44 Again (2)

"So, why did the Emperor of Deva surrendered to the enemy?" He asked in a monotonous tone of voice. His voice rang inside Alexandra's ears and she smiled first before she responded, "The Emperor of Deva surrendered to their enemy because they held his daughter and wife hostage and if he continues to attack or not surrender, they will kill them," Alexandra said in a confident tone of voice, she knows that she was right. Gilbert showed a subtle smile but Alexandra failed to notice this.

He opened his mouth to speak, "What was the last book Gregorio Felixia wrote?" He asked and thankfully, Alexandra knows the answer to that question because Ferdinand taught her. "Gloxima Farion which means Flower Moon. It is a story about a boy and a moon goddess," Alexandra responded and Gilbert nodded repeatedly to show that her answer is correct.

"What was the 1st King of Cluvia's real name and why did he change his name?" That is Gilbert's next question and Alexandra fell into silence as she tried to recall what Ferdinand taught her. She was sure that he taught her that, she just really can't remember it. When Gilbert was about to open his mouth to speak, Alexandra immediately interrupted him.

"The 1st King of Cluvia's real name is Cluviel Fearocia Lomina, the reason was that he was being hunted by many people and he even altered his appearance just to hide his identity. He pretended that he died because of an illness and created another identity for him," Alexandra responded happily. She was happy that she was able to remember what Ferdinand taught her and Gilbert nodded his head telling her that her answer was correct. Gilbert cleared his throat before he spoke once again.

"Tell me 3 of the most deadly flowers and what are they," This made Alexandra's eyes sparkled in joy. She is pretty much intelligent when the topic is about flowers, she read many books about it. Her knowledge is vast and wide when it comes to flowers, hearing him ask that made her happy and gave her confidence. "Veronica's Staff is one of the deadliest flowers in the world. It looked attractive and innocent and pure because of the color and what it looks like. When touched with bare hands, you will experience pain and there would be like an infection that would spread through your entire body, infecting both your insides, attacking your brain and making you experience illusions while slowly killing you. A slow and painful death. This flower's ability to let poison pass through a person's skin is indeed amazing and dangerous," Alexandra stopped first to clear her throat before she continued to speak.

"Abyss is also one of the deadliest flowers. The scent may smell sweet but it's very dangerous and deadly. You will slowly die while experiencing hallucinations that seem like you are being sucked in a dark hole or you are falling in a dark abyss, a slow and painful death like the Veronica's Staff but you can be healed through an antidote although you will only last for like 2-3 hours depending on how much you inhaled or smelled,"

"The last one would be Guinilia, a beautiful and enchanting flower. It's not like the Abyss or the Veronica's Staff, it is used to create a potion or a poison. The effects are like the Abyss and Veronica's Staff but much deadlier and more painful," Alexandra said and heaved a sigh of relief after she is done speaking. Gilbert spoke once again,

"What was Leonardo Kolpako's most famous line or quote?" This was his next question. Alexandra hoped that this will be the last one. "One's life is precious like a diamond but vulnerable like glass, learn to cherish and protect it," Alexandra said in a confident tone of voice with a smile plastered on her face. Gilbert couldn't help but show a subtle and short smile once again and this time Alexandra noticed it even for just a second. She was in a daze when she saw him smile for a few seconds but then snapped out of it when he spoke, "You're smarter than I thought," He said casually.

Multiple thoughts came in rushing inside her head after he spoke, does he even know me? Does he not hate me? She asked herself and gulped. She opened her mouth to speak but what came out was a whisper which he heard just clear:

"Do you know me?" She asked. She wasn't sure if he remembered their first encounter, at the door of the throne room when she was about to enter to greet her father. He was the one who told Calixander to just leave and walk away because father might get angry if they fought. Gilbert's gaze bore on her face and he remained silent as he stared at her, Alexandra fidgeted with the skirt of her dress and is waiting for what would be his answer.

The cold wind suddenly blew and went pass through the open windows, although she can't feel the cold from the wind, she can't help but feel a chill. It went down her spine, was it because of the silence that surrounded them? It felt empty, awkward, and uncomfortable at the same time. It's not like the usual silence she felt when around Carlos, Diana, or Harrison. It felt dull. Gilbert opened his mouth to speak, "Yes, I do know you," Gilbert said, in a cold tone of voice. I shouldn't have asked that question, she thought to herself. She nodded multiple times and still felt the urge to ask, curiosity still lingered inside her. Without knowing, she blurted out the question that she had wanted to ask for a long time:

"Do you hate me?"

Then realization dawn upon her, a few seconds after she spoke. She cursed inside her head and she looked at the man wide-eyed but noticed his features soft. He opened his mouth to speak and but his voice was low and soft yet Alexandra was able to understand it although it's like gibberish to her ears, "I hate you but at the same time I don't," Was what he said. She wanted to ask why but it might be too much, however, he decided to speak once again.

