Finding the address would be easy. Convincing a barrister would certainly not be so, Alexandra was very sure. Anybody who had a mastery over the laws was bound to be difficult to talk to, let alone get into the good books of.

But she did find the address right away. It was not too difficult. Alexandra knocked on the door, but she soon remembered that he left at 5 and came back at 5. So the house would be empty now.

She then decided to wait for the sun to set, obviously by - loitering around. She left the Alpine street and wandered through the polished avenues of Idgard. It was the youngest kingdom in all, yet the wealthiest. One of the reasons Vitus had been so bent upon this division: Idgard had everything. Resources, good climate, jovial hearts and sensible brains. It had always been the "richer" half of Cartania. When the partition finally took place, Cartania lost two thirds of its economy. The present Cartanian Empire included wastelands, tall temples, she-buffaloes and a battalion of unemployed loafers. 

Idgard was all good. The male buffaloes had chosen it and hence buffalo population had dwindled easily. Dogs were more common, and when people didn't toss them pieces of bread, they raised an uproar of barks in the neighborhood. For now, all of them had retreated into the shade. The bright, summer sunshine slumped on Alexandra's face like warm blankets. People milled about, wearing clothes remarkably like Betty's. Two women sat on a bench, wearing expensive robes and sipping chilled juices as they complained about life. As far as Alexandra's eyes travelled, there were more and more people and more and more houses. More winding lanes and footpaths. She felt freer and relaxed than she ever had. Though it would have been nice to have some witty company at this hour, to keep her entertained.

Yet she stretched and walked lazily, no destination in mind. Who could have known that she was an exiled princess? A murder? A criminal? Life was good without all of that wound-up, noble tension. It was simple. It was beautiful.

Alexandra had never been attracted to men. It would have been easier to be like Betty - have a crush on half the city, admire them from afar, wink and leave. But she herself was different. A lot different. Alexandra just knew that the single time she fell in the pit of love - it would be forever.

And previously, She hadn't met many men, to start with. All her princess-company had been a group of a huge group of giggling girls. But then suddenly, it was all about men. First Liam - and then the whole espionage. But she had discovered, to her pleasant surprise, that men weren't as bad creatures as she had expected them to be. In fact, her previous ideas had been based upon what Olivia and Rose had told her. 

And they, had got everything wrong.

They had said men didn't cry or feel emotions as deeply as women did. Mark Fannel had proved that wrong. They had said men were clueless. Alexandra was very sure "clueless" didn't exist in Liam's dictionary. They had said men were straightforward and easy to read. That was the most incorrect observation of all. None of the men she had met were remotely "easy" to read. In fact, even Watson had shattered some of her beliefs. Beliefs like men were "serious" and were too competitive to have many "friends". In fact, that was the worst assumption one could have made.

Too late, Alexandra realized the main problem in her old life. She had begun seeing the world through her sisters' eyes. And inevitably, she had begun seeing herself through their eyes too. The reason she had felt incompetent and useless, the black sheep of the family. There was a difference between being "different" and being "special". 

And yes, she was special. Alexandra knew it was almost vanity to feel that. But what had her complaint in Doveland been? That she was nobody's favorite. There couldn't have been a more stupid thing in the world. If she loved herself, nothing else mattered. But Alexandra hardly knew that loving herself was changing her. And as Fannel had said, it was changing her for the better.

Presently, a group of six to seven year old children ran by, engrossed in a game. They were of all sizes: big and small and stout and even tiny. They kicked an old ball around, and raced each other till a small park. Alexandra followed them aimlessly, drifting behind them as if on clouds. She flopped down onto the stone bench and watched them play. She had no memories of such a free, wild childhood. Alexandra had always been dressed up and quiet, like a proper, well-mannered princess. Then she had grown up and become a pain in her parents' neck. Well, now she was gone from their lives. Alexandra was very sure they weren't happy without her. When they knew they had wronged her as much as they possibly could. Within twenty minutes of Nicholas' fall, thrown her out of the Palace.

Remembering that night made Alexandra feel an ache in her chest. A feeling like embarrassment spread through her. She had been so helpless, so vulnerable. If guards attempted to even touch her now, she had quite a few tricks up her sleeve for them. And that night, if her education had been a little beyond fat textbooks and embroidery stitches, maybe...

