Chapter 5: Problem (Aria's POV)

It's been nearly thirty minutes. I've been standing here doing nothing while his parents basically interrogated him. They made him explain the entire experience two more times and kept asking what was going through his head and whatnot. I kind of felt bad for the guy. 

I stood there with guards on either side of me, who were ready to pounce if I moved the slightest. It's amusing really. I kneeled to tie my laces and they both jumped. It was too hard not to laugh, I should stop jesting. 

"This is ridiculous. I caught a local thief, why am I being interrogated?" Alexander groaned. 

"You are being interrogated because of the way you manhandled that young lady!" his father, the king snapped. 

Even I was a little scared. I straightened up and started taking the situation seriously. I don't think I can get away with what I did. But I just tried stealing his watch, why is it such a big deal? 

"Do you understand what a loss it would have been had she got away with it?" Alexander asked. "This is the last thing grandpa gave to me." 

That's why it's a big deal. 

"I know that. But was it worth showing the entire kingdom how you handle a girl? We didn't raise you to act like this with women, Alexander," his mom said softly. 

"Girl or not, she's a thief. She needs to be punished." 

For what? I couldn't even complete the theft. 

"She didn't steal. You stopped it before it happened. Now, how do you explain that to angry citizens who think the prince manhandles women and doesn't respect them?" his father asked rhetorically. 

"I don't care what the citizens think! She got what she deserved." 

Ouch.

"Really? Bruises on her wrist and arms? No girl deserves that," his mother said. 

That's not true though. I did deserve it, the prince was right in his shoes. They just don't know why I was trying to steal so they can't judge. Somehow, I'm painted out to be the victim. Even though I'm not? 

"Now what on earth can we do?" his father asked, turning to his wife. 

"Is reputation really that important?" Alexander asked. 

"As the royal family of this kingdom, yes," his dad replied. 

The queen hesitated to talk. "There is one way, but... it hasn't been done since your ancestors," she said, turning to Alexander. 

"Are you thinking of...?" The king trailed off questioningly. 

"What?" Alexander huffed in agitation, turning in his seat to glare at me. I flashed him a smile, making him swivel right back. 

"Royals marry royals. But there was a time when that wasn't necessary," his mother explained. 

"So?" he sighed. 

"So, if you marry her, no one has the right to question your behavior. I'm not saying marriage will justify you treating her poorly, it won't. The people will still be angry. But they'll stop asking questions. Nobody meddles with a married couple." 

"Are you suggesting I marry her?" he asked, clearly appalled. 

"I'm suggesting we do something to stop the questions," she sighed. 

"Your mother's right." 

"No, no she's wrong. I cannot marry that... thing." 

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics. 

"Be respectful," his dad said sternly. "And if you don't want to marry her, then find another solution to the problem that you've created." 

"I've created?" he scoffed. "No, she's created." 

"You do realize that you could have caught her without getting so physical, right?" his mom shot him a pointed look. 

He let out a low groan, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"All right, listen here now," his dad began. "Take her upstairs to your room." 

"What?" he laughed humorlessly. 

"Take her upstairs and take care of her injuries while we think of what to do. Both of you come back when we call for you and then... then we can decide what to do." 

"You want me to take care of her injuries? Where is the housemaid?" 

"It's her day off," the queen said. "Go." 

"Mother-" 

"Go," she said scoldingly. 

I bit back a laugh, standing still in my spot. Alexander stood up while mumbling curses and turned to me. "Follow me." He started walking and I quickly followed behind. I looked around the palace while following him. We went up one floor and his room was towards the end of the hall. He opened the door and walked in while I followed cluelessly. "Sit down," he barked. 

"Where? On the ground?" I asked sarcastically while setting my hat down on the dresser. 

"On the bed." He glared at me. I sat on the edge of the bed while he disappeared into the bathroom and came back out with a first aid kit. He tossed in front of me. "Clean your wrist." 

I opened the box, grabbing cotton and some medicine, slowly cleaning my wrist, blowing on the wound when it started stinging. I cleaned up some of the bruises and scratches as well, ignoring the way he stood there, eyeing me. Scrutinizing me. I looked up at him. 