"One's life is precious like a diamond but vulnerable like glass, learn to cherish and protect it. The time that we spent with our mother was precious and unforgettable but it was all a memory. I don't hate you. But I hate you, I hate the mysterious aura that surrounds you. I hate how we don't know why you were born, I hate you for being an unknown being even though we share the same blood and parents," Gilbert said, anger lacing his voice but softened and became calm at his last sentence. He hates that he fears her, at what she can do or why was she born in this bloodline. Thou Alexandra can't answer him properly because even she doesn't know why. Alexandra was about to open her mouth to respond when he interrupted her once again.

"But that doesn't mean I despise your existence," He said and Alexandra heaved a sigh of relief when she heard what he said. So he is somehow half-okay and half-not-okay with me? She asked herself and smiled at him, an innocent and sweet one. Imaginary flowers bloomed in her background and the cold vanished and was replaced with warmth. The ambiance returned to normal and it feels like she can breathe normally or a thorn was plucked out in her heart. "Thank you," Alexandra muttered. He wondered why she thanked him. Gilbert opened up and told her what he really felt towards her and Alexandra was glad, she knew what he felt and why he hated her.

"Why?" He asked and Alexandra just smiled at him.

Then they heard a voice which came from outside, downstairs. "Oh, it's you, Sir Carlos. A pleasant morning and long-time no see, where have you been the whole time?" It caught their attention and Alexandra decided to walk outside the house and take a look. Gilbert frowned when he heard the voice and followed Alexandra behind her. There was another man with the same uniform and crest as Carlos but he was taller than him. What's a royal knight doing here? Alexandra asked herself when she saw the man.

"Oh, Philip, long time no see. I was assigned as a personal knight of someone, orders from his highness. She's currently inside the treehouse talking with someone," Alexandra heard Carlos respond in his usual cheerful tone. It seems like these two are close to each other based on their friendly aura and how they talked with each other. "Is that so? Have you seen Prince Gilbert? I have been looking for him for like hours, he didn't tell me where he went," The man called 'Philip' responded and he looked around. Philip spotted the two kids on top of the stairs, "Found you, Prince Gilbert! So this is where you have been the whole time!" Philip said and walked up the stairs as he talked and looked at Gilbert who had a frown plastered on his face.

"You weren't in the garden nor the library. I was looking for you for like hours, please leave a note or tell me next time…" His voice trailed off when he spotted Alexandra who was staring at him with a curious gaze. They looked at each other for seconds not until Carlos called out to Alexandra and gained her attention, "Miss Alexandra," Carlos also walked up the stairs, he was walking behind Philip. He stopped on his tracks when he reached the last step and he looked at Alexandra with a calm expression and a gentle smile.

"Yes?" Alexandra responded and looked at Philip and Carlos. Philip was staring at her, his eyebrows knitted and his eyes narrowed as he examined her, she looked really familiar in his eyes especially her eyes and hair. Then he looked at Gilbert who was somehow glaring at him and he gulped. Then just like a bullet that flew right at his face, the realization quickly dawned upon him and smacked his head making him remember who Alexandra is. "Y-You're his highness' daughter! Prince Gilbert, why are you with a girl like her? I thought I told you to not go near her since she might bring you bad luck or curses you! She's a curse, a witch, a bad omen!" His words sent an arrow to Alexandra's heart and it hurts, just like the feeling of being stabbed multiple times. Alexandra clutched the sides of her dress. She can't deny and at the same time agree since she doesn't know if it's really true or not.

"T-That's mean..." She mumbled and looked at Philip whose back was turned against her and was somehow scolding the Prince who held an annoyed expression while he looked at Philip.

That was downright rude and mean, his choice of words and the way he spoke felt like he despised her very existence. The friendly and bubbly aura which surrounded Carlos turned into a dark and dangerous one, he held the hilt of his sword tightly and he glared at Philip, the ominous aura he emits sent a chill down Philip's spine. "Philip, even if we are comrades, I can't forgive someone who speaks about the Miss in that way," His voice was cold like ice and as seconds passed by, the atmosphere became colder and colder, at the same time, deadly.

Philip was nailed at his position and Alexandra's eyes darted at Carlos, though she can't completely see what expression he is making, she was sure that he was glaring at Philip. Just like the time they met Mark, a creepy and mysterious palace wizard whose gaze made Alexandra scared. "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 knight," They were confused at what Carlos said, even Alexandra doesn't know what he was saying.

Then his next words shocked them. They fell into silence when they heard it and Philip gulped.

"That is what his highness, the emperor told me,"