Chapter 9

Alexandra served the two elderly ladies and herself the raspberry flavoured tea she had prepared. Queen Selina took a sip and squealed. "Oh my! What did you put in this? It's so tasty." She smiled and took more than two sips.

"It's a raspberry flavoured tea. Alexandra is so good at making tea." Brione smiled and drank from her tea cup aswell. The tea was indeed something else.

"My! Raspberry flavoured tea is now my favourite." Queen Selina chuckled and the mother and daughter pair laughed along with her.

After Alexandra was done with her tea. She excused herself from the tea room. Right outside the door stood two maids, they said; "We were assigned to serve you, Lady Alexandra." They bowed and Alexandra gave a curt nod.

"Uhm... Might you know where other fair ladies are?" She was referring to the other duke's daughters.

"They are in the courtyard practicing archery, Milady." The maid on her left side said.

"If you can lead me to the courtyard?" She asked and the two maids obliged. 

They led the way to the courtyard and she saw the three ladies, each with a bow in their hands and a stool besides them. The was an extra stool with a bow and arrow sitting on it and she felt it was for her. Only that it was beside Kiara.

Alexandra thanked the maids for showing her the way, but they didn't leave, instead they spaced themselves from the ladies.

She saw as none of them were that good at archery. She came to stand beside Kiara — in between Kiara and the daughter of the Western Duke, with a little distance between all.

The daughter of the Western Duke smiled brightly; "You're Alexandra right?!" She exclaimed and Alexandra could tell she was loud and friendly. "I'm Cherish, Cherish Bruce. The daughter of the Western Duke." She said and enveloped Alexandra in a warm hug. Alexandra only blinked. "Do you know how to shoot? Here." She picked up the bow and arrow and handed over to Alexandra. Alexandra murmured a thanks. "We'll go to the art gallery. I and Ashley. I heard the Castle had one."

That was when the girl named Ashley noticed Alexandra. "Oh hi? I'm Ashley. Daughter of the Northern Duke." She smiled. 

After Alexandra and the two girls had a small talk, they left for the art gallery. She was all alone with Kiara. She saw the girl almost hit bullseye at the target, but then missed.

"I don't have to worry about any competition then." She chuckled. "Are you good at archery?" She asked as she pulled the arrow and left it to hit the target, but then she missed, yet again. She twitched her lips.

Kiara was gorgeous. Even more beautiful than Alexandra. Her purple eyes were slanted. Her lashes were full. She had small pouty lips and small nose. Her skin was fair and her cheeks were naturally red. She was a stunner. A beauty with brains.

Alexandra didn't answer to that question and only raised her bow and took an aim like she had done countless times before. She drew the string back and felt the strain build up in her arms, she eyed the bullseye and then she let go and hit exactly where she had wanted. The bullseye.

Kiara's eyes widened at the perfect shot. She was stunned at how good it was. Even she wouldn't hit the bullseye, but this girl who she had thought had no brain nor skills proved her utterly wrong.

Kiara looked at Alexandra who turned to face her. Kiara saw Alexandra smile and she was momentarily awestruck at how beautiful she looked smiling like that. She felt her heart skip multiple beats before she got herself and cleared her throat. Kiara was about to speak when the girl moved three steps backwards, she saw as she raised her bow again, she drew the string and targeted Kiara's neck. Kiara stopped breathing when she saw where the girl was aiming at; "W-what are you doing?" But Alexandra didn't answer. She pulled the string back and let it go, Kiara held her breath but didn't feel anything touch her, instead she heard a whooshing sound and felt air pass right beside her neck, then she exhaled. She heard Alexandra chuckle and she felt anger build up within herself.

"You think this is funny?" She glared at Alexandra.

"I was just showing you that I'm good at archery" She shrugged. "We should go to the gallery aswell." She dropped the her bow and Kiara did the same, holding in the anger. 

They walked to the Art Gallery which was another building on its own. The maids following behind incase the Ladies needed something. The guardsmen standing at security before the Art Gallery's gate, unlocked the gate and pushed it open for the two ladies. The first two were already inside. 

Meanwhile, in the King's study, he sat with Alfred, overlooking some parchment scrolls.

"Who could probably have kidnapped this young girl?" The king rubbed his temple.

"It was said by her parents that she had gone to visit their paternal aunt, and had stayed a week. It was on her return that she went missing." Alfred said, looking at another parchment that said the same thing.

"Are you sure her aunt has nothing to do with this. It's strange." The king said. This was really giving him a headache, given that the Peterson's were one of the most humble citizens in the Kingdom. They were diligent and the King wanted to try his best in finding the missing daughter, that's if she wasn't dead yet.

"The aunt has nothing to do with it, my gut feels so. She said she had escorted her to the border in between the West and East. Then the girl went on her own, the town's guard could testify to it. That would've been when she was kidnapped." Alfred said, looking at the King and heaving a deep sigh.

Alfred and King Aaron had been close friends since childhood. Although the children weren't as close, but then they had times they visited eachother before the Aaron became king. They had shared most of everything together and even though Aaron was higher in status than Alfred, it didn't ruin their close connection. Whenever it was just the two of them, all honorifics would be tossed aside.

"Keep an eye on the aunt and close relatives. If there's one thing I know, is that; it's family you should be most wary about." King Aaron said.