Gravensnod (manxman)

Chapter Six

Alexei

The morning was filled with visits around the country, talking with the citizens and visiting some of my favorite places. Mainly I kept myself so busy I didn't have any time to think about last night and how I almost ruined everything. Touching Philo was a mistake but I had to give in to temptation and feel those lips. They had been even better feeling than expected and instantly made me want to keep touching him. But I was a horrible person for having such mixed feelings.

I had hoped that the quickie with Genevieve would've calmed my body down but it only did the opposite. It had made me want something else that much more. And I knew I needed to cool things down with her if I was having these odd feelings. It made me nervous to even think about having that conversation. How upset would she be? Would she say horrible things about me? Guess there was only one way to find out.

When the day was practically over I finally made it back to the castle and smiled while seeing Ari. He was sitting at the end of the dock playing a guitar, Fyn standing at a respectable distance away. There were other guards out here as well, and more following me around. He looked up when he heard me approaching and smiled.

"Hey," he said while putting his guitar down.

"Hey."

"I'm surprised you're out here. You know, being all exposed and all."

I laughed while looking over my shoulder to see many guards on high alert. "They don't like when I come out here."

"Decide to turn into a bad boy?"

"More of like I'm avoiding going into the castle."

Ari looked at the castle before nodding. "I've felt that way a lot actually. But I'm sure your reason is different than mine so who are you avoiding?"

Instead of responding I asked, "What do you think of Genevieve?"

His eyebrows rose up into his hair as he dropped a leg off the dock. I could hear his foot splashing around in the water as he shrugged. "We've had this conversation before. And I've always said I thought you could do better, but you usually end up getting pissy. I mean you were the one who begged me to come here for a wedding that isn't even planned."

"I thought it would've been when I asked you to come here. I had everything in my mind all planned out but now, I'm not so sure."

Ari kept silent as he picked his guitar back up and slowly started to strum his fingers over the strings. "So you thought you were going to propose and you probably even have a ring. You had everything all planned out for this wedding that was going to happen. Then you met Philo and Louise and now the plans you had changed, or are changing." He looked up at me as his fingers started to strum a familiar song. "Did I understand that correctly?"

"Yeah," I said with a sigh while looking at the water.

"And now you're wondering what exactly to do? Are you thinking about whether or not to tell her?"

My shoulders sank as my frown grew. "No, I know I have to tell her. Wouldn't you want someone you love to tell you this?"

"Alex." When I looked over at him his fingers stopped strumming. "Do you actually love her, or do you love the idea of her?"

"What do you mean the idea of her?"

He looked down at his guitar as he started to play a different song. "You're first in line to the throne and you need heirs. People have been pressuring you to get married- not your parents but people around you. You were introduced to Genevieve and thought she was the answer you were looking for. Even though she's not from Gravensnod, she's always loved the idea of being royal. You know she would say yes if you proposed to her." He frowned as he looked back up at me. "That doesn't sound like love to me Alex. Love is raw and it takes everything out of you, and all you can think about is that person." I couldn't help but notice his eyes suddenly drift off into the direction that Fyn was standing. His eyes then quickly snapped back to his guitar. "I don't think you should settle for someone just because she'd fit your long term goals. And god, everyone in the world wants to sleep with you. There'd be someone out there who would fill her shoes way better."