Hello again! I'm back with a new multi-chapter fic! This is a very short (and quite cheesy) story, so I really hope you like it. I don't want to say much about it because I want you all to discover what I have in store for Malec through the chapters. Also, the number of words per chapter will vary greatly. There will be very short chapters (1K words) and long chapters (3-5K words), so bear with me, okay?

Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to let me know what you think! Also this is not your typical historical fic, so tread carefully, if you're here for historical accuracy then this isn't your story ;)

Chapter 1

—o—

—o—

December, 1763.

Dear Stranger,

I don't even know how to start this letter. As you well know, I'm not very good with words, and if I'm completely honest, these are the hardest I've ever had to write. These past few months with you have been the best in my life and that is why, asking you what I'm about to ask you breaks my heart completely. I know it's not what either of us wanted, but sometimes things are like that. I'm sorry for doing this, but we have to stop seeing each other for good.

I know we promised a future together. I know that just yesterday I promised to go with you later this week to start our life together, but now that I've had some time to think about it more clearly, and after a long conversation with my father, I've realized that I can't do it. Despite everything you make me feel, despite my heart's true desire, I can't do it. I can't let down my family like that...I wish I could, believe me, but I can't. They need me and my marriage is the only solution for my family at the moment. I didn't know it, but we're going through some financial problems and my siblings are still young, so it all falls on my shoulders. I know it's hard to accept, but I really hope you can understand it and forgive me.

Getting to know you has been the best experience of my life. I will always cherish what we created and keep close to my heart all the incredible moments we spent together in our shared spot at the park, learning from each other and growing in love.

Please don't hate me for this, you better than anyone know that there are some things that are not in our control. I hope you find some kind of happiness in your own marriage. And, please? Don't forget about me, okay? Know that you will always be my one and only love...the only one.

With love from the bottom of my heart.

Your Thief.

—o—

September, 1763.

Alec opened his eyes and sighed loudly. Today was his 18th birthday, and even though that meant he was now a full-fledged adult, he felt completely miserable. Turning eighteen was a big deal, but only because it meant that he had finally reached the age to get married. Society would now expect him to choose a partner who best suited his family's needs, and engage in marriage—and Alec hated that.

He hated the fact that he couldn't choose the person who would be his companion for life. He hated the fact that he was forced to marry someone he did not love. And he hated even more the fact that the decision fell entirely into his parents' hands. What could they know of what he wanted in a partner? They didn't even know that he preferred men because he didn't like women.

But either way, woman or man, Alec wanted to be the one to choose it, but unfortunately he couldn't. It was unfair, yes, but he lived in a society where the possibility of choosing your own fate was not even an option. Children, even grown men as Alec was now, didn't have a say on the matter—not even because it was their futures the ones at stake.

And that was why Alec was miserable. He already knew what would happen in the next couple of months; he already knew what he would have to endure and the thought made him completely miserable. All his life Alec had dreamed of a romance. An epic one like the ones he had read in his books. He wanted to feel the butterflies that all those writers talked about, he wanted to feel his head spinning after his first kiss, he wanted to be head over heels for someone, he-

"Happy birthday, big brother!" His younger sister, Isabelle, entered his room, interrupting his reverie.

It was very early in the morning, so she was still wearing her nightgown, but that didn't diminish her beauty. Sometimes it surprised Alec how beautiful his sixteen-year-old sister was. It didn't matter what she was wearing, she always looked stunning. There was no doubt that Izzy, as they all called her for short, was the most beautiful girl in the entire city—if not in the entire country.

"Thanks, Izzy." Alec said with a smile. "But, can we pretend that I'm still not eighteen? I mean, I already came to terms with my impending fate, but I don't want to think about it just yet."

His sister just nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. "You think our parents are going to make you marry someone right away?" She asked.

Alec nodded. His parents had already warned him about it. His mother had been very clear when she had said that the sooner he was married the better.

"Have they already chosen someone?"

Alec shrugged because he didn't know. His parents were friends of the creme de la creme of Alicante, Idris' capital city, so it was really a matter of time before they chose someone.

"I'm sorry, Alec." Izzy said, climbing the bed until she was lying beside him.

"Don't be." He said, welcoming her in his arms as he had done since they were little. "It's how things have to be, but tell me...how are your cooking lessons going?"

"I'm a disaster!" Izzy exclaimed distressed. "I can't even boil water without burning it."

"Izzy, water can't get burned." Alec pointed out.

"Precisely my point, big brother! Imagine how bad I am if I can get water to burn."

Alec laughed despite his listless mood.