Why was there still regret? Why was they still a "maybe"? She was in a better place! With better people! With better opportunities and ... for the first time, friends. A king was not related to her by blood or marriage - but by that invisible string of friendship. Wasn't that achievement enough? Unconsciously, Alexandra picked up a stone and flung it away, thick into thoughts.

'Carefulh! That could have hit meh!' An angry, squeaky voice shouted across, reminding Alexandra of Sarah. She looked up to see a tiny little girl, with two braids slithering down her neck, glaring at her with hands on her hips. She looked remarkably like an unimpressed Master George.

Alexandra cracked a smile. 'I'm sorry, I wasn't looking.' She said, humbly. 'Are you alright?'

The girl ran up to her. 'I've seen worseh!' She waved off, knowledgeable. 'Youh are a girl.' She then noted.

'Thank you so much for informing, child! I wouldn't have noticed, otherwise.' Alexandra laughed. The girl apparently didn't get her sarcasm, because she laughed along. 

'Will you playh with us?' She then asked, straightening up. The girl's incisors were all gone. Alexandra was sure she had wrung them off; by the look of her gums.

She smiled nevertheless. 'Why not! Though you'll have to teach me how to.'

'Oh it's easy! All youh have to do is kick the ball ahound, and not let the boys takeh it. We have less people in ouh teamh - Penelope vanished.' The girl informed matter-of-factly, with her childhood lisp. Alexandra had heard Olivia had not been able to pronounce "s" properly until she was nine.

'So ... is this a girls versus boys?' Alexandra asked - she had a soft corner for "girls versus boys". 'And who's Penelope?'

'Penelopeh!' The little girl repeated, like Alexandra was supposed to know. 'The medic's daughteh! She doesn't comeh to play nowh! Will you playh?!'

Alexandra grinned. Whoever the Penelope was, she must have been scared off by this girl's bravado. 'Sure, I loveh girls vehsus boys.' She replied, nevertheless. 

She later wondered what Master George would do to her, if he caught Alexandra playing football with kids rather than finding about the Court Barrister. Then again, she did not belong to the Espionage council for the next two weeks! As for the game, she love it. She knew it was wrong that she was playing with seven year olds, but the boys hopelessly outnumbered the girls, which sort of covered up her guilt.

I'm doing social service! Alexandra thought to herself, running around, yelling and hollering like a seven year old herself. And in fact, like the most energetic kid of them all. And finally, as the sun started dipping, and she was afraid she'd be late, Alexandra took her leave. The toothless girl asked her if she would be back tomorrow.

'Maybe.' Alexandra shrugged as she loved confusing kids.

'Maybe noth.' The young girl agreed, surprising her. 'Peopleh vanish nowadays. My momma says soh.' She added. Alexandra found that disquieting. She nevertheless waved to the kids, strapped her cloak on and went back to the Court Barrister's case.

His door was locked. But it was five fifteen, meaning he was at home. 

Alexandra knocked.

No reply.

She knocked again.

No reply. 

She tried again, she even tried to peek in, but the door was too sturdy for that. The fourth time however, the door opened up. A man stuck his face out.

He was handsome, if Alexandra was beautiful. Silver eyes, a button nose and he looked quite aged ... there were crinkles around the corner of his eyes and mouth. A fine mop of curly black hair hung till his shoulders.

'Hello,' Alexandra grinned winningly. It was always safe to start that way.

'What do you want?' He asked. Alright, a hostile fellow. And he wasn't even opening the door completely. There was some mischief going on here.

'A job,' Alexandra clarified. 'Any job!'

'I don't have any need for helpers.' He replied, moving back to slam the door shut. But Alexandra stepped forward, caught it and pushed it back - the man looking unnerved. Still smiling winningly, she pressed,

'I'm not a house helper! I can do any job. Bodyguard, healer, watchman - uh, watchwoman actually ... and house-help too, why not!' It was hard to imagine that she'd been playing street football half an hour ago.

