The Seven Sins

21. The Snake

A few days later, I tried to explain to Gideon how much the world had changed. How people now went with she/him/them/they, that there is pansexual, asexual and much more. But he had so many questions, and I couldn't answer them all. So, when we went to bed, I portalled home and printed out some research for him to give him the next morning. He wasn't pleased when I handed over the papers. Not because of the information which he went through in half a day, but the fact I went home without telling him. Even though I reassured him I was fine, and nothing happened, he insisted to inform him the next time around.

We were riding through the edge of the woods inside the safety perimeter of Gideon's home. We stopped at a small clearing with a pond and Gideon used the open space to ride in fast pace around the pond. His hair whipping in the wind and carefree look on his face.

"I've never seen you like this." I said as he stopped before me, flushed.

"Like what?" He said, running his fingers through his long hair, trying to make it look less like a birds' nest.

"Smiling, laughing... free."

"I smile." He said deadpanned.

"The few times I've seen you in the past months, you always looked so serious. The first time I noticed a little amusement in your expression was when I fought against Lucien."

"If you could call that a fight." He smiled, showing of his dazzling white teeth. "I tried to be neutral towards you because it has been a long five hundred years."

"You wanted to be careful. I get it, truly. Your brothers explained as much." I reached over and gave his hand a quick squeeze. "And the whole Pride thing isn't easy either."

"Pride?" His brows shot up.

"I know you two are close. And with Pride's hate towards me."

"His hate?" His brows gathered together.

"Maybe not as much now as it was in the beginning, but there is still some there."

"Why do you think that?"

"Just how he reacts or just simply say things that give that impression." I scratched my neck. "I know it's not just hate." I looked him in the eye. "Promise me you won't tell him..."

"I promise."

"I know about his 'claim'."

Gideon sucked in a deep breath. "H-how do you know that?"

"That doesn't matter." I waved the question away. "I know more than you think. I know it isn't an official claim, and he should be grateful for it, or he wouldn't survive our month together. I'm not someone's trophy. If I choose to marry anyone, it would be my choice."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, Gid. Like I said, I know enough. I know when and how it happened. I know it all, except the why, since he seemed to hate me most of the time." I shook my head. "But I know I still have a choice. I just get why you tried to keep your distance and not let your mask fall in front of me."

"Well." He straightened on his horse, a smile forming on his lips. "That mask fell rather quickly once you stepped in my home."

"That's my secret power." I winked. "Come one, let's head back."

"Good plan, I'm starving."

We rode back to the castle as our conversation shifted to what movie we were going to watch that night. All of the princes had been addicted to movies and series from the moment I showed them. Lucien and Gideon even stole my laptop to watch a movie when I was away training with Wymond or Sevrin.