40 Gentle and Love

A man with black hair and crimson red eyes walked around the market hoping to find something, he was roaming his eyes around as he walked. He walked passed multiple people, almost bumping into them as he walked. As he was walking and roaming his eyes around, somebody called out to his name. That familiar cheerful voice rang inside his ears making him frown, "Harrison!" It's Harrison walking around the market. Although he hated crowded places, he needs to do something. He just ignored that person and continued walking when somebody suddenly grabbed his arm without notice and he turned around and met their gazes. "Oh come on dude, don't ignore us, I know it's you" It was Luke. Along with him was Carlos, he had the same name as Alexandra's personal knight, who had a calm expression plastered on his face.

Harrison regretted not altering his appearance when he went out. He didn't think that they would meet them here, "What is it? Why are you here?" He asked with a bored yet annoyed expression on his face as he shook the hand which was grabbing onto his arm. Luke grinned and placed his arm around his shoulder, "We should be the one asking you that, why are you here? I thought you hated crowded places," He said and Harrison removed the arm which draped over his shoulders. "I just wanted to walk around and buy something," Harrison responded with a bored expression on his face. What he said, half of it was true and half of it was a lie.

"Are you going to buy a gift? Well, it's almost the Celebration of the Winter Star. The academy is going to have a celebration for it and all the students are required to come. It's not like the country is not going to celebrate it, so yeah," Luke said. That earned a groan from Harrison. "The event will start at 5:00 in the evening and will continue until 12:00," Harrison groaned once again, all students are required to come and that means he needs to come too. What do we do there? Sit around, smiling at each other, and giving gifts to one another? He asked inside his mind. He doesn't like those types of events or even fiestas because of some people but it's not like he hated it, he just doesn't like to attend those kinds of events.

"It's like a buffet or a party, we eat, we dance, we give gifts to one another, we have a conversation with other people, we stare at the brightest star which is called Astraea and so many things. The next day will be the time for the palace to celebrate it, the palace will hold a party and everyone is invited even kings and queens from the kingdoms in our country will come. Just wear something formal and bring a gift, it's optional though, it's the last day for the winter star," The Celebration of the Winter Star was actually a two-day event, the first day will be celebrated by the academy and by people in their homes or in the plaza. The second day will be the last day of the winter star, the palace will celebrate it and everyone is invited. Just like what Carlos said, you need to wear something formal and bring a gift either for a friend, for the emperor, or for one of the members of his family.

Harrison heaved a sigh and ruffled his hair. "Are you going to buy a gift? I would like a new set of clothes or brand new shoes, make sure to wrap it with a red and blue wrapping. Make it expensive as much as possible. Large size could fit me or something around your size, the shoes will be around your size too, just give it to me at the academy during the celebration," Luke said with a grin on his face and Harrison's left eye twitched as he stared at him, giving him the stink eye.

"Mine would be a new camera, mine broke a few days ago," Jerich said. Jerich is the second name of Carlos since it would just be confusing because he has the same name as Alexandra's personal knight. Harrison looked at him with the same expression he made and showed at Luke. These guys are too… He can't find the right word to say but it wasn't annoying nor something related to the word, bother. Harrison let out a sigh, "Ha! I'm not that rich," He said and Luke laughed while slapping his back, "Are you really not?" He said while laughing and Harrison avoided another upcoming slap on his back by stepping aside.

Harrison just continued walking while ignoring the two of them. "Hey, wait up!" Luke said and he ran towards Harrison along with Jerich. "Ugh, Jerich, please tape Luke's mouth, it's too noisy," Harrison said while walking. Jerich furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at Harrison, confused at the name he called him. "Jerich? Why call me by my second name?" He asked as they walked and caught up to Harrison who shrugged while he said: "Why? Isn't it your second name? It's still your name. Besides saying the name Carlos is too long and too annoying for me to say,"

"It both have two syllables, what's long with that?" Jerich asked still confused. He was used at Harrison calling him by his first name, the sudden change was confusing for him. Harrison hummed, "Would you rather I call you with something else?" He said. Jerich knows what he was referring and he gulped.

