25 Winter at its Finest
Winter arrived. The breeze was cold and the autumn ambiance was quickly replaced. However, it didn't snow. The first snowfall of the season will happen next 2-5 days based on her previous experiences. Alexandra's hair bounced as she skipped around the garden humming cheerfully, her face beaming with joy as she roamed her eyes around the garden. The sweet scent the flowers give off made the atmosphere of the place warm and bubbly and that lifted Alexandra's mood. It has been so long since she last visited the garden, 10 or more days ago because she has been busy studying and spending time with her father.
Alexandra walked around the garden, admiring each one of the bright and colorful flowers that held a lovely scent. Come to think of it, Harrison is coming back today but I don't know what time he'll come back, Alexandra thought to herself while she brought out the golden pocket watch that was inside the pocket of her dress. The pocket watch glimmered as Alexandra brought it up covering the sun which shined down on her. It still looked fine because it doesn't have even a single faint scratch. Since Harrison told her to take care of it, she did what he said. After seconds of staring at it, she placed it back inside her pocket and she continued walking around.
The young girl wondered when will the first snowfall arrive, will it be in the morning or at night? Alexandra was excited to experience snow again after last year, it was very memorable although she got sick because she spent her day outside playing around in the snow while Harrison threw a snowball at her face and destroyed her snowman which resulted in a snowball fight and the other maids joined in. Although the next day she caught a cold and spent 2 days bedridden while Harrison teased her as usual. She wants to experience it again if she can.
Aside from that, she was excited to see the place blanketed with white snow while the lake freezes. The lake would still look enchanting even if its winter, the glow of the wistalia trees that surrounded the lake will be reflected although there would be no fireflies appearing at night. She misses that lake already, it has been months since she last came to that place. Harrison will just appear in front of her either during the day or the night or can be both that's why she rarely goes that place unlike before. Well, she's also busy and easily fall asleep because of the activities she did, being inside a kid's body as an adult is annoying, however, as years passed by, she adjusted and got used to it especially at being tired easily or get scared or startled easily, she was also sensitive at some things.
Nevertheless, she was still able to use her previous life knowledge in this world and it was useful. Alexandra hummed a song as she spent her morning walking around the garden.
--
Right now she was currently being carried by Lysander as they head towards the Diamond Palace. Diana wasn't able to go with them because she was really busy along with the other maids decorating the palace with winter decorations they got from the storage room which was also used a year ago, Diana and some maids will also go outside the palace to the market to buy some things. A quiet atmosphere surrounded them as they walked towards the palace, Alexandra roamed her eyes around and saw trees that were either leafless or have some dry leaves clinging into them not until the wind blows.
Lysander isn't very talkative but he was calm and gentle. He was like the male version of Diana but strong and quiet. Diana was calm, gentle, sweet, and caring, she's like a mother to Alexandra, to be honest. She is very talkative but not in a bad way, she loves to tell the young miss stories that she was told to or heard when she was a child. She has a smooth voice, it was like silk. Aside from that, her eyes, her emerald-green eyes are attractive and it held warmth and love. She always has a smile plastered on her face and she loves the young miss very much.
After minutes of walking, they arrived at the palace which glimmered under the afternoon sun, it looked dazzling beauty of the palace itself took her breath away. It looked enchanting and attractive because of the gems that were attached to the walls, the color of the palace was the empire's main colors or chosen colors, a beautiful shade of red (The roof) and black (The designs which is usually a straight line or an outline) but the walls are painted white. The Diamond Place, just like its name, held an elegant aura.
They entered the palace and instead of taking the path towards the throne, they head upstairs which was pretty unusual. Lysander must have noticed her expression that he suddenly spoke startling Alexandra, "His highness is inside his office right now doing some paper works," Then why are we going there? To disturb him? Alexandra held back her questions and just nodded her head. After minutes of walking up the stairs while she's being carried, they arrived in front of a door with a golden knob. Lysander didn't show any signs of exhaustion after climbing up the stairs but he was tired. Why didn't they teleport? Why didn't he tried to float or something, so that he will not be exhausted? And again, her questions remained unanswered because she didn't try to ask him.
