Then You Look At Me

Chapter 29

After leaving the room, Alex went directly to the stables. The words his mother kept on screaming at him ran over his mind over and over.

"He's your brother...he's your brother...he's your brother..."

"No!!!!!!!" Alex shouted. The workers nearby all jumped from surprise when he bellowed in anger.They all looked at Alex with bewilderment and when he saw the way they were staring at him, he raised his voice at them.

"What?You think I'm a show to see?!Get back to work!"

Alex was almost near the stables when he heard someone calling his name. The sound of her voice made him groan out loud.

"This is not a good time Mia."

As expected of her, Mia didn't heed Alex's warning and simply stood there waiting.

"I'm going out." Alex said tonelessly. To which Mia replied with a "I can see that."

Alex didn't say anything anymore but Mia refused to be ignored. As Alex was about to leave, she said the only thing she can think of to stop him from leaving.

"Sam's your brother."

Alex's jaws were clenched tight when he was reminded again with the bitter truth. His eyes were so cold when he looked at Mia. "News travel fast."

"Well, it's kind of hard to ignore the Queen's repeated screams."

He looked at her again."Why are you here Mia?"

"You're hurt."

Alex looked down his shirt and saw the splattered blood. He's now starting to feel the pain from his wounds but he still turned his back to her and prepared to leave.

"Your Sam's more bloody than me. Why don't you go to him instead?I don't need you."

Mia's sharp intake of breath was plainly heard. Alex knew that it was wrong of him to say that but he doesn't care anymore. Blast it! He hurt all over. Inside and out. He's just too tired to care if he sounds like a cad.

"Stop pushing me away, Alex. And stop being a fool." Mia said.

He didn't say anything but still continued on his way. Each step separating him from Mia is like a hot poker to his chest but he just needs to be alone. The events that have unfolded is still not sinking fully for him.

It's just too much to take. To learn that the man he sees as competition to Mia's love turns out to be his half-brother. What a royal mess! Or not. Turns out he's not the King's son. He should be actually jumping for joy because upon the discovery of who his true father is, he's not obligated to be the next King.

But again, it's too late for that.

There is Sam. And he loves Mia. And if his suspicions are right, she loves him the same. Which leaves him totally out of the picture.

When suddenly, a shoe which fortunately isn't that heavy hit the back of his head.

"What the...???! Alex turned around and saw who was responsible for that "hit-the-spot".

A very angry Mia stood there...beautiful and proud...minus one shoe.

"If you think I'm going to let you go...then you don't really know me very well. You try to push me away again Alex and there are more where that shoe came from!"

Alex blinked once and Mia waited anxiously for his reaction. She just doesn't know what her next step will be if he continues to push her away.

The man stepped down from his horse and walked straight to where she stood. When there are just a few inches seperating them... Alex bent down his head and claimed her lips with a deep kiss.

The kiss went on and on and Alex enveloped Mia in a tight embrace. Mia and Alex were completely oblivious to the people staring open-mouthed at them. There was just the two of them and their kiss.

When they finally broke apart to take a breath, Alex kept her in his embrace and murmured something to her hair.

"What?" Mia asked.

Alex straightened up and looked down at his beloved face. "You're crazy."

"But you're my lovely crazy", he continued with a laugh.

Mia reached up to cup Alex's cheek and looked straight into his eyes.

"I love you".

Alex smiled and winced a little when he remembered the wounds to his lips. Funny, their kiss drove all thoughts of pain in his mind.

"And I love you."

"I'm sorry if I was a jerk to you." Alex apologized sincerely.

She only smiled and leaned in to his chest to have his arms automatically envelop her again in his warm embrace.

"Well, I still love you...jerk and all. So apology accepted."

The couple started to head back to the castle unaware that someone was still staring at them partially hidden from a wall.

When Alex and Mia were gone, the man didn't notice the tears streaming down his face. But someone did notice the tears and one other thing.

"Oh my God,mister. You're bleeding!" the woman said with alarm.

The man finally took notice of his wounds and looked at the woman before him. He cleared his throat when she still waited for him to say something.

"I know you. You're Sam, right?"she asked.

When Sam couldn't make his throat work and say something, he simply nodded.

The woman smiled gently at him and extended her hand.

"I'm not sure if she mentioned me but my name is Suzy."