99 After (2)

Alexandra already returned to the palace with Carlos, so that she could have dinner after spending most of her time at the library in the Diamond Palace, reading books and talking with Christian. Thoughts about what her father told her earlier while they were having their tea party ran inside her mind, non-stop, bothering her even while she was reading with Christian earlier at the library. What does father want to say to me? He told me that he isn't going to hurt me or something, is it something serious? Have I done something wrong? As far as I can remember, I didn't do anything wrong for the past few days because if I did, Carlos would have told me about it and warn me, she thought to herself while walking down the stairs as she heads towards the dining room.

"Carlos," She called out to her personal knight who was walking behind her. Carlos responded with a hum and he looked at her direction, with a wondering look plastered on his face. Alexandra fell into deep silence and didn't respond for like a minute, leaving Carlos confused and curious about why she suddenly called out to him. She doesn't have this menacing or scary aura unlike before when she was thinking, was what he noticed. Something must be troubling the miss, it must be what her father told her earlier about going to his office after dinner.

He was about to open his mouth to speak but Alexandra spoke, interrupting what he was about to say without realizing it. "Do you know what father might tell me later?" She asked and slightly tilted her head to the back, and looked at him for a moment before she looked straight ahead, taking the last step down. Carlos hummed before he responded, "I'm sorry, miss but I don't have a clue on what he will tell you later. Even I was wondering what he would tell you later," Carlos said in an apologetic tone. Alexandra just nodded repeatedly, "I see, you don't have to apologize," Alexandra said.

--

It took her 25 minutes to finish eating her dinner.

She got down her seat and Diana approached her with a smile, but it was a different one. Worry tainted her face as she walked towards her direction and stopped in front of her. She bent down to her eye level before she spoke in a gentle tone of voice laced with worry, "Carlos told me that you're going to meet his highness, your father," Was what Diana said. She looked worried.

Alexandra smiled at her, "He told me to meet him at his office after I ate my dinner. He wants to tell me something and I don't what it is," Alexandra said while she smiled although it was a forced one. Carlos stood still behind them and just stared at the two talks with each other, Diana looked like a mother who is worried for her daughter about going to school on her first day. It honestly looked cute for him. Well, it's normal for her to get worried for Alexandra, he thought to himself and continued to watch them.

"I see," Diana responded.

"Don't worry, father told me that he isn't going to harm me or something, he just wants to talk about something," Alexandra stated and widened her smile, her expression bright and her eyes closing in the process as she assured her that she will be fine. "Carlos is going to be with me anyways," Alexandra added before Diana speak. It seems like Alexandra trusted Carlos so much already, she knows that he will be there to protect her but that didn't give him pressure or anything. It somehow made him happy and feel relieved that the miss trusts him now unlike before where she is always hesitant and quiet around him. Diana gave her a faint and gentle smile as she let out a sigh, she ruffled Alexandra's hair.

"Then isn't time for you to leave now? He might be waiting for you," Diana said and that's where Alexandra realized that she should have been on her way to the palace now. "Right, I forgot about that," Alexandra said and giggled before she turned around and walked towards Carlos who was standing still a few steps away from them. She glanced up to him and met his gentle gaze, he smiled at her and she smiled back. Alexandra started to walk and Carlos was about to follow her when he felt someone firmly grab his arm. It was warm and soft yet firm and tight as if that person doesn't want him to leave yet. He turned his head around and met a pair of green orbs. Eyes staring at him with a serious look plastered on her face, she looked worried even with that serious look displayed on her face.

"What is it, Miss Diana?" He asked and turned around, completely facing her. Diana gulped before she spoke, "I am entrusting Alexandra to you as always and if ever you lost sight of her once again or if she returned with a small wound even if it's just a dot, you're dead to me. I want her to be back safe and if you failed to do that, just like what I told you, you're dead," Diana said, every single word was emphasized especially the 'you're dead' ones. Perhaps it was because Alexandra would always disappear from his sight or she would sometimes come back looking troubled or sad even when Carlos was with him, which was probably the reason why she was very protective and worried when it comes to Alexandra. Well, it's not like the other maids weren't also protective over her but not as protective as Diana.

There was also another reason why she was acting like that, it wasn't because the girl successfully captured her heart or something but somebody entrusted Alexandra to her. She doesn't want to break the promise she made with that person.

Carlos smiled at her and lifted his hand, resting it on top of Diana's shoulders before he spoke in a gentle and reassuring tone of voice which rang inside her ears, "You don't have to worry about anything. His highness would never do something like that and honestly, you should stop worrying about things and trust me this time. I promise you that I will protect her, that is my duty as her personal knight and as her friend," Carlos said. His voice sounded soothing to the ears.

-- '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 recalled what he has told Sir Philip, Prince Gilbert's personal knight, before when they were at the treehouse. Why would his highness gave him that order or permission if he would be the one who will hurt her at the end? That would be completely weird. Aside from that, his highness hasn't done anything that harmed her for the past month that they have been together, why would he harm or hurt her now of all times? Besides, they already established this daughter-father relationship, harming her would just break her trust and demolish that relationship, he thought to himself.

"Are you sure about that?" Diana asked, her features becoming soft as she spoke.

"Yes, I'm very sure," Carlos responded, smiling gently at her and was about to ruffle her hair when she grabbed his wrist, stopping him from doing so. "What are you doing?" Diana asked in a ticked off as she grabbed his wrist. "I was about to give you a pat when you suddenly grabbed my wrist," Carlos said, smiling widely at her like always. Diana's eye twitched, she looked annoyed.

"You do know that I'm older than you, right?" She said.

"Yes, I do know that," Carlos responded nonchalantly. Perhaps it was because their personalities are opposite against each other that's why they really don't get along.

Alexandra was already far away from them, 20 steps away from them or so, but she stopped walking when she didn't hear any footsteps behind her and thought that she might have left Carlos or he just walk silently. She turned her head around and saw that Diana was talking with Carlos, a serious look on her face. Despite Diana being older than him, he was taller than her for like a few inches, 3 or 5 inches. Alexandra couldn't hear what they were saying and she just stared at them, trying to read Diana's lips but she wasn't able to understand anything. What, so they can talk with each other normally, after all, she thought to herself.

Then Carlos raised his hand and was about to place it on top of Diana's head when she grabbed his wrist and spoke. She looked annoyed despite her gentle expression. They talked with each other for a minute before Diana removed her grip and he turned around, meeting Alexandra's gaze. She was staring at him, waiting for him to walk towards her direction, so that she could begin walking too and head towards the Diamond Palace.

Carlos jogged towards her, not breaking off their stares until he arrived in front of her. "Sorry, if I've taken so long. Miss Diana told me something," Alexandra just nodded as a response and smiled back at him before she continued walking, anxious for what her father would tell her when they arrive.