I Will Protect You - BxB (BBC Merlin)

Chapter Eleven

Leo's P.O.V

I make my way through the corridors and back to my father. I get about halfway there when I realize what I have done. I've kissed him before but never around anyone else. It felt so natural. Nervously running a hand through my hair I start to freak out about actually doing that. 

"I can't believe I just did that," I say out loud. 

"Did what Leonardo?" father asks angrily. Great. This asshole. 

He angrily tells me to follow him. We make our way to the council chamber and he tells the guards not to let anyone in. The guards close the doors and wait outside. I watch him walk over and stand next to his chair and lay a hand on its back. 

"Why did you leave?" he asks. When I don't answer back fast enough he asks again but louder. 

After taking a calming breath I say, "I left because of what you said. I'm not marrying Princess Victoria. I don't know her and I don't even like girls." 

As soon as I finish my last sentence he looks at me with hatred. He storms over to me and I try to back up but he rushes me and grabs me by my throat before slamming my back into one of the columns. 

"Don't you dare say that! I will not let my son, the future king, be that way! Your mother may be okay with that disgusting behavior but I am not! You will marry her and forget your sick thoughts!" he says yelling at me.

He grips my throat tighter which makes it difficult to breathe. 

"Do you understand?!" he yells. I shake my head refusing so again he tightens his grip. "I am your father and you will obey me!" he yells. I hear the doors pushed open and my mother calling my name. He finally lets go of me before I pass out and I fall to the floor. Alex runs over to me and tries to help but before he reaches me our father back hands him. 

"Don't touch that filth!" father yells. Despite still being slightly dizzy I make my way over to Alex. When I get to him I hear father trying to approach us. 

"How dare you touch my family?!" I yell drawing my sword. 

"I am your family," father says blankly. "We may share the same blood but you are not my family. Alex and mother, they are my family. You are merely a man who contributed to my birth. I will not marry some woman I do not know nor love and you cannot force me," I say bitterly. 

"That's enough Leonardo," mother says in an eerily calm tone, "Soren... We need to talk alone." Soren looks at me and my brother with hatred before leaving with mother. 

"You do not leave my side, understood?" I say sternly to Alex. He nods and we leave the council chamber. While walking through the corridor Madelyn, Tristan's mother, rushes over to us along with the court physician Vincent.

Vincent tells Madelyn to take Alex to his room and he will follow after checking on me. 

"No. He's staying with me tonight. Got it Alex?" I say and he nods. The four of us reach my chambers and Vincent looks over Alex who sat on my bed. 

"You should be alright. I see no sign of swelling," he says looking at Alex's face. Alex thanks him so he comes over to me. He looks over my neck and sighs sadly. 

"This will likely bruise and I have nothing to help with that," he tells me but I assure him it's fine. Vincent leaves but Madelyn stays behind to assure we're both alright. 

"I'm sorry that this happened to you both," she says softly. "Leo, don't listen to what your father says. You are perfect just as you are. Both of you are." She hugs us both before leaving. I ask if Alex has my spare key and he nods so I go over to lock my door.