Chapter 119

119 Enmity

“I haven’t been able to get in touch with my sister after she got married. I sent her a letter two days back. I am expecting a reply soon. But it would provide solace to my heart if I hear about her from you. How is my sister?” Alexander asked Hamilton after being seated on the sofa of his dorm room.

Hamilton gladly answered the worried brother, “I met the Queen just about a week ago. My mother had invited her to our residence for lunch. She looked happy.”

A soft smile appeared on his face when he recalled how she had admitted to having fallen in love with that mean cousin of his. So he further added, “And it seems like my cousin is treating her really well. She said that they had fallen in love.”

“Really?” Alexander’s eyes twinkled upon hearing that. It was the very thing that he wanted to hear.

“Yes, her Majesty said it herself.” Hamilton gave a nod and said, “My cousin is someone who is difficult, I will be honest with you. He isn’t someone who shows affection, nor does he expect it from others. But with her, he is different. He went against most of the councilmen and declared her his Queen.”

Alexander couldn’t express how happy he was to hear that. The prejudiced opinion that he had about his brother-in-law based on all the rumors that he had heard was slowly being replaced by a positive image that Hamilton was painting in his mind.

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And the desire to go and meet both his sister and brother-in-law increased further.

“I hope I will be allowed to enter the border of Sorvando. I really want to meet both of them,” he said to Hamilton.

Hamilton smiled and said, “I bet my cousin will welcome you with open arms. But I would like to warn you...” He finally took off the sunglasses that he was wearing to reveal his red eyes to Alexander.

.....

Alexander’s attention was instantly on those red pair of eyes.

And Hamilton continued, “Most of the residents of Sorvando have one thing in common. And that is our red eyes. People often associate red eyes with evil... I mean, some of us are evil. But I do hope that you won’t get scared by our looks.”

Unlike what Hamilton had thought, Alexander’s reaction was completely different. “You had been hiding those eyes all this while because you were afraid people would not like it?”

“Yes,” Hamilton truthfully replied.

And Alexander said with a subtle smile on his face, “If you ask me then I would say that those are really beautiful eyes. You should flaunt your uniqueness more often. Who knows? Maybe others will like it too?”

Hamilton smiled and comfortably leaned back on the sofa. “You know what? I am really glad that I met you. The Queen had mentioned that I reminded her of you. Now, I am really flattered to have been compared to you. You are a really fun person to be around.”

“She compared me with you, huh? Then I would love to know you more so that I can defend my position as her only brother,” Alexander playfully replied.

And Hamilton ended up bursting into laughter.

The two of them were getting along with each other and enjoying each other’s company when Everard came rushing inside the room.

“Alex! Are you okay?” he shouted as soon as he entered.

Alexander was somewhat startled by that sudden intrusion. “I’m okay. Where were you all this while? And...” He looked behind Everard and asked, “And where is that guest of yours?”

Everard glanced at Hamilton. His eyes were instantly captured by those blood-red eyes of Hamilton. Needless to say, he was repulsed by those predatory eyes. He was repulsed by Hamilton’s very presence in the room.

“Eve?” Alexander called him again, worried that the two of them would start to verbally quarrel with each other again. He didn’t understand why the two of them were so hostile towards each other.

Everard came and sat beside his friend so that he could directly face Hamilton. And rather than replying to the questions of his friend, he looked at Hamilton and asked in an off-putting way, “When are you leaving? Isn’t it already time for your bed? Or other activities that you do during the dark?”

Hamilton narrowed his eye at Everard upon hearing the last part of the question. “And what activities are you referring to, may I ask?”

Alexander gave a nervous laugh and placed his hand on Everard’s knee to ask him to stop talking. And he glanced at his friend and spoke for Hamilton, “We haven’t even had dinner yet. So, what’s the hurry? What about you? Will you also join us for dinner?”

“I have other places to be.” Everard turned his gaze at Hamilton and said, “Shall I escort you out while I am on my way?”

Hamilton chuckled in agitation. He already disliked Everard ever since that pungent smell entered his nose for the first time. And now, he was giving more and more reasons to dislike him further.

He gave a piercing gaze to Everard and asked without beating around the bush, “Why are you so eager to get rid of me? Shouldn’t you first be thanking me for safely bringing your woman here? Or whoever she is?”