"What?" he asked. 

"My back. I can't clean it." 

He took a deep breath before sitting behind me. I pulled my hair to one side and handed him a fresh cotton ball with medicine on it. "Don't you think you owe me an apology?" I asked, handing him the cotton. 

He didn't respond and lifted the bottom of my shirt. "For? Catching you when you tried to steal from me?" 

"For being so physically aggressive," I corrected. 

"You caused the problem, not me. Who steals from the prince anyway? You didn't think you could really get away with it, did you?" He pressed the cotton down on the wound, making me yelp in pain almost immediately. 

I turned around, smacking his hand away. "Be gentle, are you fucking stupid?" 

"Watch your mouth," he said, narrowing his eyes to slits. 

"Then be gentle, it hurts," I groaned, turning back around. He lifted my shirt and tried again, slower this time. "And I did get away with it. I know I would have if that man didn't remind you of who I was. You only knew my name, not my face," I mumbled. 

He didn't answer and continued cleaning. 

I winced, "It stings, stop, stop, stop." But he didn't listen. I started shifting. "Stop!" 

"Sit still."

"Alexander!" 

"I'm nearly done. Just sit still." I smacked his hand away but he grabbed my hand, pinning it to the mattress. "I said sit still, didn't I?" he said, speaking into my ear. 

"Well, it burns," I whined. 

He sighed in frustration. "Move up." I scooted forward a little. He resumed cleaning the wound but blew on it this time. "See? No need to whine," he mumbled once he finished before standing up. He tossed the cotton and closed up the box, placing it on the nightstand. He stood beside where I was sitting and looked anywhere but at me. 

"I wouldn't have tried stealing the watch if I would have known it was your grandfather's," I whispered. 

"You shouldn't have tried stealing it regardless of who gave it to me," he scolded. 

"Okay! I said I'm sorry, didn't I?" 

"Yeah, a real nice apology you gave to me." 

"At least I'm trying," I glared at him. "You aren't even apologizing for hurting me." 

"I didn't-" 

"You just cleaned and watched me clean the wounds you caused, all right? Don't you dare say you didn't hurt me." 

He narrowed his eyes at me and observed me silently for a minute. "I'm not going to marry you." 

"I don't want to either, for your kind information," I spat. 

"Then leave. Get out." 

"You brought me here!" 

He rolled his eyes, going and sitting in the chair at his desk. There was a knock on the door and the butler, Mr. Harry came in. "Your parents have requested you both come back," he said before leaving. 

We both stood up and once again, I followed him downstairs. I stood behind the chair that Alexander sat in and we both waited for his parents to say something. Anything. His father was pacing, clearly stressed. He sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and stopped. "You have to marry her," he shrugged. 

"No," Alexander shook his head. 

"This is unbelievable. I'm not marrying anybody. I'm only twenty-one." 

"Do you have any other solutions then?" the queen asked. She walked over, standing in front of Alexander. "Listen to me," she said softly. "Whatever happened today, is already done. It's happened and we can only work on improving the situation now. It happened even though it shouldn't have, but... Regardless, if we don't resolve this now, Alexander. You will be the one in trouble. As royals, we already have all eyes on us, don't we? Negatively and positively. If we can't fix this, if we don't even try, it'll all become negative and we'll receive..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say. 

"Backlash," the king finished for her. 

"Is anybody going to ask me?" I scoffed. 

Everybody turned to glare at me. But then the queen's eyes softened. "What do you wish for?" she asked. 

"I can't marry your son. Or, actually... your son can't marry me. He won't last." 

"Excuse me?" Alexander asked, standing up and turning to me. 

"Not that you want to," I rolled my eyes again. "It's not possible." 

"Why are you against it?" The king frowned in confusion, walking up to me. "You get the most luxurious life possible. And you become a princess. There is nothing but benefit in it for you." 

"Are you trying to bribe me?" I chuckled. 

"You're a thief," he reminded me. 

"I don't steal for fun, I have rent to pay." 

"Marry him, and you don't," the queen said. 

Huh. I didn't think of that.

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Chapter 5

what do you think aria's gonna say?

next chapter: selfish