63 Breakfast (3)
Calixander stared at her. His eyes narrowed down to slits as is if he was glaring at her. His eyes never left Alexandra even after he spoke. His father stared at him and Gilbert and Christian stopped from their movements seeing their older brother in the room. Christian gulped as he stared at his brothers, Chandler was standing behind him, staring at Alexandra too. Why are they here? Wait, they live here, so it's normal to be here but still why? He thought to himself and gulped. Alexandra refused to meet anyone's gaze and just stared at her hands clutching her dress.
She was stopping herself from letting her emotions out, her feelings of hate towards their oldest brother because of what he did in the past. She tried to calm herself down and took a breath in, not knowing what to do in this type of situation. There were 3 choices:
1. Leave the room.
2. Laugh and be friendly or something like that.
3. Just remain still and silent like a statue.
The 1st one sounds like a good idea but her father might think that it is rude and it will just show that she was afraid of them. The 2nd one seems like she's a psychopath by laughing suddenly and that would just decrease their like points, she doesn't even know what to tell them and how can she be friendly towards them. The 3rd sounds simple and so, she picked the 3rd one.
Alexandra continued to clutch her dress underneath the table as she stopped herself from shaking. The bubbly, lively, and light atmosphere which surrounded them earlier became heavy and it feels like it was choking her. As seconds pass by, silence still surrounding me, it feels like Alexandra can't breathe and she wants to break the silence but she doesn't know how, maybe if she tried to, her older brothers who just entered the room will just shut her up. "Older Brother," Gilbert spoke out of nowhere, breaking the silence which surrounded them. Unlike Christian and Alexandra who was mentally panicking inside their minds, Gilbert was calm and showed no expression in this situation, as well as their father.
This was the first time that everyone or Alexandra's family except for her deceased mother was inside a room. Even the knights were shocked seeing them here and remained still at their spot. Carlos had a serious expression on and raised his guard, Miss Alexandra doesn't know what to do in this kind of situation and she doesn't want to do anything that will offend her brothers, so she just remained silent, he thought to himself. Carlos was quite an observant person even if he was with Alexandra for only a few days, he already observed and know some of her behavior and habits. "What is it, Gilbert?" Calixander spoke in a serious voice, not removing or wiping off the expression plastered on his face.
"Remain calm, we're currently eating and having a good atmosphere when you just entered the room and ruined it," Gilbert was too straightforward even to someone older than him and who will take their father's throne. If possible, Gilbert should be the one to be the next emperor but there must be something that was in Calixander, aside from that, Gilbert looks like a type of person who wouldn't care and just continue reading. Well, it's not like we're insulting Calixander. Calixander fell into silence and doesn't know what to respond, he heaved a sigh and regained his composure. His features slowly softened but turned into an expressionless one. For the whole time, their father didn't speak and just stared at his sons. "Take a seat, Calixander, and Chandler. You must not have eaten your breakfast yet," Alexander, their father, finally spoke and he continued eating.
Alexandra finally lifted her gaze once she noticed the atmosphere of the room slowly starting to become light and return to normal. She can't help but to heave a sigh of relief and just remain at her seat, she just finished eating and drinking her glass of milk and she doesn't know what to do or talk about. Should I leave the room? She asked herself. If she talked or initiated a conversation right now, it would be too awkward and the conversation will end after a few minutes, she thought to herself and heaved a sigh once again.
The two, Prince Calixander and Prince Chandler, just followed what their father said and took a seat from the opposite side of Alexandra. "Lysander, tell the maids to prepare them a meal," Alexander said and Lysander nodded before he disappeared from the room to return a few minutes after.
Carlos noticed her not moving and just swinging her feet underneath the table as it indicated that she doesn't know what to do and just leave already. "Your highness," Carlos said as he walked towards the emperor, his light footsteps resonating inside the room as he walked. The emperor stopped eating and looked at Carlos from the corner of his eyes, "What is it?" He asked and Carlos cleared his throat first before speaking, "Miss Alexandra, Prince Christian, and Prince Gilbert are already done eating, can we have your permission to leave the room?" Carlos said in a formal and polite tone of voice. When Alexandra heard him ask that, she was relieved.
Alexander looked at the people mentioned and noticed that they weren't moving from their seats and just staring at somewhere as if they weren't comfortable or feeling awkward. "Yes, you may leave," Alexander responded and continued eating. Carlos heaved a sigh of relief and he walked towards Alexandra who was staring at him. Carlos showed her a gentle smile and she gladly smiled back. Christian and Gilbert's personal knights, as far as Alexandra could remember-- their names were Gabriel and Philip, also walked towards the Princes who left their seats. "Let's go, shall we?" Carlos asked and Alexandra nodded before she got down her seat and walked towards the door of the room with Christian and Gilbert along with their personal knights.
Carlos just gave their father a chance to talk with his sons who just entered the room. Well, he knows that their father badly wants to talk with Prince Calixander and Prince Chandler, so he just gave him that chance.
