Chapter 16 (The Explanation) {Part 1}

Hello my lovelies! I just wanted to spend this time really quickly to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, for getting me to 2k reads!! It is so freaking awesome and I can't believe it! Please continue loving my story, it means so much to me that everyone loves it and I'll continue writing! Now here is what you've all been waiting for! Enjoy!

Edward (POV)

The angry look on Alexios face seemed permanent as he paced against my hardwood floors. His heavy boots made loud thumps with each smack of his foot as he continued walk. He hadn't stopped this motion since we got in here 10 minutes ago. I had forced him to come with me to my room so we could talk, but no talking had emerged as he seemed to be lost in his own world. I was still very curious on what had happen to him, but he was ignoring my presence.

"Lex, maybe you should... take a break?" I asked a little cautiously. I didn't want to be, but after what I had seen earlier today with our father, I hated to admit that I was a little scared of him. Though, I used his nickname as a way to bring him back to me, and to let him know I was still here. He stopped his pacing and turned to me with a frown. We watched each other for a few minutes before I gave him a light smile. I patted the spot next to me on the bed and Alexios sighed. He gave me a grimace, which was my thought as to him trying to smile, and came to sit next to me anyway. It was once again silent as we both pondered over our thoughts. It made me feel a little uneasy on how awkward this situation was. We had always been very carefree and fun, never have we been so awkward at a situation like this.

I was about to open my mouth, just to make the situation a bit less awkward, when Alexios spoke: "So, I guess you wanna know what happened... huh?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. I swallowed and nodded, licking my chapped lips. He sighed and dragged a hand down the side of his face. He then chuckled and shook his head. He turned to stare at me, a small smile on his lips and a disbelieving look on his face as he watched me. "I can't believe how much you've grown," he murmured. He then shook his head again a cleared his throat. "This is going to be hard for me, so... please bear with." He spoke. I nodded, despite him not looking at me and waited for him to begin.

"The day that I 'died', dad wanted to go hunting. Dad just wanted it to be the two of us out there, in the 'wildernesses. He didn't want any guards like usual. He said he wanted to show me how to hunt without them breathing down our necks. I wasn't too fond of guns then, but I did love father, so I went anyway." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "That day, we were hunting a deer. Off in the distance we spotted one. According to dad, it was impressive." He chuckled lowly and shook his head, "I wouldn't know. I still don't know. I guess it was impressive but I was more focused on the fact that I had to shoot it, rather than how big it was.

"So, we start sneaking up on it when it turns its head and spots us. Dad makes us stop, but apparently, its eyes widened and it took off anyway. Dad told me it wasn't my fault that they usually did that when we were spotted us coming near it. Though, I couldn't help shake the feeling that something was off. That's when we heard the crunch of leaves behind us." He froze as he frowned. "I don't know how it got there, or how we didn't notice it or anything like that. All I remember is dad's eyes widening as something started to sniff at us. I really don't remember much of what happened next," he said truthfully, rubbing a hand against his cheek and frowning more. He shifted on the bed, as if he were uncomfortable as he tried to pick out his next words.

"You don't have to –"

"All I really remember next is the bear beside me as I tried to run, or in front of me. Or maybe it was a wolf. I really can't remember exactly either. Then, I felt a claw in my stomach and the next thing I know, dad is carrying me running back to the castle." He said all in a rush. I didn't mind him cutting me off, I was more surprised that he was attacked by an animal and I never knew about it. I mean, wouldn't dad put up signs to warn his people about them? Every time there is a 'bear' or 'wolf' attack, dad is always on top of it to make sure that people stay away from the woods and send specialists out there to kill it. Is this why? Or is Alexios lying about it all, just to save dad?

He turned to look at me and sighed. "I can see you don't really believe me," he murmured. I opened my mouth to object but he suddenly stood up and tugged off his shirt. My mouth opened in surprise. Not just because he was ripped, (which is something I definitely shouldn't be getting at. Bad Edward!), but also because of the multiple scars crisscrossing his frame. I felt my mouth get dry as he pointed to a set of scars against this abdomen, like a figure scraped him there. Four long lashes that started from the middle of his stomach all the way to the other side and almost dipping below his pants. "See? This is where it happened." I nodded slowly, mutely as I continued my gaze against his torso.

"What...?" Though, I didn't finish my question as he swiftly put his shirt back on and sat down.

"I don't want to talk about it." He spoke. I knew that he was speaking about his other scars without him even telling me, so I respected his wishes and waited for him to continue the story. It was a long moment as we both waited for something to happen. "I then remember waking up and mom was crying and dad was furious. Though, the only thing I wanted was you... and you weren't there." I flinched at this. I was with Jack at the time. It was my fault.

As if sensing my distress, he turned to me and gave me a soft smile, "It wasn't your fault, Ed. If anything, it was mine. I knew how you felt about mom and dad, but I wanted to becoming king and I wanted to make dad proud of me. If I took care of my little brother first, then my responsibilities second, then that situation probably wouldn't have happened. And maybe, I would've been fit to rule."

"No Alexios! It was my fault I was upset and angry that you got all of their attention and so I went off so they would have to look for me and, and –"

"Is that what you think?" He asked, his tone sounding pitiful. I stared at him in awe. What they hell does he mean 'is that what I think'? It's what I know. "It wasn't your fault, Ed." He spoke. "It couldn't have been your fault. It's like saying that the Titanic was sunk because Jack decided to be on there that day. That's like saying it was my fault that dad shipped me off to another island before actually checking if I was dead!" He choked at the last sentence and I felt myself stop breathing. Dad did... what? "No, Edward that's not where I was –fuck. Eddy, that's not how I wanted to say it." He stammered out.

"He just... he just sent you away? You weren't actually in that... in the..." I couldn't finish the thought. He sighed deeply and rubbed his temples. The silence crept out as I waited for him to start talking.

"I didn't find out about it until Jen and Ben told me –"

"Whose Jen and Ben?" I asked. Then my eyes widened. "Is that who you've been living with? Is that the people you were with all this time? Where?" I knew I was throwing questions at him, left and right, but I couldn't help it.

He held his hands up in a 'hold up' moment. "I'll explain it all to you, but I guess I have to start from the beginning. Well, I won't tell you my entire life, just what you need to know. Shortened down for ya, ok?" I felt myself swallow before nodding. "You have to promise to let me talk without interrupting me, ok?" I nodded again. He sighed deeply again and opened his mouth to speak.

Hello again my lovelies! Soooo freakin' sorry for leaving it when it just gets to the good part but I thought it would be kind of funny. No? Well, that's ok, I'll try next time. Though, for kind of a 'thank you' letter to you all, I may be posting another chapter tomorrow just because I feel generous. Deal?

Please don't hesitate to leave a comment below and to hit that vote button it means so freaking much to me! Please also leave below any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors and I will happily fix them! Thank you guys again for reading and getting me to 2,000 reads, it's so amazing! Have a wonderful day/ night! (1465)