Lizzie of the North (Yrsoreth Chronicles 2)

46◦❀◦Not Friend Drama

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

The dinner had a rather light atmosphere. That was because they avoided the mention of the ticking bomb called 'Devanti.' Instead, Diana asked Lizzie to stay for days after the wedding to catch up when she declined that she may not be able to, because the ticking bomb might explode.

They talked about the food, in which Lizzie liked. She was particularly fond of steamed and sweetened fish in honey. As the capital near the coast, it is rich in marine cuisine. She enjoyed her meal, despite the constraint of etiquette. She took a mental note to ask Alec's help later for the recipe.

Despite her love for the food, the imperial couple sometimes made it hard for her to swallow.

The emperor's love for the future empress was infamous but no solid facts could explain their story than tidbits of truths diluted to rumors and dyed in colors of fairytales.

Get an imperial room, she thought.

"Ignore them," Alec whispered to her.

To distract herself from the envy and bliss and the same time, Lizzie opened a new topic. "It was never openly established, but we're cousins." Lizzie grinned at Alec. "Isn't it great... and weird?"

The latter halted with his glass of water and set it back to the table. He blinked twice. Lizzie could not identify the parade of emotion on his face, but it resembled hers when Honey ate her prized cookies gifted by Luppe not too long ago. 

Alec's swung to the emperor with questions on his face.

"I won't make it easy for you." The emperor challenged. "I did my part boy, you do yours."

The prince didn't answer and glared at him, as if a warning.

"So not cute." Xander laughed, only to stop after receiving a glare from Diana.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

The meal ended, and before Lizzie was sent back to Imperial Inn, Diana promised to send a word tomorrow for catching up and withdrew for the night with the emperor.

However, Alec pulled her somewhere else instead to the waiting carriage. It was already given that the garden of Emperor's palace was beautiful. But what amused her were the orange trees that surrounded the garden patio instead of aesthetic plants.

"Angkahalla," Lizzie named the trees. "Aren't they supposed to die as fast as the flowers bloom in spring?"

Alec shrugged when she asked. "Aside from Lilias, mother loves orange blooms. Father sends her almost everyday."

Lizzie shrugged and stared at the trees, because she could not return Alec's stares. "So... why are we here again? You wanna show off  Your Highness?"

Instead of an answer, he took off his coat and covered her bare shoulders, exposed in the night wind. "You'll get sick," he said in almost a whisper.

She looked up to him and blinked, for a moment confused by the 'grown up' gesture. His jacket was not that thick but the warmth climbed to her face. "Well, this is good coat." She then curtsied, just to annoy him. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Alec wasn't amused. "Stop that. Nothing's changed."

Nothing, huh. She wondered. The boy she met eye to eye became a prince that she had to look up to. Yet, it is strange, Lizzie couldn't meet his eyes without her feeling queasy.