As Alexandra and Christian stepped outside and left the room along with Gilbert, both of them heaved a sigh of relief almost the same time. "That was awkward," Alexandra said and looked at Christian as she smiled at him. She can finally breathe normally now and if she continued to stay behind, she might lose her mind. Christian nodded as a response and smiled back at her, "Truly awkward, would you like to go to the library with me? We can check out the newly delivered books, there might be something that will catch or pique your interest," Christian said in a gentle and sweet tone of voice. If they go to the library and read, that would just help them and they will continue their conversation from earlier.
"Sure. Brother Gilbert, would you like to come with us?" Alexandra asked and turned her head towards Gilbert's direction who was staring at the two. Gilbert hummed as a response and nodded quietly, Alexandra's eyes sparkled and she smiled at him widely.
--
The walk to the library was peaceful and quiet. Nobody dared to break the silence which surrounded them and Alexandra was just fine with that since it felt pleasant and comfortable. Their light footsteps resonated inside the palace and it was the only thing heard. They walked rather slowly but not that slow, it was just at the right speed. Alexandra just looked ahead of her as they walked. Carlos was walking behind him and he was quiet too, his guard was raised since Philip was here. Alexandra recalled their first and previous encounter with Philip, she can still remember what rude and hurtful words he said and what Carlos said after that.
It feels like she was being dependant on Carlos and she doesn't want that but she can't help it because she also doesn't know what to say to that person. However, it seems like Philip already forgot the encounter because he didn't speak about it. Alexandra heaved a sigh and just continued walking.
Upon arriving in front of the huge wooden door of the library, Gabriel was the one who opened it for them and they entered inside. Christian was the first one to enter and the next one is Alexandra and her personal knight then the last one is Gilbert and his personal knight. "Is it just me or the library looks fully packed of books, although it should be but somehow it was giving me that feeling?" Alexandra stated as she roamed her eyes around the place and followed Christian as they walked around. She can't completely describe what she was feeling, however, Christian was able to relate and know that feeling. Alexandra's eyes sparkled seeing the books placed on the shelves, packed and compressed like sardines or a school of fish.
"That's probably the effect when there are newly added books and newly added shelves," Christian stopped from her tracks after he talked and he was looking at their right side. Alexandra stopped at her tracks too and looked at the direction he was looking. Christian was looking at a shelf that was previously not there before, he walked towards it, his eyes sparkling and shining because of happiness. With a confused and curious expression, she followed him behind staring at the shelf he was heading to. Their personal knights followed behind them but Gilbert and Philip were left behind and just stood still at their position.
Christian actually noticed the shelf that was newly added to his favorite section, the History Section. The History Section covered or conquered almost half of the library's first floor. Christian loves history books the most, learning about a country's history, its experiences in wars, how it got strong, how it was found, who found it, the people who lived, and the person who is ruling the land fascinates him. Although, Alexandra also likes to read books but not in that sort of way. The way Christian loves history books is like the way Alexandra would love or like to learn magic. She also loves flowers in the same way as he loves history books. He wasn't obsessed with it or something like that, to be honest, he just loves the idea of it and wants to read or learn history.
Alexandra stood behind him and looked at each one of the newly added books, her eyebrows were furrowed as she looked at the thick books with rather small words written on its spine. Christian took out a book and opened it as he flipped it to its first page. "I'll just go look at other books with Brother Gilbert," Alexandra said and Christian nodded as he lifted his head and turned at her direction then, showed a sweet smile beaming with happiness, his gaze gentle as always.
"Okay, I will just remain here. If you can't find me here, I'm probably on the second floor at our usual spot," Christian said and he continued reading. Alexandra nodded before he turned around and returned to Gilbert. Alexandra smiled at him and he didn't return it. The started to walk around without Christian and they were completely silent not until Carlos spoke, "Young miss, I think there are newly added books about flowers. However, I think it's on the second floor," Carlos said and he stopped on his tracks mid-way while speaking. Alexandra stopped on his tracks also and nodded before she continued walking.
As they were walking, Gilbert and his personal knight separated from them since they want to look at Gilbert's favorite section, the Fiction Section. It might be not obvious but Gilbert loves to read fiction books. Well, he also loves to read history books but fiction books were still the best, it helps him escape and imagine so many things. His imagination was rather wide and vast because of it. The way the author describes and tells the story would always fascinate him, he is fascinated when the author would describe what the character is feeling, not missing a single detail and he was hooked because of it. He also loves to read myths, tales, and legends just like Alexandra.
"I see, do you know where that is? I would like to read books about those," There was a hint of excitement on Alexandra's tone of voice and she couldn't hide the excitement when she heard what Carlos said. "If we walked around on the second floor, maybe I can remember," Carlos said and they head towards the stairs while Gilbert remained on the 1st floor with his personal knight to look for books.
