Chapter 198 - Flower of the Night (3)

"Why has the emperor still haven't appeared?"

"I am also wondering about that."

There were some whispers and murmurs that were heard as Calixader stood still beside a table with his younger brothers encircling the table. Gilbert wasn't here though, he told them that he would just take some fresh air when in truth is he just want to escape. Anywhere he laid his eyes on, they were always a group of people gathered in that spot as if they were talking or chatting with each other. He could tell by the group of girls encircled with each other on that one spot as they covered their mouths with the fans they were carrying that they were gossiping. Probably insulting or talking about the other people here in this ball. Calixander doesn't fancy balls and banquets like this, it's so boring and people just come here to show off or something.

What a nice birthday, he thought to himself as he took a sip from the glass of juice that he was holding since earlier when he entered. He was thirsty from talking and replying to those people who have greeted him, if his father was here, he would be the one who would handle all the talking and he would just listen. Speaking of his father, he still wasn't here just like what the guests have said. He wasn't confused or worried though as he already knows the reason why.

"Oh, Brother Gil! You're finally here!" He heard Christian's voice and he turned his head towards his direction and he saw Gilbert walking towards them. The cookie that he was holding earlier was gone from his hand. He was about to say something when a female who was around his age, she was wearing an off-shoulder blue ball gown, and her hair was tied half-up decorated with gems. The jewelry on her neck, wrists, and ears would sparkle whenever the light hits it and it looks expensive. She smiled at him, it was that kind of smile that he would always receive from girls who would try to flirt with him and would end up failing. That is Calixander that they are flirting with, flirting with him feels like you're talking with a wall.

"Blessings and Glory for the Queenilia Empire," She said in a sweet and gentle tone of voice as she gave him a bow to pay respect. He just nodded at her as a response.

"Are you having fun with the ball, your majesty?"

"Yes."

"Here is a present for you, I hope that you will like it."

"Thank you but you can place it at that table," He pointed at the table not far away from them with a mountain of gifts placed on top of it. Those gifts were all for him since it's his birthday. The girl just blushed at him and mumbled something underneath her breath, it feels like she was embarrassed but she let out a sigh before she spoke, regaining her composure in the process. "I would like to give it personally to you so that you would be able to remember who gave this, even though you don't know my name but at least you know the face of the person who gave this," Was what the girl said. She speaks fast and the red color of her cheeks became darker as she spoke.

Calixander let out a sigh and took the gift from her hands, thanking her once again. He doesn't want to look like a jerk and force her to just place it on that table when she gathered all of the courage just to talk to him. He placed it on top of the table that was beside him. He heard the girl spoke once again, this time she was stuttering.

"T-There are so many g-girls in this ball, is there anyone here who you think is beautiful in your eyes and caught your attention?"

It feels like she was a reporter or journalist because of her question. He just hummed, not knowing what to say. He looked at his brothers who were near him at the corner of his eyes and saw them just talking with each other as if they were ignoring him and letting him suffer in this situation on purpose. How nice, are we even siblings?

He was about to say something when a commotion happened. The commotion that he has been waiting for even before the ball has started. The door found on the long and grand-looking staircase with a red carpet laid on it was opened with a loud bang, earing everyone's attention and making them turn their heads in that direction. Even he and his brothers' couldn't help but turn their heads in that direction even though they already know what is happening.

There they saw the emperor along with a girl dressed in all red. The girl was wearing a red tail dress that was off the shoulders, the front was open and you could see her red doll shoes up to her knees. The long tail of the dress reached the floor, it was clear that her dress was made out of georgette fabric. Composing the dress with multiple layers of it, and on the upper torso part of her dress, there were flowery designs. Her platinum-colored hair was braided and tied on double low buns. It was decorated with a few flower hair accessories with its color almost the same as her dress. It made a great contrast with the color of her hair. The gloves that her hands were wearing was white.

It was like she was the flower of this ball, of this night.

It was Alexandra along with their father, the emperor of this land who has entered. He opened his mouth to speak, grabbing the attention of the girl standing in front of him who was staring at the girl with wonder and curiosity in her eyes.

"You were asking me earlier who I think is the most beautiful girl I have seen in this ball."

"Huh? Ah, y-yes!"

"It's her. My younger sister."

--

A few minutes before that.

Alexandra left the living room with Carlos following behind her. Diana wasn't needed anymore so she just parted ways with them and went to the kitchen where most of the maids are. Alexandra was nervous and anxious but it's not that bad, thanks to what Gilbert told her earlier before he left. The sound of her footsteps was unbelievably loud as if it was pounding against her ears like a hammer.

"Young miss, are you nervous?" She heard Carlos say behind her. "Sort of but it's not that bad, I can manage. I just can't help it, it's my first ball and this is the first time that I will appear in public after so many years," She responded.

