Hell's Heaven

Chapter 6

Ari had begun to pace the long corridor. She going to be one of the few people who had seen the shadow king in flesh! Not even the king's youngest son had not seen him since this day. Ari couldn't control herself anymore. She gathered up her skirt and took off towards the drawing room.

"Wow. Just, wow." Aiden said trying to process what his brother had just told him.

For the past half an hour Alex had come clean of his relationship with his bodyguard, William, and what he had done to conceal it from their father but failed. Aiden had always had his doughts about the way his brother and William had acted around each other, but he had never thought it would have been a relationship.

"I know you might think of me as an embarrassment to our family, Aiden, but please understand. Please understand that I can't hide how I am. Nor ignore it." His brother said. He sounded troubled. As if he was expecting Aiden to yell at him or slap him. Although Alex had been the older brother. He sometimes acted like he was the younger one. And right now, he was acting like he was Aiden's baby brother afraid that his big brother might scold him.

"N-no, Alex, brother, you're not an embarrassment." Aiden protested. "It's-it's just that, well, why didn't you tell me about this sooner? And, a better question, why are you telling me this now?"

"Beacuse," Alex said. "I saw the way you acted with Ari. I know you like her-"

"W-what? Pssshhh. No way! I don't like A-"

"Don't try to fool me Aiden. I know you like her and so do you." For the first time in their conversation Alex sounded a bit authoritative.

"Fine. Even if I liked Ari, I don't see how this has anything to do with you and William." Aiden crossed his arms over his chest.

Alex sighed. "Father wants his son to marry the princess of Arazona. He has two sons. He doesn't care how it is as long as one of us marries her." He said. "What I'm saying is that if I don't want to marry her, you can."

Aiden stared at his brother, wide eyed, in shock. He could not believe what he was hearing. His brother, who's about to marry the girl likes, what's him to have her. "Brother, are you...are you sure? You're letting me- giving me -your fianceé?" Alex nodded and then smiled. "We both get what we want this way."

"So what you're saying is, your majesty, that my Alex is in love with that pesent boy?" Ari demanded.

That is right princess. The shadow king had been nothing like what Ari had imagined. Sure she had heard rumours about what he looked and act like from the court but she never expected him to talk with his mind. Not to mention him having unhuman like black skin. How on earth does both his sons have normal skin? But none of these topped what he had told her. Alex, Ravenscar's king, her future husband, her kingdom's future ruler, is gay?

"But, your majesty, Alex never mentioned any of this to me. Surely he would have told me about it if it was true." Ari said. "I am his soon-to-be wife after all."

Yes, yes. He would have told you. The cloaked figure shifted in his seat. But what if he's hiding it from you? Ari couldn't see the shadow king's face, but she could feel an evil grin run across his face. What if he likes this 'pesent boy' more than he likes the princess of Arazona. What if-

"Enough!" Ari got to her feet. Her heart was pounding in her chest. The though of Alex -her Alex- in love with a pesent. And a boy!

How dare you raise your voice at me, princess Aria?

"I-I..." Ari hadn't realised what she had done until the king pointed it out. "I'm terribly sorry, your majesty. I was- I was just..."

I know, I know, princess. You can't belive me. You love Alexander too much to see what he truly is. He drew out his ink-black hand and a raven landed on his forearm. But you can belive your own eyes.