The King’s Prisoner

The days after the wedding were filled with an unbearable tension that clung to the halls of the palace like a heavy fog. Every corner Thomas turned, he felt the eyes of the court watching him, judging him, as if they knew he was a prisoner in his own life. His marriage to Alexander had become the latest scandal to gossip about—whispers in the shadows, smirks behind closed doors.

Thomas spent most of his time in the training yard, pushing his body to the limits. He wielded his sword with more ferocity than ever before, each strike against the practice dummies a release of the pent-up frustration and anger that burned inside him. But no matter how hard he fought, how much he sweat, he couldn’t shake the lingering presence of Alexander.

The king had kept his distance since their last confrontation, but his presence loomed over Thomas like a dark cloud. Every time they crossed paths, Alexander’s piercing gaze followed him, a reminder of the promise he had made—to his sister, to his duty. But there was no escaping the truth that gnawed at his insides. No matter how much Thomas wanted to deny it, Alexander was not only a cruel king but also a force that had begun to invade his thoughts, his dreams.

One evening, after an exhausting day of training, Thomas retreated to his chambers, hoping for a brief moment of peace. But as soon as he stepped inside, he found Alexander waiting for him. The king stood by the window, looking out at the darkening sky, his hands clasped behind his back. He didn’t turn when Thomas entered, but his presence filled the room, thick with an unspoken tension.

Thomas froze in the doorway, his chest tightening at the sight of him. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice harsher than he intended.

Alexander finally turned, his cold blue eyes meeting Thomas’s. “I came to talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

Alexander raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. “Then listen.”

Thomas’s hands clenched at his sides. He didn’t want to listen. He didn’t want to hear anything from the man who had taken everything from him—his freedom, his sense of control, even his peace of mind. But there was something in Alexander’s tone that held him in place, something that made it impossible for him to walk away.

“Speak, then,” Thomas said through gritted teeth.

Alexander stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate. “I’ve been patient, Thomas. More patient than I’ve ever been with anyone. But this... tension between us... it cannot continue.”

“Tension?” Thomas’s voice was filled with disbelief. “Is that what you call this?”

“I call it what it is,” Alexander replied, his eyes narrowing. “You think you can continue hating me, pretending that we’re nothing more than enemies forced into a marriage neither of us wanted. But you know as well as I do that there’s more to it than that.”

Thomas took a step back, his pulse quickening. “You’re wrong.”

“Am I?” Alexander’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made Thomas’s skin prickle. “You’ve been lying to yourself, Thomas. Hiding behind your hatred because it’s easier than facing the truth.”

“And what truth is that?” Thomas spat, his anger flaring. “That I’m nothing more than your prisoner? That you’ve taken my life and twisted it to suit your own desires?”

Alexander’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, a flicker of something softer passed across his face—regret, maybe. But it was gone as quickly as it came. “I didn’t choose this marriage any more than you did. But I won’t deny that I’ve wanted you for years.”

Thomas’s heart skipped a beat, and he took another step back, his back hitting the edge of the bed. “Wanted me? You barely tolerated my existence when Julie was alive.”

Alexander’s gaze darkened. “Because I knew you hated me. And I couldn’t afford to let anyone see my weakness, not even for you.”

Weakness?king Thomas had known. Alexander was the embodiment of strength, power, and control. Hearing him speak of weakness was jarring, unsettling even. Thomas’s mind raced, trying to process the king’s words, but his heart beat wildly, emotions tangled and knotted in confusion.

“You never showed any sign of it,” Thomas said, his voice quieter now, less angry and more… uncertain. “You always acted as though I was nothing but an inconvenience.”

“I had to,” Alexander replied, his tone firm but not harsh. “You were my wife’s brother, her loyal protector. To care about you would have made me vulnerable, and a king cannot afford vulnerability, especially when surrounded by enemies.”

Thomas shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts that crowded his mind. He couldn’t allow himself to believe any of this. It was another manipulation, a way for Alexander to gain control. It had to be. “You’re still trying to control me. Nothing’s changed.”

