They walked around for about a minute, none of them talking. Alexandra hoped none of them dropped anything. And even if they did, she hoped they at least didn't bother to pick it up.
'Shall we begin?' Asked a man's voice. It was high-pitched, and a little thin, watery, 'Or maybe-'
'We shall begin,' a harsher, deeper voice replied.
'Alright, Sir. Now - as you know, our situations isn't too good. Famines are raging all over the country- due to pest attacks- as well as... ah, army actions by-' The watery-voiced man faltered.
'By? By whom? Speak clearly, Minister!' Boomed the harsher voice.
'By your forces, Sir! By Ethorians! The army entered into Doveland - forcefully, I might add, and destroyed the crops - set fire to livestock! The poor animals - and this is the result! Sir, only because of our alliance, we cannot tell the masses - the real reason behind this famine. Or you would have seen the Dovish march into your territories and return the favor. But now, we have to cook up tales of curses and what-nots!' Watery-voiced replied.
'Do you let your Ministers do all the talking, Sir?' Asked the gruff-voiced, turning to the third man.
'As far as he is correct, the Minister speaks, Diplomat. When he goes incorrect, I shall intervene.' Austin's reserved, unimpressed voice replied.
'Hmph!' Said Gruff-voiced, 'So you agree this is Ethoris' fault? I didn't expect such crudeness, Sir. At least not from you.'
'Neither did we expect the Ethorian army to attack our crops!' Austin replied, now agitated, 'Look down, Diplomat, what do you see? This is what Ethoris has reduced us to. And now, you are refusing to help? Is that what the terms of our alliance dictated?'
Alexandra had removed her hands from her back and mouth. She lay down, still as a mouse, drinking in their talks. So this was an Ethorian Diplomat who had come to Doveland to discuss the terms of Alliance. And all in all, the famine could be attributed to Ethoris, who was also playing dirty: first it had pushed its ally into famine. The ally didn't dare tell its citizens that the real reason had been another country's army, because then their army could possibly shift its loyalty, side with the commoners and rebel- resulting in the fall of the Dovish Monarchy. On top of everything, Ethoris had even refused to help the nation.
'We allowed the Ethorian troops enter,' Watery-voiced said, 'because we thought it would be a friendly engagement. Little did we know - that those barbarians would leave us plunged into famine!'
'Are you calling Ethorian troops - barbarians, Minister?' Gruff-voiced replied,
'Of course we are! These are the ways of barbarians. To enter into a country stealthily and to destroy its hard work.' Austin replied, 'Look, Diplomat - do not force Doveland to switch its sides!'
'Switch sides?!' Asked the diplomat, 'May I ask whom you plan to join, King Austin?'
'I get what you are trying to convey, Diplomat. You want to say we aren't in the position to be allies with anybody?' Austin replied, 'I agree.' He then said, 'But there are many countries that accept vassals. We shall prefer being Vedessa's vassals, than your slavish allies!'
Vedessa.
And Vassals.
Alexandra remembered of her diary - that bunch of parchment she had helplessly left behind. And in that she had sworn that Austin, Rose and Olivia would be her vassals. It was a foolish thing to vow, but it had been done. If she replaced herself with Vedessa, and took the oath as Austin, Rose and Olivia would be Vedessa's vassals ... the path of it seemed clear. Olivia already was one. Austin planned of it, and Rose came under Austin, as a citizen.
But the problem was, how could she replace herself with Vedessa - how could Vedessa's vassals be her vassals? Unless...
Unless she became, the Queen of Vedessa.
The mere thought made her start upwards - and hit her head on the hard wood above. She melted back down, her mind racing. She had never considered becoming a queen, not when she was a princess, not afterwards. Not even when she had started thinking of a king more than she ought to. But the prospect did not seem as bad now. In her younger days, she had had a very biased view of queens - that they were powerless and brainless. The more she had seen of the world, the more she had realized how they were a lot more. Especially, if it meant she could continue being a spy, queenship was a piece of cake. Alexandra was very sure Liam would make it a piece of cake.
And there was the Heart's most innocent trait - it imagined the tree's appearance even before it had sown the seed.
But Vedessa.
