Chapter 20

Angela and Rosy stood up, grabbing a coat, scarf and hat. Andrea, on the other hand, grabbed a pair of shoes.

"I'm only going to the garden..." Alexis who looked at all the trouble the dwarfs seemed to go through with guilt.

"Humans get sick easily and Master Agathus said they need to dress warmly at night, even in the summer." Andrea said, her platinum hair in a plated bun.

"Where do you even get the chance to speak to Agathus? I only see you follow me around?" The question had been bothering her since Angela had quoted the small green man who deeply cared for the Emperor.

"At night when you sleep." Answered Rosy as she slipped a scarf around Alexis.

"Don't dwarfs also sleep?"

"Very little, only for an hour." Andrea helped her shoes on.

All ready, Alexis smiled at the three small ladies who had helped her, "let's go!"

The halls of the palace were lit with dim lights so finding her way to the stairs were simple and walking down was also okay, except until she stared at the darkness below.

"Why is the first floor so dark?"

"There's nobody down there."

"Oh. I see." Despite knowing it was childish, a fear climbed into Alexis heart as she made her way down, less enthusiastically. She felt like something awaited her in that darkness.

She made it to the floor and quickly to the door that lead to the garden, gusts of cold, fresh night air hit her, flooding onto the first floor.

She stood mesmerised at the night sky, littered with jewels and diamonds of so many pastel colours. The moon, most of all shone brightly. It was so much brighter than the one in her world and looked so much closer.

She lifted a hand towards it, wishing she had went out at night sooner, wondering why she never bothered to look outside the window were the moon would be so easily visible.

"It's beautiful..."

She felt the presence of her three dwarfs and stepped down the marble steps in her woolly heeled boots that clicked with every step, until she stood on the grass.

The beautiful gardens now in her view and she stared at the large blue things that she could now see had wings, a black beak and little orange legs. It's body glowed brightly and the speed it flew at was so slow and mystical.

'This world... is so beautiful' she thought as she walked by the hydrangea's, it was the first garden and the blue light complimented them so well that they looked like completely different flowers.

The bleeding heart tree had so many under it. Like souls in a resting place. Alexis wandered everywhere her eyes went and among the silent night filled with bird chirps and the footsteps of the little dwarfs who followed her.

They smiled at her behaviour, but everyone is like that when they first see the garden at night and it didn't become less ethereal, despite the time they already spent here.

She carried on walking and then a voice, one she wasn't so familiar with, spoke to her almost making her jump out of her skin.

"I didn't expect the Emperors mage enjoyed late night strolls." Alexis turned to see that same blonde man from the dinner table. That was a while ago, but she remembered the kind eyes he had.

"Your highness, Prince Dwayne" Alexis said still not completely recovered. She knew it was strange that he was here since from what she gathered his palace was far off from here. Seeing him in the Emperors garden is unusual. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to visit this garden," he touched the bark of the chrysanthemum tree, a mysterious look in his eyes. It unsettled her. "The main palace's garden is more magnificent than any of the other palaces gardens. It's soil is rich and nutritious, any plant could grow in it."

"I see." She gulped, wanting to head back to her room, but still hoping to catch glimpses of the rest of the garden.

"It was just my luck I managed to meet you, Miss Mage. I've been wanting to for a while, especially after that dinner." He smiled, it was forced and it erased whatever kindness she first saw on his face.

"Have you?" 'The feelings not mutual.'

"Yes, I want to warn you." A blavus bird came close to him, illuminating his face and his violet eyes glared at her, Alexis' brows furrowed at this. "You won't survive long as the Emperors Mage. People train years for your position and when they hear that some lowly half-breed fairy slave has taken that position, they won't be happy. Your life will be in dire danger very soon." He moved closer to her as he spoke. His words grew colder and sharper with each step and with them Alexis' temper flared.

'Slap yourself!' She thought and imagined him hitting himself. She would have done something, but knew that was what he wanted. What he was trying rile her up for.

"And from what I heard you don't know a thing about magic. You're vulnerable to all the dangers and yet, like an ignorant commoner, you still dare stand so proudly in a royal garden."

'Slap yourself!' It was starting to feel childish, but her teeth grinder against one another and she knew she was giving him a stink eye.

"You sure are talkative at night Prince Dwayne. You were so quiet in front of the Emperor I never would've noticed." She calmly barked. It was hard to not throw insults, and again that was what he aimed for. It was so obvious.

"No. I don't enjoy talking unless to help a strayed soul. And you Miss Mage look to be one. I can help you, and my advice is to leave. Leave before you really end up dead." He seemed quite finished with his threats and Alexis whose night was ruined just forced her own smile.

"Prince Dwayne, you shouldn't say such things in front of his highness." She gestured behind him as his eyes widened and he turned back suddenly only to see the darkness of the night, "Oh, I must have miss seen. I apologise, I just thought you wouldn't want to be heard saying such things, would you?"

Alexis hit the mark she wanted to and she realised this when his face paled completely. She smiled in satisfaction, but realised that he wasn't staring at her, but behind her.

She turned and blinked a few times to make sure her eyes didn't betray her.

Behind her stood the Emperor, he gave her a strange grin.

"Alastair?" She frowned, 'wasn't he upstairs in his room?'

"She speaks some truth. You shouldn't speak so loudly if you don't want me to hear." He tilted his head with a smirk that scared Alexis out of her wits. The darkness of the night shadowed his face in a frightening manner, "Unfortunately for you brother, I happened to catch every word."