The Blood Of The Rainbow

.:Chapter 24:.

I woke up to a heavy yet comforting warmth across my waist. I groggily opened my eyes, rubbing the cloudiness away from them, to see Alex sleeping beside me with an arm draped across my body. I carefully lifted his arm off me and slowly got up, swinging my legs off the side of the bed. Before I was able to get up, two strong hands wrapped around my hips and pulled me back to the bed. Alex brought my back to his chest and intertwined our legs, nuzzling his face into my hair.

I shifted so that I was face-to-face with his slowly rising and falling chest. I lifted my eyes to see Alex's mischievous smirk.

"Excuse me, I was getting out of bed," I said sternly.

"Was," he mumbled, pulling me impossibly closer to him.

"You're impossible, you know that?"

"So I've been told a few times," he said.

"Alright, prince, as much as I'd love to stay in bed all morning, I really need to go check up on my parents and eat."

Alex groaned and rolled over onto his back, releasing me form his hold.

"Okay, my queen," he teased. "You go check up on your parents. I'll make breakfast for us." I rolled my eyes at his term of endearment.

"Don't you have people to do that for you?" I asked, getting dressed.

"I like cooking," he said defensively. I chuckled at him.

"I'll see you in the dining hall," I said, putting on layers of warm clothing. Winter was quickly approaching, and I could already feel the frost creep in through the castle wall.

I quickly walked to the dungeons, wanting to get near a fireplace or any source of warmth as soon as possible. I walked into the dungeon caverns, and the guards moved, huffing at me. I knew they were tired of having to move for me, but at this point I stopped caring.

"Mom? Dad?" I asked out loud to their cell. I saw in the corner that both my parents huddled together, gathering each other's warmth. I swiftly took off my coat and I handed it to my father through the metal bars. I was still upset at my mother, but my father didn't deserve any of this.

My father got up from the floor and wrapped my mother in the coat, holding her so she could get even more warmer. My heart ached for him.

"Thank you, Violet." My father spoke gently, but I could hear the pain, both physical and emotional, in his voice.

"I love you," I said, not addressing anyone in particular as to not create more conflict. "I have to go."

My mother looked up shakily, and was about to say something before doubt prevented her to speak. She hung her head, ashamed.

I nodded sadly at my father before walking back to the dinning hall, rubbing my hands together and creating electric heat. I saw Alex carefully setting down my plate on the table, along with a hot tea. "Wow, looks nice," I complimented, startling him slightly.

"Oh, come on. I just made us some food," he said. My gaze fell upon the table and I gaped. The table was full of some of the most classical and exotic food the world had to offer. There was a platter of roasted turkey and neatly sliced ham, circled with piles of vibrant, ripe fruits. There was even a cheese and pastry plate.

"There is no way you made this in the matter of, like, ten minutes," I said, crossing my arms. I allowed myself to be amazed.

"Okay, so I had the chefs start on this last night," he admitted with a tinge of grey creeping onto his cheeks. I rolled my eyes at him.

He walked up to me and grabbed my hand, guiding me to the seat on the right of the head of the table.

"But why? Why did you do all of this?" I asked, curious.