The Prince and Fashion Designer

Bonus Chapter

As promised over the summer, here is a bonus chapter for The Prince and the Fashion Designer just in time for the holidays!! 

This bonus extra takes place between Chapter 10 and 11. Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday season!!

~ Love, the author

As Magnus sat staring at his croquis template, he drew a blank. He never had this much trouble creating ideas for new designs, but today he was not in the best headspace. Alec and his future wife Aline had made a royal appearance a few hours ago and it was as if all his motivation had left his body. He was tasked with designing Princess Isabelle's gown for the ball, and as of late, he hadn't been having much luck with inspiration. As he looked around, he notices Clary who was engrossed in her sketchbook. A strand of hair fell into her eyes and she brushed it away with the top of her pencil. Her tongue stuck out ever so slightly from her mouth as she moved her hand across the page. As she reached for her paintbrush, her eyes glanced upwards towards Magnus.

"What?" she asked, slightly embarrassed. He shrugged.

"I have no inspiration." Magnus motioned to the hundreds of scrunched up balls of paper lying around his workstation. He had been attempting to create something unique but it was hard when most things have already been done.

"What have you tried?"

"Everything," Magnus sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"You should go for a walk or something to clear your head. The gardens are a nice place to escape to," she suggested. Magnus nodded. Maybe she was right. Maybe he needed to leave this stuffy room.

"I'll give that a shot." He rose from his stool, and scooped his sketchbook and pencils into his arms. "I'll be back soon, Biscuit." He waved to Clary, before heading out the door.

A layer of snow had fallen over the city last night. It was beautiful in the daylight. Although the garden didn't have much budding greenery in the December, the rows of decorated pine trees, bright red poinsettias, and marble statues made up for the lack of shrubbery. Magnus watched his breath escaped into the cold air, as he followed the now buried cobblestone pathway. He followed the winding path until it led him to the centre of the garden: a bench surrounded by beautifully trimmed trees. The birch trees had lights strung around their bare branches, while the pines were adorned with lights and ornaments.

Magnus cleared the snow off of the bench, and he laid a blanket down. He took a seat as he looked up to the sky, which was beginning to go dark.

"Clary told me that I might find you here." Magnus' head turned to find Alexander. He was stopped near the entrance of the centre, standing by an elaborately decorated tree.

"I needed inspiration, but seeing as my muse has just arrived, I should be fine in that department" Magnus explained, as he moved over to create a space for his... well he didn't know what the prince was to him. He never liked the word 'lover', but boyfriend seemed too normal, and soulmate seemed too insane, even if Magnus did feel like they were made for each other. Alec moved towards him with a grace that Magnus admired. He sat down next to him and they sat slightly apart for a while. After a moment without contact, Magnus turned to his... darling? Alec has instinctively turned as well. They stared into each other's eyes. His glorious blue eyes were the first thing Magnus noticed and the thing he was always drawn to. They seemed to hold so many secrets, so much history that Magnus was intrigued. He hadn't been lying when he told Alec that his previous design was inspired by him. His beauty was undeniable, and yet Alec did not seem to see it. Alec blushed, and looked down at his gloved hands.

"After I finished touring Aline around the palace, I dropped her off at her room and went for a walk through the town to clear my head. I passed a shop. A little shop that was selling the latest fashion. It reminded me of yours in New York." He looked back up at Magnus. "There was a dress in the window. It was sparkling as the sun reflected off of it. I couldn't help but wonder what you would have said about it. Whether you would have thought it was a lovely style, or what you would have changed about it. I... I know I was supposed to be thinking about Aline and about the engagement, but I couldn't. You're all I saw in everything, and it's weird you know. I dawned on me that we have only known each other for a few weeks, and yet it feels as if we've known each other for years and years." Magnus smiled. Alec laughed at himself. "I just... I don't know why I told you this. It feels like I can tell you everything."

Magnus looked at this boy sitting in front of him. This boy was a prince. A boy who was a man with a nation in his hands. With a wealth unimaginable. Who had everything, and yet had nothing that mattered. His mother was stuck in her own world, his life was a set on an unchangeable course, he was surrounded by those who showed him respect yet held none for him. His life was like a glass cage: he could see all who passed yet could not join them. How had this boy managed to make his way into Magnus' world?

"Magnus?" Alexander asked, as Magnus seemed in a far away place. He took the prince's face into his hands, and he kissed him. It was warm and full of a kind of love Magnus had never known before. One that he thought could last forever. Alec's arms wrapped around his waist, the palm of his hands pressing against Magnus' back, bringing their bodies closer together. Magnus for a moment, forgot where they were. It was cold outside and yet he didn't feel it anymore. The world around them seemed almost to melt away. Mangus for the first time, thought about a life with Alec beyond this year. Could they be like this their whole life? What would a life in Alec's world be like? Would it worth it? They kissed for what felt like forever. They broke apart only to acknowledge the lights on the trees, as they automatically turned on with the setting of the sun.

"It's so beautiful," Alec noted, as they glowed. Magnus hadn't noticed. He was too busy admiring the beautiful man in front of him. Alec looked at him and said, "You know, you were out here to get work done."

"Oh but having you to distract me is so much more fun," Magnus explained.

"I should really let you get back to work." Alec rose from the bench, only to have Magnus pull him back towards him. Alec spun around and fell into Magnus. They both toppled over behind the bench, landing in the cold snow. Alec gave a little yelp. Magnus laughed as he pulled the future king into him. Alec was now on top of Magnus, and he pushed himself up on his elbows to hover slightly over the Magnus' face. Alec leaned his face closer until their lips almost met.

"This isn't considered working," he whispered.

"But I'd much rather be doing this." Magnus went to kiss him, but Alec pulled back a few inches.

"You have to work," he said still close enough that Magnus could feel his breath on his lips.

"Alright, let me up." Magnus groaned. Alec raised his eyebrow at the easy defeat and stood up, reaching a hand out. Magnus took it and once he was to his feets, pulled Alec against his chest. He wrapped his arms around his waist.

"I knew you wouldn't give up so easily," Alec smiled. Magnus laughed, before they began to kiss once again. This time they were both shivering from having laid in the snow, and now surrounded by shimmering christmas lights. Magnus moved his hands, pressing them against Alec's chest. As he unbuttoned Alec's jacket the boy laughed against Magnus' lips.

"Well," Alec began, breaking up the kiss and rebuttoning up his jacket, "if you're not going to work out here, lets not go work inside where it's warmer." It was Magnus' turn to raise an eyebrow.

"As you wish, your highness," he said reaching for his sketchbook and pencils.

As they made their way through the doors, the Queen was walking down the hall towards them with Hodge and Aline. Alec's face which had been just beaming with laughter, had suddenly been overtaken by fear and worry. Alec pushed Magnus around the corner.

"Alexander!" Magnus heard the Queen shout. "Why are you covered in snow?"

"I... fell," he said. Magnus rolled his eyes.

"Well, in that case go change into something dry and meet Aline and myself in my office at once. We have many things to discuss before the party." Magnus could hear the Queen's shoes turn a corner, but another few steps moved towards Alec.

"Your highness, if I may," Magnus could hear Hodge begin, "the next time you... fall into the snow, make sure to button your jacket up correctly afterwards." Once Hodge's chuckling dissipated around a corner, Alec turned to Magnus with his cheeks flushed. Magnus winked at him, and he took off running down the hall with Alec chasing after him. Yeah, Magnus wouldn't mind this kind of life at all.