That one word seemed to hit a raw spot, a nerve, of the Ethorian Diplomat. He looked at Austin, like he couldn't believe the man had dared to bring up that topic. However, he had done his job doing it.
The Diplomat lost his aggressive tone.
'You got me wrong, Sir,' he began. 'I just implied, how it would be an unthinkable thing to change sides right now - when we've had friendly relations for the past ten years.'
'Then prove your relations, Diplomat, prove your friendship. Give us the required help- because those weren't empty words I just spoke- we have been pondering upon this since long. Akwanda has already switched sides. Do not force us to do the same,'
'Certainly not,' the Diplomat said, bowing. 'Certainly not, Sir.'
'And the help must be what is asked for.'
'We shall look into those, Si-'
'And the looking into matters must be done within forty eight hours.'
'We shall try, Si-'
'And trying shall not be entertained, Diplomat.' Austin finished, 'If that is clear, you may leave.'
'As you wish- as you wish, Sir.' And the diplomat's shoes travelled the length of the carpet and stopped at the door, somebody pulled it open from outside for him. He left.
'Those were harsh words, My Lord,' said the Minister.
'Harsh, needed words, Minister.' Austin replied, 'I wish to be left alone.'
A little whispering, so low that even Alexandra couldn't catch- then, another pair of shoes left. What had they even wanted the books for?! What had Alexandra cracked her bone for? For just a décor of stacked books that nobody even touched?
Somehow, that useless realization made Alexandra's back pain worse. Like the spot was now offended that it had been cracked for no reason at all.
Austin walked forward and sat down on the settee... One look down - and he'd come nose-to-nose with Alexandra. She inched further away.
'I'm sorry, Alexandra.' Austin said.
Alexandra's eyes grew wide, she put a hand to her mouth as a tremor passed through her- he had seen her?! And even if he had- he'd recognized her too?!
Even if he had recognized her, why was Austin sitting on the lounge and not talking to her? Alexandra stayed still for two minutes. Then she got suspicious.
She slowly moved forward, inch by inch, and stuck her head out of the settee's side - so that she got a side view of her brother. He had his face cupped into his palms, and as he shook his head, with a jolt, Alexandra realized that Austin was speaking to himself.
'I'm sorry,' he continued, as Alexandra crawled back in, lying on her back, holding her breath, 'I had no choice, Sister...' his voice broke off, dipping sorrowfully.
'Rose is so much better- luckier,' He continued. 'She got away from this mess. She can get away. She can freely support you - I wish I could have done the same. Your memories were all we were left with - and I went ahead to malign them as well. But...' He stopped again. Alexandra felt helpless and mad at herself. For not trying to understand Austin- for always believing that the only sister he cared about was Rose. How foolish she had been, to think that love was only where it was shown. Where it was portrayed through gestures and words. Where it was expressed. She hadn't realized that such expressions could be untrue. That such expressions could be made up. And that, sometimes, love was where people least expected it to be.
She was mad at herself for never realizing that there had been more love for her in Doveland than she had estimated. For always looking at it with hatred and unconcern. And had she not come here, on this posting - she wouldn't even have realized that.
Sometimes, embracing the past was important, because it removed the earlier misunderstandings, resentments and notions, from a person's heart. And unless the Old was removed, how could the New replace it?
'I know you wouldn't have bothered.' Austin continued, 'You wouldn't have bothered what people thought about you- you never did. I hope - I hope you're happy, Alexandra- wherever you are. Because- after all this- you deserve to be happy, Sister. And you certainly don't deserve a brother like- me.'
Alexandra whole-heartedly agreed with Rose. Austin was not a bit evil. On the other hand, if Alexandra ever got the chance, she would make up with him. Those were the ways of the world. When Alexandra had heard just one part of the tale, she had wanted to strangle and murder Austin. But when she heard his side of it- she wanted to make up. To forgive. Perhaps that was the reason why ignorance was bliss.
And was she going to fulfill the vow now? No. But had she fulfilled any part of it? No. That had all happened on its own accord, and she had only facilitated it. Alexandra hardly knew what was happening with her life. But seeing how she had never realized that Austin did care for her, made her feel that she was just bad at finding people's affection. Her lovestruck heart hoped that in a similar manner, she had failed to see Liam's admiration too.