His days didn't become enriched with magical activity once he found his powers. If anything, he only doomed himself to more lessons. Alexander sighed. He was already taking speech classes; he didn't believe more meditation was going to help him. He often found himself worrying the sessions in his mind would kill him one day. Nothing posed a danger to him in his mind but it was abstract enough to cause Alexander to be curious over what it all meant.
Even Eliza was confused. "So your mind suddenly shifted from being fixated on your memories to the present?" she questioned, prodding further about the vision he had shared with her. Alexander shrugged. It was strange, to say the least. In his mind, he was confronted by the people who were in his life. But no matter what he said, they only responded with the same few things.
Like his words didn't matter. Laurens would just smile and nod, Burr would shrug, and Jefferson would say something about him being wrong. But Alexander decided not to take this to heart and only kept trying ridiculous things to say to these versions of them. If only just to stupidly grin as he said, "I'm not the greatest," and wait for the usual offended gasp from Thomas and the exclamation of how wrong he was.
Later in the day, he caught a break. A true rarity. He sat, bored out of his mind, at his desk, a question boiling over in his mind. Shouldn't he have heard of magic sooner? Tensions rose as Alexander suspected who knew why they had to hide magic from him. He decided to search for the answer. The only one who responded was, as he predicted, Laurens, who said, "Washington said so." Alexander had him cornered in his room; there was no way Laurens could ignore him.
"But why?" Alexander asked, "I could've used this skill earlier, why did everyone need to hide it?" Laurens had a tight-lipped expression, holding back any words from slipping out. "There are dangers, I know," he stated, "But I could've learned everything about the dangers."
"Alex," the other assured. He was dusting while Alexander was ranting. Laurens continued with, "There are dangers you can't control. You know this. It was best for you to learn later, trust me. It's far easier to command your powers the older you are." Alexander knew the manner lessons were working. Without a doubt, the other was becoming more assertive. But it didn't take lessons to tell when someone was holding back the truth.
Alexander sighed, knowing he needed a better plan if he wanted to get more information. He then said, "I suppose you're right, you do make a good argument." Laurens kept dusting as if he was pretending he didn't hear him. It was clear the compliment made him uncomfortable, as much as it upset Alexander. "So, what are these dangers?" he asked, hoping his plan worked.
"You can hurt someone," Laurens said, though his expression was announcing there were numerous more dangers. It was still easy to read him after all this time. Alexander shot him a look he hoped conveyed that. The other exhaled. "Alex, they're not going to tell you this but now that you're learning... If you use magic on someone far more powerful, that someone could surge their powers right back into you. They can get an easy peek inside your head, all without you knowing… I suppose that's my reason not for using magic and Washington's reason to keep you in the dark. Better not to get tangled up in that mess." Alexander was close to something big about the other, but he decided not to push him. He let Laurens continue meticulously dusting the same spot.
"Then there's the matter of the omen," Alexander recounted, "Laurens, did my recruitment request get out yet? Guards probably should've been a given because of my administration; I must've worried everyone sick…"
Laurens raised his eyebrows in worry, seeming to have remembered something. "Um… speaking of guards, do you happen to know anyone who has access to your room and access to… flowers? I found this on your desk while I was tidying up at noon." He almost seemed in disbelief as he removed a wilted rose from his pocket.
"The only person I can think of is you, I don't allow anyone other than Eliza…" Alexander said, the rose being passed from the other to him. The petals fell off at a brush of his hand. "Get this to Lafayette. I know it's a silly thought, but these flowers… They can't mean something good."
Laurens nodded, taking the flower back from him. "Right," he affirmed, pausing before saying, "If it's any help, I'll keep a watchful eye until those guards are hired."
"No, you're to take care of yourself," the other retorted, "I can't lose my most faithful friend to something as simple as mere exhaustion. If nothing else, it would make me look awful." He chuckled, watching the other loosen his grip on the duster and smile.
The other sighed, saying, "But it's service first, Alex. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself for once." He offered a smile and nothing more. It was a peaceful moment, a rarity. Peaceful but uncomfortable, Alexander felt like something needed to be said. Before he could say anything, Laurens jumped and said, "Which reminds me, Burr wishes to discuss something with you. I told him to wait downstairs."
"Can't be bothered to knock on my door, huh?" Alexander joked, brushing strands of hair away from his face. Burr seemed to be the only noble in the entire castle he had to suck up to, and Alexander was his adoptive brother. He supposed the other had bigger plans than associating with him, whatever they were. He had a feeling he'd find out eventually, he had an odd knack for espionage. Though it wasn't like there were spies surrounding him, only because he didn't have the heart to constantly keep tabs on his family and didn't have the time to upkeep a spy in another country. For the time being, he had no spies.
As Laurens said, Burr was waiting right at the railing of the stairs. Leaning on the wall right by the stairs' entryway, his smile was as cool as his stance. Burr never had to worry about anything; his skills in ruling were natural. Alexander sometimes wondered why he wasn't declared a legitimate child before him. Without a doubt in his mind, he knew Burr was far better than him.
