Magnet (Jalex Fanfic) [DISCONTINUED]

6: Wrong?

The morning came and Alex went through her normal routine, waking up, getting dressed, and then traveling back to the bottom floor for breakfast. 

Her heels clicked against the floor as she entered the dining hall, seeing the long table with Zach waiting for her. Alex sat on the other end of the table, across from Zach. The maids left them alone in the room to cook and deliver their food.

They usually ate silently, not sparing each other a glance. They'd say something every once in a while, but it was usually just to break the awkward tension between the two.

Alex looked down at the table, not knowing where Zach was looking. She thought back to what Jade suggested the night before, talking to him about it. Would this be a good time to bring it up? Or is it too soon?  

"Hey, Za-"

"Two gay men were found in the village last night," Zach interrupts, bringing up news. Of course, when he felt tension he'd always bring up news of what had recently happened. But this... this was an interesting thing to bring up to her. "Oh?" Alex responds, wanting to know more without sounding suspicious. 

... why was she worried about such a thing??

"Well," Zach began, "they had done a good job of hiding it. Both had a wife, they all lived together, but a neighbor of theirs snitched on them. They've been arrested, and their wives are being questioned to see if they're homosexuals as well." He explained, a maid came in and placed food in front of the two of them before leaving the room once again. Alex nodded. Of course, this thing always happened. 

"Why can't people just follow the laws of the kingdom?" Alex questioned, warranting a shrug from Zach. This is all she's known. Yes, it was wrong by law. Every month or so gay couples would be separately executed. Depending on how long they've been together estimates on if they get executed in public or not. "Exactly, it's not like we don't let it be known that it's wrong. People really just want to feel like Romeo and Juliet don't they?"

"Actually, it'd be more like Cinderella and Juliet, considering how they try to run," Alex jokes, awkwardly laughing at her comment. Zach nods, clearly taking this crime more seriously. 

"Anyway," Zach shrugs off, "you wanted to say something?"

"O-oh, right!" Alex exclaims, remembering what she was originally gonna talk about. She began having doubts in it, maybe she'll talk about it another time? Now was clearly too tense and serious to have a talk like that now. 

Yeah, another time...

Alex chuckles nervously, "y'know what, it isn't important. Never mind." She dives into eating her breakfast as if she was attempting to hide behind her food. "Are you sure? You never want to discuss anything with me," The prince questions, Alex lets out more nervous laughter, her mouth full of food so she only waves her hand dismissively.

Zach looks at her with suspicion before turning to his food, "Alright then..."

Alex quickly finishes off her breakfast, taking the plate and standing up. The two barely gave each other a glance as she exited the room. Closing the heavy wooden doors behind her, she took a deep breath. The air was so thick with tension in there, she almost couldn't breathe.

After a moment of calming down, she takes her plate to the kitchen. "Princess Alex?" a maid questions as she proceeded to wash her dish with the other servants. "Hmm?" Alex hums, causing the maid to glance from Alex's hands to her face with confusion. "W-we can do that for you..!" She offers, Alex laughs nervously, "No, no, I've got this, don't worry!"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive!"

With that, the maid let her be. Alex washed up her plate and stacked it with the rest before heading out of the kitchen. She began to make her way towards the place she always goes, the garden.

Pushing open the door to be met with bright sunlight, it was warm and welcoming. She walked out, hearing the grass beneath her feet, kicking off her heels, and walking through the garden barefoot. 

Compared to the cold, dark castle, this place was her escape despite still being at the castle. Passing the trees and flowers. Eventually, she approaches a stone bench. She was strangely happier today, it was probably because of Jade she thought.

Speaking of which, she turned to her right to see lilies growing there, pure white, like the ones she wore in her hair. Alex picked one and looked at it with a warm smile. It reminded her of Jade, all the way down to the smell. It made her strangely happy, strangely comfortable.

"What'cha doing?"

"AH!" Alex yelped, dropping the flower and turning to look at the voice who asked that. There stood the head knight, Jax. He was currently off-duty, telling by him wearing raggedy clothing instead of being in his armor. Alex sighed of relief, "Jax, it's just you..."

Being in the garden isn't all that lonely. She'd sometimes make friends with the guards, two of her friends being Jax and another guy named Levi. Jax and Levi were best friends, and with the addition of Alex, they had their little trio. 

Granted, they weren't particularly close- at least Alex wasn't- however it was nice to have some kind of company. They'd hang out together more but Jax and Levi have their job to do. Alex wishes she were a guard sometimes, her life certainly wouldn't be as boring, that's for sure. 

Jax plops next to her, looking at the flowers. "You seem to like lilies more recently," he comments. Really, ever since she met Jade they've reminded her of the fairy. It was a nice feeling. But that'd be weird to say! Alex decides to dance around it, "Yeah," she laughs, trailing off as the two stare at the flowers.

A moment passes. She princess decides to speak, "Did you hear about—"

"The homosexual couple recently found in the village?" Jax interrupts. So it's been on his mind too, Alex thinks. 

She nods, "Yeah, I was recently told about it, and I know homosexuality is wrong, but I don't know how to feel about this situation..." she admits, looking to the grass. 

Jax looks to the sky, thinking a moment, "If I give my thoughts on it, promise not to tell anyone else?" He requests, Alex nods in response, alerting him to go on. 

He takes a deep breath, "I honestly don't see what's so wrong about homosexuality," Jax confesses, "It's love, just like everything else. I don't think it should be a crime, let alone one punishable by death."

This was new. Alex had never seen such an interesting take on it, her whole life she's been taught it's wrong. Alex was about to express her disagreement, but Jax interrupts once more, "I know what you're going to say, but I'm only asking for you to think about it. What truly makes it wrong?"

It goes quiet again, a familiar tension builds. A minute or two passes of sitting in this uncomfortable silence before Jax gets up and stretches, "Well, I'm off," he states, starting to walk off but stopping midway and looking towards Alex, "I'm not saying homosexuality isn't a sin, and I swear I'm not gay myself, I'm just saying it's a bit barbaric to punish them by death, y'know?"

Before Alex gets to say anything, Jax walks out of her sight. Not like she was going to say anything, the conversation left her in shock. Is it really humane to punish people for loving who they love?

Gah, what is she thinking?! Of course it's wrong, in every which way! Its just like murder and theft, it's wrong and you shouldn't question why it's wrong, it doesn't need to be questioned. It's  common sense!

Despite her efforts to try and shut down the question, it still lingered in the back of her head.

Was it really all that wrong..?

...

Note! Homophobia is wrong and only used as a plot point in this story. Even those who are questioning if it's wrong still have some homophobic views and it's because of how they were raised. It's not at all a sin, a crime, or a wrong doing. Loving the same gender isn't sinful, and should be treated just as fairly as heterosexual relationships. Just wanted to let you know <3