Chapter ♦ 5

 

ZYLITH.


“Sister-in-law….
Sister-in-law…..Sister-in-law……..” The prince’s soft voice echoed in my ears, making the words even more inconceivable.


I gawked at him in utter speechlessness for a moment while wondering where and how did he see me as his mummyface brother’s spouse.
 


“Wha-What did you just call me?
” I could not help but stutter.


“…….
Erm…. Did I say something wrong?” Alexteris questioned with a slight frown.


“Erm..
yeah! You just called me ‘Sister-in-law’.” I answered in sheer incredulity, emphasizing that certain killer word.


“I did, so?
” He looked at me in utter bemusement, as though not understanding my insinuation in the least.


I bit my lip, not knowing how to explain my state of mind to him, “….
Can you… maybe not call me that?” I spoke sheepishly. I, in no way was thrilled to be called a sister-in-law by this dear brat here. Because first of all, it made me seem old, really old! And how was I old? I was only a fair maiden of sweet eighteen! And secondly, I really felt ‘married’ when he addressed me with that taboo word.


“What do you mean?
” Alexteris frowned in retort, and I looked even more helpless than before. How was I supposed to explain the intricate and delicate mind of a fair young lady to a dumb insensitive male? “Why don’t you want me to call you Sister-in-law? Do you…. Not like me or something?” There, see that? Dumb and insensitive. 


I bit my lip and looked at the guy with complicated eyes.
I knew that Alexteris calling me sister-in-law was his way of accepting me into his life. But I really didn’t like being called sister-in-law at the same time. However, I was not a heartless b*tch and did not want to break the old boy’s heart by cruelly rejecting his good will. So, reluctantly enough, I offered another proposition with a smile, “How about this, call me Onee-san?”  


“Wha-What!
” The poor guy looked as confused as a chameleon in a bag of skittles.


“Onee-san!
You know Onee-san. Say after me…. ONEE-SAN!~” I emphasized the word ‘Onee-san’ slowly and clearly to make it easier for him to pronounce it.


“No w-wait.
Whatever does that mean?” His frown got even deeper as he enquired.


“Ah….
Do you not feel comfortable calling me Onee-san? Hmm…. Then, how about Noona? Hm? Sounds good?” I asked rather excitedly. There was never a younger sibling at home whom I could force to call me Noona. Now that this little prince came along, I felt pretty excited while imagining him calling me Noona with love.


“Wait what!


“Come on try calling me once.
Say ‘Noona~’.” I smiled sweetly at him as I urged him to call me ‘Noona with love’.


“…….
Is that… your name?” He asked hesitantly. “…Noona?


“Ah!
” I felt my soft little heart being pierced when I heard him addressing me as Noona. I clenched onto my chest in a melodramatic way, ignoring his flabbergasted eyes wide with shock. “My Heart!” I cried out theatrically.


“What!
What happened! Are you alright? Noona?” His shocked expression soon morphed into that of a worried one, suddenly seeming a little too cute for me. And his ‘Noona’ really did a number on my heart.


“Oh!
My Heart! I can’t take it anymore.” I clenched onto my heart harder due to the guy selling his cuteness unconsciously.


“Wha-What is happening to you?
W-Where does it hurt? Huh? Wait, wait! I will try to call for help, just hold on for me okay, Noona?” He mumbled in a hurry and dashed off madly, looking for and exit to call for help.


I, who was totally dandy, and was just psychologically stabbed with the little prince’s cute address had no time to explain to him that my name was not Noona, and my chest pain was not the kind of pain he was imagining it to be.
After I had regained my composure, all I could do was gnaw onto my inner cheek and look at the anxious back of the young man as he strode around hither and tether to look for help.


As I watched him get further and further away from me while looking for a way out, I softly called after him and said, “Prince Lexter, I am alright.
You don’t have to be so anxious. Please come back.


And I heard his loud voice echo into the cavern as his footsteps got further and further away from me.
“Don’t worry Noona, just hold on until I find you help, okay? Just hold on!” And then he was gone. 


The cavern was dark and mossy, bringing about an unknown gloom with itself.
It looked pretty damn scary at night and being left alone in such a place could bring about a thousand scary thoughts to one’s mind. Which, it did. I looked around timidly as paranoia gripped onto my neck making it difficult for me to even swallow my saliva to ease my dry throat. And when I was becoming fearful of even my shadow, I heard loud rigorous footsteps charging my way.  


I looked towards the sound of the reverberating footsteps, and suddenly a soft approaching light graced my deprived eyes.
    


The light of the flame brought along with the footsteps were illuminating the otherwise dark cavern, as though chasing all my fears away.


“Your Highness!
” I heard Liana’s worried voice and could finally heave a sigh of relief.


The girl, covered in dirt and shoot rushed towards me in utter nervousness, “Your Highness!
” She cried with tears in her eyes, “Are you alright? Where does it hurt?” She grabbed onto me tight and looked all over from top to bottom, scanning for any wounds or burns that could have inflicted my body.


“Liana Liana!
I’m fine. I’m fine.” I looked into her worried eyes and muttered tenderly.


“But..
But.. His Majesty! His Majesty said that you were hurting.” She faltered as she mouthed out her words.


“Your Highness!
” I heard another worried tone and raised my head to see Lord Xavier and Lord Vilavelt along with Alexteris making their way towards me in utter restlessness.


“Your Highness, how are you feeling?
” Lord Vilavelt asked as he squatted down beside me, probing through me to look for any serious wounds.


“I’m fine, I’m fine guys.
There’s no need to be so worried.” I offered my comrades a sheepish but sincere smile. “I’m not hurt at all.


“You don’t need to hide from us Noona.
Weren’t you feeling uncomfortable around your chest just now? Come, let’s get you out of here first. Then we will call the royal physician to take care of you properly.” Alexteris coaxed gently, as though he was afraid of hurting my fragile state of mind.


“I’m really fine everyone, i-it was just a mild chest pain and now its gone.
” I lied with open eyes.


“Alright, alright.
You’re fine, we’ll just have you checked up by a doctor when we are out of here, just for safety sake, okay?” My teacher generously offered and then before I could make any other rebuts, he carried me off in an instant swift motion, ultimately out of the dark humid cavern.


I finally knew how Alexteris found his way out of the cavern, he retraced his steps back through the same path through which we came.
The secret passage that I thought was blocked by the flames and the ruined debris of the burnt palace was completely cleared out, and though the Eastern palace really was destroyed under the havoc of the blazing fire, it seemed fortunately not many people were injured in the incident.


“Where is Fredurd?
” I asked with a frown. It was not like Fredurd to not be here when he was my personal knight, not to mention the fact that he took his duty a little too seriously. So I was a little surprised and more worried as I whipped my head from side to side to find a glimpse of the said person.               


I was still in the arms of my gorgeous teacher, being carried princess-style as I asked for Fredurd’s whereabouts, but before anyone could say a word of it, Liana started wailing as she stammered, “Your Highness!
It is all my fault, Sir Fredurd was severely injured while trying to save this humble servant, and now is recuperating in the royal pharmacy. Please punish this humble servant for her grave folly.” Liana almost started groveling on the floor right there and right then.


“Alright, alright, please stop groveling and tell me in details of what happened.
” I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as I anxiously urged her to get up and Lord Xavier helped Liana get off the, now charred floor.


“Your Highness,” She sniffed as she mouthed, “What happened was……” 

TO BE CONTINUED………..   

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