Serena froze the mont she saw Alexander’s face change. His expression gave nothing away, but sothing in the stillness of his eyes made her heart drop. She replayed her own words in her mind, her bold statent about his emotions, her belief that he had the capacity to feel like everyone else and she realized she might have crossed a line she wasn’t supposed to cross.
"I-I apologize... if I overstepped," she said quietly.
Her voice was small, as if she were afraid that even speaking too loudly would provoke displeasure. She lowered her gaze, lips pressed together, wishing she could pull her words back.
But Alexander rely blinked once. Then he looked away.
"It’s fine," he said simply.
No irritation. No anger. No warmth either. Just that cold, calm neutrality he carried so effortlessly.
His tone wasn’t reassuring, but the lack of annoyance eased the knot in Serena’s stomach. She breathed out, even though her chest still felt tight.
A mont of silence stretched between them. Serena fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve, the sa way she always did when her nerves ate at her. Alexander’s eyes flicked to the movent, quietly observing.
She hesitated before speaking again. "Your majesty... may I ask another question?"
"Go on," he replied.
His voice was smoother now, the slight edge gone. It surprised her, how his tone could shift so subtly and yet still sound unreadable.
Serena gathered her courage. "What about Princess Alia?". She didn’t know why she was asking but here she was.
"She left, so much has been going on in the palace that I couldn’t even see her off." Alexander said, his tone carried a little pity.
"You both are getting married, you should pay more attention to her, she won’t be happy." Serena said her voice low barely audible.
Alexander’s jaw tightened only slightly—but Serena caught it.
"I didn’t say I was getting married to her and besides it’s not my fault she’s anticipating soting entirely impossible." he answered.
His tone was firm. Final.
Serena blinked. "So the wedding is... not happening?"
Alexander studied her with mild curiosity. "Why? Are you disappointed?" A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Or are you jealous?"
Her cheeks burned imdiately, and she opened her mouth to protest, but no words ca out.
Jealous? Of the human princess? Of him?
She shook her head quickly. "That’s not what I ant. I just... I just asked."
Alexander watched her for a heartbeat longer, eyes amused— in that quiet, entertained way he looked at anything unexpected. Serena wasn’t predictable, and he found that oddly interesting.
"No," he finally answered. "There will be no wedding. Alia’s expectations are her own concern."
Serena nodded, even though questions still swirled in her mind—why bring a princess to Noct if he had no intention of marrying her? Why allow the rumors to grow? Why stay silent?
But she didn’t dare push further.
Alexander stood from the bed. "I have matters to attend to. Rest. Your body is still weak."
He began walking to the door. Serena watched him, feeling that sa strange mixture of confusion and curiosity she always felt when it ca to him. He wasn’t heartless, she was sure of that he simply hid everything behind a mask she couldn’t read
Then he left the room.
Serena sat in silence after the door closed, her heart strangely light. She didn’t understand him, but maybe understanding him wasn’t ant to be easy. He was a King, after all, mysterious, layered, unreadable.
And she? She was just trying to catch up with the world she’d woken up in.
---
About an hour later, Serena heard a soft knock on her door.
"Lady Serena?" a gentle voice called.
Serena recognized it imdiately. "Princess Athyst?"
"Yes. May I co in?"
Serena hurried to open the door. Athyst stood there with a small smile on her lips, dressed in a lilac gown that sparkled faintly in the sunlight from the hallway.
"You’re awake," Athyst said warmly. "I was worried."
Serena smiled shyly. "I’m fine now. Still a bit weak, but better."
"Good." Athyst reached for her hand. "Co with . I want to talk."
Serena let herself be guided down the hall. Every step she took felt lighter than the last. She admired Athyst—her calmness, her honesty, her quiet strength. The princess was young, but she carried herself with grace, like soone who understood people more than she let on.
They entered Athyst’s room—a soft, pastel-colored space filled with sunlight and flowers. Serena was amazed by it; the room felt warm, safe, completely opposite of her old life. So this is a princess’s room, she thought to herself.
Athyst gestured for her to sit beside her on the long couch. Once they both settled, she turned fully to face Serena.
"Tell ," Athyst said gently, "how have you been? Are you feeling better, I can’t believe they did this to you." she said, there was a little frustriation in her voice.
Serena blinked, a smile appeared on her face. "I’m... alright."
"You don’t sound alright," Athyst said with a small frown. "There’s tiredness in your voice."
Serena looked down. She didn’t want to burden the princess, but sothing about Athyst made honesty feel natural.
"I honestly feel better." She admitted sincerely.
Athyst nodded slowly. "I can’t believe, you saved only to go through a lot, I feel like its my fault." She said with a sad voice.
"It’s not your fault, don’t bla yourself." Serena answered, her voice calm and comforting. Athyst smiled. "I should be the one comforting you not the other way around." She said with a chuckle.
"Do you have any idea on what happened to you?" Athyst asked, she wanted to see if Serena was conscious of her surrounding.
Serena shook her head. "Not really, all I rember is having this burning sensation, everywhere around was in a haze, I could hear voices but they were muffled and barely recognisable." She explained and Athyst listened carefully.
"That could be, Arthur said you were spelled and they had to find a witch to cure you. You must have been in so much pain." Athyst said holding Serena’s hand.
"Spelled? How is that possible?" Serena asked, she didn’t understand how she was spelled, she didn’t encounter anyone and most of all a creature who can do magic so how was she spelled. Worst of all it happened in Alexander’s Palace.
"I wonder to, I don’t rember walking toward the cliff, I just woke up and found myself there and when I was brought back to the palace my room window was open. It is strange isn’t it?" Athyst asked.
Serena frowned slightly. "I also rember waking up to my window wide open. What could this an?" She said. If both their windows were wide open that sa day then it could only an that what happened between them was not a coincidence.
Athyst sighed. "It’s alright we will be fine. Alexander has tightened the security and we have a witch on our side now, whoever they are wouldn’t dare to co back." She said, her voice firm, like a true princess.
Serena looked at her, her eyes studying her face. "You don’t look scared at all." She said. Athyst laughed. "Scared? I’m not scared, why would I be scared when I have Alexander, one way or the other he would find them and besides I am a princess, I shouldn’t be sacred." Athyst said confidently.
Serena let out a small laugh. "That’s right, you do have a little bit of the king’s personality." She said.
"Well what can I say, I’ll take it as a complint." Athyst said proudly and they both laughed. "It’s really good to have you back, I almost died of boredom without you, this place is so dull." She said.
Serena smiled and sothing in her clicked, for the first ti in years, she felt as if she belonged sowhere, not captured and forced to stay. Alexander might be very different but the people around him has treated her with kindness which was rare because they were vampires.
"Do you want to walk around the garden and chit chat?." She paused and almost imdiately she spoke. "Oh you just woke up, I shouldn’t put you under stress or my bother would kill ."
"No he won’t." Serena replied imdiatly feeling weird by what the princess said. "How about for so minutes, then we can head back in?" She asked, a slow smile appeared on Athyst face.
"Let’s go." She stood up imdiately, her voice brimming with excitnt. Serena was actually surprised by the Princess, she must have felt really lonely to be this excited about a walk, seeing her brim with excitnt like a child made Serena felt warm inside. She is a princess but really nice to the people around her and that added to her charm.
They both walked out of the room, Athyst hang wrapped around Serena’s arm as Theh walked down the hallway.
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