We'll Write Our Way Out

Nicolas Moore

"A message from the king!"

Great. Heralds of the king.

So no beating up of people today.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Alessia, this is the third time you've asked me this and my answer is still the same. Yes, I'm totally fine with this," John said as he laid Alessias bag against the wall next to the door.

John had invited Alessia and Alexander to stay at his place for a while until they'd find their own place. Alex may not have a problem with that, but that didn't mean that Alessia didn't have any worries whatsoever. She didn't want to be a burden.

"If there's anything you need then ask away. I'll be down the hall," the freckles man spoke. Just as he was about to leave the room, Alessia spoke up "Actually, there is something I'd like..."

John halted and looked back to her, waiting for her to continue. "Do you by chance have some parchment and a quill? And some ink?", she asked, hoping he'd lend her some.

"Sure, come along," he said and flashed her a smile, before he walked off, Alessia quickly following him.

"May I ask what for?", John asked curiously, shortly glancing at her over his shoulder as he did. Alessia chuckled awkwardly and replied "I uh, I write..."

"Oh, so you're an author?", John asked, raising a brow. Alessia shook her head "N-no. Yes. Uh, I mean, I write, yes, but I write against slavery specifically."

John paused in his steps and turned around to her, his eyes practically sparkling as he asked "You do?" When Alessia nodded, a bright smile crept onto Johns face, before it was replaced with a frown "Does anyone even read it? No offense, but people rarely read things a woman says, or writes in your case."

"It's difficult...", Alessia said and smiled a little. John watched her for a moment longer before he turned around and continued his way.

John opened a door and let her inside first. "This is my office. You can feel free to use it and write here whenever you like," he spoke as she took a look around. The bookshelf especially grabbed her interest and so she took a look at the books he owned.

"An interesting collection you've got here," Alessia stated and couldn't help but smile as a certain book caught her eye. Carefully she pulled it out of the shelf and ran her hand over the cover.

Free Thoughts considering the Virginian Slavery Laws – Nicolas Moore

"Thank you. That's my favorite, by the way. Moore is very inspiring to me," John replied and smiled softly. "I'd really like to meet him one day and then we could write together against slavery. We could change a lot. He's got a big influence on the population."

Alessia nodded slowly as she listened to his words, scanning the shelf for further works of Moore. And he actually owned the other six books Moore had published.

"I'm wondering how old he is. He only began publishing his work three years ago and he's already made himself such a big name. And yet no one knows who he really is," John sighed, following her gaze.

"Alex knows him," Alessia blurted out suddenly, which resulted in her blushing out of embarrassment. John turned to look at her with wide eyes "Really? Do you know him too, then?"

Inwardly Alessia could've slapped herself. She promised herself to not let this slip so fast but now she probably had no other choice than to tell the truth. Also, she wasn't keen on lying to people she just met and could consider a friend.

"Yeah. I do know him," she began, placing the book back where it belonged. "Actually, John, there's something you should know."

John frowned as she said that. He had no clue as to what she meant. "Go on," he said, encouraging her to continue. Alessia took a deep breath, slowly looking up at him and meeting his gaze "I do publish my work," she paused, unsure about how he would react, before telling herself there was no backing out now and said "Under the name Nicolas Moore."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then Johns eyes went wide and he gaped at her as if he'd just seen a ghost or she'd just grown a second head. Then his eyes lit up and he grinned "No way!"

Alessia chuckled and scratched the back of her neck awkwardly "Yeah. I know it sounds weird, but I'm telling the truth."

"I actually don't know what to say, this amazes me! He — you're amazing! You speak my mind with the things you write!", John grinned and he almost acted like a teenage girl who was freaking out because a boy she liked agreed to go out with her. Okay, that was a bad example. But it had something similar to it.

"Thank you," Alessia smiled and averted her gaze, a small blush darkening her cheeks. She was used to praise from her brother, but to get praise from someone else was something completely different. On the other hand though, she's never received praise from a stranger — or a friend in that matter.

For a moment they remained silent like that, until the silence was broken by John bluntly stating "You're cute when you blush like that." And now you can guess what followed — Alessia blushed even more and turned away, giving her full attention to the bookshelf, even though she knew the content of it quite good, as there weren't so many books on there.

"Aww little Alessia is blushing," she heard him tease, to which she turned back to him and hit his arm "Hey!"

John laughed and gently grabbed her wrist before she could go and hit him again for laughing at her. "I'm sorry to say, my dear, that I do not agree with domestic violence," he spoke with a posh voice, making Alessia laugh, as he did sound quite ridiculous.

John grinned and watched her, chuckling softly as she just full heartedly laughed.

"What are you laughing about I want to join in on the fun!", a voice tuned up from the door, pulling their attention over. There stood Alexander and he had a small smile on his lips as he looked at his sister. The look in his eyes told John that Alex barely saw Alessia like this.

"Oh, I just told your sister how bad domestic violence is in my eyes," John said once more with his posh voice, resulting in Alessia cracking up once more, barely even recovered of her laughter from Johns first posh behavior.

Alexander smiled even broader as he heard his sister laugh like that and immediately a thought came to his mind. And that was that John should better stay at Alessias side because he undoubtedly was good for her. It's been long since Alex last heard his sister laugh like that and last had seen her this carefree.

Ever since the death of their mother, Alessia had carried so much responsibility on her shoulders and over the years it became more and more clear to Alexander at how it pulled her down. But now that they were starting new and now that they've already found friends, it seemed like the burden on her shoulders had dropped.

Alexander was willing to do everything so his sister could remain this carefree and happy. And that meant to him to take care that Alessia and John would end up together.

Even though those two barely knew each other, Alex knew they were made for each other.