17 Chapter Seventeen

"Where is he?"

I was in the garden waiting for Prince Noah as he told me to. I've been waiting for him for a long time already, but he didn't show up.

'Maybe he just forgot.' I sighed, impatient.

I was having a sense of deja vu of me waiting for someone that would never come. But this time I felt relieved though because I have no idea what to expect from Noah.

"Maybe I should just leave…"

"Alex!"

When I was about to leave someone called me, it was Mary running towards me, again.

"Mary, what are you doing here? Where is Prince Noah?" I asked, confused.

Mary was panting when she answered me. "...His Highness… told me to take you to him."

For a moment I stared at Mary, pitying her. It was the second time I saw Mary running through the palace to find me.

'Poor Mary, it must be hard to serve Prince Noah.' I thought.

"Alright, then where is Prince Noah, Mary?" I asked.

Mary recomposed herself and then she said. "Follow me."

Mary guided me to the gazebo, the same place I saw the royal family two years ago. But this time there was just Prince Noah sitting there, and some maids standing there serving him.

I bowed respectfully and said. "Greetings Your Royal Highness, Prince Noah."

"What took you so long?" Prince Noah asked after seeing me.

"I'm sorry Your Highness." I said, knowing pretty well that he wouldn't care for my reasons.

"I wasn't talking to you." Prince Noah said surprising me. Then I noticed that he was staring at Mary.

"I am sorry Your Highness, but you told me that Alex was waiting close to a tree, and there are a lot of trees here in the garden… So it took me some time to find him." Mary explained.

"Tsk." Prince Noah clicked his tongue, annoyed, and then he looked at me. "Why are you still standing there? Sit there." He said pointing at the chair in front of him across the table.

'He wants to eat with me again?' I thought, surprised.

"Alright…" Though Noah is acting weird since morning I am still not used to this.

As he ordered me, I sat on the chair in front of him. Soon after I sat the maids started to serve us.

I stared at Prince Noah, confused. Different from this morning, Prince Noah seemed more serious, like something bad has happened to him since then.

"Is everything alright, Your Highness?" I asked, curious.

Prince Noah looked at me surprised. But then, he averted his eyes, he seemed sad. "...Yes."

"Hm… I see." I said knowing that he wasn't telling the truth.

I slowly started to eat the biscuits in front of me, a bit unsure of what to say. The mood was dense, and Prince Noah wasn't saying anything, it was like he was just ignoring my presence.

'If you were going to act like this, why did you call me here for?' I asked myself, annoyed.

Trying to change the mood I decided to ask. "Had Your Highness received any news from Nicholas?"

Prince Noah's expression softened a bit after hearing Nicholas's name. "Yes, I did. After Nicholas got the cold his father didn't let him or his siblings come here to the palace for some time, but now Nicholas said that the Duke gave them the permission, so they will come soon."

"That is great! Does Your Highness know when Nicholas will come?" I asked, excited. Finally, I could see Nicholas again and apologize to him.

'And I won't have to keep waiting for him anymore.' I thought, relieved.

"Ye-" Suddenly, Prince Noah stopped his words. He stared at me for a moment and then he said. "Actually, I don't know."

"I see…" I said, confused. But then, I noticed something. "Your Highness said that Nicholas has siblings?"

Prince Noah looked at me surprised. "Didn't you know? You say that you are his friend but you don't even know that?"

'Well… Nicholas introduced himself as the Duke's youngest son, but I didn't bore myself to ask him about his siblings.' I realized.

Ignoring Prince Noah's provocations, I decided to ask him instead. "How many siblings does Nicholas has, Your Highness? And what are their names?"

Prince Noah sighed. "You know nothing, huh. Nicholas has two older brothers, Matthew and Thomas."

"Does Nicholas and his brothers have a good relationship, Your Highness?" I asked.

Prince Noah seemed to think for a minute before answering me. "I think they are close, so yes."

"Hmm… And you, Your Highness? Is Your Highness close to your siblings too?" I asked, curious.

Prince Noah was silent for a moment before answering me. "...We used to be."

He said that so low that I almost didn't hear him. Prince Noah was staring at the table expressionless, I didn't know if he was even sad or mad.

"I've known that Your Highness' sister, the Princess, is living out of the palace. It must be hard to keep in touch, right?"

Prince Noah was silent for a moment, but then he looked at me and suddenly asked, completely ignoring my question. "Do you have siblings, Alex?"

I was surprised by his sudden question. "...No, I don't have any sibling, Your Highness."

'Well, actually I do, but it is not like I can say that you are one of them, though.' I thought, anxious.