Everard scoffed and replied while getting flustered, “First of all, she is not my woman. She is... she is someone I know. And secondly,” He looked at his friend and said with a smile, “We have an early morning class tomorrow. My friend here needs to get his sleep if he is to wake up in time.”

Alexander gave a corner-eyed look to Everard as if to say, ‘Really? The same old tactic I used?’

He knew that there was no early morning class the next day. So he dismissed what Everard had just said, “Don’t worry about the classes, Lord Hamilton. I am not letting you leave without having dinner with me. And if you aren’t planning on returning to Sorvando right away, might I also arrange a place for you to stay?”

Hamilton appreciated the gesture from Alexander. But he politely refused, “I think my coachman will have arranged a place for me by now. And as for the dinner...” He wrinkled his nose and said, “I am not really feeling hungry.”

Everard scoffed and rolled his eyes. And he mumbled to himself, all while glaring at Hamilton, “I bet you aren’t hungry. I ruined the mood for your dinner, didn’t I?”

Though Alexander didn’t hear Everard, Hamilton heard it all too well. He felt this sudden jolt of anger upon hearing how rudely Everard was talking to him.

And he asked Alexander while trying his best not to let the anger get reflected in his voice, “I’m sorry. Who is he again? Why does he think that he can talk to me when I am not interested in talking to him in the slightest? He doesn’t even know how to say a simple ‘thank you’ when I did a favor to him.”

“Eve?” Alexander looked at Everard and raised his brows. “He safely brought your guest here, didn’t he? I think you should be more polite to him. And why don’t you introduce yourself?”

Everard sighed and looked at Hamilton with disinterest. And he gave a fake introduction, “I’m Everton. Nice to meet you.”

Alexander glared at Everard and said with a stern voice, “Your real introduction, Eve. He is my relative.”

“Fine!” Everard rolled his eyes at his friend. He didn’t want to expose his true identity to a vampire. But at the same time, he couldn’t say no to his friend’s request when the request sounded more like an order.

So he glanced at Hamilton again. And this time, he gave his real introduction, “I am the Crown Prince of Xanmar, Everard Crestfire. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Hamilton’s ears perked up and his eyes had a hint of realization in them. He knew his history, obviously. The corners of his lips curved up but that simply hid how he was truly feeling at the moment.

And he said as politely as he could, “And everything finally makes sense. Almost everything.”

“I’m sure it does,” Everard also replied with a fake smile on his face. “And thank you, for bringing her to me. You were of great help today.”

Hamilton abruptly got up on his feet. And he replied while buttoning up his overcoat, “I am glad that I was of some help to the Crestfires.”

He then glanced at Alexander and said, “Thank you for inviting me to your place, Crown Prince Alexander. I had a lovely time. Maybe we can catch up tomorrow and you can show me around?”

“Yes, of course,” Alexander also got up and replied. “But I am still sad that I couldn’t host a dinner for you.”

Hamilton smiled and said, “Well, I am on a special diet. So, it’s okay, really.” He then put his sunglasses back on and said, “I will see you tomorrow then. When will you be free?”

“At around two in the afternoon,” Alexander replied.

Hamilton gave a nod. “I will see you at two then.”

He glanced at Everard and added sternly, “I would prefer to breathe properly, Crown Prince. I hope you will understand my problem and be considerate. And don’t worry, I will safely drop my Queen’s brother back here.”

“I sure hope so,” Everard replied and gave a mirthless smile.

When Hamilton finally left the room, Alexander looked at his friend and asked, “What was that all about? It sounded like some code language to me.”

Everard heaved a deep sigh of relief after the vampire was finally gone. And he replied, “Let’s just say that Xanmar and Sorvando have an ugly history.”

“Ugly history? And you two were hostile to each other because of something that happened in the past between your Kingdoms?” Alexander found that reasoning hard to believe.

Everard shrugged and nonchalantly replied, “I guess? Does it make sense to you if I say that I could feel the enmity in my blood?”

“Ugh! Whatever!” Alexander gave up trying to understand them. “Oh, by the way, where is that lady? And who is she?”

Everard also got up when he remembered where he had left Ruby. “Oh! Right! I had left her with Lorenzo. She’s... someone who needs my help and someone who I am responsible for.”