Alexander moved closer again, and this time Thomas couldn’t back away. His legs felt heavy, like they were rooted to the floor. “I’m not trying to control you,” the king said quietly, his eyes locked onto Thomas’s. “I’m telling you the truth. I’ve always wanted you, Thomas, but I’ve never been able to show it. Not until now.”

“Then why did you marry Julie?” Thomas demanded, his chest tightening at the mention of his sister. “If you wanted me, why didn’t you—”

“Because I loved her, too.” Alexander’s voice was sharp, the rawness of the words surprising Thomas. “I loved Julie. But she knew, Thomas. She knew the way I looked at you. She could see it even when I tried to hide it.”

Thomas felt the ground shift beneath him. He didn’t want to believe it, couldn’t believe it. “She would have hated you for that. She loved you, Alexander. She would never have accepted this… this madness.”

“You’re wrong,” Alexander said, his voice softening. “She accepted it. That’s why she made me promise to marry you after she was gone. She didn’t want you to be alone, and she didn’t want me to be without you.”

Thomas’s breath caught in his throat. The weight of his sister’s final request felt heavier than ever. He had married Alexander for her sake, to honor her dying wish, but now it seemed that the situation was far more complicated than he had imagined. Julie had known the truth all along—about her husband’s feelings for her brother, about the bond that had been growing between them for years, unspoken and unwanted.

Tears stung at the edges of Thomas’s eyes, but he blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. “Why didn’t she tell me?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “Why didn’t she say anything?”

“Because she knew you wouldn’t have accepted it,” Alexander replied. “You would have fought it, like you’re fighting it now. She knew how much you loved her, and she didn’t want you to hate me for something neither of us could control.”

Thomas’s mind was spinning, his emotions a whirlwind of grief, anger, and something dangerously close to surrender. He wanted to hate Alexander, to despise him for everything he had done, but the king’s words—his honesty—made it harder to hold onto that hatred.

“I’m not her,” Thomas whispered, his voice barely audible. “I’m not Julie. I can’t be the person you want.”

Alexander stepped even closer, his hand reaching out to brush against Thomas’s cheek. The touch was gentle, almost tender, and it sent a shiver down Thomas’s spine. “I know you’re not her,” Alexander said quietly. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t find something together.”

Thomas closed his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. The warmth of Alexander’s hand on his skin was intoxicating, and for the first time, he didn’t pull away. A war raged inside him—between duty and desire, between loyalty to his sister’s memory and the undeniable pull he felt toward the king.

“I don’t know if I can,” Thomas whispered, his voice trembling with uncertainty. “I don’t know if I can forgive you.”

Alexander’s thumb brushed softly across Thomas’s jaw, and his voice dropped to a murmur. “I’m not asking for your forgiveness, Thomas. I’m asking for a chance.”

Thomas’s breath caught as the weight of the moment settled over him. A part of him wanted to push Alexander away, to reject everything he was offering. But another part of him—the part he had buried for years—was tempted to give in, to stop fighting and let whatever this was between them take its course.

Slowly, almost against his will, Thomas opened his eyes and met Alexander’s gaze. The king’s eyes were softer now, the harshness that usually defined him gone, replaced by something more vulnerable. It was a side of Alexander that Thomas had never seen before, and it made him feel both uneasy and strangely drawn in.

“I can’t promise anything,” Thomas finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But… I’ll try.”

It was the closest thing to an acceptance he could give, and Alexander seemed to understand that. The king’s hand lingered on Thomas’s cheek for a moment longer before he slowly withdrew it, his eyes still locked onto Thomas’s.

“That’s all I ask,” Alexander said softly.

For the first time since their forced marriage, something between them shifted. It wasn’t love, not yet. But it was something—a fragile beginning, an acknowledgment of the emotions that had been buried beneath years of resentment and duty.

As Alexander turned to leave, Thomas watched him go, his heart still heavy with the weight of the past but lighter with the possibility of what might come next.

The door clicked shut behind the king, and Thomas sank onto the bed, his mind racing. He had no idea what the future held, but for the first time, he allowed himself to imagine that maybe—just maybe—there was a way forward.

Even if that way was bound in chains of duty, desire, and a love he had never wanted to feel.

To Be Continued...

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