Lysander knocked at the door 3 times before he spoke, "Your highness, Alexandra's here," After a few seconds, he held the gold knob of the door and turned it revealing a huge room with bookshelves and couches and a glass table at the far right of the room. There were paintings with golden frames on the walls and a huge chandelier hanged above the center of the room and lit the room with a bright yellow glow. In front of it was a desk with stacks of papers and behind it was a person reading a paper with a serious look on his face. The slightly open curtain behind him that hid the glass window revealed a view of the outside.
Lysander walked inside the room and placed Alexandra down a few feet away from the desk which was just almost the same height as hers. "Leave us behind," Without giving them a look, her father spoke in a monotonous tone of voice while still reading the paper he was holding. Lysander bowed, "Blessings for the Queenilia Empire," Lysander said as he bowed and he turned around. His light footsteps resonated inside the room and the sound of the door opening and closing after a few seconds was heard. Alexandra was left alone with her father, she roamed her eyes around and spotted a chair behind her and she decided to sit there, making herself comfortable as possible, he won't get angry, right? She asked herself and stared at her father working.
This is the first time she saw him work, that's because they would just meet at the throne room or at the courtyard and have their usual tea party or walk around the place. In the midst of Alexandra staring, he placed down the paper and massaged the bridge of his nose while closing his eyes, he looked so stressed, she thought to herself. He opened his eyes and looked at her, Alexandra automatically smiled at him, a sweet smile that beamed with joy. "Alexandra," He called out to her name. It felt weird to him, it feels like he is calling out to him but at the same time her deceased wife. He felt his heart ache in pain, it feels like his heartstrings are being pulled right now.
It was also autumn when we first met, he thought to himself as he stared at the child a few feet away from him. "What is it, papa?" She called him father even though he threatened her to kill her or tried to kill her, a trait that Selena also had. His features soften. Alexandra just stared at him wondering why he won't answer, he just stared at her.
"Shall we held our tea party here?" He asked and Alexandra nodded knowing that going to the courtyard would be tiring just to have a tea party.
--
Alexandra told her busy father that she will go to the library to read books and he just nodded and asked Lysander to go with her. As far as she can remember, the library is found on this floor, on the 3rd floor. The palace has 4 floors and there was even an underground. Since the palace was an enormous sized one, there are many rooms on each floor. The library was very far away from the office, it was at the end of the hallway.
Lysander opened the door for her and Alexandra entered first before Lysander. She heads towards the second floor of the library towards the end where she and Christian met last time. She walked as she hummed a song while Lysander followed behind her. Upon reaching the end, she saw the two desks occupied with stacks of books on top of it and on the floor. There he is, she thought to herself and smiled as she saw him reading as usual and didn't notice her presence. He was too occupied from reading the book that he didn't hear their coming footsteps.
"Brother…" She called out to his name gently like the spring wind. It seems like she caught his attention because he lifted his gaze and met eyes with Alexandra who was smiling. He smiled at her and placed down the book, "It's nice to see you again, sister," Adorable. He called her sister, that's heartwarming. Though Alexandra is not used to being called sister because she didn't have any siblings, she finds it new and fresh.
"May the glory and peace of Queenilia be with you, Prince Christian," Lysander bowed and spoke in a polite tone. Christian smiled at him and replied: "Good afternoon and thank you" After they spoke with each other or exchanged their greetings, Alexandra opened her mouth to speak.
"Alexandra is okay for me," Alexandra replied and smiled at him walking towards the desk beside him. "Then I'll just call you Alexandra," He said, his eyes smiled at her. How could he be this pretty? Alexandra, as usual, was weak against beauty, he looked very innocent and pure.
"By the way, what are you doing here? Your tea party ended earlier than I thought," He said wondering, his tone of voice curious. It was true, their tea party ended very early because her father still continued doing his paper works. Thinking that he needs to finish it, Alexandra didn't persuade him or told him to take a break, she just watched him read and sign the papers on his desk that seemed like it didn't decrease. Being an emperor must be hard.
