6: The Carnival

The three ladies narrowed their eyes slightly at the name, which sounded familiar. As Austin continued to extend the box toward her, Alexandra glanced at the twins, who merely shrugged. She hesitated for a moment before accepting it.

"Thank you," she said, bowing politely. However, Austin stopped her with a gesture.

"You don't need to bow," he said. "We hold the same title, after all." His words were cryptic at first, and Alexandra struggled to grasp his meaning. "I'm the son of Duke Joshua McCartney, from the South."

At this revelation, the girls' eyes widened in surprise. The son of the Southern Duke? That meant he was Kiara's brother! None of them had expected this encounter, much less in the East. Why was the Southern Duke's son here when the carnival was to be held in the Midland, where the Castle of Caestria stood?

"Ah, did that surprise you?" Austin asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. "No need for introductions. I already know who you are—the daughter of the Eastern Duke."

He glanced at his wristwatch, seemingly unfazed by their astonishment. "I'll see you some other time," he said with a casual wave before walking away.

Alexandra stood frozen, too shocked to return the gesture.

The three ladies entered their carriage, and as they set off for home, Alexandra remained silent, still processing the unexpected encounter.

"I didn't even know Kiara had a brother," Cloe finally broke the silence. "Is he older or younger, though?"

"What I don't understand is why he bought the swords for you. Are you sure it wasn't love at first sight?" Cleo teased, rolling her eyes. "He'd better not get any ideas. You're already taken by the Crown Prince."

Cleo's distaste for Kiara was well-known, and it was clear she wasn't fond of the idea of liking her brother either. But her expression brightened suddenly. "By the way, Keiran and I are going on a date tomorrow," she added with a grin, referring to her lover.

At that, Alexandra smiled warmly. "Aw, that's sweet. What time in the evening?" she asked.

Cleo nodded enthusiastically, her excitement contagious.

The conversation soon shifted to Cloe, who had been quietly blushing, her thoughts seemingly elsewhere.

"Whoa, Cloe, did you just blush?" Cleo exclaimed, genuinely surprised. She had noticed her twin speaking with Keith earlier but hadn't thought much of it at the time. "You already like him, don't you? And now that I think about it, he's exactly your type! Brown hair, those striking metal-grey eyes... Alex, do you remember when Cloe described her dream guy? She basically described Keith, Anita's son!"

Cloe's face reddened further as she sat beside Cleo, whose teasing was relentless.

"We just talked, nothing more," Cloe protested, rolling her eyes. "Don't blow this out of proportion, Cleo."

But her twin and Alexandra simply laughed at her flustered denial. As the carriage rocked gently along the road, Alexandra watched the twins banter with each other. The bond they shared warmed her heart. It was moments like these that made her grateful to have such close friends, who would always have her back no matter what.

By the time they returned to the Carmarthen mansion, the evening had settled into a soft twilight. The hour was nearing seven, and the twins didn't enter, opting instead to bid Alexandra farewell before heading home in their own carriage.

Inside the mansion, Brione sat in her study, engrossed in a book about magic. She glanced up when the door creaked open. "You're back?" she asked with a soft smile.

"Yes, Mama," Alexandra replied, making her way to the couch at the left side of the room.

"How was shopping?" Brione inquired, closing her book and placing it on the shelf behind her.

Alexandra took a moment to reflect on the day before responding, "It went well, I guess. I met the son of Duke McCartney." Her words carried a hint of disbelief.

"Kiara's brother?" Brione's eyebrows rose in surprise as she stood and moved to sit beside her daughter.

"You knew she had a brother?" Alexandra asked, her surprise evident.

Brione chuckled softly, giving her daughter a knowing look. "I'm a Duchess, my love. Of course I knew." Alexandra nodded, realizing her mother would be well-informed on such matters. Brione's tone shifted slightly as she added, "The Crown Prince is returning from the war next week."

Alexandra's heart fluttered at the news. "We'll be traveling to the Midland the day before the carnival," her mother continued.

Alexandra nodded, absorbing the information. "Do you know the exact day of his return?"

"Tuesday," Brione confirmed. "So we'll have to leave on Monday."

Alexandra did a quick calculation—it was currently Wednesday, which meant they had just under a week before they'd leave for the Midland. "Is Papa coming too?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Of course," Brione nodded with a smile. "He wouldn't miss the carnival for anything."

Content with the answers, Alexandra rested her head on her mother's shoulder, a wave of exhaustion from the day's events washing over her. The warm glow of the study's lamps illuminated the room, casting soft shadows on the walls as the comforting scent of parchment and old books lingered in the air.

Brione gently stroked her daughter's hair, sensing her fatigue. "Rest, my dear. The days ahead will be busy," she whispered, her voice soothing and calm.

Alexandra nodded sleepily and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. She was tired out because of the activities of the day.