A lot of people have experienced being awake yet the consciousness is asleep. Like a man who woke up late for work and he immediately got up, fixed himself in a rush just so he could catch up. Then all of the sudden he will wake up again, realizing that he was still in bed and that everything he did was only done inside his mind.
Some move in the middle of the night to prepare food and water yet another person will see them with their eyes closed or open with dilated eyes, doing it all while they are still asleep. Living out the scene inside their mind as they are deep in slumber.
There are also people that are fully awake and could see something that only they could see. Sometimes they are in a situation that is not real at all and only they knew the situation they were in, but people could not understand something that is impossible. Illusions.
Some that are fully awake show an image or a scenario in their head that they do not know yet seems familiar. Perhaps it was the memories hidden deep inside them that are slowly starting to come back.
No matter what kind of situation you are in, no matter what kind of condition you have, no one will believe you if the people judging you have never experienced it. People like them would only deem you as a fool who likes to make up stories.
The same would apply to Vasillis who, until now, cannot accept that his best friend is dead. He will never believe it until he has seen her lifeless body with his own two eyes. His mind has created an illusion of them being reunited, made up an illusion that all the people other than the two of them are evil and have ill intentions. All of the people around him make him suspicious of single one of them.
He was nothing more than a judgeful bastard. A paranoid freak who wishes to be reunited by the one he loves that does not even have the tiniest bit of care for him. Aaron held himself back from clicking his tongue, 'What in the world did he even like in that woman?' he thought.
For Aaron, there was nothing to like in that noble lady other than her face. The first time he saw her, her eyes met his gaze and he felt so small. Just for a few seconds, he had already started to shrink and he could not move from his spot. The lady passed by and he felt like prey about to be eaten by the predator.
But instead of getting attacked, the beast walked away gracefully, it did not eat him but he was swallowed by her eyes. Staring at her deep, dark eyes that were empty yet kept pulling him in. He was getting sucked into her eyes but at the same time, it freezes him, making him unable to move.
He could not explain the feeling he had at that moment, but when she was finally out of sight and when he was finally able to move, he immediately left, hoping not to see her again.
But Fate was indeed playing with them, who would have thought that the daughter of the Marquess that he saw would be the best friend of his partner! Not only that but alive and missing, as Vasillis believed she was.
He does not know why he felt relieved when he found out that the lady of the Midford House was dead. But now that his friend is insisting that she is alive, he does not know what to believe. Perhaps his friend was just stuck in his own illusion. If it was true, then he is not sure whether he will help him find her or not.
He dislikes Alexandria but Vasillis is his friend.
He smoked his cigarette and stared into nothing, 'Frightening.' he thought when he remembered how he met her.
A memory he will never forget.
~~~~~~~~~~
Before the chaos,
For the Duchess herself to welcome the guests, was the duchy this humble? Bastien Cross thought in amusement.
Alexandria was not bothered by it, that much was expected for someone who has no reaction to anything. The two of them stopped in front of the Duchess, Alexandria took a few steps forward and curtsied, "A pleasant morning to the duchy, Your Grace." Bastien Cross greeted.
Frances Lockhart smiled and nodded before turning her head to the daughter of the Marquess. "Alexandria Midford greets Your Grace."
"I have heard about you from the Marquess. I am delighted that you came to see my son. It must mean that you consider the marriage that we arranged, yes?" she asked and looked at her from head to toe, observing her.
Alexandria stood straight with her chin up but her gaze did not meet the Duchess. The duchess smiled, for her to not look into the eyes of someone higher, she knows her place very well, how respectful. "I allow you to look at me, after all, it is not impossible for you to soon become my daughter-in-law."
"I am surprised that you did something that a servant should be doing," Alexandria uttered but Frances could not see any hint of surprise on her face that made her narrow her eyes at her, but she ignored it for now.
"Of course, it is natural that I meet the special guest of my eldest son." Frances Lockhart responded with a smile on her face.
"I am grateful, but I am still not sure of my marriage with Lord Alistair. The decision will be between us." Alexandria said.
Duchess Frances stared at the lady and laughed, "Do you think I will meddle in your affairs? It seemed like a warning for me to stay away from the business between the two of you."
Alexandria stopped and bowed, "I apologize if it sounded like that."
"Raise your head, it is fine." The Duchess said and gestured for her to raise her head. "I only wanted to see what Lady Alexandria is like."
Alexandria stayed silent, she was being observed, and she knows that this will not be the only time it will happen. Frances Lockhart could tell that the Lady of Midford knew what she was thinking, a smile formed on her face, there was a lot of time. A lot of time to see the real Alexandria Midford, she thought.
Alexandria and Bastien stopped when the Duchess did, Frances Lockhart was looking at something from afar and they both tried to see what it was. There was a man not far from where they were and the Duchess gestured for him to come.
The man has a chocolate hair that was slightly wavy, and navy blue eyes that he must have gotten from the Duchess. Their faces were not that far from the similarities, but he must look more like his father, Duke Mathias Lockhart.
"Clifford, there you are!"
Clifford Lockhart, the second son. Alistair's brother.