"Alex, good to see you at this hour," Burr greeted, "Want me to lay the situation like a noble or should we keep things your speed?"
Alexander crossed his arms with an eyebrow already being raised in his direction. He asked, "What is this?"
"An engagement announcement," the other said like it was no big deal. That was Burr's trick, nothing felt like a huge sacrifice to him. And that's exactly how he'd make you feel if you let him in your head, Alexander had seen this time and time again. "In fact, the wedding coincides with the anniversary of our country's founding. It'll be a lovely event to show her what Minutiae has to offer. What's even better is the leader of Fluxus himself will attend."
"Amazing," Alexander said, "I truly wonder how he finds the time to leave when his country is in shambles."
Burr only smirked and said, "Well, it would be a wonderful opportunity to get some one-on-one time with Fluxun politicians. You are rather renowned for being enthusiastic about their government."
The other squinted at him, then asking, "Well, I can't go to a wedding without knowing her name, right?" Alexander's words dripped with suspicion as his accusatory nature came to light. He wondered how he hadn't heard of this sooner. Surely somebody should've told him.
"Theodosia," Burr answered, the name sliding off the tongue with grace, "I've been courting her for months, you know." The name set off alarms in the other's head. For a Fluxun noble, she had strong ties to Elysia. Marrying her would put Burr in an interesting position, to say the least. The second alarm was that she was married; she was married to someone from Elysia, in fact.
At least she was married the last time he checked. He sighed, his earlier thoughts coming to mind. Maybe the poor woman was divorced or a widow now. It wasn't the best for his health to keep analyzing Burr's every move anyway. He's heard stories of families plotting against each other for power. The things one would do for his position. How nobody could be trusted, how nobody in power could live life without this fear. That was a tradition Alexander could do without. Besides, Burr would be satisfied sitting high up on the ladders of all three countries in the area.
"So, Theodosia, huh? Was she hard to win over like they said?" Alexander asked, a smile finally able to rest on his face.
Burr sighed, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Extremely," he said, "She wanted the best in law, the best in manners, the best in dancing. Not even scratching the surface of that woman's standards. Hell, she even jokingly told me to master butter churning to see if I would do it! Let's say the maids were confused I was joining them for a while."
"Well, I'm glad she didn't want the best shot," Alexander joked.
The other laughed and mentioned, "I've been training at the range, in case of something like that happening. And speaking of manners, it's rude I haven't even thought of congratulating you on your own marriage until now. Be sure to treat her well, or I'm sure Angelica's going to break down your door."
"Why do you think I'm looking for guards?" he proposed, "But thank you, to you as well. Eliza is a wonderful woman, but I do wish we got the time to court as you had." That was a true sentiment, there were things Alexander did which he knew bothered even Eliza. He wished there was something he could do to alleviate the worry he had stepped in the way of her path. After all, she wasn't just a pawn to end a war. Just in the grand scheme of things she was. All he could do was strike up an unlikely friendship with her, which she definitely didn't make hard with her personality.
"Well, I'll send you on your way with some advice," Burr said, the sage in him growing but not annoying yet, "Be sure to compliment Fluxus' ministry of state sometime. He'll be surprised, sure, but any kindness towards him is indirectly helping your chances with Jefferson himself." Alexander blinked, surprised the advice was sound and doable for him. It was a blatant admittance the other was sucking up to Fluxus, but he could forgive that if it meant he could avoid being overly friendly with Jefferson. Burr slipped up the stairs, leaving Alexander to think to himself for a bit.
Speaking of Jefferson, the gala was rapidly approaching. In fact, it was set a week from now. The trip would only take three days, so Alexander didn't have to worry. He could use this time to work. Or relax, something he's never had an entire day dedicated to. He stood up straighter, thinking that perhaps a break would be good for him. The worries of both his daytime stress and cryptic dreams seemed to stack rather than remain stuck to their time frame. Every time he passed a mirror, he saw the creeping approach of eye bags. He seemed to more resemble a skeleton rather than an intimidating ruler. Alexander the Bony, what a legacy. George already had the impressive name of George the Defender, so it would be no surprise if all he turned out to be was Washington's shadow.
He walked outside and exhaled, his warm breath mingling with the cold air and condensing. His steps crushed the dry and dark orange leaves that were resting on the path; the loud crunches reminding Alexander of his inherently unstealthy nature. Already he knew who frequented the gardens. Alexander felt his pace pick up, the sound of foot hitting stone echoing out into the evening. The moon was hanging out near the horizon, full and tinted orange. He skidded to a full stop outside the entrance, expecting a familiar face to look up.
Instead, it was only Lafayette chatting with Hercules. Alexander's shoulders fell as he sighed. He put his hands in his pockets and counted his losses. At least it wasn't someone who would chastise him for not being at his desk nonstop. He wandered into the entrance, no particular destination in mind. His eyes flickered back to the pair, their hands brushing as they talked about the day's proceedings. They contrasted with the dark and conveyed an attitude of time not moving unless they wanted it to.