"No, thank you," Jerich responded and Harrison just hummed and he continued walking along with the two looking around the market for some things. The atmosphere that surrounded them was rather lively and cheerful, it was light and comfortable. Although Luke was loud and too cheerful while Jerich was calm and gentle, they get along really well. Harrison would sometimes join in their conversation to somehow give an insult, mock them, or just a simple talk, they wouldn't mind but instead, they were glad since Harrison rarely talks or something like that.

--

Alexandra was woken up by a light shake and call to her name. Alexandra fluttered her eyes open and her eyes met Diana's, behind her was Carlos who was standing still. "We were worried at what happened to you since Carlos said that he didn't hear a response after he called out to you many times, you didn't go out of your room for hours and it was locked," Diana said and Alexandra immediately sat up after hearing what she said. What time is it? She asked herself and looked at the clock on the wall, it was already time for her dinner and she slept for like 2-3 hours or maybe more than that.

"It's already time for your dinner, would you like to go down to the dining room to eat or should we just bring it to your room?" Diana asked and that made Alexandra pondered on what should she do. It would be tiring to go down after waking up just to eat but then it would be quite troublesome if she would ask the maids to bring it to her room since it's on the third floor. She picked the first choice and got down her bed as Diana and Carlos stepped aside. Alexandra wore her shoes with the help of Diana, "I'm going down to the dining room," She said as she was wearing her shoes. Diana just nodded as a response and Alexandra walked towards the door of the room while Diana and Carlos followed behind her.

They went out of the room and Carlos closed the door behind him before he followed Alexandra and Diana behind as they walked down the stairs heading towards the dining room. After minutes of walking, they finally arrived at the dining room and Alexandra walked towards her seat and climbed up and sat. Carlos walked towards her direction and stood slightly behind the chair as he looked at each one of the foods served on the table just to be eaten by Alexandra.

The room was silent but the atmosphere was light and comfortable as Alexandra ate quietly.

--

After Alexandra took a bath and Diana combed her hair, she walked towards her bed and lay down as Diana tucked her in while humming a song. Since Alexandra slept earlier and just woke up almost 2 hours ago, she wasn't sleepy. She felt the urge to ask Diana to sing her lullaby, "Diana, sing me a lullaby please," She requested and Diana lightly giggled before he sat beside Alexandra and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear while smiling at her.

"Off to the dreams, you wander,

Where you are free and happy,

Thou it would be temporary,"

Somehow, the appearance of the room changed. When Alexandra opened her eyes, she was in a different place but there was a lady singing just beside her, it wasn't Diana. This happened before too. She felt nostalgia and happiness fill inside her.

"Sleep my child,

Off to the dreamland,

Where you are free,

With no judgment,

With no sadness,

With no pain,"

The voice was soothing and gentle, it was smooth like silk and gentle like the sea breeze. It was warm and filled with love and care, thou it wasn't Diana's voice but someone else. It sounds familiar and she felt a tug from her heart, she felt the urge to cry but she stopped the tears from falling.

"The stars will twinkle,

The moon will shine,

The flowers will bloom,

So sleep my child,

close your eyes,

don't be in doubt,"

Alexandra couldn't help but yawn as she slowly becomes sleepy as she listened to the unknown lady's voice. Her face was hidden by her hair and Alexandra wants to remove or tuck it behind her ear to see what she looks like but someone or somebody is pulling her down her bed.

"An angel will guard you,

along the way,

as you sleep tonight,

so sleep my child,

let yourself wander in the sea of light,

in the paradise of dreams,"

The lady stood up from her seat and Alexandra held out her hand, wanting to grab her arm but she turned around she saw her face. A smile plastered on her gentle and pretty face. Alexandra wanted to cry, it was her mother. She opened his mouth to speak but what she said was inaudible to Alexandra's ears. Alexandra wanted to speak but she was slowly being consumed by darkness and her eyes slowly closed and the last thing that she saw before she was completely pulled into a deep slumber was the lady's sweet gentle smile with her gaze warm as the morning sun and filled with love.

"Goodnight, my child," Those words were inaudible. Alexandra wasn't able to hear it but it was filled with love and care.