'But I don't need it! Get lost girl, or I'll call the Law Enforcement!' He repeated, not looking very friendly. Alexandra almost rolled her eyes - but she caught herself midway. The customer had to be the God. She couldn't roll her eyes at him. She knew enough law to say that if the law enforcers did come, nothing serious would be done to her. She was a "lady". But they would insist on escorting her home - and then, Alexandra's home ... was the Espionage Council.

Oh right, if the law enforcers did come, all she would have to do was to have a private word with them about her identity. Explain that she was spy. And show the Council's coin. That would be enough; in fact, all spies - whether in-training or qualified - ranked higher than simple law enforcers. Nobody - not even a King - could poke their nose into a spy's business.

The realization filled Alexandra with confidence and newfound tact.

'Sir, please!' She almost sobbed then, turning on her pitiable card. 'I don't have anyone in the world! How will I manage? I haven't eaten in a week-'

'Sell your cloak then, go!' He suggested, still trying to close the door.

'But it's cold out here, Sir! Please give me a job to do!' Alexandra bawled.

'Listen, this is the final warning. Go away! I don't need any help!' He warned.

'You won't have to tell me twice to do any job!' Alexandra pressed. All her managerial and diplomatic skills falling into place. But this was man almost as stubborn as Master George. He didn't budge in the slightest.

After a lot of pleading, he finally left struggling at the door. If he wondered what a strange girl was doing at his doorstep all of a sudden, he showed nothing of it. Or perhaps, he was used to such people pestering him. 'So is it true?' He asked, a hand to his chin, 'will I not have to tell you twice, to do anything?'

'Yes!' Alexandra confirmed, brightly. 'You won't!'

He proved he was a barrister, just then.

'Fine, I'll give you a job to do.' He relented. He loosened his grip on the door. Alexandra followed suit. Finally, the nut seemed to have cracked.

'Yes?' She asked, expectantly.

'Go away! That's the work. And don't make me repeat myself, you told you won't!' He spat, grabbing the door and almost shutting it. Though stunned, Alexandra was quick. She grabbed the door knob and struggled silently, pursing her lips and frowning. A hard shell, this one was. But didn't the chit say that ...

He has immense workload.

'Sir!' Alexandra pleaded as a final try.

'None of it! Ge-'

'I know the law.' She interrupted, brightly.

They stopped struggling with the door.  Alexandra almost fell inwards at the abrupt halt. For a second, only the background voices of everyday chores filled their silent gap. Then barrister's eyes widened, as if he had just registered her words. 'Repeat that?' He asked.

'I. Know. The. Law.' Alexandra pronounced clearly. Then she grinned winningly again.

He traced his chin for a while, sizing her up. Then, 'what is the punishment for Arson?'

'Penalty!' Alexandra piped up, remembering Kane asking her "what if you set fire the Shelter where you lived?". 

'The culprit shall pay the victim an amount, twice of what the property burnt, was worth. And in case he or she can't, then they will serve thirteen years in prison!'

The door opened a bit, Alexandra could see the Barrister's dark clothes. 'What does the Rebels and Rebellion Subjugation Law say?'

'When it was made, a hundred and eighty years ago, Vedessa was struggling for independence from the Cartanian Empire - then, it said that the punishment for leading a protest or rebellion was torturous death. Hundred and thirty years ago, when Vedessa finally became stable on its independent feet, the law was changed. The new provisions were that a National Security threatening, or Violent Rebellion will be punishable by-'

'Enough,' The Barrister interrupted, eyeing Alexandra with a new-found interest. 'What is the newest law made?'

'The Unacknowledged Timber Collectors Prohibition law! Idgard has lush, valuable forests. Smugglers are increasing, in order to stop them, each forest has been appointed with a Timber Inspector who's job is to-'

'Fine!' The man ceded, looking very greedy. 'You're hired - as my assistant.' He declared, opening the door wider. Alexandra entered, punching the air slightly from behind. 'What is your name?'

'Mabel,' Alexandra informed.

'How much will you charge?' He asked. Wasn't there any paperwork? If not, that was just as well. It made Alexandra's job easier.

'Um - Sir, how much can you give?' She asked, politely, meanwhile trying to appear smarter by pushing her unruly hair behind.