"He's busy doing some paper works," Alexandra responded and sat on the chair behind the desk. "I see," He said and watched her adjust herself in her seat. Alexandra took the book that was placed on top of a stack of books, it was a thick and heavy book. "Are those books fine with you or should I find another?" Christian asked politely which Alexandra just shook her head as a response telling him that this was fine and it looked interesting.
Lysander who was watching the two interact faintly smiled. Flowers bloomed in their background as the beauty of the two people was merged together, with their porcelain white skin that looked gentle, flawless, and smooth to touch, platinum hair that looked silky and smooth, attractive and enchanting gem-like blue eyes, and the sweet smiles plastered on their faces made them look like dolls made by a professional. Aside from that, Alexandra's royal blue dress complemented the color of her skin and her hair. Christian's red casual royal clothing suited and complemented him.
He stood still there as he watched them read the books silently. They were young geniuses in Lysander's eyes. But it seems like they can't stand the silence that surrounded them and they started to have a conversation without holding any book and looking at each other.
--
"Ah, I'm tired~," Alexandra said while she entered her room along with Diana after she ate her dinner. Having a conversation with someone for hours was fun but tiring at the same. Diana smiled, "I'll prepare the bath for you, young miss," She said and walked towards the bathroom door, swung it open, and entered. After minutes, she went out of the bathroom and called Alexandra whose mind wandered as she stared at the ceiling, she was thinking of the decorations that were set up inside the palace. It was a tradition to decorate their houses with winter decorations and put up a Winter Star Tree, which was called the Christmas tree on Earth. The Wistalia Palace was decorated with many winter decorations and Diana even thought of putting up a Winter Star tree just like last year, however, after using it many times, it broke and they need to buy another one tomorrow. They are still aren't finished decorating the palace.
"Young miss, the bath is ready," Diana grabbed her attention and Alexandra walked towards the bathroom and went inside with Diana behind her.
After 20 minutes, she got out of the bathroom wearing her robe as she and Diana walked towards the door of the walk-in closet, opened it and walked inside. Multiple clothes, shoes, hats, and drawers with jewelry, accessories, and other clothes like undergarments inside were seen. The dresses were hanged and separated from her nightwear. Formal and casual clothes were separated.
Diana walked towards the nightgown section and took one out. A heating spell was cast on each one of the rooms to keep the temperature of the room warm or wouldn't let the room's temperature get cold. Alexandra changed into the nightgown and she walked out of the closet as she heads towards her bed, feeling fresh from her bath. Diana followed behind her and tucked her in bed when she laid down. Diana hummed a gentle song to lull her to sleep which was effective and made Alexandra yawn. Her voice was soothing as usual.
"Good night, Alexandra…" Diana muttered as she smiled sweetly at her. Alexandra smiled back at her, "Good night to you too, Diana," She responded and she slowly closed her eyes. She felt Diana got up from the bed and stood up, light footsteps were heard slowly fading away as she arrived in front of the door and turned off the lights. Alexandra heard the sound of the door opening and closing after a few seconds. Somehow, she wasn't pulled into her slumber and the sleepiness she felt went away. Was that a false one? She asked herself and opened her eyes.
She decided to count sheep, "1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep, 4 sheep, 5 sheep, 6 sheep…" And she continued to do so not until she reached 23 and she heard a voice which startled her and made her sit up.
"Why are you counting sheep?"
She yelped in shock as her eyes widened. Her blue eyes met glowing crimson red ones that belonged to a black-haired boy and that is none other than Harrison. He was standing at the foot of her bed. His hair swayed as his eyes glimmered under the moon's light. He was wearing casual clothes, not his usual ones or his uniform. Harrison's lips were pursed into a thin line as he stared at her with an expressionless face.
"Yo, I'm back," He casually said in a bored tone of voice and Alexandra gasped as she smiled in glee.
