Chapter 2

Alessia's POV

"Lady Alessia, your food is ready," Estrebelle promised me. "The dear king will have breakfast with you," Estrebelle promised me while I was on the side of the ship and I was holding onto the baluster.

We'll eat together. I whispered in my mind. The number of times that Elijah and I ate together can only be counted on the hands. But I can't do anything because that's what blue blood is used to. The dining area is only for big bounty. The occupants often eat in the room and do not share the table. Being of royal blood is somehow lonely.

"Alright," I responded. It's almost lunchtime and Elijah hasn't eaten yet. Is it on purpose that he didn't have breakfast so I could keep up? But that's not something I need to worry about. His sleeping habits are way more important than eating. He won't die if he eats breakfast late. Forget it, he's an immortal, and starving himself won't even kill him.

I went to the cabin and saw a small table with food on it. Elijah is already there and waiting for me.

"Why didn't you have breakfast?" I directly asked Elijah. I know that the situation is not serious, but I can't help but ask.

"I had coffee." He replied to me as if he was saying that he was right.

"That's a liquid and not some carbs, you need to eat proper food, Elijah." I will teach him. Coffee is not good on an empty stomach. Coffee is acidic and it will raise the hyperacidity of the stomach and cause heartburn. Especially those with mild ulcers.

Elijah hugged me from behind and put his chin on my shoulder and whispered. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'll eat on time from now on."

I stopped myself from smiling because of what he did. All the attendants inside the cabin were bent over as if they were blind and engrossed in what was happening.

"Let's eat, I'm hungry too." I just said and didn't show that I was thrilled. But I'm indeed really hungry. Who wouldn't be hungry if I haven't had breakfast yet?

Elijah and I sat down and started eating. These are still normal foods that I just don't know what the name is. They are steak-like meat but I know it has a name. But I wasn't even interested in asking what the name of this food was because what mattered to me was that we were full.

"Sweetheart, I'll have a meeting with the sentinels. Stefano will accompany you for the entire duration of our journey." Elijah turned up in the middle of our meal.

"Alright. But why did you bring more Sentinels today?" I can't stop asking him. He will usually just bring ten Sentinels with us. But now there are many.

Elijah seemed to think before he answered. "I don't want to repeat the scene in Callora Grande." He answered after thinking about it.

"Sudanni is with us. His existence alone is already a huge factor." I answered him and drank water. Sudanni is a powerful being and can wipe out any beast.

"I don't trust him." Elijah frowned when he answered me.

"But I don't think he's a bad creature, Elijah. He might be suspicious but I think we can trust him enough." I calmly told him that nothing happened. I know what Sudanni's reason is so I don't doubt him anymore.

"A titan is a monster. He can betray us anytime." Elijah coldly replied to me that he seemed to have bad memories of the titans.

"But you still allowed him here," I replied to him seriously. I already know the real reason why Sudanni wants to come. But Elijah doesn't know about it. I don't even know if I should tell him that someone wants to kill me. But I rather keep it than add burdens onto his shoulders.

"It's better to keep your enemies closer." He replied to me while eating.

"What if he's here to protect us?"

"I doubt that."

"You're judging him without a concrete reason."

"He's coming with us without a solid reason too."

I didn't say a word anymore because I felt like he was going to yell at me at any moment. I can see that his ears are flushing. It means he doesn't like the situation. Is it jealous because I'm defending Sudanni?

"I'm full." I just said it because I lost my appetite.

I can understand why he doesn't trust many things. But knowing the truth about why Sudanni came along is heartbreaking. I didn't want to tell him what was going on because I didn't want to add to his worries. Having someone who's trying to kill me is already a burden.

"Stefano, guard your lady. I'll go now." Elijah said and got up from the table and left. He didn't even formally say goodbye to me and didn't even look at me. He's sulking. The king is sulking. Wow, great!

I closed my eyes tightly. Even a fool would know that Elijah was sulking. Even though he didn't say it, I realized it because of his behavior and he just left.

"Clear the table," Stefano said and he came closer to me. "Put it on."

He gave me the coat that Estrebelle had prepared earlier for Mythion. I accepted it and put it on. He does have seriousness but it's not enough to make me smile.

"Thank you," I responded weakly to Stefano.

"Come outside so you can see Mythion." He is my nanny.

I nodded and Stefano walked out and I followed. Immediately, the cloudy sky that covered the sun appeared to me. I immediately felt the cold climate on my cheek which made me shiver.

I followed Stefano and we reached the side of the ship and I held on to the baluster. I stared down and was amazed at what I saw. Everything I see below seems black and white.

I've seen scenes like this in movies but it's even better in person. I feel like what I'm seeing isn't real because it's so beautiful. I see pine trees bathed in snow. Frozen mountains and frozen rivers.

I felt cold and I was just surprised because suddenly someone put a warm thing on both of my ears.

"Ear muffs. You're not used to this place." Stefano promised me and with every word he said it was blowing smoke.

"She looks good, but I don't like the place." I winked at Stefano because I could still feel the cold in my body even though I was wearing a thick coat.

