Anybody But You

62

Chapter Sixty-Two

Vibe: Feel Good by Gryffin & ILLENIUM

Alice hadn't made it out two steps from the palace doors when she heard a voice call out for her.

"Wait, Alice—" the prince stopped her, out of breath from running after her. "I'm sorry." He spilled out with a breath, grabbing her hands knowingly and unclenching them to reveal the beads of red. "I'm sorry—I didn't handle that right."

Hiding her hands from him as she pulled them behind her back, she shook her head with her eyes on the ground, "You were right though, your highness."

"Why do you want the crown, Alice?" He asked softly anyways, "I should have asked—I know you well enough to know you wouldn't want it without good reason." Tipping her chin up with his finger, he raised her bowed head. His black eyes stared into her blue ones patiently as he waited for her to answer.

Alice's eyebrows wrinkled as she felt confusion flutter inside of her chest while looking back at him. Swallowing, she pushed it down as she spoke, "Lucy was almost killed because the person that brought me back wants me to be the princess again." She whispered, the fear of what it all meant too strong for her to speak loudly. "People will keep getting hurt if I don't take it back... I can't do anything but take it back." Her wide fearful doll eyes looked up at him desperately. "I have to save Lucy from whoever is doing all this, Narcisse."

Narcisse bit his bottom lip, nodding before softly taking her face into his hands and pulling her into his chest as he embraced her, "I'm sorry I didn't understand you sooner." He murmured into her hair; his hand smoothing down the curls.

After a moment, Alice's stiffened body relaxed as she closed her eyes into the hug. Her fingers lightly curling into the material over his stomach.

Even though it only lasted a few seconds, for the first time in her life when Narcisse touched her, her mind was perfectly still and silent. His arms, for those rare seconds, giving her enough comfort to make her believe everything might be okay.

It had to be okay this time around.

~*~*~

A.N.

Not me over here crying over how fckn cute this entire thing is. Seriously obsessing over these two. I've given up not shopping them—Narcisse has grown so much as a person and I just can't. My heart, mans.

Thank you for reading! What are your thoughts? Do you like him?