Alexandra carefully served the two women and herself the raspberry-flavored tea she had prepared. Queen Selina took a delicate sip, her eyes widening in surprise before she squealed with delight.
"Oh my! What did you put in this? It's *so* delicious!" She beamed and took several more sips in quick succession.
"It's raspberry-flavored tea," Brione chimed in with a smile. "Alexandra is quite skilled when it comes to tea-making." She took a sip herself, nodding in agreement. The flavor was exquisite, far better than any tea she'd had in recent memory.
"Raspberry tea is now my favorite!" Queen Selina laughed, her infectious joy filling the room, and soon, Brione and Alexandra were laughing along with her.
Once Alexandra finished her tea, she stood up and excused herself. Right outside the door stood two maids, who bowed as soon as she emerged.
"We were assigned to serve you, Lady Alexandra," one of the maids said politely.
Alexandra returned their bow with a curt nod. "Might you know where the other young ladies are?"
"They're practicing archery in the courtyard, Milady," the maid on her left replied promptly.
"Could you lead me there?" Alexandra asked, and the maids immediately obliged, guiding her through the castle's winding hallways until they reached the courtyard.
As they stepped out into the open, Alexandra saw three ladies standing with bows in their hands, practicing their aim. A spare stool sat nearby with a bow and quiver of arrows placed neatly on it. She guessed it had been left there for her. Glancing around, she noticed it was positioned right beside Kiara, the daughter of the Southern Duke.
Alexandra thanked the maids for their guidance, but they remained, standing discreetly at a distance.
She observed the scene for a moment. None of the girls seemed particularly skilled at archery, their arrows straying far from the targets. Alexandra quietly walked over to her designated stool, coming to stand between Kiara and another girl—the daughter of the Western Duke, Cherish.
Cherish was the first to notice her, and her face lit up with a bright smile. "You're Alexandra, right?" she exclaimed enthusiastically, her voice loud and full of warmth. "I'm Cherish Bruce, the daughter of the Western Duke." Before Alexandra could react, Cherish wrapped her in a warm hug, leaving her momentarily stunned.
"Do you know how to shoot?" Cherish continued, seemingly oblivious to Alexandra's surprise. She picked up the bow and arrow from the stool beside her and handed them over. "Here, give it a try."
"Thank you," Alexandra murmured, accepting the bow.
"We were thinking of visiting the art gallery after this," Cherish added. "Ashley and I heard the castle has a stunning collection."
At that moment, the third girl, Ashley, finally turned her attention to Alexandra. "Oh, hi! I'm Ashley, daughter of the Northern Duke," she greeted with a soft smile.
After exchanging brief introductions and pleasantries, Cherish and Ashley soon excused themselves, eager to explore the art gallery, leaving Alexandra alone with Kiara. The courtyard felt quieter without the other girls' chatter, but the tension between the two remaining ladies was palpable.
Alexandra watched as Kiara took aim at her target and released the arrow, almost hitting the bullseye but missing by a small margin. Frustrated, Kiara twitched her lips.
"Well, I don't have to worry about competition, then," Kiara remarked with a chuckle, glancing sideways at Alexandra. "Are you any good at archery?"
Alexandra didn't answer right away. Instead, she calmly raised her bow, as if she had done this a thousand times before. Drawing the string back, she focused intently on the target, her eyes locked on the bullseye. Without hesitation, she released the arrow, and it flew straight and true, striking the center with a satisfying thud.
Kiara's eyes widened in disbelief. The shot was perfect—better than she had ever managed. She hadn't expected Alexandra, whom she had underestimated, to possess such skill.
Turning to face Kiara, Alexandra smiled, and for a moment, Kiara was caught off guard by her beauty. That smile—it was disarming, radiant, and for the briefest second, Kiara felt her heart stutter. She quickly cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Alexandra take a few steps back, raising her bow again.
This time, Alexandra's arrow was aimed directly at Kiara's neck.
Kiara's breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. "W-what are you doing?" she stammered, panic flashing in her eyes. But Alexandra didn't respond. She drew the string back further, the tension in the bow building. Kiara felt frozen, her mind racing.
A split second later, Alexandra released the arrow, and it whizzed past Kiara, grazing the air right beside her neck before striking a nearby tree. The sound of its impact echoed through the courtyard.
Alexandra chuckled softly. "I was just showing you that I'm good at archery," she said with a casual shrug, her tone calm, as if she hadn't just scared Kiara half to death. "We should join the others at the gallery."
Kiara's face flushed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment, but she held it in, her lips pressed into a thin line. She dropped her bow, glaring at Alexandra, but said nothing as they made their way toward the art gallery.
The gallery was housed in a separate building, its grandeur evident even from a distance. Two guards stood at the entrance, unlocking and pushing the gate open as the ladies approached. Inside, Cherish and Ashley were already admiring the vast collection of paintings and sculptures.
As Alexandra and Kiara entered, the maids followed discreetly, keeping their distance but always ready to assist.
---
Meanwhile, in the king's study, King Aaron sat with Alfred, scanning over several parchment scrolls laid out before them.
"Who could possibly have kidnapped this young girl?" the king muttered, rubbing his temple in frustration. The situation weighed heavily on him. The Peterson family was among the kingdom's most loyal citizens, and the king felt personally responsible for their suffering.
Alfred sighed, his brow furrowed in concern. "Her parents said she had been visiting her paternal aunt for about a week. She went missing on her return journey."
The king frowned, deep in thought. "Are we certain the aunt isn't involved? It all seems... strange."
Alfred shook his head. "My instincts tell me the aunt is innocent. She claims to have escorted the girl to the border between the West and East, and several witnesses, including the town guards, confirm it. The abduction must have happened after that."
King Aaron sighed heavily. "Still, keep a close eye on the aunt and any other relatives. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that betrayal often comes from those closest to you."
Alfred nodded. Though Aaron outranked him as king, their friendship had always been one of equals. They had grown up together, sharing countless experiences before Aaron took the throne. The bond between them remained strong, even as their roles had shifted over the years.
"I'll keep watch," Alfred agreed. "But I still feel like we're missing something."
The king leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant as he mulled over the possibilities. "We'll find her, Alfred. One way or another, we'll bring her home."