an hour, Diana combed Alexandra's hair before she went to her bed and she tucked her in. Alexandra laid down her bed and watched Diana as she tucked her. "Diana," Alexandra called out to her in a low voice that sounded like a whisper but Diana was still able to hear it anyways. "Yes, young miss?" Diana responded and she looked at her as she sat down the bed. "Tell me a story, please," Alexandra pleaded. Perhaps that would make her fall asleep immediately right after.

"Hmmm… Then let me tell you about the story about the 'Three Little Pigs'," Diana said and smiled at Alexandra. Oh, that one, mother told me about that story once before when I was still 5, I think? She thought to herself. It's hard for her to recall the story now since it has been a long time when the last time she heard it. Diana took in a deep breath and let out slowly before she spoke.

"Once upon a time there was an old mother pig who had three little pigs and not enough food to feed them. So when they were old enough, she sent them out into the world to seek their fortunes. The first little pig was very lazy. He didn't want to work at all and he built his house out of straw. The second little pig worked a little bit harder but he was somewhat lazy too and he built his house out of sticks. Then, they sang and danced and played together the rest of the day," Diana's voice was gentle as always and her voice resonated inside the room. It was the only sound Alexandra hears inside her room. Somehow, Diana resembled someone for Alexandra but she doesn't know who.

Diana spoke once again, "The third little pig worked hard all day and built his house with bricks. It was a sturdy house complete with a fine fireplace and chimney. It looked like it could withstand the strongest winds. The next day, a wolf happened to pass by the lane where the three little pigs lived; and he saw the straw house, and he smelled the pig inside. He thought the pig would make a mighty fine meal and his mouth began to water. So he knocked on the door and said: Little pig! Little pig! Let me in! Let me in!" Diana would change her voice often and would act like she is one of the characters in the story. That made the story more interesting and made Alexandra eager to listen. Diana was also good at these things too.

But the little pig saw the wolf's big paws through the keyhole, so he answered back: 'No! No! No! Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin!' Then the wolf showed his teeth and said: 'Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down' So he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house down! The wolf opened his jaws very wide and bit down as hard as he could, but the first little pig escaped and ran away to hide with the second little pig,"

"The wolf continued down the lane and he passed by the second house made of sticks, and he saw the house, and he smelled the pigs inside, and his mouth began to water as he thought about the fine dinner they would make. So he knocked on the door and said: Little pigs! Little pigs! Let me in! Let me in! But the little pigs saw the wolf's pointy ears through the keyhole, so they answered back: No! No! No! Not by the hairs on our chinny chin chin! So the wolf showed his teeth and said: Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!" Diana stopped once again to take a deep breath and cleared her throat.

"So he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house down! The wolf was greedy and he tried to catch both pigs at once, but he was too greedy and got neither! His big jaws clamped down on nothing but air and the two little pigs scrambled away as fast as their little hooves would carry them. The wolf chased them down the lane and he almost caught them. But they made it to the brick house and slammed the door closed before the wolf could catch them. The three little pigs were very frightened, they knew the wolf wanted to eat them. And that was very, very true."

Diana continued, "The wolf hadn't eaten all day and he had worked up a large appetite chasing the pigs around and now he could smell all three of them inside and he knew that the three little pigs would make a lovely feast. So the wolf knocked on the door and said: Little pigs! Little pigs! Let me in! Let me in! But the little pigs saw the wolf's narrow eyes through the keyhole, so they answered back: No! No! No! Not by the hairs on our chinny chin chin! So the wolf showed his teeth and said: Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down,"

"Well, he huffed and he puffed. He puffed and he huffed. And he huffed, huffed, and he puffed, puffed; but he could not blow the house down. At last, he was so out of breath that he couldn't huff and he couldn't puff anymore. So he stopped to rest and thought a bit. But this was too much. The wolf danced about with rage and swore he would come down the chimney and eat up the little pig for his supper. But while he was climbing on to the roof the little pig made up a blazing fire and put on a big pot full of water to boil. Then, just as the wolf was coming down the chimney, the little piggy pulled off the lid, and plop! in fell the wolf into the scalding water. So the little piggy put on the cover again boiled the wolf up, and the three little pigs ate him for supper." Diana let out a sigh after she spoke.

And that was the end. Alexandra was paying attention to Diana the whole time as she spoke and she listened to the story. "That's all, young miss," Diana said and she yawned before she looked behind her to look at the clock placed in the wall and saw what time it was. "My, my, it's already past your bedtime. Go to sleep now, young miss. I don't want you looking exhausted or bothered the next morning because of not sleeping early," Diana stated after she saw the time and she stood up from her seat as she stretched her arms.

"Good night, young miss," Diana said and bent down to kiss Alexandra's forehead before she walked towards the door and turned off the lights. She opened the door and stepped outside, closing the door behind her as she did and left Alexandra alone inside her dark and quiet room.