She Left Once Again

Xander pulls on his street wear as he glances back at his room. No one should be able to freely enter nor exit his chambers. Plus, the layered padding underneath the blanket should serve well as a camouflage. 

He wanted to visit Diane and ask her regarding the past. About why she decided to up and leave. And to ask whether Mikhail really was his son. No, that's not right, Mikhail is his son. There shouldn't be any mistake. With silver hair like his... The thought of Diane with another person was inconceivable.

Xander shook his head to clear his thoughts as he then opened his window. He stared at the ground which was ways below him before nimbly hopping onto a tree that grew close to his window in silence. The leap was far but with his abilities, it was nothing but a breeze.

The best time to sneak out was either early morning, before the break of dawn or deep into the night when everyone was deep in slumber. It's not that the surveillance was lenient, it's more close to the fact that he knew when and where the guards would be that made it easier to leave.

Xander had a gut feeling that Diane would avert the question or worse, she would leave and forbid him to see Mikhail again. He was uncertain why Diane left to begin with. The sixteen years apart made him regret the fact that he had ever let her go.

She had always been on his mind as the sole thing that he ever regretted letting go. He didn't want history to repeat itself again. The best he could do was to ensure that she didn't leave once more. Hence, why he needed to see her urgently.

Xander then climbed down the tree as he pulled on his hood. He then pressed onto a gem that he had pinned to his cloak, turning his gaze towards the sapphire brooch embedded on his cloak. 

Lilith had gifted it to him a few years back during their anniversary. It served as a disguise amulet that could change his appearance and was very useful, especially during his secret trips to the aristocrats' property to survey how they operated. To think he'd use it for unofficial business...

He shook his head once more as he then took a glance around at his surroundings. There were no guards in sight. It would be a problem if anyone knew of his secret wall. Sneaking out and in would then be easy for assassins and the like.

As he was about to touch the hidden contraption to activate the hidden door, he caught a glimpse of red hair shining in the moonlight at a distance. It was Lilith. His hand lingered in the air as he hesitated to leave.

What is she doing there? Xander had mumbled to himself as he hid behind a tree. He then peered to watch her actions as he saw his wife talking with a hooded man. He squinted to get a better view but to no avail. The man was dressed in full black, but from his height and physique, it was obvious that it was a man.

Anger rose in his chest as he felt betrayed by his wife when he saw a crack of a smile on her face. Was she cheating on him?! Against his better judgement, Xander upped from his hiding spot behind a tree and walked straight up towards Lilith, grabbing her wrist forcefully as he pulled her to his chest. His sword was raised and the blade shone beneath the moonlight, gleaming threateningly against the throat of the man.

"WHO ARE YOU?! YOU DARE TO MEET WITH THE KING'S WIFE THIS LATE IN THE NIGHT?!" Xander yelled in a rage as his grip tightened against Lilith's wrist. He pressed his blade harder against the man's neck as red liquid started to trickle down the sword's silver body.

"Who... Ah, it's not what you think! This is a messenger...! From Lestria! ...Xander? ... It hurts..." Lilith exclaimed as she replied, uncertain whether the man before her was her husband. His demeanor and physique was close to her husband's but his hair colour, face and voice were different. She winced from the tight grip around her wrist as she struggled to release herself from his grip.

"... Is that true? ... ANSWER ME!" Xander asked as he pressed his blade harder against the man's neck. More blood gushed out of his wound as it splattered onto the ground. The man nodded nervously as he took out a letter from his pocket with shaky hands.

Xander released Lilith's wrist from his grip as he clicked his tongue and grabbed the letter with his free hand. He then opened it as he scanned through the letter. The man was as good as dead if it was a love letter or anything of the sort.

After a short moment, Xander lowered his sword from the man's throat. He turned to look at Lilith as he took in her terrified face. She had been absentmindedly stroking her wrist that had begun to bruise.

"... I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions..." Xander muttered as he pressed the gem once again, turning off his disguise as he threw his cloak around Lilith.

"Xander..." Lilith sighed as she fell against his chest, her prior anxiety eased as she embraced him. She dared a peek at the messenger as she silently instructed him to leave. The man nodded nevously, his hand against his neck, before he summoned a magic circle and disappeared from sight.