Lafayette looked in his direction, his hand beckoning him forward. Alexander complied, his steps growing heavy. It seemed like something was wrong by how the mood dampened as soon as they noticed him. He raised an eyebrow at the two.
"It's good to see you, Alexander," Lafayette greeted, his voice not doing any favors to the sudden change in tone. It only seemed to make things more muddled. "Come, sit. There's much to discuss."
As soon as he got comfortable, Hercules burst out with, "I found more flowers. Like Laf said to me earlier, they're everywhere."
"I just had to steal away from the translations," Lafayette complained, sighing, "Only two have been amorous, they just seemed to stop once the, what's a nice name, death threat flowers started appearing." Death threats in the form of flowers, Alexander was soundly proven wrong about his insistence that there was no such thing. Hopefully, he hadn't accidentally sent one of those. "Now, I know you may be worried about assassinations, poisons... And you're probably right." Lafayette wasn't the best at tact, Alexander concluded.
He knew that the news had to be delivered anyway, regardless of his sensitivity. "But," Lafayette said, interrupting him before his thoughts stole him away, "We will do our very best to keep you alive. First, common sense. You know not to take drinks from strangers, right?"
"But you said in my last lesson that refusing a drink was rude," Alexander countered.
The other exhaled, sending a message to Hercules with a quick glance. "This is your life, Alexander. I'd rather have you be rude than to be the first person to die from politeness," Lafayette asserted, "Now, on the subject of the gala, you're still going. But things are not safe in the castle, so pack your bags. We're going to Washington's place."
Alexander jolted, arguing, "Washington? But he hadn't given me any sort of clue where he is!"
"He gave me directions," Lafayette said, his expression uncomfortable and worried. Alexander felt betrayed, yet another thing kept from him by someone who was supposed to be his mentor. What made Lafayette more special in his eyes? Alexander found his mind already pinning blame on Lafayette; the real culprit was Washington. "Alex, don't worry. You'll still be able to work, and I want you to invite only your most trusted companions. Everyone else, they will not hear about this trip. If anyone asks, I want you to report it to me because that means they've clearly been snooping."
"Okay," Alexander answered, his mind going to partner choices. Obviously Eliza, with the lessons in each other's minds he was convinced she could not harm a fly. Laurens was the first choice no matter what though, the two had a deep trust, not even the stupidest thing Alexander could do would break it. And he supposed Hercules could come along with Lafayette, with all the looks they shared, he concluded that he would not want Lafayette sulking the whole time without the tailor.
Speaking of tailors, Alexander asked, "Hercules, may I please have my wedding suit back for the gala? I'm afraid there's no time to waste on a whole wardrobe of suits."
"Of course," he said, "I saved the rose that was tucked in the pocket, it's really a beauty despite its awkward meaning."
Lafayette squinted, shooting a look at Alexander. "May I ask where that flower came from? It appears to be the source of all of this madness."
The other's eyes widened, realizing Lafayette would accuse Laurens of such a thing if he revealed it. Still, he spoke. That was something he could do nonstop, but not well. "Laurens gave it to me, but don't blame him. He barely even knows what the flowers mean, I don't either," Alexander sputtered in defense of his friend.
"I've taught him a few lessons in manners," Lafayette stated, "I wanted to pick up where he stopped in his studies and he was far past those lessons. He knew what that flower meant, he knew the scandal it would cause at the wedding. I dare say he's behind those other flowers as well! Think about it, he's third-in-line. He knows he can climb the ladder, I've had plenty of servants who would try to wed me or family who would try to stage an accident for me. You're next on the chopping block, and you don't want to save yourself!"
Alexander clenched his fists and cried out, "You're wrong, Laurens would never betray me like that!" Just saying that drained his energy as he felt the weight of the world upon him like Atlas. He felt thoughts leave his mind, too tired to hold them in and far too insecure now to let them out. As soon as that outburst was out of his mouth, he saw what effect it had on Lafayette. He seemed shocked, almost afraid. Definitely shaken to the core. It appeared Alexander had finally scratched the surface of what exactly his speech powers could do.
The group stayed silent for a long while. Alexander was terrified Lafayette would just quit, surely being yelled at wasn't his cup of tea when it came to a job he didn't even need. But all that escaped Lafayette's drained lips was, "I believe you. Just... go pack. I need a moment." Alexander watched Hercules link his arm with Lafayette's, walking him back to the castle.
Alexander felt guilt wash over him like waves from so long ago. "I didn't... I just wanted to defend him," he muttered, calling out his body for just using magic like that. He didn't know it would be like that, he thought it was only a push towards what he wanted. Something wasn't the same within him as he watched Lafayette's limp become more pronounced, a loud reminder of what was stuck with the man for life.
He heard a teasing voice in his hear repeat, "You can hurt someone." But the familiar voice had come too late, the damage was done.
"You will hurt so much more," another voice said.
This time, the warning stuck.