Wrongly in Love

38- Latecomers Always Solve Troubles

"Were you surprised to see me? Well, here it is. Surprise!" Alice twirled to show off her long, red velvet gown, made with intricate beading and was obviously new and handmade. "I've sent a petition to the Land of Dawn Council to replicate my dress for a new skin!"

Lesley looked aghast and whispered to Lancelot. "You've got to be freaking kidding me."

"No kidding. This woman is crazy as hell," Lancelot looked just as annoyed.

Odette, ever well mannered, walked up to Alice in the most formidable way possible and said graciously. "Alice, it's a pleasure to have you here."

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine!" Alice mustered her kindest expression, implying the barest hint of airiness.

Odette gestured to her friends. "Alice, you must've known Lesley and Lancelot from the battlefield. Granger, Gusion, this is Alice, the Blood Queen and one of the... greatest and...well-known... heroes... of all time." Gosh, if I wasn't raised my while life to be so gracious and well-mannered, I wouldn't have said all these fake stuff. Good thing I made her sound like a fossil, what she's meant to be.

"Oh, very nice to meet you!" Alice said warmly, extending a hand towards the two. Granger shook her hand a little reluctantly, while Gusion hesitated before shaking her hand and dropping it immediately like a hot pan. Goodness, are boys really taught to respect like pigs? I guess wearing a figure-hugging gown and wearing the most seductive-smelling perfume isn't enough to impress these boys. Not that I'm complaining- boys like these are so rare to find in the world these days, most are just soo materialistic. It just would've been better if they've been taught some manners.

"Of course. The meeting had just ended, it would be a be great honor to have you join us for lunch," Gusion said in his most formal manner, which he hated because it reminded him so much of Arthur. Lancelot glared and kicked him in the shin, which Alice thankfully hadn't noticed.

"Of course! But I'll like Odette to have me shown around the castle. Don't wait for me- I'll just meet you in the dining hall. You all must be famished," A smirk hinted at the corners of Alice's smile, then she left arm in arm with Odette.

"What's the matter?" Gusion asked Lesley and Lancelot, both looking stony faced as the headed toward the dining room.

"You never knew Alice?" Lancelot said incredulously. Granger and Gusion shook their heads.

"Damn, you're lucky you don't. Alice is the Evil Queen of the Abyss- and the most fearsome. She had caused a lot of trouble for other kingdoms, like Pharsa, Vexana, the two who luckily didn't have the time to come here- and even Miya. Yes, Alice had once caused trouble with the Elves. I wonder why she had shown her face this time," Lesley explained, as she pushed the heavy door to the dining hall-

It was a totally different atmosphere in the dining hall than back at the meeting room. The heroes were all talking, but they were talking in low, hushed voices, not cheerful, laughing ones they had earlier. Only some of them seemed to be paying proper attention to their food. In addition to all that, all eyes fell upon the little group as soon as they had come in.

"What took you so long?" Kagura whispered loudly as the group sat at a table.

"I thought I heard someone speaking from outside," Freya observed. "Could it be Fanny?"

"Told ya'll she's just late," Valir slouched in his chair.

"No, no, it's not Fanny," Lesley spoke in all the commotion as a waiter served them tiny plates of bruschetta. "Have you all eaten yet?"

"No, we decided to wait for you since we though you wouldn't be long," Vale hungrily munched on a barbecued pulled pork bruschetta. "Turns out otherwise."