Inside the guest chamber of Drakethorne house, two figures were seated on the bed that was placed at the centre.
The room was huge, with windows overlooking the palace's rear, and it was filled with luxurious furnishings and decorations that showcased the grandeur of the Grand Ducal House.
Princess Eva Evernight lay on the bed, her head resting on her mother's lap. Empress Catherine Fairwind sat above, her eyes focused on her daughter, who had taken her mother's lap as her rightful place since childhood.
Empress Catherine looked at her daughter, Eva, with love and kindness. She slowly moved her hand around Eva's short hair that barely reached Eva's neck; both were busy thinking to themselves about all the events so far.
Princess Eva, who had been lying like that since she could remember, asked her mother the things that were on her mind,"Mother, you said Alex Drakethorne had healed his mother from death and has a strong dragon bloodline, but why is he only in level 1?"
Empress Catherine Fairwind also didn't know about Alex Drakethorne being only level 1. Shane Drakethorne and Sera Azurestorm had never revealed this to them or outsiders. As she continued to move her hands slowly around her daughter's hair, she replied, "I also knew just now that he is only level 1. I am seeing Alex for the first time. Their parents had never brought him outside."
Princess Eva turned her face gloomy, thinking he was not all that great as she had thought from the rumours. She asked back,"Does that mean all those tales and legends of him are false?"
Empress Catherine, seeing her daughter turning gloomy, knew her daughter's expectation and reality must have felt foreign to her; she answered with all honesty, "All the things are true, he indeed healed his mother, and you know what, he has a dragon egg with him, this is not well known to the outside world other than nobles who attended the banquet."
Princess Eva immediately lifted her head, her eyes wide in shock, as she turned to look at her mother, who was smirking at Eva's shocked face. Eva said,"Are you for real? Mother, you are telling the truth, right? Why didn't you tell me all this before?"
Empress Catherine slowly pinched her daughter's cheeks and said,"When did I get the chance to speak about this? I kept this a secret from you. Why would I tell everything? You should find out something for yourself, my lovely Eva."
Princess Eva distanced herself from her mother, her cheeks hurting badly from her mother's pinch. She said with pain,"Ahhh, Mom, it hurts."
At that moment, a knock came from the door. Both the mother-duo turned toward it, steadying themselves as they blended into their royal status, sitting straight on the bed.
Empress Catherine Fairwind, in her majestic voice, ordered,"Come in."
A maid entered. She appeared to be in her mid-20s. She bowed her head and said,"Your Majesty and your highness are invited to the tea room for evening tea by the grand duchess"
Empress and Princess looked out the window to see that the sun was about to set; they had completely forgotten the time as they rested and talked with each other.
Empress Catherine Fairwind turned toward the maid and ordered, "You may go now. Tell the Grand Duchess that we will be attending."
The maid had kept her head low all the time inside the chamber. When the empress gave the order, she slowly moved her head up and exited the chamber while closing the doors slowly as she stepped outside the chamber.
- - - - - - - - -
Inside the tea room, located on the side of the palace and beside the garden, flowers were neatly arranged, the floors were tiled in marble, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and expensive light bulbs illuminated every corner.
A table was in the centre, with 2 chairs on each side, for a total of 4 chairs. The room was vacant except for the flowers.
Grand duchess Sera Azurestorm was sitting in one chair, while her son, Alex Drakethorne, was sitting beside her on a different chair.
Empress Catherine Fairwind was sitting facing the opposite end of Sera Azurestorm, and Princess Eva Evernight sat beside Catherine Fairwind on a different chair facing Alex Drakethorne, Heir of Drakethorne house.
Alex smiled as he dipped his cookie into the tea, then put it in his mouth. On the other hand, Grand Duchess Sera was lightly taking a sip of tea.
Empress and Princess were indulging in tea as they slowly took a sip from their respective teacups.
The atmosphere was calm, but there was subtle tension in the air as no one had spoken.
Seeing the situation getting out of control, Empress Catherine Fairwind stepped in and said,"Alex, did you like meeting with your fiancée? Isn't she beautiful?"
Alex Drakethorne had just taken another cookie in his mouth when he was abruptly interrupted. He slowly chewed the cookie and sipped his tea to swallow it. Glancing at Eva, who had perked up her ears and pretended not to notice, Alex replied, "Yes, she is beautiful."
Alex maintained a poker face while saying it, and Empress Catherine, who was observing him with her keen eyes, almost started laughing with the restraint of a royalty. She replied,"You sure know how to make a lady happy, Alex."
Princess Eva Evernight, who was taking a sip of tea, felt her cheeks and ears turning red from the blunt reply of Alex, whom she had thought of as shy and had been teasing all day long.
Princess Eva admired Alex's ability to return to normal despite going through all this ordeal during the day, and here he is eating a cookie and drinking tea nonchalantly as if nothing had happened.
Grand Duchess Sera Azurestorm was happy to see that Alex had not let the revelation hurt him and had bounced back.
Princess Eva Evernight slowly set her teacup on the table. She turned to look at Alex and asked politely,"Alex, how about we roam around the palace?"
Alex almost choked on his tea as he barely managed to look at Princess Eva's face. Her face was turning a bit red, probably from asking someone out by herself, an opposite-gender person; she had probably never done this.
Alex mumbled as he replied,"Right now? You see, there is dark around."
Princess Eva, not wanting to back down after mustering all her courage, said,"But there is lamp light all around the palace. Maybe you are afraid of Darkness?"
Alex felt she was targeting him again. Not wanting to lose this battle, he jumped to his feet from his chair and walked towards Princess Eva's seat. He held her hands and said,"Let's go, I am not afraid of darkness."
Alex started moving, forcing Princess Eva to immediately jump from the chair and making her keep pace with Alex.
Seeing this, Empress Catherine Fairwind looked at the grand duchess, who was looking back at her son and Princess Eva. The Empress said,"Your son sure has guts to make the princess run after him".