Alexander stared at the woman seated on the swing in disbelief. Why did she look so familiar yet strange at the same time. He was certain he had never seen her before but this feeling... Why did feel so right to touch her, hug her and cry his heart out? Strange, he thought.

"Who are you?" Alexander asked even though he somehow knew the answer to that question, and it scared him. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked that.

"You don’t know me?" She asked looking down sad and crestfallen. Sad? Why would she be sad? Had she expected Alexander to know who she was? Hell, how would he know when he was meeting with her for the first time?

"Yes. I’ve never seen you before so I don’t know who you are," Alexander said with shrugged shoulders. It was only natural, right?

"I’m sorry but I can’t tell you. You have to figure it out yourself," she said in a remorseful tone. Alexander stared at her now edging her face into his mind. Hell she looked just like him! Those sharp features just like his. Was she his sister...or mother? No, that couldn’t be! His ’mother’ told him he was not born but exists. Could it be that this woman existed as well? If so, what was she doing here? What did she want from him?

"Are you like me?" He asked. The thought of he was not the only existing being at least made him less lonely.

"As I said, you have to figure that out on your own. And what are you, Alexander?"

Alexander didn’t expect that. What was he? And now that he thought about it, it surprised him that he had no idea what he himself was. To the Valorians and other humans, he was a prince. But to himself and his mother, he was more than that. But what exactly? A witch? A Crescian? Definitely not! He clenched his fists hard that his knuckles turned white.

"If you find the answer to that question, you’ll know who I am," she said amidst the confusion.

"And why can’t you just tell me?" Alexander asked clenching his jaws. He thought he had found the answers but he was far from it. And why couldn’t she just tell him the damn answers he was so dying for?

"I’m sorry but I can’t tell you that either," she said though Alexander could see the doubt and regret on her face. It was like she was fighting to keep the truth from him despite how much she wanted to. Was she like cursed or barred from telling him the truth?

"Why can’t you tell me? Would you like die if you tell me?" He asked advancing slowly to where she was. All these years he had been looking for someone who could tell him who he really was and now that he found her...damn it! His fists were itching to punch on something.

Sob! She was crying! Why was she crying? Did he scare her? He unclenched his fists and stood still on the same spot. What had he done now?

"Look... I’m sorry.. I.. I just wanted to know the truth. I’m sorry I over did it. It’s fine though. I’ll find the answers by myself."

"I’m sorry Alexander," she said surprising Alexander once more. Why would she be sorry. "It pains me a lot to see you struggling to understand your real self why I can literally do nothing to help. Oh, how I wish I could tell you everything." She continued sobbing uncontrollably like a baby and it really pissed Alexander.

"Whatever your reasons are for keeping the truth away from me, I understand," Alexander said making her stiffen. She looked up meeting with Alexander’s blue eyes. And wait. Now that Alexander was staring at her eyes, a look of surprise formed on his face. Her eyes were aqua in color. He had never seen such a pair before.

"Really?" She asked blinking her aqua-colored eyes at Alexander like a little child.

"Your eyes... They look... beautiful, " He said staring deep into them and some irresistible force drew him to hug her but he was quick to fight the urge.

"Alex?" She called staring him in the eye. Lord! His name sounded beautiful rolling from her tongue. It held all kinds of emotions he could get from a caring mother, but again, he didn’t have a mother. "I’ll take my leave now," she added making Alexander even more surprised. Just when he had enjoyed her company, she was leave? Never had he felt so comfortable spending time with a stranger. The thought alone scared him but he was quick to mask it with a smile.

"It was a pleasure spending time with you. Will you visit me some other time?" He asked. He really wanted to meet with her again. Maybe spending time with her would give him the answers he was looking for.

"I can’t ascertain that but I’ll try." Alexander smiled knowingly at her. That alone was enough to give him hope.

"I’ll be waiting then." But before he could bat his eye again, the swing was empty! He had to blink twice to confirm what he was seeing was true. Was she even there in the first place? What if it was just but a dream? But it felt so real. Even the swing was still in motion and her fresh scent was still lingering in the air. It smelled like a beach during the summer.

"Alexander?" A voice called pulling him back to reality, or rather matters at hand. That voice, it was definitely Richard’s. He turned around to face the door to his bathroom and hell wait. How did he even get here? He was in the bathroom a few minutes and now...

Instinct kicked in and he remembered the situation he had left Richard in before he mysteriously came to the garden. And hell wait! What was happening in the room? A tornado like no other was gathering around the room and if not taken care of, it would destroy his room, or worse, the whole Valorian palace. That would simply mean they were defeated by Crescia.

"Alexander. Get your ass here already!" Richard yelled instinctively making Alexander swing into action.