Chapter 143 - You Aren't Real

Alexander opened his eyes in a room that looked similar to the one that he had back in Arimelari. The last thing he could recall was the fight by the Lake and the next moment he was there.

He went to sit up from the floor to find the other only to discover that someone's hand was holding him. He turned his gaze to find Francis gazing at him with gentle eyes.

He had a bright smile on his face as he stared at him. The love in his eyes was evident for him to see, it was something that he had lost a long time ago. Despite being with him by his side, he was not foolish not to notice that it wasn't the same.

He smiled at the male and raised his eyebrows to ask him what the matter was. Francis shook his head to him, he had no problem but after the lake. He felt like he was seeing Alex for the first, it felt like they had only met and he couldn't help but be mesmerised by him.

He had woken up a couple of minutes before Alex did and spent it staring at how beautiful the man was.. He could care less where they were or how they ended up there as long he had Alex by his side.

Just having to stare at him made him feel complete.

Alex's lips curled up into a beautiful smile, Francis's smile was contagious. He pushed his worry to the side and simply stared at the male.

Memories of their first year as a married couple flashed before their eyes. So much had happened between them that drove them part but finally they had found each other.

"You look beautiful," Alex complimented to him. Francis's smile increased feeling pleased by the compliment offered to him.

He could not describe in words he felt. The chains that tied him down had been removed and he was free now. Free to float in the clouds of love with his love.

Alex reached out to hold him, he turned away and moved back. "Not so easily. You will have to earn it if you are to touch me," he uttered in a teasing manner.

"Alright," Alex got up from the floor and accepted the challenge. He tried to catch Francis but the make dodged. Francis moved out of the way and ran to the bed.

Alex chased after him on the bed trying to catch him each time. Francis laughed from his heart enjoying the little game that he was playing with Alex.

It felt like a lifetime ago when the two of them were free to just embrace their love without so many worries.

"The sky can't have two suns in it and in the same way a kingdom can not have two kings," he uttered stopping in his tracks.

Alex caught him and wrapped his hands around him. The smile on their faces were never fading but Francis couldn't help the feeling that something was wrong.

He tried to ignore the feeling and just enjoy the moment with Alex but it was getting harder and harder to. He looked up to the wall and saw a painting of him and the king holding each other.

And right before them was Ander who was smiling. They looked like a happy family.

"Love," he called out to him.

"Mmh," Alex responded.

"When did we have that painting done?"he asked forcing Alex to look up at the hot to see what was going on.

Alex frowned, they had never had a painting done of the three of them. Alex let him go and moved to take the painting off the wall. He looked at the painting for a while trying to figure out who drew it.

There was no artists name on the painting and what's worse was fact that he seemed to recall the memory. Francis came close to him and tried to look at the painting from above his shoulder.

The King tilted his head to look at him. "Your breath on my skin is tempting," he uttered to him. "Too bad our son Ander will be home soon and we can't do anything together," he added biting his lower lip seductively.

Francis pouted at his last sentence. He had no idea what Alex was talking about. Ander was not going to school and he most certainly hated to be called their son. They had moved passed all the anger but they were taking baby steps and had not gotten to the son part.

"Alex baby, why did you say that?" he asked him.

"This painting. We had it made for his seventeenth birthday, he loved it a lot remember," Alex uttered hanging the painting on the wall.

"Ander has been on his best behaviour recently. I think we should gift him," Alex said.

Francis was left speechless, he had no blue as to why Alex was speaking like that. He talked as though they all had lived together and were one big happy family.

They were family yes, but the happy part was a working progress.

"Francis dear, why won't you say anything. Don't you feel like Ander has earned us giving him a gift," Alex asked sweetly.

"I don't think he will like anything from us, he is still not on good terms with everything," Francis let out to him.

"He is not in good terms with what darling? Did something happened to him, is he okay?" Alex inquired from him getting worried. "I must go to my son now," he added and rushed off.

Francis looked at the photo of the wall and wiped his eyes to make sure that he was seeing it right. It was not an image of the three of them anymore. It was a photo of Ander and himself alone.

There was a not written at the edge of the painting. He moved closer to read the words that were written on it.

'The best son a father could ask for,' he read from the painting and saw his sign on it.

It was strange but he remembered the memory in his mind like it had happened yesterday. He smiled at how proud he was of Ander.

"The king is right, we should reward our son," he said and turned around. Upon reaching the door he shook his head to clear his mind.

The memory of him giving the painting to Ander vanished from his mind. He turned around and looked back at the painting. It had changed again.

Ander was on the painting alone and he was crying. He walked back to the painting and grabbed it from the wall.

'You aren't real,' he thought as he stared at it. The paint in the picture moved around.

"You are the worst father in the world," he heard behind him and turned around. It looked like he was watching a memory that had come to pass. "You promised me that I could count on you always but you betrayed me," Ander said.

"No dear, I love very much," he saw himself say trying to comfort Ander.

"Then why did you refuse to allow me go camping. You told me that the king had refused but I just spoke to him and he said it was you who asked him too," Ander stated.

"You are the crown prince my dear and I don't think tha..."

"That I can handle myself, lets just call this as it is. You betrayed me," Ander said and slammed the door shut.

Francis found a tear trickling down his cheek feeling bad that he had hurt Ander. He was only concerned for his safety, he was a prince and that was why he said.

The King wanted to give Ander a gift but he could tell the king that their son was upset with him.

"I will apologize to him," he said putting the painting down. He walked out of the room to go and find Ander and apologise. He halted and pinched himself really hard.

"Ouch," he let out in pain. The pain brought him back to his senses. Ander was dead that he was sure of. He looked around and saw another painting, this time it looked like him and the King were posing for the painting. There was no sign of Ander.

He touched the painting and like the last time the paint danced around before a scene began playing before him.

"How dare you tell Ander the truth about his mother?" the king asked him funding mad. "What do you think of yourself Francis. We had made a promise to shield him from the truth forever them hoe could you go and do this to him?" he questioned.

"It came out in anger. I promise that I never meant to hurt him, I love him mor...."

"Save it, I don't want to hear your lies. The truth is that you can't stand Ander because he is Olivia's child," the king said and walked away from him.

"What the hell is this place?" he asked his heart filled with worry. It looked like a haunted house that haunted them with memories that could have been and manifesting their fears.

"I have to warn Alex," he said and rushed off.