บท 58: The Risky Decision

BOTH ALICE AND Wyatt had their eyes trained on the dainty, innocent-looking envelope that was laid on the floor. It had fluttered down with such grace, reminiscent of its sender. However, the two of them eyed it like it was a cursed artifact.

"Miles informed me that you were invited to tea," Wyatt casually started saying. He walked over and bent down, retrieving the envelope just as Alice sat up.

"Yes," Alice truthfully replied. "Charlie got a little insistent that I don't go."

"Well, I would advise you to not mess around with the queen as much." Wyatt frowned. He squinted at the letter before stretching his gloved hand, allowing Alice to take it from his grasp. "That's a place no one but the king can save you from. And it isn't in his practice to rescue random little girls."

"Is she that much of a menace?" asked Alice as she wrinkled her nose. She took the envelope from Wyatt, carefully tucking it into the pockets of her dress.

"I…" Wyatt hesitated, "I… I can't say for certain. She does have her… little quirks, of course. But mind you, everyone has them. It's just that hers tend to be a bit more on the deadlier side."

"Like?"

"She has a thing for heads," explained Wyatt. "Loves cutting them off for the fun of it. Anyone who has ever offended her has died, one way or another, and most of the time it's on the guillotine."

Alice pictured the heavy contraption in her mind's eye. The thought of it immediately sent her heart rushing to her throat. She pursed her lips, heavily swallowing the bile in her throat. Immediately, she reached up to her neck, caressing the skin there as if it was the last time she would feel it attached.

"You needn't worry," Wyatt said once he noticed Alice's trepidation. "She won't do anything to you. Not without proper reason, of course. You're still under the protection of our house and we do have a name within the noble circle. If the people found out that she executed a member of the Ragan house, well, let's just say she might have a riot on her hands."

"But that still means she can do something if she has a proper reason," Alice pointed out.

"Yes."

"And what can be a proper reason?"

"Treason," Wyatt supplied. "If you are to disrespect her. Or an assassination attempt if you become too violent or heated with your words."

As Wyatt began listing off more and more things, Alice felt the beads of perspiration forming on her forehead more and more. She didn't like the sound of any of that. It seemed like meeting the queen was like stepping into a very active minefield.

"Should I still go?" Alice questioned herself out loud, muttering the words beneath her breath. No matter how softly she said it, however, Wyatt still heard.

"I might have an idea why she wants to see you," Wyatt piped up. "And actually, I think that for your first meeting, nothing absolutely detrimental will happen."

"Detrimental as in…"

"She won't kill you. Yet."

She had heard enough.

Alice shut her eyes and tilted her head back. She rested the back of her head on the backrest of the chair, allowing the sunlight to hit her closed eyelids. It painted her world amber. While the sensation was usually uncomfortable, Alice couldn't bring herself to care.

Not right now.

"Oh boy," she muttered softly in despair.

"However, contrary to Charlie's advice, I will recommend that you go," Wyatt replied truthfully. "If you were to reject the queen's invitation like that, I'm afraid that the consequences might be much worse."

She shot up from her previous position, eyes wide and shoulders tensed. "So I am dead no matter whether I show up or not?" Alice asked, exasperated.

"Accepting the invitation might prolong your survivability," replied Wyatt.

"What could she possibly want from me?" Alice whined. Burying her face into her hands, Alice tried her hardest to calm herself down. However, the racing of her heart didn't seem like it would tide away anytime so soon.

"I don't think it's something she wants from you, to be quite frank. She's just using you to warn someone else."

That piqued Alice's attention.

"Who?"

Silently, Wyatt walked over to her side, refusing to answer her question. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it in a comforting manner. Alice looked up, peeking through the cracks between her fingers. The sight she was met with was Wyatt's gentle smile, free from flattery.

He wore an expression that resembled angels.

"You'll be fine, Alice," he assured. "I'll make sure of it."

☆ ☆ ☆

For the rest of the day, Wyatt had suggested that Alice took some time off for herself to relax in town.

When Alice had questioned Charlie's well-being, considering how upset he was when he left the study, Wyatt simply smiled and shook his head.

"Give him time," Wyatt had said. "He needs some space alone to cool down and breathe. You know, Alice, for such a bright girl like yourself, you sure are very oblivious about your surroundings."

Alice had asked Wyatt for further explanation but the white-haired man refused to oblige. He sent Alice straight out the door with a bag of flois and fleuron coins, urging her to have some fun on her own.

"Don't come back until you have thoroughly spent them all!" Wyatt had hollered after her, a gleeful ring in his voice as if he was excited to kick her out for once.

With nothing else to do but to immerse herself in a shopping trip, Alice had allowed herself to be transported into town. She looked around, darting from shop to shop, boutique to boutique, but nothing quite caught her eye.

Ultimately, her gaze landed on the small little bookstore Wyatt had once brought her to. Her feet itched to go over, to grab a good book which she could dip her head into. However, she remembered how expensive books were in Gladiolum. If she had set her eyes on a title that was way beyond her budget, she wouldn't have been able to part with it.

Despite Wyatt's instructions, Alice had no intention of spending every last fleuron and flois that she had been given. She had already spent some money on a nice cup of tea and a slice of chocolate cake and her belly was now comfortably full and satiated. If nothing else caught her attention, she would start heading home.

"Maybe I should get something for Charlie," Alice thought out loud, muttering under her breath. "That might ease his anger."

Naturally, her feet started to walk towards a different bakery she had come across. The way to a man's heart had always been through his stomach. Alice was convinced that if she brought something delicious for Charlie, he might feel better than before.

Thus, with that in mind, she headed off, the soles of her feet thudding against the cobblestone floor with each step.

Counting the coins in her hands, she hadn't been watching her way. Eventually, Alice came to a sudden halt when she hit her forehead against a hard chest. When she looked up, she was met with a pair of frosty blue eyes but a smile so warm even the sun would feel ashamed.