NOVEL NEXT Chapter 84: Who is Alexander?
Charlotte's expression hardened as her bright pink eyes narrowed. "You've certainly proved yourself a threat if that was your intention." She replied with a hint of irritation, she then sighed, leaning her head back. "But I suppose I only have myself to blame for that ordeal."
Béatrice raised a concerned brow, it wasn't like Charlotte to admit defeat, to admit fault, not so openly anyway.
Perhaps losing Alexander was truly something she wasn't prepared for, or worse, losing Alexander was a bigger problem than Charlotte let on.
"You know," Béatrice began as she joined Charlotte leaning against the rail, looking over the crowd below, their voices mixing into a soft sea of noise. "I never took you as one who cared about others, at least not someone you couldn't use."
Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Oh drop the act, you know how important that boy is, you wouldn't have stolen him otherwise." She replied sharply, glaring at Béatrice, "So out with it, what do you want?"
Béatrice was genuinely surprised, though her expression didn't reflect that.
Charlotte, the Queen of manipulation and deception, dropped her mask to come to the negotiating table…
This was bad, worse than Béatrice intentionally anticipated.
For Charlotte to play her card this openly, was it confidence or desperation?
Just the thought of either made Béatrice's stomach churn and tighten.
If it was the former, then it was all but certain that Charlotte had everything planned out, that she calculated every move Béatrice could have made, and was now guiding her to a predetermined outcome.
But if it was the latter, then Charlotte could become something worse than a cold calculating diplomat, she would become the very wounded beast she accused Béatrice of being.
Unpredictable and willing to do anything.
Anything, like collapsing the Nova house out of sheer spite, and if Alexander was truly dead, chances were Charlotte wouldn't just stop at collapsing House Nova.
Forcing a confident smile, Béatrice tilted her head. "Oh, my dear Queen, I haven't the slightest idea of who this Alexander boy is, not truly anyhow, mind to enlighten me?" She asked, almost teasingly.
Charlotte frowned as she adjusted her positioning against the rail, now leaning her forearms against it with her butt protruding backward. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" She asked, her irritation taking a back seat, replaced with acceptance, "Fine, I'll play this game."
With a sigh, Charlotte gazed out at the crowd below, her expression softening. "Alexander's mother, do you know of her, or even remember?" She asked curiously, giving Béatrice an observant side-eye.
Béatrice shook her head as a thoughtful frown crossed her lips. "No, I can't say I remember, why?"
Charlotte nodded, "It's not surprising, back in our academy days you spent most of your time in the field, in books, and in Napoleon's arms." She said with a light chuckle, twisting her foot against the marble flooring.
Béatrice felt her chest grow warm at the mention of Napoleon, though she quickly pushed the feeling aside.
Napoleon was dead, and despite Charlotte bringing up old memories, nothing would change that.
Charlotte noticed the twitch in Béatrice's smile, a quick smirk flashed her lips as she nodded. " I'm not the only one who cares for others." She commented, before continuing, "Anyway, Alexander's mother was a girl named Erica, a quiet girl but quite intelligent."
Béatrice's eyebrow arched slightly as her confident smile grew smaller, and her interest piqued. "Oh, I doubt that's all she was known for, or is there more to you than you're letting on?"
Charlotte rolled her eyes at Béatrice's implication, "Funny, but there was indeed something special about Alexander's mother, it's the same thing Hinata has if you've paid attention." She said with a gesture towards Hinata, who was leaning against the wall of the first floor.
Béatrice turned to study Hinata, spotting that she was in a far back corner, with her arms crossed and golden eyes focused on the crowd.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first glance, she was dressed in her usual white robes, with a calm expression and demeanor, her gaze as watchful as ever.
Béatrice then pulled an image of Alexander to the forefront of her mind, a young boy in simple clothes and a calm demeanor.
He was a respectful kid, with a good head on his shoulders and golden eyes that were sharp and calculated, almost as if he had a thousand thoughts a minute in that small head of his.
There was very little in common that Hinata and Alexander could share.
Except for… those golden eyes.
Could that be it, those calculating golden eyes?
No, surely that couldn't be it, what would eye color have to do with anything?
"I know that look." Charlotte teased, with a lean, "I'm guessing you figured it out, but in case you haven't, it's those eyes, those precious golden eyes."
Béatrice's expression froze momentarily, her carefully crafted mask of confidence slipping, ever so slightly.
She processed Charlotte's words carefully, absorbing every word and analyzing it.
Golden eyes, did Charlotte truly want Alexander for such a superficial reason?
Unlikely, as Charlotte's tone and weight of her words made it obvious that this wasn't a superficial desire.
"Their golden eyes," Béatrice remarked, her voice laced with skepticism and curiosity, "don't tell me you care for such things, as the color of one's eyes."
Charlotte smirked, "No, if that were the case then all my guard would have them," she replied jokingly, a small but gentle smile crossed her lips, "it's what those eyes represent, the long lost bloodline they belong to."
"Oh, so this is a matter of bloodlines?" Béatrice asked, her mind racing, "if that's the case I fail to understand why you're worried, whatever bloodline Alexander and Hinata belong to, is so degraded that not even I know the name of their House, so I doubt they're a threat to you."
Charlotte nodded, "No, it's not their House that concerns me, as you've pointed out, it's been gone for centuries, but…"
Charlotte waved a finger in Béatrice's direction, "…it's what those eyes represent, you see, unlike you or I, those with golden eyes have access to abilities some consider… unnatural."
Béatrice felt her heart begin to thump loudly, yet her expression didn't betray that, instead, she kept composed. "Such as?" She asked, keeping her words short so as not to reveal how shaken she was.
Charlotte's smirk deepened, "I'm sure you know commoners, those who have blue, green, and brown eyes, have a very limited pool of essence, enough to perform basic tasks such as healing and body control."
Béatrice gave a silent nod but held her tongue for Charlotte to continue.
"A step above that, and you have unique bloodlines, indicated by yellow, purple, red, and…" Charlotte pointed a finger at herself, "…pink." She continued, "With these bloodlines come an expanded pool of essence, longer life spans, and a few other benefits I'm sure you know of."
Béatrice again nodded feigning an expression of disinterest, yet she was anything but. While she knew eyes were a sign of standing and came with a few benefits, having Charlotte explain it in detail was quite interesting.
Charlotte continued, Moving closer to Béatrice while checking their surroundings, her pink eyes brimming with excitement. "Of course, there are others I didn't mention, but all of them, every single one, mine included, pales in comparison to the golden eyes."
Charlotte's voice dropped barely below a whisper, as a wild, skin-crawling look emerged in her wide pink eyes. Béatrice began to feel sick as she backed away from Charlotte, cracks beginning to form in her mask of confidence.
"A rare and ancient bloodline, with abilities all but forgotten by modern society. Charlotte explained, her grin now spreading to her eyes, "a power that had been sitting unperturbed for centuries, only rediscovered by my father, me and now you."