Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
ALEXANDER
Ididn’t even know what to say to her. It was still playing in my mind.
I couldn’t keep the secret for too long, because I knew that eventually someone would spill my secret, and I wasn’t sure she’d give me the chance to explain.
In one respect, it would be better coming from me, but in another I didn’t want to see her face when she told me she didn’t want anything to do with me.
I didn’t know how I’d survive watching her walk away from me never seeing her face again or hearing her laugh.
“Alexander, are you even listening to me?”
“Not really,” I said, using a bored tone.
Father slammed the book down on the table in anger, and I rolled my eyes. When would he learn that it didn’t scare me when he did that? Or the threat of dungeons, because dungeons seemed mighty fine right now.
“I can’t deal with you.”
I smiled. “Good, can I go now?”
The door opened. “Alexander, stop antagonising your father.” I turned around to see my mother entering the room shaking her head. She knew me too well. She handed me a piece of paper.
I looked down and frowned. “that’s your schedule for the next two weeks. I did have to ask, what were you doing Saturday night?”
“I’ve been invited to a Halloween party, Mother,” I explained. “I have been trying to get friendly with some of the people on my course.”
“You don’t need friends, Alexander, your path is already set,” Father said. “You don’t need to waste your time with the people.”
I stared at him, shaking my head. Ah, the King, ladies and gentlemen. Although we had to serve the people, we didn’t think we should waste our time with the people. “Well, fortunately for the people, I don’t think like that.”
My father scoffed and laughed. “Was it not you pictured shouting at a waitress?”
I pressed my lips into a thin line.
I didn’t need the reminder of the impression I had let Ella have of me that day.
I had worked hard to get her to like me and think that I’m a good person.
I wanted to be able to have her fall in love with me before she was hit with the reality of what it would mean to be associated with me.
There’s the pressure, the press, my mother, and my rude father.
Mainly, it would be the voices and comments of everyone else that would get to her.
“Silence speaks volumes, Alexander,” my father said flatly.
“I apologised to her. If it wasn’t for you and your stupid schedules I wouldn’t have been in a bad mood,” I snapped.
My father stood up, slamming his hand on his desk. “You have a duty to this country, Alexander. I will not have you flouncing your way through.”
“Flouncing? How about I just renounce the throne?” I threatened.
“Stop!” Mother said, putting her hands between us. “You both need to stop before you do or say something you will both regret. Alexander, you may go to your Halloween party.”
My father opened his mouth, “I—”
“No,” my mother snapped. “Alexander, leave. Now.”
I did as my mother requested not wanting to ever be on her bad side, I was brave enough to admit that she scared me still.
As I shut the door I could hear them both raising their voices, whenever it came to the children they ended up in a power struggle unless it was Elizabeth, my mother seemed to roll over and accept whatever it was my father said.
I headed away from the office and straight to the bedrooms, finding Elizabeth who’s attempting to read a book. I smiled a little watching her struggle with a word leaning against the door. “Ma—” she paused, “age” she frowned. “Mage?” She groaned. “Stupid book.”
I walked over sitting down next to her on the bed, I pointed at the word. “Sound it out, Little Princess.”
“I tried.” She groaned. “I’m done, Ander.”
I shook my head. “Nonsense,” I said. “How about we do it together?” I pointed at the m. “M-a-.”
“M-a-g-i-c,” she finished. She turned to me with a smile. “Biff picked up the magic key. I did it, Ander.”
I smiled. “Of course you did, Little Princess. You’re really smart. You just need to persist when things begin to get challenging for you.” I pressed a kiss to her head. “I love you, Elizabeth Paige George. Never forget that.”
“I love you, too, Ander.”
I laid against her headboard. “Read it to me, Little El,” I told her.
She nodded eagerly and continued reading the book.
It was moments like that I loved so much.
I never wanted her to grow up. I wish I could keep her at this age where she was small, cute, and innocent.
I also knew that was a silly thing to hope for.
One day, she was going to change the world, I didn’t know if it was for better or worse yet.
El finished reading her book and placed it onto the side, curling up on to my chest.
“I miss you, Ander,” she said, clinging onto my top not wanting to let go.
“I’m sorry, El. University has been kicking my arse,” I told her softly.
“Mummy and daddy were arguing about you being with a girl. Who is she?”
I looked down at her. “Have you been eavesdropping, Little Princess?”
“It’s not ea—” She paused. “Dropping, especially if they’re shouting.”
