The scattering rays of the sun filtered through the castle's windows, casting a warm glow around Alex's office. She felt the light caress her face, a comforting feeling on her skin as she worked on some paperwork regarding the kingdom's finances.

In the past, with Alex's previous advisors, she was rather harsh. She valued her time alone whenever she worked on important matters for the kingdom. She was wise enough to handle the work of a queen all alone, and she didn't understand the need for her to have an advisor. And if they dared to disturb her while she worked? She'd lash out at them, pointing out every single mistake they've ever made. Alex would even go as far as to state that they were shameless to even think of working directly under her when they were insufficient. She was cruel and intimidating, which was precisely why none of her advisors lasted long enough to stay around for over three months.

But there her current advisor was, positioned right beside Alex's table, standing in attention should Alex require assistance. When Alex would drive away her previous advisors at every opportunity possible, when it comes to this advisor, she finds herself seeking her company. The advisor was, miraculously, around for well over a year by now. She respected Alex's boundaries and catered to her needs well. Sometimes a bit too well, in fact. She was also capable of predicting the kingdom's affairs accurately, showing just how smart and capable she was for her job.

Now, underneath the afternoon sun, she looked absolutely breathtaking, heavenly. She was a pretty little thing to keep in her sights like this, Alex thought.

The tranquil atmosphere brought about by the orange hues of sunlight, along with her advisor's beauty just right in her view, was the perfect environment for Alex to work in.

At least it would've been, had it not been for the fact that her advisor was droning on about Natty once again.

The reason why Alex had let her advisor stay around back then was because she had the gall to announce that she could help Alex with her pursuit of winning Natty's heart. 'I'll make sure that you'll get the heart of the woman you love, but only if you let me work for you,' she said. Alex most certainly didn't believe her, thinking it was a bizarre declaration, but she wasn't one to pass up an opportunity to be further entertained.

It was a hilarious arrangement, and her advisor proved to be even more confusing and amusing than Alex thought. Whenever Alex looked at her, she noticed how she looked at her differently. While her previous servants were deathly scared of her, her advisor looked at her as if she were the world. It was apparent that she regarded Alex with a high degree of respect, even going as far as to care for her. Alex was sure that her advisor was in love with her, especially with the way she would act around her, but instead of leading Alex's heart away from Natty, she would... encourage her to pursue her?

Eventually, Alex ended up falling for the confusing girl that was her advisor. Confident in her belief that her advisor loved her too, Alex had dropped many hints of her feelings endlessly. Alex was touchy with her and was very, very sweet to her. Hell, she'd even listened to whatever her advisor had to say, even when she despised meaningless talk from other people. It has come to a point where the whole kingdom knew of it, too. The servants, the knights, and the royal board of advisors knew. The nobles from nearby areas knew. Even Natty, of all people, knew. Rumors were already rampant within the kingdom's gates, but her advisor had the audacity to be as dense as the brick walls that guarded the castle.

Which is why the peaceful afternoon, no matter how lovely, went unnoticed by Alex. She was gripping her pen tightly, halting her writing as she listened to her advisor yip and yap about Natty once again. 'Natty this, Natty that.' Alex was unbelievably irked, and she was so close to just kissing her advisor breathless until she just shut up, until she couldn't think of anything or anyone else but Alex. Alex was in love with her for god's sake, and she didn't appreciate hearing another woman's name leave her advisor's lips.

Then, an awful thought crosses Alex's mind — what if... she was wrong about her advisor's feelings after all? What if she liked Natty instead of her? With how much her advisor talked about her in Alex's presence, it wasn't unlikely.

Her frustrated mood was further amplified by her unpleasant thoughts. Without so much as a warning, she slammed her hand onto the table and stood up. She could see her advisor visibly flinch once she noticed Alex's mood. Alex stepped closer and closer to her, and her advisor found herself stepping back.

Alex stepped forward, and her advisor stepped back — it was a cycle that happened again and again until her advisor's back met the wall. With nowhere else to go, Alex cages her advisor in before she even thinks of running away. Alex props one arm on the wall, just beside her advisor's head, as she stares into her eyes.

The silence in the room was deafening, suffocating, as the palpable tension between them hung in the air. They stared into each other's eyes wordlessly, and her advisor was waiting for Alex to speak. Alex leans in closer, her breath mingling with her advisor's. A possessive glint was present in Alex's eyes — it was unmistakable. Even her advisor could tell what Alex was feeling right at that moment. As if to slice through the thick silence in the room, Alex utters a question in her deep, commanding voice. 'You talk about Natty way too much. What, do you like her now?'