Garroth's POV

I couldn't help but watch my little brother walk away with his fiancée, well aware of the deceit he has placed upon her. Not only has he decided to fool her, he must continue to try to keep up this façade he's created. He's a fool.

The remainder of the tour was short. I waited outside his chambers until I saw him stride up with immense pride to the wide doors. I stop him now by grabbing onto his arm, shaking him vigorously.

"You are truly a fool," I tell him, pushing open his doors to prevent wandering ears to further catch wind of this conversation. "An absolute fool. A liar. A cheat! Are you aware of the damage you are creating?"

"No damage will be done, dear brother," Vylad cockily remarks, turning towards me with over the top hand gestures. He quickly grabs onto the apple on his desk, sinking his teeth into it. "I've thought it all through! I did it this morning on my journey."

"Is that why you're covered in absolute filth? Along with your dirty lies? And your valet, Anthony, does he know how you have taken over his identity?"

I glance over to his desk, looking at the loose papers littering the surface, with books adoring them in piles. Endless words written as if he were writing them in a flash of imaginative thought and instead of grace and time. I know he sits at his desk, reading his literature and science and quickly scribbling down his ideas or factoids he finds interesting. His mind speeds faster than his hand can write.

"For a male so intelligent, you act incredibly uneducated."

Vylad places his hand on my shoulder, apple juice rubbing off onto the fabric. I cringe in disgust at his actions, but he continues to act mad. "You worry too much," he says, walking over to his door, pulling on the string that attaches to the ceiling. "I'm calling for Anthony to bathe. I wish you wouldn't doubt me as much as you do. I simply want to get to know the woman I'm going to marry through another set of eyes. Another identity."

I've repeated 'deceit' far too often in this conversation, where it does not feel like a word anymore. I do not have another word for what Vylad is doing to the princess. It's pure deceit and nothing but deceit.

"Identities are not a game of cards, Vylad. You cannot swap one out for another one. It simply does not work that way."

His plan is silly. Vylad believes in some twisted way that Alex will be completely content with the idea of being lied to. For being taken a fool out of. That all will be well when he admits to faking his position as a valet instead of his true status as a prince.

I believe that Vylad makes mistakes where he confuses people's emotions with science. How a sequence of events will lead to one conclusion. Rather, with human emotions, it's unknown. I believe that Vylad hasn't taken into account that he does not know Alex the way he believes he does, and she may grow upset with the truth.

But despite it all, he is still my brother. I have tried all attempts to convince him that his plan is doomed to failure, but he refuses to see it the way that an outsider would. All I can do now is either refuse to become a part of this plan, or I can accept the role he has laid out for me.

I feel like I'm going to make the grandest mistake in accepting.

"My valet is waiting for me," I say. "I best return to my own chambers."

"You won't regret this, Garroth. You'll see!"

The door slams behind me, causing me to halt in my walking and close my eyes with a sigh. Vylad has certainly bitten off far more than he can chew, and it is now all of our burden, if we like it or not.

I don't like it.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Vylad didn't come to dinner. His valet remained as far away from the dining hall as he could. My sister's lady has already begun to talk in hushed whispers with my own valet. Vylad claimed he felt ill and thought it was best to keep himself away from the visiting princess in fear that she may catch the sickness herself. Mother questioned if it was best that she visit him during this hour, but I had to come up with my own lie and suggested Kandi visit him after our meal finished. I know very well that Vylad will try his hardest to convince her to join his plan. And while he will fail, she will take part anyway. Vylad has far too much to use against her.

"It all feels like such a maze," Alex says, her eyes casting around the walls. I watch with slight amusement on how her head lifts and lowers her gaze to each detail on the wall. From the candles, to the wallpaper, to the golden frames adorning each portrait and painting. "Each hall seems the same, but yet so different."

"Meteli isn't like this either?"

"Not nearly as much gold," she jests once more, her smile crooked as she looks up at me. "Should I visit alongside the princess on her check up on the prince? It's worrying about his sudden illness."

I shake my head. "No, there's no need for that. If I thought it was worrisome, I would've called for a doctor rather than my sister. She's clueless on subjects such as these." I lead her to a nearby window. The breeze gently blows the curtains towards us, rustling her skirts. "Your chambers face the main garden. Before you rest for the night, step out to your balcony and stare out onto the field. The stars are beautiful in the scenery at this time of night. They shine off the water and glitter in the best ways."

"Do you spend a grand amount of time admiring the stars?"

"No, but Vylad does."