"You wanna tell me what's going on here?" I closed my eyes and heaved dry.

The rocking of the carriage ushered the calming noon breeze while the sun's warm rays soothed the world.

With Adam fast asleep on his lap, Howard soon shrugged in response.

"What do you mean?" Asked Howard back, innocent as a newborn baby.

'What do I mean? Look at this punk trying to get smart with me...' My eyes twitched toward the boy who was trying to play the fool.

"Where are we going, Howard?" Feeling my blood starting to rush upward through my neck, I gritted my teeth and asked.

"To the city, Alex." Remarked Howard, but still trying to be smart with his answer.

"I know we're going to the city because I can see the carriage heading to the city...I'm asking why you are taking us without announcing anything. You even brought Sir Lodrick with us!" I barked hushedly, afraid to wake the slumbering boy in his lap.

The focus then turned to the gentleman of manner, sitting on the side, sporting his signature smile as he relished the changing sceneries out of the carriage.

"Please, do not mind me. It is my honor to be able to provide you, gentlemen, with my assistance." Returned Sir Lodrick with a soothing voice, along with the perfect gesture.

"Assistance?" I raised my eyebrow skeptically at the boy sitting across from me.

"I asked Sir Lodrick if he could help pick our suits for the party." Confessed Howard, rolling his eyes as he finally relented.

"But I have so much clothes." I winced in reflex.

I wasn't kidding. Being the sore pinky of Dawson's lovebirds meant that it would be a given to have so many things provided to me, and clothes, obviously, were one of those.

It wasn't even that long ago since Mother and Hannah did a complete makeover on my entire wardrobe...

"This is why I didn't tell you beforehand." Grunted Howard.

"So you resort to kidnapping instead?" I commented with a sneer.

"I have the permission from His Grace, the Duke himself. Tell me, Alex, how is that kidnapping?" Argued Howard back with a smug grin.

'You slick-looking punk!' I could tell by the pulsing pressure that my veins had to be popping by now.

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"You just need to sit tight and let us do all the work for you." Reassured him, waving his hand.

I studied him and then Sir Lodrick, who left us be and decided not to participate in our little squabble. Then, after giving myself some time to cool down, I found Howard once again.

"...Still, aren't you a bit too worked up for this, Howard?"

"Worked up, you say?" Returned Howard sarcastically and grimly. "Do you even know what it feels like to grow up and be forced to play matching with someone like Helena? She has such an abysmal sense of fashion you will wonder dozens of times whether she's trying to mess with you or she's being real. I swear to god, if that girl were not born royal or a noble, you'd be lucky to see her in a dress rather than a man's trousers."

"Yeah...I'm not following you, man..." I shook my head and blinked in defeat.

"All I'm saying is, fashion is my thing, Alex. It's the one thing I can beat her with my nose held high. It has been that way since we were toddlers, and I'm planning on to keep it that way." Heaved Howard exhausted for some reason.

"Let me get this straight...You don't want Helena to outshine you at the party?" It couldn't be the reason, but I had to ask.

"Must I spell it for you? Imagine me looking all shabby and normal when she gets all the help from your Mother and sister Alyson...Imagine that sneer of triumph she puts on her face. Ugh...I hate that. Not happening, Alex. Not on my watch." Raved Howard zealously.

As it turned out, that was the reason...

Then again, when he put it that way, I could totally see where he was coming from. Similar to him, who knew how to push Helena's button, she knew how to push his. And that condescending grin of hers sure had its way to mess with your head...

"Yeah...now that I think about it, you actually need help. You're up against the belle and flower of Dawsons, after all. Imagine what they could do with Helena, who will still be pretty even in a simple plain dress..." Hence, I changed my tune for the poor punk.

"How come you're only saying this whenever she isn't around to hear them?" Howard squinted at my words, flashing a questioning look.

I jerked in place, caught off-guard. "...Shut up."

How could I tell him when I didn't even know the answer to it myself?

"Knowing how to show their signs of affection is an important art every gentleman needs to have, young master." Commented Sir Lodrick out of the blue.

"..." And I kept mum, throwing my gaze outside, pretending not to catch it.

"Anyway, with Sir Lodrick, the thousand sage, with us, we're left in good hands." Assured Howard, dodging the awkwardness that threatened to sink in.

Afterward, we changed the topic and talked about something else, and this time, we included Sir Lodrick in the conversations, too.

And so, time ticked by, and as I glanced briefly at the passing landmarks, I couldn't help but notice the growing peculiarity.

"Are we taking a detour or something? Where are we going?" I asked.

"Calm your horses. Like I said earlier, Alex...We're in good hands." Nodded Howard invitingly, peering to the side, meeting Sir Lodrick's eyes.

"Hohoho..." Laughed the elf in disguise mysteriously.

'Damn it, am I talking to walls here? Hello!?'

I felt the gnawing frustration slowly crawling its way up to my temple yet again...