Memory of You

Chapter Twelve: The Waiting Game

With time passing by so slowly, the wait for Valek's return had become unbearable. Sitting in a corner of the stable, Alexandra watched as her horse, Europa, ate hay. The black stallion didn't seem to mind that she was hiding out with him for the second day in a row.

Since Nicholas was avoiding her, and Sophia was still angry with her; Alexandra had nowhere to spend her spare time. Mark was busy with additional duties, and had not yet found out about Sophia breaking the rules.

Handing her horse some more hay, she heard the stable door creak open. Stopping her breath and trying to meld herself with the wall, she silently hoped who ever it was would pass by without noticing her.

"You know, it would make my life easier if I could find you right where I left you."

No such luck, Alexandra thought, looking up to see Mark leaning over the divide.

"I was bored..." She mumbled, as he walked in. Mark took a seat beside her on another bale of hay.

"I thought you had a meeting with Lord Crawley?" He asked.

"I did, but it ended early."

"Why didn't you go to the library then?"

"I wanted some fresh air." Alexandra replied, trying to keep herself from looking suspicious. It always annoyed her how guilty she felt when keeping things from Mark or Valek. Shivering due to the chill in the air, Mark laughed at her before pulling her closer. Sitting quietly, they watched Europa move about, happily munching his way through the trough.

"You look cold...shall we head back now?" He asked, seemingly amused as her teeth chattered.

"Okay." Getting up rather defeatedly from the bale of hay, Alexandra brushed off the pieces which had stuck to her clothes before walking over to Mark.

Trudging along to the castle, she found herself dreading going back. She hated fighting with Sophia but the girl didn't make it any easier; and now with Nicholas brought in to the mix, Alexandra didn't know what to expect.

"Have you seen Nick?" Mark interrupted her morose thoughts.

"Uh...no. I haven't." She replied, trying to sound normal.

"I thought you would have at breakfast?" Mark gave her an odd look. Don't panic, Alexandra thought to herself. One wrong move, and Mark would know what happened.

"I had Daniel bring me breakfast in the King's Quarters...I had to read before meeting Crawley."

"Oh...well, I needed to talk to him." Mark mumbled.

Opening the large oak doors for her, Mark waited for Alexandra to enter the castle. No sooner had she set foot inside, she saw Sophia coming down the hall. Staring the girl down, Alexandra didn't notice Mark come to stand beside her, instead she watched as Sophia haughtily turned her back and walked away.

"What was that about?" She heard her guard ask, curiously. Silently berating herself for not coming clean sooner, Alexandra sighed.

"It's nothing...she's just angry with me." Alexandra hoped he wouldn't delve any further.

"It's never nothing with the two of you." He commented as they headed towards the library. Walking in silence Alexandra wondered if he suspected her yet.

"Ahh...that brings me back. It's been a while since the two of you fought." Mark reminisced.

Having grown up together, Mark and Valek had always been the ones she would turn to when she and Sophia had problems. Those two had seen their fair share of spats between the girls, and were usually the ones along with Nicholas who brokered truces between them.

"If my memory serves me correctly..." The guard spoke. "The last time you two fought..."

Alexandra froze watching him think over the last few years.

"Was when Sophia dated those two guards..." HE KNOWS! Alexandra thought with alarm.

"Anything you want to tell me, Alex?" He asked, looking at her intently.

"No...she's just mad about..." She gave up pretending. "You know about Samuel...don't you?"

"I do."

"Did Nick tell you?"

Giving her a questioning look, Mark shook his head.

"No, one of the guards did. I was going to ask him if he knew. That's why I wanted to talk to him. Well, about that, and getting some extra help around here."

"So what's going to happen to Samuel?" Alexandra asked, worried that he would be re-posted elsewhere. Valek and Mark had built such a good rapport with him, that she knew they would hate to lose him. He was one of the few guards Alexandra didn't mind shadowing her.

"That depends on Sophia and Samuel. If they break it off, maybe we will keep him here, if not he'll definitely be posted elsewhere in the country."

A part of her felt bad for Sophia. The girl was clearly looking for someone to love her, but not having such good luck. I wish I could help her, Alexandra thought. There had to be someone that wasn't part of the Royal Guard, that Sophia would like. All I want is for her to be happy, she admitted to herself, and for her to talk to me...

...

"Barricaded yourself in the kitchen, I see."

Looking up from where he was chopping onions, Nicholas saw Mark coming towards him.

"No, I've been busy cooking."

"Really, is that what you call it? So why hasn't Alex seen you around?"

"I don't know...I don't think she even came to the kitchen today." He answered, returning his attention to the task at hand.

Truthfully, he had been avoiding the Queen since Sophia's admission. A part of him was embarrassed, how could he face Alexandra after finding out what his sister had done? The other part was a little bit vexed, not just with Alexandra, but with Mark and Valek as well. How could they have known and not told him?

"What's with the cold front, Nick?" Mark stood in front of him, arms crossed over his uniform, the silver badge gleaming in the light.

"It's nothing."

