It's mid-June when a miracle occurs. Just when he had gotten the hang of being blind, Laurance regained his sight. It came to a surprise from all, but it was joyous nonetheless. Alex wanted him to continue to rest to prevent exhaustion, but Laurance refused. He felt he was perfectly able to work once again.
A party was planned, and Laurance would be the guest of honor. So with a basket in hand, and cloak resting against her shoulders, Alex set out to search for flowers. It was the perfect time, she thought, for there were already flowers in full bloom that she could've chosen from.
Though, she was picky, and she needed many. Because of this, she was focused on what she was doing. It wasn't until the sound of a stick cracking and a strange rustle of leaves that caused her to snap into reality.
“Who's there?” She asks, reaching towards the dagger she had stashed away. The sound of Alex's heart pounding in her chest filled her ears. A ray of light reflects off of the blade as she holds it close to her, knuckles white as snow. “I know you're not an animal.”
She's met with silence. Alex slowly looks around, taking her lip between her teeth from anxiety. She nearly drops her basket when the figure appears. And while she was successful in holding onto the basket, some flowers continued to escape.
“I don't believe you know how to use that,” The man says, eyeing the weapon in her hands. He holds his up in an act of surrender, keeping his distance. “I'm not here to hurt you.”
Alex holds the dagger out more, pushing it away from her body in defense. He was right. She didn't know how to use it, but the idea of her having it and being under false pretenses that she could eased others. “Who are you to assume I do not know how to use it?”
“Your stance is wrong. How you're holding it. I can show you the proper way if you'd like.”
“I don't even know your name.”
The man goes quiet, hesitant on moving forward. “Vylad.”
“Got a last name?” Alex asks.
He shakes his head. “Just Vylad.”
“Alex.”
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°
“What took you so long with those flowers?” Cadenza asks, looking up when she sees her sister's presence. The party would be in town square, and everyone was busy getting ready. “Oh, never mind that. Just give me the basket. You can go help Kandi.”
Alex hesitantly gives away the basket. It was a small group decorating, hence the busy work. Cadenza wicks herself away towards Kawaii~Chan's direction. She wanted first call on the flowers.
Alex wanders towards Kandi. She was still in a daze. She had met a man in the woods, and she'd be crazy to admit this to others. Especially because he sent her a warning and seemed to know so much regarding Phoenix Drop. “Be cautious of the High Priest. He's not who he seems to be,” he told her.
The High Priest was in Phoenix Drop. Alex didn't understand why, and Vylad didn't know the answer himself. She questioned why he warned her, but he would only repeat that he was deceiving. Alex had bumped into the High Priest when she was returning towards her sister, but red flags flashed before her eyes. Just what was his business with Phoenix Drop?
“Did you get lost picking flowers?” Kandi asks, looking up at Alex. She had been making centerpieces for the tables, and she still needed flowers. “Do you think someone should've come with?”
Alex shakes her head and sits beside her. She looks around at those that are completed and begins to make a new one. A heavy weight deep in her chest.
“No, I, um, ran into the High Priest,” Alex says, noticing a slight stiffness in Kandi's movements. “Why do you think he's here?”
“I wouldn't know. It isn't my business to, anyway,” Kandi responds. “There's too much work to do to talk about this.”
“I think he's up to something,” Alex continues, ignoring Kandi's attempts to divert the conversation. “I just can't place my finger on it. What do you think?”
“The High Priest and I had gotten off on poor footing. You've gone to the wrong person for an opinion.” Kandi runs her hands through her hair, adjusting how it sits. She looks at Alex, stopping for a moment. “This night is about your brother. Let's focus on that, eh?”
Alex stares at Kandi, letting her eyes trace over every feature of her face. She found similarities between her and the High Priest, but she pushed it off as delusion. She swallows the lump in her throat and goes back to the task at hand, unable to ignore Vylad's warning.
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°
Garroth had his guard up the entirety of Zane's visit. He considered hiding for the majority of it. But with a celebration thrown in Laurance's honor, it'd be cruel if he didn't be in attendance. Instead, he was there but rather silent. He was barely seen. In his mind, this was for the best.
Kandi feared nothing good was going to come from Zane's visit. She thought she was hiding her thoughts well, but Alex's questions were like pins against a balloon. She hoped Zane would leave soon, and everyone would forget about him.
“The night is lovely, isn't it?”
A late attendee speaks quietly into Kandi's ear, causing her to go stiff once more that day. She looks straight ahead, pretending to focus on the celebrating group in front of her. She hadn't seen Garroth in quite some time.
“What do you want?”
“I've already spoken to our dear brother.” His tone was laced with something poisonous. Somehow, it was one that could linger longer than she wished. “Don't you think that it's time you quit pretending to be someone you're not?”
Kandi slowly turns her head towards Zane, trying to place his words together like a puzzle. She knew him too well to be aware that he had something planned. “What game are you playing?”
“No game,” he says. “I just wanted to have a chat with my sister. I heard the cake was wonderful. I think I'll give it a try.”
Zane walks away, leaving Kandi and her mind. She blinks, forcing her feet to move in order to find Garroth. He would've taunted him more than herself.
By the time she finds Garroth, she finds him stunned by the dock. She grabs onto his shoulder from behind, sharing a knowing look between the two.
“He's planning something,” Garroth mumbles. “And we need to stop it.”
Kandi nods, ushering back towards the party. She doesn't see Zane, and she turns to Garroth. Her alarmed expression alerts he isn't in sight.
By the time they arrived at the house he was staying in, it was vacant of any trace of him but a singular note saying “Until next time, my dearest siblings.”