"How is it like… not having siblings?" Prince Noah asked, looking at me, curious.

"It is…" For a moment I didn't know what to say. I remembered about my past life, about my siblings, and how annoying they were sometimes, but now that I don't have them here with me it is just…

"Lonely. It is a bit lonely, Your Highness."

"Lonely, huh." Prince Noah then looked at me with a fierce expression. "Then there is no difference."

"What do you mean, Your Highness?" I asked, confused.

Prince Noah stood up and said. "I'm leaving."

I was astonished, surprised about his sudden behavior. I barely had time to stand as well and give him a respectful bow before Prince Noah had already left.

'Did I do something wrong?' I asked myself, worried.

"He barely ate…" I said looking at the table full of food on it.

"Don't worry, Alex." Mary said surprising me.

"M-Mary?! Why are you still here?" I asked, surprised.

Mary was standing behind me, I didn't see that she didn't have left with Prince Noah as the other maids did.

"Someone has to clean all this, right?" Mary said pointing to the table.

"Oh, it is true." I said.

'That is a pity, throwing all this food away.' I thought looking at the table.

"You can keep eating if you want, Alex." Mary said with a gentle smile on her face.

"Can I?" I asked surprised.

"Yes, Prince Noah called you here to eat with him, so even if His Highness is not here anymore you still have his permission to eat." Mary explained.

"Is that so? Then I will." I said sitting again on the chair and already eating the biscuits on my plate.

Mary chuckled looking at my reaction.

I looked at her and asked. "Do you want some?"

Mary was surprised, but then she looked around, seeing that there was no one looking, and said. "Hm… Why not?"

Mary picked a few biscuits and ate.

"It is good, isn't it?" I asked her.

Mary laughed softly. "I've never had eaten such delicious food before working here at the palace."

"Me neither." I said. But then, I decided to ask. "Why Prince Noah was acting like that? Did I do something wrong, Mary?"

"It wasn't your fault, Alex, it is just…" Mary sighed. "Many things happened today."

"What happened?"

Mary hesitated for a moment before telling me. "While Prince Noah was having magic training some noblemen passing close commented about him, comparing Prince Noah with his brother Prince Dylan, and saying other things about his magic as well, they were… pretty cruel."

'That explains his behavior just now.' I thought.

"Things like that happen too often?" I asked, worried.

"Unfortunately, it does." Mary said, sad.

'As the first and only fire mage born in the royal family, people must judge Prince Noah all the time.' I realized.

"It must be hard for him…" I whispered.

The sun was setting, and I just had left the royal library. After what happened today in the garden I decided to spend the rest of my day in the library since I had nothing else to do.

I was walking through the palace, going to my new temporary room on the west side. But then, I noticed that two maids were staring at me, and then one of them approached me.

"Hey, boy, are you perhaps Alex?" She asked.

"Y-Yeah… It is me." I got surprised, I am not used to people talking to me. Sometimes I even forget that I am not invisible.

"I saw a maid looking for you, she said that Prince Noah was calling you." The maid said.

"Where is she?"

"Alex… Finally, I found you… Prince Noah is calling for you."

Just as I thought, the maid that was looking for me was Mary. She was panting, her face was red, it seems that she was running through the palace again to find me.

'Poor Mary.' I thought, pitying her.

Mary suddenly grabbed my arm and said. "Come, follow me."

'Well, it is not like I have an option.' I thought looking at the arm that Mary was holding.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"To the dining room." Mary answered.

"Again?!" I asked, surprised.

'I thought Prince Noah wouldn't want to see me after what happened today in the garden.' I thought.

"It seems that His Highness wants your company again." Mary explained.

"I don't think it is because he wants my company, he always acts like he doesn't want me there, though." I said, confused.

"Well, I think you are wrong, Alex. I've never seen Prince Noah having such interest in someone besides his siblings and cousins. I think he likes you." Mary said with a smile on her face.

"W-What?" I said, surprised.

Mary chuckled and then looked at me. "Actually, Prince Noah doesn't like to eat by himself, so that may be the reason he keeps calling you. But, still, I don't think Prince Noah would keep calling you if he didn't like you, Alex."

"Hmm…" I didn't know if it was something good or bad, having Prince Noah liking me.

Mary opened the door of the dining room, announcing my presence. "Alex is here Your Highness."

I bowed respectfully and said. "Greetings Your Royal Highness, Prince Noah…"

But then, I froze. Prince Noah wasn't alone, with him there was my other brother, Prince Dylan.

'What is he doing here?!'