'Thirty Gold Coins a month?'

'That's abominably low! I'll charge a hundred! My immense knowledge demands it!' Alexandra didn't care one bronze nut how much she was paid. But she had to play professional and real. Bargaining had to done.

'Seventy.' He declared..

'Seventy... fine, deal. But what do I do?' Alexandra asked then, looking around the untidy house interestedly. She fingered the tips of her dagger once, just to be sure. 

'You'd better begin work right away. Go to my attic. There are files upon files of old cases. Check the ones that are no longer needed, discard them. Then you better take that package to my office, I'll give you the address. And finally, I had an appointment with a customer, he needs some help understanding property laws. I'll give you his address too, attend to it! By then, I think it will quite late at night. So you can take leave.' He announced. Alexandra's hopes crashed like a house of cards.

'Where?' She howled, 'can't I like, stay here?' Alexandra demanded.

'H-here?' The color drained from the Barrister's face all of a sudden. Then, he regained his composure. 'I mean, no. Not at all. You better check out a place for yourself. Take the advance.' And before Alexandra could argue further, he was gone.

'What in the name of a dove's droppings was that?!' She stamped her foot. If she couldn't live in this place, how could she find out about the fellow? And then on top of that, he'd given her so much work to do. This had become a tough call. She had no desire to be a barrister's personal assistant. And for a measly sum of seventy gold coins - an amount for which - Alexandra, as a princess, would not have sold her fingernail.

But she was left to fend for herself in the strange house, now. And she had no choice but to do the work. Alexandra looked around. The lamps glowed ominously. 'I'll better find the attic,' She muttered to herself.

There were two corridors stretching in front of her. There was a spiraling staircase to her side, that undoubtedly lead to the attic, still, the corridors looked interesting. Alexandra looked on for sometime and then decided to the take the left one, she could always return and leave for the attic. Walking along the wooden floor of the left corridor, more lamps lighting it, Alexandra emerged upon a dead end and two closed doors around her.

'What sort of a house is this?' She complained, and pushed at the left door. It opened with a creak. There was a store-room beyond. Boxes upon boxes of useless things were piled everywhere. There was a closed sliding door at one of the room, it was transparent and Alexandra could see a balcony peeping out. 'Na, not the right place.' She muttered.

Then Alexandra took the door on the right. It opened without any creak and spilled into a handsome Master Bedroom. Alexandra didn't want to be in anyone's bedroom. So she made her way out and took the right corridor. 

This time at the end of the corridor was a staircase. Two more rooms on each side, but no dead end. Instead,  the dark, gloomy descending staircase. Alexandra peered into it.

She didn't know how far ahead it went. A thick, rebellious fog seemed to hang through it. Alexandra decided this was not the type of place she would like to make a trip to. She shook her head and was just about to the turn away when her ears pricked up.

It was a soft, high pitched voice. It couldn't belong to any man, certainly not the barrister - whose tone was a deep one. It was someone else, maybe a woman or a child ... who was crying.

Downstairs.

Alexandra knew something was mightily wrong then. She stood rooted to the spot, squinting in the dark, not daring to go down. Still, the stairs seemed to be calling her.

'What is it?' Asked a man's voice, from behind. Alexandra jumped.

'N-nothing, I was searching for the attic...' She stammered, her heart crawling into her mouth at once.

'An attic isn't downstairs,' the barrister informed. 'Do your work - don't meddle too much, Mabel. That's the wind going around in my basement. It sounds like a child weeping, doesn't it?'

'Y-yes.' Alexandra agreed, noting the threat he had just given her.

'The attic's that way.' He then pointed, out of the corridor.

'Oh, thank you.' Alexandra smiled weakly, walking away.

'Wait.' He called out. And Alexandra froze. 'Take the addresses from the leather diary. It is in the attic. Don't come near here again, it is a hard fall. You can break your neck.' He warned.

Alexandra nodded. But she didn't believe him one bit. She was sure there was someone downstairs, in the basement. Winds howled. Winds didn't weep. And how could winds enter a basement, in the first place? Alexandra would find out who it was, because one thing was sure: the person downstairs, was the link to proving Barrister Frawdley's crime.