"Were you going out?" Lilith asked as she pulled herself off of Xander's chest, turning his attention towards her. Her eyes then swept his handsome visage as she stretched out to touch his face.

Xander didn't shy away from her touch and stared at her in silence. He felt Lilith's fingers brush his cheek before she reached out to his hair.

"A leaf." Lilith smiled as she dropped the leaf onto the ground.

"... I was planning to go out on a walk." Xander replied curtly, trying to prevent her from asking anything further.

"Hmm... A walk? In disguise?" 

"It... was hot in the room. I wanted to take a ride through town." Xander replied as he shut his eyes, a tactic to avoid Lilith's gaze. She had a way to pry information out of him, it's best to do this if he wants to keep a secret from her.

"Hmm~ I won't pry since you don't want me to know... Just... the messenger... was sent by my family. They haven't seen me in awhile. Perhaps it's due to the time difference that the messenger arrived late." Lilith replied, she knew he wouldn't buy her obvious lie and yet, she heard him offer her a slight grunt of affirmation. Perhaps its a means to compromise as Lilith didn't press on why or where he was going so late at night.

"Lilith. It's cold. And late. I'll walk you back to your chambers. Get some rest."

"... Of course. Thank you for your time, Xander."

"... Hm. ...Your wrist... I'm sorry." Xander grunted a soft reply as he lifted Lilith's hands towards his eye level. He then planted a kiss on her right wrist which was starting to bruise.

"... It's... fine..." Lilith replied as she turned away, her cheeks tinted a slight pink.

***

After walking Lilith back to her chamber, Xander hurriedly walked towards the stable as he grabbed a bridle and a saddle. He quickly fastened them onto his horse as he checked it's safety multiple times.

Xander then brought his horse to his secret exit as he pulled onto the contraption. The walls shook a little as fine lines formed, opening up a secret exit which stretched up the castle wall.

He then passed through the door-like exit as he led the horse through. Xander then pressed a hidden button in the ground nearby, shutting the hidden door. 

Wasting no time, he stepped onto the stirrups of the saddle and pulled himself onto the horse. As he adjusted his position, he saw that the sun was about to rise and quickly kicked the stirrups against the horse's abdomen, guiding it into a gallop.

He needed to get to Vogrant before the sun completely rose. Xander felt somewhere in his guts that he might be too late but decided to ignore said feeling. 

***

The view of the small village came into view as Xander brought his horse into a trot. He then guided it towards Diane's house as he then pulled the reins, cuing the horse to pull to a halt.

He got off the horse as he tugged on the reins, hitching it to a nearby fence, letting his horse cool down and graze. His breath felt shallow as he stood before the crude door. He was at a lost of what to say and yet, couldn't bring himself to leave without seeing her.

Xander than ran his hand through his smooth silver hair as he caught sight of his silver locks. 

Didn't I put on the brooch? Why is my hair still... Xander thought before sighing as he was reminded of the cloak he placed over his wife's shoulders. He had forgotten to remove the brooch.

Xander saw hooves mark and signs of a cart trail on the tender soil but chose to deny the growing feeling of presentiment in his chest.

Irked by his hesitation, Xander rasped on the crude door, only to find it slightly ajar. Panic and anxiousness cloaked his mind as he pushed the door open. His eyes then swept the room, taking in the lack of utensils and books that it had the day prior.

Xander then chuckled with a look of disbelief and felt ridiculed with how his gut feeling had been right. He fell onto the rickety chair as he placed his face in his hands, a feeling of defeat washing over him.

As he leaned forward against his hands, he noticed a faint smell of something familiar. He brought his gaze up to find a familiar blue flower sitting in a white vase.

Blue asters... Hmm? Xander thought aloud before he noticed a letter placed beside it. He then grabbed the letter before tearing it open, reading what was concealed within.

His eyes widened before he slumped back against the chair. He slung his arm over his face as his free hand dangled off the chair, still holding the letter. Diane had left the village with Mikhail. The letter was one specified for him with the instructions to not search for her. He chuckled softly as a single tear slid down his face, his only regret, happened once more.