Gypsy man

Sleeping arrangements.

My room is just across from mom's room. The room is huge. A kingsized bed with bright red and gold covers.

There's a balcony and a big bathroom with an enormous walk in closet with fancy clothes. Funny thing is that they are all my size.

"Like it?" Lulian is watching me as I explore every inch of the room.

I climb on the bed and look around. "This is a big bed." Lulian takes that as an invitation.

In a millisecond he moves from the closed door onto the bed. "It won't be so big with me in it ." He raises a suggestive eyebrow.

"Nope, you don't." Our mothers drag him out of the room. "This isn't fair." He struggles against them.

"Help me Alex, convince them to let me sleep here!"

I hold up my free hands. "I'm sorry but my hands are tied."

"Your hands aren't fucking tied." Famous last words.

The mothers sit next to me on the bed. "He will probably come back later." His mother comments. "He hasn't told you about mates, has he?"

I simply shake my head.

"See, you know about soulmates, right? Well, we can se who our mates are the moment we see them. And that night on the train, Lulian identified you as his mate. That's why he gave you the tracking feather." 

****

I wake up to find Lulianstaring at me. "How long have you been staring?" I hide behind my pillow. "I couldn't sleep so most of the night."

 
I hit him with my pillow. "That's creepy."

 "Did you know you talk in your sleep? You kept saying my name." He looks very smug. 

 "Shut up Lulian." I get out of bed, fetch some clothes and head to the bathroom.

"Don't leave me here!" Lulian gets out after me. "Alex?" I close the door behind me with a smile on my face. "Babe?" Don't call me that. "Baby?" I'm not a baby. 

The shower can take at least three people. The bath is a small pool. I force myself to take a quick shower even though I want to take a long bath. In fresh clothes I emerge from the bathroom.

 "You took your damn time." My angry demon has a twisted face. "Yea I was just showing you how much I care." I reach up to kiss him. True to his character he kisses me back. "I love you, Alex." He smiles at me. A happy smile. 

"I love you too." I reflect his smile. A knock at the door makes both of us look in that direction. In a split second he jumps out the window before his mother opens the door.

"Oh he's not here. Sorry for disturbing you, Alex." she leaves just as fast as she entered.

I leave the room hoping not to bump into anyone, strolling down the hall passing several guards, not acknowledging any of them.

 But I do hear them talking behind me. "That's the prince's little toy."

" He probably won't have the kid for long."

 "I heard he's 17."

"Oh, really. What a slut." 

"Sleeping with a 28 year old man at that age? He is a slut."

 I violently turn "I can fucking hear you." 

The two guards blink at me. They bow. "Sorry , your highness." I can see that they don't mean it.

 I continue walking. The library brings me some comfort. I find a quiet couch to sit on. Will everyone have something against me because of my age. Hate me for loving a man eleven years older than me. Hate me because I'm too young? Too young to know what love is. Maybe I don't. I think I do. I can't help the way I feel about Lulian. I do know that I'm not a slut. I don't sleep around for fun. I don't kiss new lips every night. I have only slept with Lulian. I have only kissed Lulian willingly. I was forced to kiss Tiffany. And it wasn't really a kiss. It doesn't count for me. Love is love. It shouldn't be judged. It shouldn't be criticized by anyone who doesn't matter. People who have no business criticizing things that don't concern them. If someone loves someone else it's not everybody's business. Not everyone needs to know. And people shouldn't hate or fear what they don't understand. They're not supposed to understand. It's not their problem. This is mine and Lulian's. Those guards need to stay the fuck out.