Memory of You

Chapter Eighteen: What About Us

Chapter Eighteen: What About Us

Watching as she cast her plate aside, he sighed. Something was going on with her, and if she weren't so stubborn, he would have known by now; Valek thought.

"Something wrong with your food?" He asked. Valek saw her sneak a peak at him before looking back at the table.

"My food has been tasting awful for the last week and a half...It's like Tom's cooking has returned." She mumbled.

"It has...and so has Tom. I thought Nicholas would have told you."

"Told me what?" Alexandra asked, looking surprised.

Shaking his head, he could see it now. She had done something to earn Nicholas' ire...a feat near impossible to do. No wonder the two of them looked so miserable, he thought. Neither of them were able to stay angry with their close friends. Except, Alexandra has that incredibly stubborn streak of hers, he thought once more.

"Seriously, what didn't he tell me?" She asked once more.

"Since he was appointed as a lord, he had to go see the district...so for the rest of the month you'll be served by Tom." Valek carefully watched her reaction.

"HE DID WHAT?"

Like clockwork, he thought, holding back his laughter. She was too predictable.

"Of course he picks the one man who can't cook, and leaves me with his cooking for a whole month!" Alexandra said, angrily.

"Alright, Alex...what did you do?" Valek took the opportunity to ask. "What's been going on with you and Nicholas?"

No sooner had he asked this, he saw the Queen freeze for a moment. She composed herself quickly, but he had already caught her. There was something going on...something that had happened between her and Nicholas, that much was clear. Or why would the chef-turned-lord not tell her where he was going?

"Come on, it's obvious you had a falling out...so what happened?" Valek asked, seeing that this was the only chance he had to get the answer out of her.

Alexandra bowed her head, she looked upset.

"I didn't want to tell you or Mark...you're both his best friends."

"So? We can separate friendship from duty, Alex. We're big boys now." He tried to lighten the mood, but it had no effect. "I'm not going to say anything to him."

"What happened, Lexie?"

"I told him...that...I loved him." Her quiet admission shocked Valek, but the guard managed to keep his face blank as she continued. "He said nothing...one day he came to apologize and he said that he was unworthy because he had no standing."

"So you got him approved as a Lord?" Valek guessed.

"Not really...I merely suggested him...the others decided he was good enough." Alexandra told him, looking miserable. "He wasn't happy with me...and he never told me how he felt."

"Alex...you shouldn't have done that..." Valek said, knowing that she knew that much by now.

"I know...but I didn't know how else to get him to tell me. And now I've made a mess of everything. What if he decides not to come back?" Tears had started to fall down her face.

Getting up from his seat at the table, Valek walked over to her. Wrapping her in his arms, he kissed her forehead.

"Lexie...He just needs time. He's going to come back, and when he does...you two need to talk things over."

...

"This is really starting to bite..." Alexandra muttered, looking at the plate of food in front of her.