"Well, I completely understand, I'm sure that someone already told you to not be afraid and nervous. So I'm not going to say that but even so, if someone dared to insult or hurt you in that ball, just remember that you have me as your personal knight, I will beat them up for you," She could imagine how wide the grin on Carlos' face is.

Well, aside from the permission that was given to him by her father: 'If someone dared to insult the miss, don't hesitate to threaten or hurt that person. If someone decided to hurt the miss, pay that person back, 5 times the pain that she had felt. If someone tried to kill her, chase that person down and kill that person. Even if that someone is royalty, a noble, or someone with high status, do not hesitate. I gave you the permission to do so as her personal knight,' he's also the vice-captain of the Royal Knights so it would be bad if they dared to do it.

A soft giggle escaped Alexandra's lips before she responded to Carlos in a gentle yet joyful tone of voice, "I'll be looking forward to it," Was what she said and before she knew it, she already arrived in front of the door where she will pass through and make her entrance. There she saw her father standing in front of the door, fixing the sleeves of his shirt as if he wasn't comfortable with it. His personal knight and assistant were standing near him and when they noticed her, they informed him about it.

Her father stood there with all its glory, it feels like they were sparkles on his background which he didn't notice. Behind him, his knight was wearing a different uniform but it was almost the same as Carlos. His assistant was wearing something simple, it felt like he just wore the same clothing that he wore back then when they greeted the princes for their return from the academy which was last month but it was a different color. However, she doesn't have any complaints as the look on his face tells her that he was forced to come or attend this event. Well, he's his assistant after all.

I feel bad for him but it's not like I can do anything to help, she just shrugged those thoughts off and returned her gaze at her father and she found him staring at her as if he was observing her. Alexandra smiled at him and walked towards his direction calling out to him once she stood in front of him. "Daddy," Her smile widened.

"Are you ready? We can't waste any minute now," Her father said to which Alexandra nodded as a response. He faced the door and she stood beside him, facing the same direction that he was facing. Their knights and his assistant stood behind them as always. Her father offered her his hand and he cleared his throat, grabbing her attention and she noticed the hand that he held out to which she smiled first before she placed her hand on top of his. They were wearing gloves so she couldn't tell if his hand was warm or cold.

The guards who were standing on each side of the door nodded at each other, they reached out for the knob of the door and they gently swung it open. Alexandra could hear the sound of her heart pounding against her ribcage loudly and fast as the scene from the inside of the ball was being revealed to them. She and her father took a step and walked inside.

At first, she was greeted with a blinding light to which she blinked her eyes multiple times just to adjust her vision with the brightness of the room and when she did, they were already walking down the stairs, carefully. She noticed that everyone was looking at their direction, mainly at her and she could tell that they were confused and curious about who she is. She could tell just by their expression on what they are thinking.

They stared at her in awe, their mouths slightly agape. Aside from them being confused, they were also shocked by seeing the emperor make his entrance with a girl while their hands were on top of each other. But if you stared at them for longer, you could tell that they look like each other because of their eyes and structure of their face though Alexandra looked gentler and softer than her father who held an expressionless look on his face.

And soon, murmurs and whispers erupted from their mouths. They were whispering to the people who were standing beside or near them while looking at her. She doesn't know if it was still a whisper as she could hear it clearly.

"Who is she?"

"She looks like a doll."

"She looks like the late empress."

"Did the emperor did it with another woman after her highness, the late empress, died?"

"Shhh, his highness might hear you. You might be punished because of that."

"Is she a member of their family?"

"That's impossible, their bloodline only has males. Why would they have a female?"

"But she has those gem-like blue eyes and platinum-colored hair."

��I'm confused."

"I'm shocked rather than confused."

"There was no prophecy or something that tells us that their bloodline will only have males, why are you all surprised?"

"Are you an idiot? It was written on their history book which, was quite thin that what I have expected, that they only have males composing their bloodline."

"But was it written there that they will only have males?"

"Shut up, I'm sure that his highness will say something about this and if she was actually their daughter, I'm sure that they have a reason on why they hid her for a long time."

Their mere whispers and murmurs turned into an argument as their voice became louder. It feels like just her dream earlier. Alexandra took one last step and they arrived on the very ground of the place. Her father was still holding her hand that was placed on top of his and it was tight but it wasn't tight enough, as if he was telling her that he's here. Alexandra looked around the place and she spotted her brothers not far away from her, Christian waved at her and Alexandra nodded and smiled as she slightly waved at him before she returned her gaze to the front.

Her father cleared his throat before he spoke in a loud voice everyone could hear, his voice echoed and resonated inside the room.

"Everyone, I apologize for making my appearance just now. I'm sure that you're all confused about the identity of the girl beside me right now. Let me keep it short and tell you all, this is mine and my late wife's daughter which I have kept hidden for a long time, Alexandra Alice Elizabeth Everly."