Gravensnod (manxman)

Chapter Two

Philo

My my. Feeling like Mother Theresa all of a sudden? Oh wait I forgot- your entire family died as well. Probably just feel bad for the little brat, right? And your poor little daughter who has the rightful title to the crown, is now being punished. She has to share the crown with someone who isn't even her blood brother? She's probably going to resent you for that when she's older.

And really, you want both kids walking you down the aisle?

My hands shook while holding onto the letter that had just been discovered in front of the castle. It's only been a day since Max came home and somehow someone leaked it. No one outside the castle knows that he came here let alone knows the situation. But what really scared me was the last line. I had mentioned to Ari yesterday while we were walking to dinner how I wanted Agatha and Max to walk down the aisle with me. Fyn was walking behind us laughing with George but Wren had also been silently lurking behind us. Unless I didn't see someone else in the hallway with us, it had to have been Wren.

Now here I was, sitting in front of Alexei who kept reading the note over and over with a pissed off look on his face. Every time I heard a noise I'd jump, feeling like someone was always watching me. I knew I was probably just really paranoid but I was starting to not trust anyone here. And this kind of paranoia was not me.

"How could this happen?" Alexei boomed at George and Fyn. "I hire new guards to protect Philo and someone is letting information about our private lives leave this castle? Please inform me how information about our son and wedding is now circulating Gravensnod? People are making up stories about Max that aren't even true! He's never going to want to leave the castle at this rate."

"I understand completely your highness," George said with actual pain on his face. I trusted George and Fyn but the other guards I wasn't too sure of. "We aren't sure how this information was leaked, or why anyone would even do that."

"We should all be able to trust every single person in this castle right now," Fyn said while shaking his head. "I'm not comfortable having these new guards around our family Alexei. They should all go."

Alexei angrily stood up and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't fire everyone at once Fyn. Those extra guards were hired because I need protection for those I love. I'm not taking any chances with Philo, or my children. For now you two are the only ones to be around Philo, Agatha and Max. Got that?"

"Yes sir," they both said.

With a sigh Alexei ran a hand over his face before saying, "That's all for now. Ari is in the library with the children, please go there."

When they left I slowly got up and walked over to the window, feeling him walk up behind me. His long arms wrapped around my waist before slowly turning me around in his arms. "Everything's going to be okay Philo."

Without responding I rested my head onto his chest, breathing in his scent that always calmed me down. Well, it usually always calmed me down. Now I was just a ball of nerves in the arms of the man I loved. "I hope so," I whispered.

He held me for a few more minutes before he pulled back with a frown. "I have a meeting with my parents; want me to walk you to the library?"

"I'll be okay."

"We're going to figure this out Philo, I promise."

After he gave me a kiss I watched him walk down the hallway and disappear into a doorway. My fingers buried into my pockets as I slowly walked down the hallway and made the very short trip to the library. Before I walked in I saw Wren standing at the end of the hallway, dark eyes following my movements. He gave me a small nod before returning to stand like a statue.