I laughed, and that is why I didn’t know if her talent would be used for good or evil. “Her name is Melinda,” I said. “I call her Ella.”
“What is she like?” El asked. “Is she mean like Victoria?”
I bit my lip to hide the smile, I don’t know what El had against Victoria but whatever it was it made a mental note to keep them apart. “Ella is stunning, and she is so kind. I don’t think she has a bad bone in her body. She told me off the first time I met her.”
“Really? She told you off?” El crinkled her nose in confusion.
“You know the best part, Little Princess,” I said softly.
“She has no idea I’m a prince. She treats me like our titles don’t matter.
One day, you’ll grow up to realise how much you need that.
You will need that one person in your life that will centre you and give you a reality check whenever you may need it. ”
“I don’t want to grow up, it sounds hard.” El said, letting out a yawn.
“It is,” I told her. “Go to sleep. I love you.” I pressed a kiss to her head, climbing out of her bed pulling the cover over her.
I headed into my room, flopping down on the bed with a sigh.
I reached for my phone noticing that I had a few notifications from TikTok. I opened the app and saw Ella had spammed me with a few videos. I clicked on the inbox, seeing the tiny red box with the number thirty staring at me.
I didn’t know whether to be impressed or scared that she had sent me thirty of them.
For the next fifteen minutes, I watched them all and couldn’t help but smile.
She had sent me various ones of kids, people and animals doing stupid things, and with each one I couldn’t help but chuckle at each and every one of them.
I laid back scrolling constantly and as I saw videos I sent them to Ella.
A knock on the door brought my attention away. “Come in,” I called out, sitting up.
My mother entered the room holding a cup. I narrowed my eyes at it slightly.
She sat on my bed. “How are you feeling?”
She handed me the cup, and I looked down to see it was her famous hot chocolate with marshmallows. “What’s the bad news?” I asked instantly.
She looked at me confused.
“Mother, I don’t know if you realise this, but anytime you come to give me bad news…” I lifted the cup. “You bring this beautiful thing to help soften the blow. So, what is the bad news?”
She looked down at the floor before looking back at me. “I guess you haven’t looked at your new schedule that your father just sent?”
I opened my phone looking at the email immediately. I read through it seeing almost every second of my day was filled with meetings and even worse, sightings with Charles and Arthur. He had blocked up every possible second.
“Mum, this isn’t fair,” I said, crossing my arms across my chest. “How am I meant to keep on top of my university work if he is making me be royal during all my free time?”
“Alexander, you did just threaten him with renouncing the throne,” Mother said softly.
I took a sip of her hot chocolate, placing it on the side of the table and walking over to the window. “How is something so beautiful a prison?” I pushed open the balcony doors, and the cold air hit me immediately.
I wanted to run away. The more he pushed me, the more I wanted to be free.
“Can’t you do something about the schedule?”
“Alexander—”
“Mum, please,” I whispered. I turned to look at her, “I can’t do this anymore.” I shook my head letting out a breath.
I don’t know why I bothered. They wouldn’t do anything about it. They would both go on about the birthright, and that we owed our life to service the people of the crown. “I want to be alone.”
“Alexander—”
“Mother, please leave,” I said, not looking at her.
I heard her sigh and she left the room. I looked down at my phone and dialled Ella’s number. After a few rings, it went straight to voicemail. She was either asleep or at work, I wasn’t sure which. I hit Jeremy’s number, and he answered immediately. “Next race?”
“What happened to hello—”
“Jeremy,” I cut him off.
“In thirty minutes, can you be here?” He asked.
“Leaving now.”
I walked out the bedroom and headed to the garage, grabbing the keys to my black BMW XM and unlocked it.
Getting into the car, I sped off and out of the grounds, knowing that the guards would still be able to find me. I wondered if there was a place I could disappear, Antarctica maybe.
I hated the cold, that wasn’t a good idea.
Turn your brain off, Alex.
I put my foot down driving to the race tracks, I arrived just five minutes before the race began. I drove over to where Jeremy was standing, and I rolled down the window.
“I thought you weren’t racing anymore,” Jeremy teased.
I let out a sigh. “Dad’s being a dickhead. I need to blow off some steam.”
“Where’s your girl?”
“She’s not my girl yet,” I said. “She’s asleep or working.”
“I got you, dude.” He tapped his hand on the car and I rolled the window back up.
I needed this.
I revved the engine and smiled a little. I missed this.