The Secret She Keeps
POV: Alexandra
I felt a knuckle on my cheek, I slowly opened my eyes and peered up at Lucien. I pulled away quickly, “I’m so sorry that I fell asleep on you.” He laughed, “It’s quite alright, Alexandra. Surely you know this would be no inconvenience to me.” I remembered my date with him when we kissed and confessed to each other. What I felt at that moment could be easily understood as love, there must have been something there that suppressed the curse that allowed me to feel what I felt. I felt none of that now but that didn’t change the fact that I knew how he felt for me. I knew then that he was implying that he would do more for me if I needed him to. I nodded, “Right, still I did promise Blake that I would stay awake.” He shook his head and pointed out of the window to Blake and Litha having a chat outside and smiling at one another, “They got to know one another while we were traveling. It was a good call to have her come with.” I looked out at the two talking and getting along and I smiled, “I think he’s softening up to her since he knows now that she isn’t a threat to me. Perhaps this can be one of those enemies to lovers situation.” He chuckled, “Can you really call them enemies when she is blissfully unaware of what her father is doing? I’m guessing Blake found that out and that is why you know she’s not a threat?” I nodded, “Yeah, he didn’t tell me how he knows but if he says she’s okay, I believe it. If I’m honest, I’m relieved that she’s okay. She’s such a sweet person that I didn’t want to believe she could backstab or be malicious.” Lucien sighed, “Even people we perceive as sweet can be hiding their true intentions.” Lucien got up out of his seat and opened the carriage door then hopped down. He held out his hand, “I believe we should get you to your carriage.” I looked down the road to find the Batiste carriage coming our way then grabbed his hand to let me down.
I turned to get my bags but Lucien kept my hand in his and tugged gently, “Huh?” He smiled and kissed the back of my hand, “Let me take care of your bags, Xan.” I nodded at him, “Oh, uh, thanks.” It was always weird for me to accept help from anyone even though my father raised me in a way that I should rely on others when needed. I guess the strong will in me had made this task impossible and I believed it came from being alone at school amongst the humans. Lucien went to the back of the carriage and pulled out my bag but kept it when I held out my hand. When the carriage pulled up the coachman took it from Lucien and loaded it up along with bags for Jess, Derek, and Blake. I gave Lucien a big hug, “I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to take me out there. I am really way more relaxed now than I was before.” He smiled down at me, “Any time you want to go back just let me know. I would move mountains to make that happen.” I smiled up at him and nodded, “Safe travels back, Your Majesty.” He laughed, “Same you, Your Grace.” We parted and I walked over to my carriage where Blake was waiting to help me in. When I looked out the window, I noticed that Lucien had not quite left but was staring at the carriage. He was probably waiting for us to set off, I sighed, “I need another nap.” Blake, who was sitting next to me, said, “You can use my shoulder this time.” I giggled, “This trip is not so far as the other one was. I think I can hold on until we get to the house.” Blake sighed, “I guess you’re right.” I smiled at him, “Wouldn’t you rather that I stay awake and chat with you?” He smiled, “Sure but like you said the trip is short.” I tucked my arm around his, “Then you can stay at Blackwood for a little while and we can have lunch. I’ll get Dorothea to portal you back to Mesha if you’re concerned about time.”
He rested his head on top of mine, “I would love that I think we should have a nice chat about your date with Lucien and I can go into detail about what I found out about Litha.” I tried not to tense up about the date that I went on with Lucien. This caused Blake to lift his head off of mine, “Are you okay?” I nodded, “I guess I’m just still kinda tired so thinking about the reason I’m tired has subconsciously tensed me.” I had hoped he had bought the reason for my tensing up because I really didn’t want to explain to a man who was so obviously in love with me that I was making out with his brother all night. I shouldn’t have felt guilty about it since I was not his girlfriend, fiance,e or wife but he had done so much for me that I felt obligated to him in a way. He simply smiled at me, “I can’t blame you, that jerk kept you out all night.” I sighed, “To be honest, the idea was mine. The view of the place he brought me to was so nice and relaxing that I didn’t want to leave. I keep trying to figure out if I regret that decision. Lucien was only obliging my childish wants.” He laughed, “Well if it helped to relax you then I cannot fault him for that.” He had no idea how much that had relaxed me, knowing that the curse had the ability to be somehow suppressed though neither of us knew how that had happened. One of the conversations we had in the cave were the theories of why this might’ve happened. Lucien thought that, perhaps, the rocks in the cave were magical. I thought it was the water that had helped to heal me temporarily. Whatever it was, Lucien said he would contact Grand Pretre to see what it was that made this happen. Lucien said she had obviously known what it was because when they discussed the dates, she was telling him something special would happen there and she winked at him playfully. I remember when he told me that, that it did sound like the child-like behavior that she often displayed when it came to anything to do with one Alexandra Batiste.
We neared the manor in the carriage and I was so happy to see home. I knew that my mother wouldn’t be there though. She decided that she would leave just before I got back from the retreat so that she could return to whatever it was that she did as the wife of an official envoy. As we slowly made our way to the manor, I saw Vanessa walking towards it holding a basket. She smiled as she noticed the carriage pulling up and she waved. This was the happiest that I had ever seen her in the time that I had known her. I silently wondered if she was spending a lot of time with my uncle and reconnecting and rekindling their relationship. I had hoped so. She waited for us outside of the carriage as Derek helped Jess out of the carriage and Blake helped me out. She hugged me first, “You guys showed up just in time. I was just about to have lunch with Talon. I visited Terre and brought back a few things and I am sure, Xan would appreciate a little taste of home.” I laughed, “Thanks but I think Lucien and Blake tried to spoil me on that front. I got a few human foods on this trip.” She glanced at Blake and then laughed, “I bet it was a competition too. Knowing those guys, they’re likely to compare which food had the better reaction.” I looked at Blake who was wearing a nervous smile, “I think I’ll just say both were equally appreciated and leave it at that.” I heard a huff type of breath come out of Blake and I instantly knew that Vanessa was likely right. I wasn’t going to play into the game those two were going to play with each other later. They probably would compare dates if Lucien and I hadn’t agreed, for various reasons, to keep what really happened on our date a secret. We agreed that we would simply just say the view was so amazing and the swimming felt so nice that we stood out longer than intended. Vanessa nudged my arm, “You don’t look well-rested as you should. I thought the point of going up there was to relax.” I laughed, “I’m relaxed but I stood out with Lucien on the lake all night so I’m a little tired.” She winked at me, “Had a good time did you?” I sighed, “Not like that, it’s just the view was amazing and the swim was nice and relaxing is all.” Dana opened the door, likely to greet us merrily like she always did. When I turned to look at her, the expression on her face let me know that this would not be a merry greeting. She was frowning, “Your Grace, Master Tallon left the manor yesterday evening after Miss Vanessa left and hasn’t returned.”
