Crimson {COMPLETED}

CHAPTER XXV

CHRISTOS' POV

NOVEMBER 5
8:05 a.m

I RAISE a shaking hand to knock on Alice's door. She has officially come to stay with us at the castle, much to Emily's dismay.

However Alice doesn't seem fazed by Emily's aggravation. It's nice to see her more independent.

And besides, even Emily knows she can't keep mates a part.

Alice opens her door and smiles.

"Morning Christos. Need something or did you want to talk?"

"I was hoping you were free for a date."

She lowers her eyes to the ground. "That's sweet. After breakfast I'm assuming?"

"Actually I was thinking maybe we could go on a picnic for breakfast." I shrug, nervous.

"Oh. That sounds really nice actually." She grins. "Are you ready to go now or-?"

I try to subtly pick up the picnic basket I had set down out of her sight, as if it was not here the whole time.

"Ready when you are." I smile.

We walk hand in hand downstairs and into the garden.

"I'm glad you're staying here now Alice. I'm sorry if I come off as clingy for wanting to spend so much time with you, I've just been so lonely lately."

"It's okay, I get it." She shrugs.

"Of course you do." I sigh. "You're a blessing."

I set down a blanket on a nice spot in the grass. Alice shivers, not quite used to the lack of sunlight.

Mother and father provided vitamins for her but I guess she's still used to the feeling of the sun.

I take my jacket off and drape it over her shoulders, sitting down next to her on the blanket.

I hope she doesn't notice my hands are shaking.

As we start to eat we continue our little game.

"Birthday?" I ask.

"May twenty-fourth. You?"

"December tenth." I readjust myself on the blanket for a third time.

"What's your favorite spot in the whole realm?" Alice leans her head on my shoulder.

"Well there's this really nice art museum. Mother liked to go there all the time and she would bring me along."

She smiles. "I haven't seen much of Giana so I would have to say right here. This garden is beautiful as all be damn."

"Just like you."

She laughs with a snort. "Get out of here you cheesy bastard."

"You couldn't get rid of me if you tried." I squeeze her hand. "I'm too much in love with you."

She falls back onto the blanket, choking on laughter.

"Yeah, that one was really bad." I chuckle. "But it's true."

She stares off, not even seeming like she's here but in her own little world.

"Everything Alright Love?" I run my hand through her hair.

"Yeah, Just wondering when I wake up from this fairy tale." She sighs.

"Oh but I'm the cheesy one?" I chuckle, kissing her face.

"Is everything alright with you?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Why do you ask?"

"You're looking at me like you want to say something." She half smiles.

My eyes dart off. "Well..."

"Well what?" She tilts her head. "C'mon, tell me."

I sigh, reaching my hand into the picnic basket. My hand wraps tightly around the ring box, almost as if my life depends on her saying yes.

"Promise you'll keep an open mind and look at the big picture?"

"Of course."

She'll say no. She'll say this is cliche. She'll say now isn't a good time.

She'll say she barely even knows me.

And she'd be right in saying so.

"I just- I've been so happy having you around. Happier than I've been in a long time. Truth be told, before you came along I didn't really have anything to look forward to except the slim chance of being king."

She smiles in a sympathetic way.

"And well, I know you'll tell me I'm a madman and that I need to calm down and that I sound like a stage eleven clinger, but it honestly hurts me to be without you."

My hand starts to shake and I almost lose my grip on the box.

What if she says no?

What is she says yes?

I tighten my hold on my box and inhale.

"And I hate being apart from you. We've known each other such little time but you're family. I want you to truly be a part of the family."

She raises an eyebrow. "Christos, you okay?"

"No." I shake my head with a chuckle. "Alice I- I would really love if you would..."

I pull my hand out of the picnic basket and her mouth slightly drops open at the sights of the ring box.

I flip it open, revealing the glittering ring inside.

"Marry me?"

Her face goes pale.

Fuck.

She bites her lip and stares off at the ring. God she must think I'm a lunatic. She'll be trying to get the hell out of here by the end of the day. She probably regrets saying yes to dating me, god she must hate me-

She looks up, her eyes meeting mine.

"Christos-"

My face flushes and I start to close the ring box. "This was silly- I shouldn't have- I'm sorry- I'll-"

She stops me from putting the ring away.

"I wasn't going to say no." She smiles. "There's no need to be sorry."

"You- you weren't?" I blink, staring at the ring box in my hand. "So is that- that a yes?"

She chuckles. "That's a yes."

I'm not sure what to do. I wasn't expecting a yes.

I open back up the ring box and pull the ring out. I asked Jackson to place an order for me with his family.

A beautiful engagement ring, no charms.

I could've had it charmed with something good like luck but I thought Alice would appreciate a normal ring.

I take her hand and slide it onto her ring finger. She admires it for a moment before she wraps me in a hug.

I hug her back, still in complete and utter shock.

I don't know what's gotten into her that made her say yes, but I'm grateful for it.