The Exiled Gem

Never Tempt Fate

This could NOT be right. No way- Alexandra was doing something wrong.

For the sixth time, she was back in front of the same portrait of a woman with a kid on her lap- Alexandra suspected the same portraits had been put up at every turn- to confuse people in the Ann's Doom. So, she had pulled out her quill and drawn a bracelet for the lady- so realistic that it was easy to miss against her black dress. And- it WAS the same portrait, anyhow, so Alexandra was now sure that she WAS going in circles.

Even with the dread that settled over her on that realization, Alexandra funnily remembered Diana's reaction on finding out of her engagement. She had tilted her head to the left with a look of mingled disbelief and awe. 'Rather you than me, Mabel- I swear!' Diana had proclaimed.

Alexandra grinned- but it was soon wiped off her face with worry- this was NO time to think about Diana. She'd come here... to the Ann's Doom- in the morning of that day- morning for Alexandra meant at two o' clock. And now... by the looks of the lighting in the Palace... it was definitely four or five in the evening.

'Who is this blasted place's designer?! Moira- you need to slash his neck.' Alexandra fumed, staring at the large portrait. 'And don't you stare at me, woman.' She warned the lady in the portrait. 

Alexandra was feeling crazy: first she'd, on entering the Palace, found herself in a large, spacious chamber that felt- uncomfortably like a bathroom. Cream colored walls and light pink floors- with curtained off bath-tubs. Alexandra had heard footsteps nearing her from the left. In a state of utter panic, she'd pushed the nearest curtain away- exposing a water-filled, gigantically deep tub of water- the royals really seemed to valued their baths. Without a second thought, she had threw off her boots and stepped into the lukewarm water- it submerged her till her waist- and she had then drawn the curtain back, cursing her wet dress.

She'd seen a pair of feet, fashionable soles and a pale, pretty shin. Alexandra had had half a mind to throw her dagger on it- since her pocket knife was still in the boot- but she calmed herself down. Finally, after an excruciating wait of ten minutes, she had been able to step out- dripping and in one of her worst moods. She had wrenched and twisted her cream colored clothes in the tub- to drain the water. But later on- the revolting smell of the cherry-scented bath had stuck to it. Every time Alexandra had breathed in, she had wrinkled her nose and tried to keep her face away from it- because she had realized, that she was cherry-intolerant- the smell made her head spin and cold saliva fill in her mouth- the sensation she had always had before throwing up.

Then, with the smell incapacitating her, Alexandra had had three or four near escapes from guards-in-duty and Royal Attendants.

Finally- the biggest scandal had occurred- which was the main reason for Alexandra's bad mood.

One particular man- he had looked like some important person, with numerous medals pinned to his chest, and a big sword strapped to his belt- a curly crop of white-blonde hair and pale, wintry blue eyes. A chiseled jaw ending in a cleft chin.

Cleft chin...hmm...This means a roving eye! The Dovish face-reader's voice had ringed in Alexandra's ear.

All her instincts had been yelling, Run! But she couldn't- because it would raise a mighty suspicion. And then she hadn't even been sure where she would run to- in this maze. The man here- could know all the routes- which meant she'd just land herself into more trouble by running.

So Alexandra had simply stood there- eyeing the person with a calculative look. Surprisingly though- he'd smirked: a familiar smirk... with a jolt, she had realized that this was Liam's sparingly used I'm the best you can find smirk.