Stefano laughed at my reaction. "It's your first time here and it's normal for you to feel that way. You weren't born in the snow, but you'll get used to it." He promised me as if to say that everything will be fine.

"I don't need to train myself because I'm not coming back here." I made a meaningful promise to Stefano. That's right, this is my first and last visit to Mythion. When I leave here, I'm sure grandpa and I will return to Arada. Elijah can't find us there because he has no idea that I became a human and that's where I came from.

"You will be the queen of Valeria, so this will not be your last time here, Ales." He said to me as if to remind me that I was not destined.

You're wrong Stefano. I promised that in my mind. He believed that I will be with Elijah for the rest of my life when I am already bound to leave.

"We'll see," I replied to him and just now I wanted to curse this place because my hand was shaking so I put it in my coat.

"But I just wanted to tell you. While we're here in Mythion, can you avoid Queen Natalia?" He looked worried about me.

I frowned at what he said because as far as I remember I had no reason to avoid Natalia. I know it's arrogant, but she didn't do anything to me when they visited Valeria.

"How can I avoid her, Stefano if we are right here in her territory?" I asked him seriously. What Stefano is saying is impossible because he seems to have said that I should avoid my own shadow. We were in her territory and I couldn't avoid Natalia, especially with our mission.

"She likes his majesty so much. Once she finds out that you are a woman and that you and Elijah are in a relationship, your stay here in Mythion won't be easy." He answered me with a warning.

"Even if we say that Stefano, it's still impossible for me to avoid Natalia. If she wants to face me, there's always a way." I said to him. "It's like you're telling me Natalia is dangerous."

"Not like that," Stefano answered quickly. "We just don't want your stay to be a mess Mythion."

"Is my life quiet, even if I'm not in Mythion? Stefano, nothing will change if I avoid Natalia. I know she already knows I'm a girl because I'm sure the news has reached her. It's no use avoiding her, especially if she approaches. Why should I avoid her, when I can face her?" I don't know why I seem annoyed with Stefano. I know I'm weak but it's even more annoying that they see me like that.

I do not deny that I am weak, but I hope they will trust me in this matter. I can protect myself if Natalia talks badly about me.

"I know you can handle yourself. But we don't want this to get messy. I know you've been in too much trouble these past few days, so we're worried. Elijah doesn't want to take you here to Mythion but he is more afraid that you will be angry with him because he broke his promise to you." He explained to me what he was going to do.

I will probably be angry because this is the last time I will be with Elijah.

"Stefano, I know that there are many things that scare Elijah. Things that he can't tell me. I don't know why, but is it too heavy? Is it even heavier because he killed my sister in the past?" My eyes darkened. I knew this for a long time but I didn't believe it right away. But when it took, when we were in Eleftheria, that's when I realized what he was afraid of. Because Ate is my sister, she is afraid that I will know that she was the one who killed Ate in her past life.

It's not a big deal to me. I am not my sister and I have no memory of that. But if I were in my sister’s situation, I can't be sure if I would still feel this way. If only I would be fine. How can someone be with a criminal like nothing happened? How can I stay in love with my killer?

"H-how did you know that?" Stefano asked pale as if he had been drained of blood.

I grinned at him. "Everyone in the palace knows, Stefano. So it's impossible for me not to know. At first, I didn't believe it because I didn't think of Elijah that way. But later, I realized that it was also because of his fears." I made a weak promise to Stefano. "He's afraid that I'll find out that he killed my sister. But honestly, it doesn't matter to me. I wasn't the one who died, so I won't be angry."

"What if...it's you and not your sister?" Stefano asked me impatiently.

I smiled at him. "Then, it will be enough reason for me to stay away from him. No person will be in love with her killer, Stefano. I cannot love someone who killed me." I coldly promised him that Stefano paled even more.

"Ha! I-it's a good thing you're not Roselle." But there was a trace of nervousness in his voice that gave me doubt and wonder.

But even though I am not her, I am still leaving Stefano. It might have been better if I was the one who was killed. It will be easier for me to leave him.

"Do you celebrate Christmas here?" I asked him a different question. It was obvious that Stefano was not comfortable with what we were talking about so it would be better if it were different.

"Christmas? Of course. To be exact, we call it thanksgiving every December. It's coming soon, I'm sure we'll be back in Valeria before that happens." He told me that somehow Stefano's color has changed. It's not as pale as before.

"Give a gift?" I asked him. I want to know if it's like Christmas all over the world.

"No, but it's possible. But often, that day is spent with the love of your life." He promised me with a smile and suddenly sadness appeared on his face. "Both I and his majesty are celebrating thanksgiving alone for many years. We are looking forward to the upcoming thanksgiving because there is already you.

Even though I was struggling, I still smiled and forced myself to hide the tears that wanted to escape.

"I wish too," I replied to him that even if I say that, I know that it will never come true.

I am the reason right now why both Elijah and Stefano are happy. But I will be the same person who will paint sadness on their faces.