Alessandra nodded with more will this time. "Understood!" She said with a salute instead of a bow. A few minutes later, they headed back to the castle.
Alessandra had watched Adrian go a few days later with two of his personal guards and a bunch of royal soldiers. Having grown accustomed to following and, somewhat, taking care of Adrian, Alessandra felt particularly unmotivated the day Adrian left. She was soon engrossed into spending time with Adam, Emily, and lots of books. Her reading wasn't the strongest, but Adam had managed to help her improve. The excitement had distracted her from the daily duties she had toward Adrian, and she focused more on herself. She grew even more excited to one day visit home and tell her siblings of the new stories and tales she had learned.
Prince Adam had made it his duty to enlighten Alessandra more with the issues Whitehaven had, some background history, and he even let her borrow a history book that she had been working on while coming back to discuss the events, more of what Prince Adam thought, and what Alessandra thought. He even let Emily off her handmaiden duties two hours a day to let Alessandra teach her more with reading and sentence structure. Amelie sometimes joined too, and she soon grew closer to both handmaidens. Both of them were also educated to some extent, but they weren't as interested to catch up as Alessandra was.
More times than not as Alessandra groomed the horses with Rean, she thought of Adrian. Was he doing well? She had heard of the changes he had done to the borders, and she heard more and more of how the respect, appreciation, and love for him grew. She felt proud, even though she had no hand in it, but she took pride in knowing he would be a suitable King.
Alessandra was sitting on the side in a white chiffon, loose dress with her hair pinned back in a low bun. She looked a little more tired and worn out than she did when Adrian was around; She doubted she was growing a little sick with the weather changing, but she didn't give it much thought. She held the book Adam had given her closely-- It was about world history, and what parts were still associated with Whitehaven. She obviously enjoyed it greatly.
At the mention of Adrian's arrival, she jumped up, holding the book close to her chest and looked over the balcony ledge.
"Isnt his majesty early by arriving today?" She asked, glancing back at Adam as she tried to peek. She felt a weird sensation come over her. It was a well-announced arrival but neither Adrian nor his guards were anywhere to be seen.
"Excuse me, Prince Adam." She mumbled as she settled the book at the glass table, gave Adam a short bow, before dashing out of the balcony and through the hallways and down the stairs.
Alessandra looked around for Adrian, but he was nowhere to be seen. He had just arrived, where had he gone to? She looked around the entrance and through the main hall before she bumped into one of the servants--- Caitlyn.
"Caitlyn, do you know where is Prince Adrian? Hasn't he arrived?" She asked the older woman, who looked nervous and-- Scared almost.
"The crown Prince has been hurt. I heard his condition is not well, and--" The woman started to explain, but she was interrupted by Alessandra's dashing steps once again. He must be at the physician's. She thought as her heart raced at the thought of arriving to hear the announcement of his passing. She feared the moment of arriving to the physician-- Of coming in contact with Adrian, who may be too hurt. Or-- dead.
In no time, she arrived at the Physician's in record time, coming in contact first with the guard on the door.
"]What happnened?" She demanded as she leaned over a little to catch her breath, her face blushing furiously from the exercise, her eyes slowly tearing up-- From both the heat and the fear of upcoming news.