"I don't know how I'm going to-" Izzy was saying when the door of Alec's room opened again and his other two siblings walked in; Jace, their adoptive brother who had Izzy's same age, and Max, their little baby brother.

"Happy birthday!" They exclaimed in unison.

"Thank you." Alec said with a tiny smile on his lips.

Max jumped into the bed and immediately handed Alec a gift. "We got you something!" He announced in all his 9-year-old cuteness. "I chose it!"

Alec smiled broadly and opened the package, ripping the wrapping within seconds. It was a beautiful writing set. The box was made of mahogany and had Alec's initials 'A.G.L' engraved on the top. Inside, there were seven interchangeable silver nibs, two bottles of ink, some sheets of parchment, and a quill.

"It's beautiful!" Alec exclaimed, trailing his fingers through the engraving and feeling the difference in texture where his name stood out from the softness of fine wood.

"You really liked it?" Max asked hopefully.

Alec shook his head. "I didn't just like it, Max, I loved it!" He said, giving his little brother a hug. "You chose well."

"See?" Max said, turning around to face Jace. "I told you he would like it."

"Alright, Max." Jace said. "I'm sorry for doubting you."

"Jace said you wouldn't like it," Max continued, "but I thought it would be good for you to have one for when you're no longer here. That way you can write us letters all the time."

Alec tried to smile even though those words had reminded him of what was yet to come. Everyone, even his little brother, knew that he would be leaving soon. When? He wasn't sure, but it would be sooner rather than later.

"Anyway," Izzy said, clearly sensing the sudden tension in the room, "as much as I'd like to hang out here all morning in your room, big brother, we all have to get ready for your party. Come on, Max! Let's go dress up, and you too, Jace!"

"We'll see you later!" Max exclaimed, jumping out of bed and running from the room.

"You okay?" Jace asked, before joining Max and leaving the room too.

Alec nodded and put on his best smile. "Of course, go get ready. I'll see you all in a bit."

"Alec…" Izzy said. She was standing in the doorway, watching him with sad eyes.

"It's fine, Izzy. Don't worry, okay?"

"Okay, but remember that we love you, alright?"

"And I love you all more."

o-o-o-o-o

When his party finally came to an end, Alec said his goodnights and hurried to his room. He wanted to be alone for what little was left of his 'very special day,' but apparently his parents had different plans in mind.

"Alexander, wait!" His father exclaimed from the hallway downstairs.

Alec sighed. He hated when people called him using his full name, especially when it was his dad the one who did it. "Father, can I help you with something?" He asked, poking his head from the railing of the staircase.

"We need to talk."

"Can it wait until tomorrow? I'm very tired." He confessed. He hated parties and he had just spent a whole day enduring one, so he wasn't joking, he was physically and mentally exhausted.

"No." His father said and pointed to the door of his office, letting Alec know that they would have a private conversation whether he liked it or not.

Alec sighed again and dragged himself into his father's office. The place was enormous; it had a huge bookshelf that covered an entire wall, a double desk, and some couches. He wasn't surprised to see his mother sitting in one of them. He knew they both wanted to talk to him.

"What do you want to talk about?" He asked, trying to rush the inevitable. He already had a hunch of what they were going to tell him.

"Your mother and I wanted to inform you," his father said, "that we have started talks with some of the best families in the city and surrounding areas."

Alec sighed. Those weren't breaking news, he already knew that. "Okay." He said.

"We will let you know when we have chosen one, but know that we're working on that." His father continued.

"Anything else?" Alec asked, trying not to sound rude.

"What? No arguments on your side?" His mother asked. "Last week you lost your temper when I talked to you about it."

"Are you going to change your mind and let me marry whoever I want?" Alec asked.

"No." His parents said firmly.

"Then, I don't see the point to continue wasting my time arguing with you. You already chose what you want for me and there's nothing I can do about it. May I go to my room now?"

His parents shared a look and nodded. "You may go...have a good night, Alexander."

"Yeah, you too." He murmured, closing the door of his father's office and running to his room.

Now more than ever, he wanted to be alone. He felt so miserable. Why life had to be like that? Why couldn't he just choose freely? He understood that parents chose partners for their children to give them a better chance, but Alec couldn't wrap his head around the idea of marrying someone without love. What kind of life was that? He wondered, walking to his window and looking out.

The night was a bit foggy, something that used to happen frequently in the city. Alec opened the window and tried to breathe September's cold, but still somehow warm, air. When he was younger he used to love this time of the year, besides being his birthday, he loved to go out with Izzy and later on with Jace, to crush leaves and enjoy the amazing weather. However, since he had been old enough to realize that growing up was inevitable and that he would have to fill some expectations when he came to age, September and therefore his birthday, had become the worst time of the year.

