Chapter 17

Alexis had finally gotten through the third book when Angela quickly rushed into her room.

"Miss! Someone from the Silver family is here to see you!" She panicked, Alexis not at all perturbed just smiled in return.

"It's Wallace. Don't freak out Angela, I only need to speak to him for a minute or two." Alexis dusted the dress she wore. It was a deep green dress, with buttons decorating the blouse. It was the most modern thing she saw and readily put it on, but it wasn't modern enough to be put on without a corset. Ugh...

"But he's from the Silver Dukedom! We must make you presentable and someone from the Enflada Family came as well!" Angela scurried over to Alexis, combing through her hair like the rats nest it was.

'Joshua? No, it might be someone else.'

"Who are the Enflada's just to ask" she questioned, just as Rosy entered with some lotions bundled in her arms.

"They are one of the most influential families in the country, despite not being dukes. They aren't even royalty, but they produce geniuses every generation, and these geniuses are wanted by every noble and royal alike." Angela's voice was rushed and she spoke as if she was quoting someone else, "or at least, that's what Agathus said."

"Oh." 'Then that was why neon boy was so surprised' she thought.

Her hair was done up, face lavered with creams that didn't make her face different except lighter, slightly toned and glassy.

"Alright Miss, please follow me to the parlour," Just like that, Alexis came to the guest room to see Mr Silver and Joshua Enflada sitting tensely together on the couch. 

The hot tea placed before them was untouched.

"Good Morning, Mr Silver, Mr Enflada" she said as she sat in front of them. "Lovely weather isn't it?" 

"Quite so, Miss Fairy! Dwarfs thrive in weather like this. Did you know they can even manage to think for themselves when the weather is warm enough!" Joshua, who was still the same as always, chattered.

"Yes the weather is nice," Mr Silver, on the other hand, was very tense. Unlike Joshua who completely relaxed when she entered, he only barely leaned back.

She smiled at him, hoping it might set him at ease, but while doing so she noticed how pale his complexion was. 

"Mr Silver, you look sick?" She felt guilty at the thought that he might have forced himself to come when he got the message.

 "I'm fine. It's just a slight cough." He said and soon he hacked a bit, his hands moved to grab his handkerchief but Alexis just quickly extended her own.

"Take it." She said. And he did. "Angela? Could you make some lemon tea for Mr Silver?" She turned to the girl who nodded with a frown.

"But how do I make some?" She asked.

Alexis was used to it by now and just answered, "just add a teaspoon of lemon juice to tea and if Mr Silver wants, some honey?" She glanced at Mr Silver who nodded only, trying to contain the coughs.

The dwarf sped off. 

"I called you here Mr Silver, because the language questions were a bit too easy. If you could just add an a few advanced question right at the end then I can get everything sorted out and sent off." Alexis gave a guilty smile to him and thankfully, he nodded back. "Please take your time."

"Nonsense, I'll get it done right now. Can I get a quill and some ink?" He called the dwarfs who started to panic because they didn't know who he spoke to.

"Rosy, a quill and ink please." Alexis quickly intervened before tears could be shed.

She handed the exam section to Mr Silver just as Joshua spoke up.

"You've grown accustomed to dwarfs," he said in a fascinated voice, "or were you always accustomed to them Miss Fairy?" He asked.

"Once again, Mr Enflada, I'm a human. If I was a fairy I'd have wings!" It was safe to say Alexis was frustrated.

"You could be half?" 

"Why are you bent on insisting I'm a fairy?"

"Because you don't seem like any of the people here." Alexis was stunned when she heard his answer.

She recalled Angela's words, 'every generation they produce a genius', it seemed like Joshua might be the one. 

'But, isn't he a bit eccentric?'

"I'm a slave. Passed around by many traders and bought by the Emperor for my abundance of magic. That's why I have no markings, anytime they'd try to brand me it would just disappear. That's why even if I did have fairy blood, you'd never know." Alexis lied. For some reason she was sure Joshua didn't believe her. "Now I don't like talking about my past so Mr Enflada, care to explain why you're here?" It was the elephant in the room after all.

"I'm here to have an audience with the Emperor." At his words Wallace started coughing up again and as if timed Angela rushed in.

She passed him the tea cup after his pathetic gesture to her and gulped it down. His coughing seized soon enough.

"T-This is a fine drink." He said startled, his voice still not recovered from the coughing. "I hate to say this to someone of such low descent, but you, Miss Mage. are a clever girl." He gave her an uncharacteristic smile. 

Alexis felt strange hearing that. She failed her course and repeatedly thought she was stupid and worthless and after a long while of thinking that, she heard such a genuine compliment. If it had been anyone else she would've brushed it off, but it was Mr Silver, who showed disdain towards her when they first met.

"Thank you." She softly said back and felt wetness around her right eye. She wiped it hoping nobody saw but both gentlemen gave her a worried stare. "I just had something in my eye" she waved off, but soon another tear rolled, and then another, and by then it was too late to wave off.