Memory of You

Chapter Five: Let The Mind Games Begin

The violet color had worn off his teeth as the day had passed. Nicholas could not believe she could have pulled something like that over him. He had brushed his teeth twice using the paste she had apparently tainted. Having only noticed the color in the morning, he was amazed at her stealth. Looking in the mirror Nicholas scrubbed his teeth again with paste that he had borrowed from Sophia. She had laughed at his predicament when he had shown up.

"Now you know why no one wins going against the Queen." She had told him before giving him the paste.

Grumbling, Nicholas spat out the paste before rinsing his mouth with water. He had thought she would be gloating upon seeing him, but Alexandra had not said a word. Not even Mark and Valek's snickering could wake her from her thoughts. David's impending arrival seemed to be weighing on her heavily.

"Sir, Her Majesty has asked for dinner to be served in fifteen minutes." A guard named Aram told him, as Nicholas finished rinsing his hands in the kitchen sink. I guess light purple teeth will just have to do...

"Alright." He told the young guard. Walking over to finish off garnishing the plates, he wondered if he had done the right thing, holding back on the alcohol.

Picking up the platters of food, he followed the young guard to the dining hall. As the doors opened to allow him to enter, he heard voices...slurred voices. What's going on? He thought picking up his pace.

Where did she get the alcohol from? Nicholas wondered as he saw a bottle of Goswein on the table in front of Alexandra.

"Nicholasss! You brrought foood!" She exclaimed upon seeing him. Alexandra was clearly not in her right mind, he thought. She looked far too happy to see him.

Putting her plate in front of her, Nicholas saw that the bottle of Goswein was empty, and by the looks of it, she was the only one who had drunk anything.

"Ah, Nicholas. It's good to see you again." David said, as Nicholas put the plate of food in front of him. "I thought you were still in Airidia?"

"I finished school and then applied for the chef's position here to come back home." Nicholas told him curtly. The man still looked as slimy and untrustworthy as when they'd first met, Nicholas thought with disgust. He for one had not liked David's return since it made the Queen act weird.

After almost three years since they broke up, David still had some kind of strange hold on Alexandra.

"You haaave to try Nicholas'ssss foood, David. He's the besst!" Alexandra slurred as Nicholas walked over to where Mark, Valek, and Aram were standing.

"Does she always do this?" Nicholas asked, the others as they watched over the Queen. "Where did she get the Goswein from? I never brought any out?"

"No idea...she's done this almost every single time. Although...it's been a while since dear old David visited us." Mark said venomously.

Returning from the kitchen after putting away the empty plates, Nicholas listened intently from the shadows as David tried to get Alexandra on board to help fund one of his latest projects.

"Nooope...Ssssorry David. I'm not going to fund any of your black hole projectssss." He heard her voice. "Yourrr rrrecord hasn't exactly been ssstellar when it comes to budgeting and returning investmentsss. You sstill haven't paid back the 25 thousssand I personally loaned you for your ssstart up two yearsss ago. Yourr hisstory showsss that several projectsss either don't get completed or go over budget. I think its in Sseraphine'sss best interest to ssstay out of it."

"And to think she's inebriated, but can still manage to talk sense." Nicholas heard Aram mutter.

"Amazing, isn't it." Valek grumbled in response. "It's like a self-defense mechanism against David."

"Please Alex, just think about it?" They heard David plead.

"Nope. Can't channnge myy mind." She told him, with a smirk. "You should knoow that by noow."

"Anywaysss...I think itss besst if we called it a night, David." Alexandra said, telling her guards it was their cue to escort David.

"Aram, you're with me. We'll be taking Lord idiot to his guest house which is near the east of the city." Valek said, starting to move. "Mark, make sure every last one of his men are escorted out of the castle. Don't let his entourage out of your sight until they are locked in the hostel by Solf's farm. Keep an eye until all the lights are out."

"Don't worry. I remember." Mark confirmed.

Nicholas followed from behind, knowing he would be cleaning up once they left.

As they reached David and Alexandra, Valek masked the look of dislike on his face.

"Lord Grimaldi...follow us please. We'll be taking you to your guest house." The sharp sound of his voice cut through the air. Clearly these two had never been friends.

"Of course, Valek." David sounded just as curt.

