Erick paused completely, his breathing, his heartbeat, his thinking, he himself entirely paused as well.
"What do you mean?" was the only phrase he could utter.
~✧~✧~✧~✧~✧~✧~
~After Alex went out of the Duke's office~
"Astrid" The duke called out her name quietly.
Astrid immediately appeared out of the shadows. "Master" she said while kneeling beside where the duke was sitting.
The duke kept looking ahead as if the
person he was talking to was in that direction.
The room was dark and quiet. The only source of light was the gentle moonlit glow coming from the window that showered the room with a dim lighting, amplifying the tension in the room.
The elegant room with paintings of flowers and paintings of the Dandelion family from generation to generation and two wide windows that almost reached from top to
bottom.
The office of the duke, in that rather
intimidating atmosphere was like a collar choking Astrid, making her hold her breath.
The only sound that can be heard heard was the duke's steady heartbeat and Astrid's practiced calm heart beat which allowed her to keep her composed and stoic demeanor.
Even the whooshing of wind wasn't heard in the room, making the tension in the air more evident.
The duke kept his gaze straight, not taking a glance at Astrid. "He sensed you." The duke paused slightly before continuing.
"Am I supposed to be worried about my most favored servant rusting away?" He kept his fingers steepled, and said with his usual playful tone and smile yet with
sensible seriousness.
As she remained silent, Duke Dandelion turned to her, still sitting down on his chair, looking down at Astrid. He gripped Astrid's chin ever so gently and lifted it up, making her look at him in the eyes.
Astrid's eyes met the duke's, her eyes
sparkled a green forest within it, it was stoic and out of this world enticing. With her hair sliding softly away from her face, leaving it bare.
The duke smiled, yet his expression
remained unreadable. He was a cunning and intelligent politician, making even a fake smile seem genuine. Even though that's the case, Astrid always grasped his master's true thoughts and emotions, and she didn't like that.
Why so? Because due to it, she knew full well that the duke didn't and will never return her feelings of affection.
Astrid kept her gaze straight into his, she knew that the duke wasn't in a good mood instantly. "I apologize, master." Deep guilt was the feeling that her heart felt but she covered it with a stoic facade.
"What for?" The duke said as looked
intently into her eyes.
"I was too laid back. It happens to be that the young duke's senses has improved greater lengths since he joined the Royal Knights."
Alex did indeed improve greatly. Why so? Because he trained as hard as he could while he was in the imperial palace as the Royal Knights' captain. Erick loved every moment of it though since he was Alex's sparring partner everyday.
"But it is no excuse, I apologize for my careless act. I shall never redo such mistake. Please punish me, master." She said dutifully.
The duke sighed and pulled back gently, releasing Astrid's chin. ".. Punishment, punishment, that's all you've ever asked for, Ash." He mumbled quietly.
He sat properly and leaned on his chair looking ahead again, while Astrid remained looking up at him. "Stand up." Astrid immediately complied. "I will not punish you. Instead, tell me what Alexandria's expression convey when she cried."
He asked, not being able to stay angry at her. Though there were still visible anger in his tone and gaze.
Astrid stood straight beside the duke with a visible 2 meter distance while looking at him, the once tense chill completely gone.
"Pain, loneliness and sorrow mixed
desperation, yet with a hint of annoyance." She answered precisely.
The duke's eyes softened instantly at her words which made him look down, his face now facing his lap. "Why?.. Couldn't my presence reach to her?." He thought.
Astrid saw the change in his demeanor and stepped forward, patted his shoulder and squeezed it gently. It was an act the duke allowed her to do only one time. The time that the Duchess died.
The duke sighed softly and grabbed her hand, pulling her close and making her sit on his lap. It was quite a common thing for the years they've spent working together, a thing that the duke always does when he's
exhausted.
He held her waist and wrapped his arms around it. He rested his head on her shoulder, letting out another soft sigh. Her presence was a comfort that he desperately needed.
Astrid didn't struggle at all, she kept still. She always gave everything to the duke, no barrels hold, even herself fully. "I'm here, master." She said in her soft angelic voice.
"I know." The duke uttered quietly, his face still buried onto her shoulder.
They kept quiet, the whoosh and soft
whistle of the wind covering the place with a gentle and comforting mood.
The duke kept her on his embrace gently. Astrid was pleased but her heart ached, knowing she couldn't have this man to herself.
'My infuriating master... I love you, and it's troublesome.' She thought to herself, such words that will never reach her master's ears.
~✧~✧~✧~✧~✧~✧~
~Outside the Blazes' inner gate~
The flowers were dancing gently with the playful flow of the wind. The moonlight giving a glow that of a gigantic chandelier.
Two beautiful and dazzling men standing tall in a vast field of flowers facing each other, Erick's hair was like an inferno and Alex's was of a swan's gentle feather.
Alex eyes narrowed in annoyance at Erick's confused expression. "Don't play dumb and explain yourself, Rick."
Erick sighed and closed his for a moment, trying to process Alex's actions.
"I seriously do not know what you are speaking of." He said with a confused tone.
Erick truly were clueless, as to why Alex was so angry and what he's talking about. His eyes showing uncertainty.
Alex couldn't help but sigh heavily as he started noticing Erick's genuinely confused demeanor. Yet it wasn't enough to ease his anger.
"During the banquet, you talked with my sister. What did you say to her?" He asked as calmly as he possibly could be at the moment.
Erick's expression turned unreadable. He was an intelligent person and a genius magician. He could understand things well, from ancient runes to magic circles and other things. So he understood what Alex meant.
'During the banquet, Alexandria's eyes were quite puffy as they bid farewell to the prince. She definitely cried.' Erick thought as he left the Sapphire's main estate earlier.
After what Alex asked, everything became clear to Erick. He knew that Alex was accusing him of being the reason as to Alexandria cried.
And he didn't like it. He never liked Alex seeing him wrongly because he had always affected Erick strongly to the point of becoming an emotional wreck if he wasn't careful.
As Alex noticed the very noticeable silence, he spoke, "Rick. I will not be leaving till l get answers."
Erick breathed deep and turned his
expression into playful and stoic. "Aw?Stay with me forever then."' He said playfully hiding a tingle of heartache.
Alex scoffed and took a step forward, now facing Erick in less than a meter distance and grabbed his shirt's collar. His eyes seething with anger and said firmly, "I am not joking, Erick Elsher Blaze."
Erick's playful smile stretched into a serious and determined expression. "I did not harm your sister in anyway at al.. Alexander Miraze
Dandelion,"
Erick held back on calling Alex by his full name but emotions got better of him. The same with Alex, Alex wasn't thinking at all, he was just feeling.
The two never called each other's on their full names before. Because if they did, it meant things were very serious and will have undesirable outcomes.
At the moment, they both knew that this would cause great impact to their
friendship. Both were worried of such
possibility but the emotions were too great to be ignored.