Chapter 10

Soon the mesmerising laughter died out and the man heaved shamelessly in front of the now, completely embarrassed Alexis.

"You're a tyrant." She coldly said, shocking everyone else on the table except, of course, the emperor. 

"How dare a plebeian like you call me such!" Alexis couldn't tell if he was mad or just saying it because he was used to it.

"What is that word? What does it mean?" She was fed up with this King.

'What a clown!'

Soon a dwarf holding a steaming tray came near her and effortlessly placed utensils and bowls of food in front of her. A steaming steak  with strange vegetables on the side, drizzled with what she hoped was lamb sauce.

"Thank you." She said to the dwarf, her actions were seen as bizarre by the royals.

"Why thank someone whose just doing their job?" Alastair asked, curious at what the otherworld girl would say.

"It's polite." 

"So you have manners, it's the first I've seen any of them." He laughed condescendingly.

"At least you've seen some! I haven't seen a speck of any from you!" Alexis jabbed an accusatory finger at him.

"When exactly did I show you anything discourteous?" He raised a brow, challenging her, "when I gave you a place to sleep?"

"When you threw me over your!-" her words were suddenly stuck in her throat. Nothing left when she tried to speak.

She turned back to her food and just started cutting the steak. 

'I can't speak about it in front of his family...' she grimaced. A strong part of her believed they were responsible for his bad behaviour. It was a nagging feeling.

"Might I ask where your from, Miss Magician?" The sparkly blonde who sat a ways down spoke despite the stubborn silence among his side of the table.

'Where I'm from?' Alexis glanced at Alastair for help.

"She's from a far away land, nobody knows from where because she was a slave." He spoke nonchalantly. His words caused gasps to explode around the table.

"How dare a slave sit on a table with royals!" Alexis didn't turn to see who spoke and instead glared at the Emperor.

'Look at the mess you've made!' Her glaring soon turned to ogling as she couldn't help but admire his strong jaw, his thin lips that puckered out slightly and his straight nose was so elegant.

'No! Snap out of it Alexis! This is your kidnapper!' A part of her screamed.

'Yeah... but he's kinda hot...' another side retorted.

'He kidnapped you! Do you have Stockholm syndrome?!' 

She was still staring despite her thoughts and the Emperor who noticed gave her a smug smirk.

"What? You want to confess your feelings already?" His words didn't anger Alexis but instead made her flush.

'Oops I got caught!'

"Don't be ridiculous!" She retorted all the while chewing into her steak, hoping to distract herself.

"And yet she has enough mana to be a Royal mage? A lot of people are competing for that role. There's going to be an uproar if people discover a random slave took the spot" The blonde stranger who still carried on gave Alexis a calculated look.

"It's fine she'll prove herself in due time."

"Then why won't she give a show already?" The unknown man pressed.

"How do you think she got passed the guards? She doesn't need to prove anything to you" he replied in a voice so cold, goosebumps travelled up Alexis' arm.

'He doesn't like that nice looking guy?' She glanced at the man in question and froze when she noticed the gaze of interest directed at her.

'What does he want?'

"You have quite a peculiar hair colour there. I've only ever seen brown on earth fairies." His words sounded like a compliment and Alexis' cheeks reddened.

'D-did he say I'm like a f-fairy?'

"It's like dirt." The Emperor, the destroyer of dreams, spoke.

'I was summoned by the wrong royal' she grit her teeth and once again slumped forward, 'well, I've have to deal with it.'

Nobody spoke after that, and Alexis also just finished her meal and waited for Alastair, who also seemed to eat in a magnificent manner, to finish. 

She wanted to speak with him. He was the only person she could actually get any truth out of. After bumping into those ladies, she realised even if she heard rumours it would be no help if they were all lies. And his truth would soon be known to the world, because if it wasn't then she would be dead.

She shivered at the thought. Everything counts on whether I can fulfil this task.

The other royals left together. Sticking to each other like a group, leaving Alexis and Alastair alone on the table being cleaned by dwarfs.

"Alastair." She started and was surprised by how the Emperors face snapped towards her stunned. There was a look on his face, something so vulnerable she wish she hadn't seen it.

It made her heart ache in an unfamiliar way. At that moment she wanted to protect him from whatever may hurt him. 

She furrowed her brows.

'Weird..."

"What’s the matter?" She finally questioned the stunned face which turned away, avoiding eye contact after she spoke.

"Nothing." 

"Okay?" Alexis was sceptic but accepted the answer, "You told me about your bad reputation among "humans", but why exactly is it there?"

"Must you know?" He hurriedly said as if he wished to leave soon.

"I need to understand why before I can fix anything." Her face was more serious than usual.

"Ask Agathus." He stood up, ready to leave.

"No! You tell me!" Alexis' last straw broke.

The Kings face looked thunderous at this and suddenly he charged to her, trapping small frame between his arms that clenched the table top behind her.

His face inches away, his rose coloured eyes red as they glared at her. He grabbed her chin harshly tracing his fingers down her throat.

"I might have bought you here to help me, but mark this I can snap this tiny little neck so easily you won't know what hit you." He whispered harshly into her ear and with that he stormed off, leaving Alexis, whose knees trembled, behind.