Knowing Mark and Valek and how much they cared for Alexandra, Nicholas knew neither would forgive any slight against her.

Before Mark left he motioned for Nicholas to follow him towards the Queen, who stood looking amused by the flags decorating the hall.

"Since you're around...you're going to take Alex to her room. Wait with her until she falls asleep – for real. She's a tricky one when she's like this." Mark told him, before leaving. "Don't turn your back on her for even a moment."

"What could a drunken Queen do, exactly?" Nicholas called out after the guard. Turning around he found Alexandra gone.

"What the- where'd she go?"

...

Hmmm, warm! Alexandra thought as she nuzzled closer to the source.

Judging by the swirling thoughts in her mind, she must have over done the Drunk Spell. Her appearance may have led her guards and David to believe she had drunk a little bit too much...but she had not touched a drop of alcohol. In fact the empty bottle of Goswein, she had found in the kitchen.

Sighing deeply, she stayed close to the warmth, content. Her eyes still closed. It was then she felt something wrap snugly around her.

Alexandra's eyes shot open and she saw that her cheek and palm were resting against a bare chest. Looking up she saw exactly whose bare chest it was.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" She shrieked, pushing away his arms from around her and kicking him off of her bed.

"Wha? Lex? What are you talking about?" He said surprised, having landed with a thud. A stunned look came across his face as he looked over at her and then himself. "This is not what it looks like!"

Quickly getting up he looked around the floor for something.

"You better have a really good explanation for why you were in my bed, shirtless!" She said, angrily, crossing her arms over her night gown.

What was going on? Had the spell she cast been so powerful that her memories of the night were blank? As Nicholas pulled on his shirt, he looked at her, and she felt flustered all of a sudden. What had they done? Why was he here? What was going on?

"You were drunk and I was told by Mark to put you to bed and wait for you to fall asleep." He told her, running a hand through his hair.

"So why is it that you were sleeping in my bed with me...and shirtless might I add? I don't think Mark said to do that!"

"You splashed me with a pot of water when I found you in the kitchen. For a drunk Queen who turns teeth violet, you're amazing at running off." He glared at her.

"When I finally got you to bed, you wouldn't let me go change or anywhere else for that matter. In fact you told me to take off my shirt and stay with you." Nicholas said, rather smugly.

"What?! I would never say such a thing!" She said, starting to feel the heat creep up her cheeks. Without seeing her reflection in the mirror, she knew she was tomato red. Stupid spell! She thought, it always made her vulnerable. I should really find an alternative.

Before either of them could say any more, they heard footsteps. Oh no! She thought, terrified. Looking over at Nicholas, she found him with the same expression on his face.

"Alex, get up! Don't make me come in there. You're going to be late for breakfast!" Mark's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

Watching Nicholas, as he put his hands over his face, she knew he was in trouble.

"I'm so dead!" He whispered to her.

"You think I don't know that!" She hissed back.

"I'm up, Mark. Just let me get dressed. How about...I meet you in the Great Hall? I have to talk to you and Valek about something, anyway, and then we can go down to the kitchen." She said, trying to buy Nicholas some time, and knowing she would be cornered by both her Heads of Security about the stunt she pulled last night sooner or later.

"Alright. You have ten minutes. Don't even think about going back to sleep!" Mark said, and they heard his footsteps walk away.

"That was close..." Nicholas leaned against the wall, breathing out. She hadn't realized they both were holding their breaths.

"I know..." She agreed.

"I have a thought." Alexandra said after a moment, looking at Nicholas.

"Next time I drunkenly tell you to do something...DON'T DO IT!" Alexandra said to Nicholas, as she opened the door and checked the hall.

"Or...how about you don't get drunk next time, and maybe I won't have to do anything at all!" He countered, walking out.

"Breakfast better be good, Nick." She called after him, ignoring his comment.

"It'll be purple pancakes, Lex."

"Better than blue." She retorted. It seemed as though he wasn't going to let her off for the tooth paste, until she heard him laugh. She closed the door.

Nicholas had been kind to stay with her through the night. Seeing David always made her feel strange, she would act drunk to hide herself. Around Nicholas, she felt as though she didn't need to hide. It's because we're friends, she told herself. The feeling of him holding her still lingered, but she pushed it away.

Moving to get dressed, Alexandra smiled before realizing she had no idea what she had gotten herself into.