A Better View

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The next day, it was noon, Orchid woke up as usual, ready and awaiting Alan's arrival

She gazed out her window, her hands holding the railing, hoping to see him or a carriage riding in

Her breath hitched when she felt the presence behind her, his hand going to rest besides hers on the railing

"You're all prepped up, going somewhere?"

"Isn't this what I do everyday, it doesn't mean I'm going anywhere"

"Oh but you are, I told you not to go see him again, dear. A picnic?" he scoffed and her eyes narrowed. How did he find out? Ava...

"I don't see a reason not to go see him, he's one of my best friends. It's been a while we met-"

"Oh really? I don't think you guys have to cross paths just because he was gone for six years"

She turned around in shock to look at him "How did you-"

"I have my resource" he said and with that, Orchid knew who it was. Standing so close to him, she became more aware of his gaze

He craned his neck so his face could be angled with hers

"You're not going to see him. If you want we can go on a picnic ourselves"

"You-" he caressed her cheek with his thumb, trailing down to the corner of her lips

"Be a good girl and remain here till I return"

.

After that incident with the second prince that day, Brenda hadn't crossed paths with him and the feud between them still seemed to be ongoing. As Leon always dodged her question anytime she asked what had resulted to the fight

Leon hadn't changed as well, still sneaking out of the room with the thought that she was already asleep. She so badly wanted to know who resided in that manor and she knew for a fact the second prince knew

The matter wasn't how to ask him, it was that he was always in his room and she didn't want a repetition as to what happened

She left her room finally coming to a conclusion to ask the prince the question troubling her mind. Once again, she stood outside his room, her cheek holding a warm tinge of red

Her hand hesitantly reached to the door and just when she was about to place a knock, she heard some strange sounds coming from the inside. And then a loud scream followed

Brenda jerked when she heard a thud from the inside. She wondered what was going on but it wasn't in her place to barge into his room

With the thought of asking him another time they'll come across, she turned around only for the door to open at that moment

With parted lips, she turned around again only for her eyes to widen in shock at his appearance. His breath was haggy as he stared at her with the same shocked expression. Trails of blood slipping down the corner of his lips and his royal outfit also smudged with blood

Her eyes sneaked passed him and her hand flew to her mouth at the sight of a body lying lax on the ground. Blood gushing from the maid's neck

Alexander had no words to say to her as his expression turned calm, it was her fault for standing outside the door and stumbling upon the scene but he could tell she was irritated at the sight of blood

Without another word, she clumsily left with fast steps

"W-what was that?" she shook her head. No! She was definitely not hallucinating. The image of the lifeless maid on the ground, the blood on his lips and shirt...it was definitely real

Her face scrunched in irritation, still holding the same surprised look upon realization that he had drank the maid's blood

Later that day, Brenda had stayed in her room but still wasn't able to get what she had witnessed out of her head

Wanting to clear her head from what she had seen and to avoid having it wrapped around her mind, she went to the library

Picking a book, she sat down to indulge herself in reading

Just as she was about to flip the page, she heard footsteps approach her. Her head lifted up to stare at the person

The scene of earlier she had wished to take her mind off totally replayed back upon him coming into her view

Alexander could hear as her heart increased its pace upon his arrival. Of course, after witnessing a scene as that, he thought he needed to explain to her what it was

"Hold on" Brenda halted as she stood on her feet, he knew her next reaction after that was to run away

He walked towards her and stood in front of her as she clutched the book tightly to her chest

"W-what is it His Highness...w-wants?"

"To give you an explanation, Princess. So you could get a better view to what you saw"

"I don't think there's a better view to that, Your Highness-" he took a step forward and she flinched backward

"I told you to stop using that to address me. Let's talk, have a sit" he suggested

"Your-I have to leave"

"I thought you came here to read. You haven't opened a page yet you want to leave"

"I would understand it more in my room, please excuse m-"

"You're not excused, Princess" and he took another step forward, just as she was about to back away, he grabbed her wrist

"Your Highness!" she called out in shock as he nudged her towards him. His orbs flaring at how she had addressed him "Please let me go-"

"Are you ready to listen?"

"You-"

"I guess you're not. I want you to ask questions, Princess. And I would gladly answer to them"

"Y-you don't have to worry, I promise not to say it to anyone else"

"You're missing the point here, princess. I don't give a damn who you say it to, they'll just think you're acting up. So without a doubt, you're not going to say anything. Ask about what you saw?"

"I-" why was he so bothered and wanting her to ask "Your Highness, please... I do not wish to get involved with your...affairs"

"Oh, but you've been involved long ago, princess. And I'm involved in yours. You've ignored me for days now because of the tiny incident that occured in the room. And this...I'm afraid you'd be out of my reach" he paused to read her expression, she was confused, he could tell "I do not want that. Having to gaze at you from a distance while you're with Leon is torture enough"

"Please -" he placed his finger on her lips to shush her, she wasn't saying what he wanted to hear. And he wasn't willing to let her leave, not until they had come to a clear understanding

"Sit" he instructed, his hand still holding hers. Reluctantly, Brenda sat down and took her hand from his

"Why..." she had no idea where to start from, he wanted her to ask so she hoped he'd be able to answer them all "You killed that maid and t-took her blood?"

"It is what you saw" he bobbed his head

"Why?"

"I needed her blood, death was the only way for me to get what I wanted"

"Why?" he raised a brow at her and she lightly coughed "You were persistent on me asking you questions, you said you'd gladly answer all"

"I did. But you're not being specific with your questions, princess"

"W-why do you need her blood?"

"To survive" he shortly answered "You see, this is a secret between the late Queen and I, no one else residing in this palace knows"

"Oh-"

"I was a young child, sick and needy for good health. Having the blood of a demon was the only reassurance that I was going to live. The late Queen was more than willing to take such a risk to guarantee me living. Consuming the blood of a demon, I turned into one myself. And she made sure to provide me with the resource I needed" he explained "On her sick bed, I thought of doing the same to her. Perhaps giving her my blood would make her live longer but she refused, she was tired of living...she wanted to be with the superior ones"

Brenda was quite surprised at his explanation

"That explains what you saw back there, I have to consume blood or I grow weak and turn into a savage beast, draining blood from every living creature"