Gravensnod (manxman)

Chapter One

A/N: I'm going to pretend I didn't disappear for a hot minute and just leave this story hanging :/

Philo

"Do you like this outfit Philo?"

My eyes wandered down to a nervous looking Agatha staring at herself in the full length mirror in front of her. She had been very open in expressing her concerns for starting school. She had been getting taught here in the castle for preschool, mainly because Alexei has been super worried about her going to school. On one hand he knows she has to be social with other kids her age, but he is worried. She is the future Queen of Gravensnod but I kept telling him she needs to go out and start experiencing things. She can't be locked up in here forever.

Once Agatha learned she would start going to school, she had been ecstatic. But now that the date was getting closer she was starting to become nervous. Her little hands were slightly shaking as she stared at the school uniform she had on.

Kneeling down next to her, I smiled while wrapping my arms around her in a hug. "I love it, you look amazing. Do you like it?"

She slowly nodded while wrapping her small arms around my neck. "I do."

When she remained quiet I asked, "Are you nervous?"

"A little bit. Will people treat me different because of Daddy?"

"There might be people who will, and there might always be people like that. But I promise it'll be okay. You just stay true to who you are okay? You're going to make really good friends at school, who love you for who you are not just because you're royal. Okay?"

After she nodded she finally smiled brighter and laughed as I lifted her up as I stood up. "Thanks Philo."

"I love you," I said while gently kissing her head.

"I love you too!"

After I put her down I said, "When you get home we'll bake cookies."

"Yay!" She happily squealed.

When footsteps walked up behind me and a hand was resting on my waist, my heart sped up. Once turning around and seeing the calming eyes of Alexei I smiled, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me closer. Those lips were then kissing mine, his hands lovingly massaging my back. Just having him be close to me was making my palms sweat and butterflies erupt into my stomach. Since we agreed to wait until our wedding night to make love again, it seemed like my body was reacting to his even stronger. It made me even more excited about getting married, and made all the worries about the day fly away.

"Hey babe," he whispered before leaving gentle kisses over my jaw.

"Hi."

My eyes roamed over his well-dressed body, the one that was making my mouth water. Since we were taking Agatha to school, he was dressed in the blue sweater I loved so much and a blazer, with some khakis. I was pretty shocked when Alexei asked me to come with him to school with him and Agatha. I really figured he was going to take her by himself, but he told me he wanted me to come and drop off our daughter together. That statement alone made me cry. The fact that I actually had a family still seemed strange to me and now that I had one, I wasn't ever going to take it for granted again.

"Are you ready to go to school honey?"

Agatha turned towards Alexei and smiled, still looking nervous. When she grabbed my hand I smiled, god, I loved her so much. Alexei grabbed my other hand and led us down towards the front entrance where multiple guards were standing. Ever since the whole incident with Genevieve I've gotten pretty used to always having guards by my side. I knew I wasn't leaving the castle without one now but I was actually okay with that.