Vasillis stared out the window, lost in thought. Contemplating who to turn to for information about Alexandria's whereabouts. If he needed someone who knew Alexandria well that could give him a lead on where she might be, it could only be her.
There was guilt deep inside him from the fact that he was her best friend yet he does not even know the special place of his beloved friend. The special place that he will discover might be one of the leads to finding Alexandria.
But there was someone who came to mind that kept making him hesitate. "Would it really be best to ask Alexander?" he wondered.
He hesitated at the thought of reaching out to her brother. Although they were friends, Vasillis couldn't shake the feeling that Alexander might have had a hand in Alexandria's disappearance. He needed to be cautious around him.
The first time he met Alexander was when they were six, he always found the twin's relationship great. He admired Alexander for his kindness towards his sister who was always in the dark. Despite their family and their servants' mistreatment of Alexandria, Alexander did not care and continued to stay with her.
But now, Vasillis couldn't help but wonder if it had all been a lie all along. 'Was all of that an act, Alexander?' he clenched his fist at the thought of it.
The changes in Alexander's behavior and personality were slowly convincing Vasillis of what he could have done to his own sister--to his twin.
His impression of Alexander had always been great. But now, he was not sure of it.
As he mulled over his options, the carriage came to a stop. They were already at the Midford's manor. Just as he looked out of the window, he saw a person from afar, perhaps making its way to the garden. It was her--the lady who stood out like a flower in a field. She was always with Alexandria, and perhaps she knew something that could help.
Another person came to the man in the carriage, a woman who resembled a flower in the field who stood out from the rest. The one Alexandria was always with. Perhaps she knew something that could help him.
Vasillis made up his mind to approach the woman instead of Alexander. It seemed like the safer choice.
Before the chaos, 1888, Antares.
It had been nearly an hour since they had left the meeting place with Alistair Lockhart. Alexandria still could still see the smile on his face as the carriage had pulled away at her behest.
"I wonder what Lord Lockhart would say to your father." Bastien Cross said. He had been observing the lady since the moment they left. Her expression was as blank as ever, but he could tell she was lost in thought. Probably thinking about the man earlier.
"He would tell Father that I did not meet with him, of course," Alexandria replied coolly.
"Seeing how he looked at you, he seemed quite interested in My Lady." Cross teased.
"That's all the more reason for him to tell Father."
"You cannot be too sure, he might not." Cross said, "And if he does, what would you do?"
Alexandria continued to look outside, unbothered. "I could not care less either way,"
"Your father has already warned you about what he might do if you disobey him once again. This time, he might even be more violent." Bastien Cross said, trying to remind the lady out of concern. Although Cross always looked amused, he was still worried about his lady, especially knowing how fearless and careless she is.
"I do not care, are you not yet used to him abusing me? I thought by now you would deem it as a normal occurrence."
"Are you not afraid that your father might...kill you?" Bastien Cross asked, this time he was serious. That thought has always crossed his mind, it was not impossible for the Marquess to do such a thing, given the Marquess's history of violence towards her.
Especially knowing what he did to the lady when she was a mere 10-year-old child. What more now that she was a grown lady?
"Would that not be quite amusing? Imagine reading a newspaper early in the morning," Alexandria said, "featuring a Marquess who killed his own daughter."
Bastien Cross went silent, if the lady did not have such odd sickness, he could imagine her laughing as she said those words. He shook his head, "You really fear nothing...not even death."
"Death, huh?" the lady scoffed. "To be honest, I am rather disappointed that he is so late, I have been waiting for so long,"
Cross shook his head. There was no point in arguing with her. Her illness had robbed her of the ability to feel anything, even fear. It was unfortunate that a once-kind and timid child had turned into a woman who couldn't recognize her own emotions.
The carriage was filled with silence throughout the ride. Alexandria, who was watching the scenery outside the window spotted the tree from afar. Their tree. Her tree.
They were still inside Arcturus but on the path to Capella because the tree was in the middle of the two. The carriage stopped and they finally arrived at the place. Bastien Cross was the first to step outside so he could assist the lady out of the carriage.
Before the carriage left, the coachman looked at both Alexandria and her butler, "When they ask me, I will only answer that I did my job to bring you to the meeting place in Arcturus, nothing more." he said and Alexandria nodded. "I do not want to be involved in this, Miss. I cannot lose my job, I beg of you." the coachman said in a pleading tone.
Alexandria looked at him blankly and Bastien Cross slightly gave the coachman a bow, "You have our word. We will do so in a way that you will not be mentioned."
The coachman nodded in both worry and gratitude before driving away to leave them.
"Stay here," Alexandria ordered her butler. This was how it has always been, whenever Alexandria escaped her dates, she would go to the tree alone with Bastien Cross standing on guard from afar.
This was how Alexandria could get her peace. Even if she does not recognize her feelings does not mean that she absolutely cannot feel anything. Her body always felt heavy for a reason she does not know, yet it would turn light at the moment she was in this place. It puts her at ease.
She has become attached to the tree. To think that she would feel that way towards a thing, yet not understand what she felt towards humans. The tree was her safe haven.
She sat down on the ground and leaned on the tree. But something caught her eye from afar, a very beautiful--no. Possibly a description that was more than beautiful. Alexandria cannot even see the lady well, but she could not take her eyes off of her.
The field of flowers was no match for her. The wind seemed to be in favor of Alexandria as it blew the hat of the woman away, revealing her hair that resembled the sun. She looked like a daisy that stood out from the rest, emitting an aura of innocence and purity. She stood out in her world of black and white.
Strangely, Alexandria felt something she could not explain.
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