"We've known each other for years Nick, don't make me pull it out of you." Nicholas could hear the warning behind Mark's calm words.

"You probably know all about Sophia and Samuel." He said simply.

"I do." Mark confirmed.

"And about David?" Nicholas asked, he was still angry about that revelation. Each time he thought about it, his blood would boil.

"That too."

"Why didn't you tell me? All these years and neither of you told me." It had stung knowing all of them had been in on it. "You were supposed to be my best friends. What happened to 'The Three Musketeers'?"

"It's not what you think."

"Of course not. Tell me, what it's like? Because right now I can't face my sister nor can I face my best friends, or my Queen." Unable to contain his feelings, they spilled out of him. Nicholas had spent the last few nights unable to sleep, constantly thinking over what his sister had admitted to him.

"We only found out because of Alex." Mark told him.

"What do you mean?"

"Alex's first year as Queen was full of unwanted surprises because of some of the staff. One day she gathered everyone and said that they were to tell her any secrets they were keeping. Anything told would be forgiven, if she found anything out later on...they would be punished." The guard said to him. I wonder what the others were keeping from her? The cook thought.

"At the end of the day, Sophia showed up to talk to Alex. That's when we all found out about David. Valek and I were sworn to secrecy, otherwise I would have told you."

"Wasn't she angry with Sophie?" Nicholas asked, the question had been bothering him for a while now.

"No...she's never said anything about it, since. She didn't even have much of a reaction then." Mark shrugged

I was stupid, Nick...he looked so sad and lonely, I was just keeping him company until she returned, I don't know how but it just happened... Nicholas could hear his sister's explanation.

"I don't get it. How could my sister do that to Lex?" Nicholas asked, knowing there was no answer. "How could she sleep with David? He was engaged and she did that?"

"They weren't officially engaged. Alex had already planned to break up with David the next day, remember how sick her father was? It didn't make any difference."

"How am I supposed face Alexandra now?"

"The past doesn't matter Nick, you're just going to have to man up and face her. It's not like it would have changed anything." He was right, Nicholas thought, Sophia's indiscretion wouldn't have changed the course of Alexandra and David's relationship. "It's bad enough that she's already getting the silent treatment from Sophia without having to deal with you, just go talk to her."

...

Flipping through the pages of a book, Alexandra half-heartedly tried reading the words. Truth be told, she hated fighting with Sophia, getting the silent treatment from her best friend was usually the worst part of their quarrels. Valek had yet to return, which meant she couldn't ask either him or Mark for any advice; since Mark had enough work on his plate.

I wish she'd just see it from my point of view...why doesn't she ever understand? There are plenty of other great men other than the ones on the guard, Alexandra thought, closing the book. It was pointless to try and reason with Sophia; it usually made things worse. If Sophia was going to come around, she would do so on her own. Alexandra glumly put her head down on the book. This day couldn't get any better, she thought with a heavy sigh.

"Shouldn't you be reading that, instead of sleeping on it?"

A familiar voice interrupted her silence. Lifting her head, she saw Nicholas walk towards her.

"I thought you were still angry with me?" She asked. He hadn't spoken two words since the confrontation.

"I'm not angry with you, Lex." He told her.

"Really? Your avoiding me says otherwise."

He gave her a hurt look, before sitting down across from her. Divided by the table, Alexandra could sense how upset he was. Why did it bother her so much that it might have been her that upset him? He's been so kind to me since coming back...she thought, he even helped when David was around...

"I'm not angry with you..." He repeated.

"Liar." She said, looking back at her book. "Some part of you is angry with me, you probably blame me for ever bringing David around her."

"No...I'm just...upset that you never told me about Sophia and David."

"How was I supposed to tell you? I didn't find out until after I was crowned, and even then I swore I would never tell anyone...and really how does that ever come up in conversation?"

"She's my sister, Lex. You should have told me, and our parents...I can't believe she would do that to you..." He said, looking miserable. "I feel so...stupid and embarrassed..."

Finally understanding why he was unhappy with her, she looked over to him. Nicholas' grey eyes looked stormy.

"It would never have changed anything, you know that. David and I were over." She didn't know what to tell him, uncharacteristically reaching out to put a hand on his. She felt something surge through her, as her skin met his; she was unable to pull away. "I am sorry though...I should have never gotten involved with him...I should have listened to all of you and my Dad, and steered clear of David. Sophia would never have gotten involved then..."

"Is she really not talking to you?" He asked her, after a few moments of silence; his eyes a little bit clearer than before.

"Pretty much." She answered, gently pulling her hands away and putting them in her lap; trying to ignore what she had felt.

"How come?"

"Because of Samuel. Mark and Valek have a rule that castle staff can't court the guards; and she knows he could be re-posted somewhere else if Valek finds out. Which he will, no doubt." Alexandra decided to tell him, now that he knew about David, she didn't have anything else to hide.

"I'm sorry she's caused you trouble."

"It's alright, Nick. I don't blame her-" Before Alexandra could continue, a voice came from behind her.

"Your Majesty!" One of the guards called her. She turned to looked at Daniel. "Your Majesty, Valek has returned."