"Happy end of your life, Alec." He whispered to himself, as he looked at the people walking around the city despite the late hour.

Were they as miserable as he was? He wondered. They didn't look as if they were having a bad time, on the contrary, they looked free. Free as he hadn't felt in a very long time. The last time he could remember feeling remotely free was when he was a kid and used to sneak to the rooftop with his siblings to look at the stars.

Alec looked up, searching for that familiar dotted canvas, but there was a lot of fog blocking the view. He sighed, longing for that feeling of freedom that he associated with a starry night. Now he was an adult, but nothing had really changed. He was still trapped, he was still imprisoned in these four walls.

Suddenly, a rebellious urge struck him, and without thinking twice, Alec grabbed his coat and after locking the door of his room, climbed down the window and got lost in the city. He wanted to feel free again and for that, he needed to see some stars. He didn't know where he was going, but he wouldn't stop until he found the perfect spot. Even if that meant walking to the outskirts of the city.

Perhaps it was the sudden realization that he was a grown man, but tonight nothing and no one would stop him.

o-o-o-o-o

Alec walked and walked for nearly an hour until he reached a small park almost on the edge of the city. It was deserted there compared to the main town, but Alec appreciated the solitude. He had always been a very solitary person who enjoyed the pleasure of his own company.

Alec took a deep breath and sat down on the grass, looking to the sky and coming face to face with a beautiful starry night.

It amazed him how much of a difference a few miles could make in relation to the sky. Unlike in the city, here he could see a plethora of stars of all sizes and even the trail of the Milky Way, splitting the sky into two. If he stretched his hands high above his head, he could almost feel as if he were touching them. The feeling was so liberating that it sent shivers all over his body.

"What are you doing, you thief!?" A voice said. "That's my spot!"

Alec turned around to see a man approaching him. He looked young, probably a year or two older than Alec, and he was handsome—very, very handsome. Alec couldn't help but notice how elegant he was dressed, with fancy dark red clothes and a black velvet coat that made him look both mysterious and sexy.

"Ex-excuse me?" Alec asked confused.

"You are sitting in my stargazing spot." The man said again.

"I didn't know you owned this park."

"I don't own it, but that's my spot." The man insisted.

Alec was not in the mood to argue with anyone, not even with a handsome gentleman like the one he had currently before him. He just wanted a place to escape from the prison he called home, a place where he could be free if only for a couple of hours.

"The park is very big, I'm sure you'll find some other spot to claim." He said.

The stranger didn't say anything at first, and simply plopped down next to Alec. "I'll let you have it for tonight." He said, with a smile. "You seem to need it more than I do."

Alec chuckled.

"Did you have a bad day?" The stranger inquired.

"Something like that."

"I've heard that sometimes it's good to share your problems with strangers." The man said tentatively.

Alec looked at him. Telling everything to a complete stranger didn't sound like the best idea, but at the same time it did. This man would not judge him, right? He would just listen and probably tell Alec that he was being a fool for wanting something that he simply couldn't have. So he decided to take a leap of faith and share everything with him. From his hatred for his own birthday to the arranged marriage that was yet to happen.

The stranger listened attentively, without interrupting Alec once. When Alec was done, the man just sighed and started to share his own problems. Alec was surprised to discover that this man was going through something very similar. His father also wanted him to get married soon and he was, like Alec, just waiting for the fateful announcement.

"So we share the same pain." Alec concluded.

"It looks like it."

They smiled at each other and suddenly the conversation turned into something else, and they started to talk about their likes and dislikes, their dreams and goals, their fears, their interests...their lives.

The night slipped like water through fingers and when Alec noticed, the birds had already started to sing and the sun was on its way out.

"Oh, God! It's dawning!" Alec exclaimed in alarm. He had never intended to spend the entire night outside his home. He thought he would be back after a couple of hours. If someone entered his room before he managed to get back, he would be in a lot of trouble. "I have to go!" He said, standing up with a jump and brushing off the grass from his clothes. He would have loved to stay and keep chatting with this stranger, but he really had to go home.

"Can I see you again?" The stranger asked.

"What?" Alec asked confused. He didn't know if he had heard correctly.

"I would like to see you again...would you like that?"

In that moment all the things that could go wrong crossed Alec's mind, but he ignored them and simply nodded. "I-I'd really like that."

The stranger smiled a beautiful smile. "Same place, same time, same spot, tomorrow?"

Alec nodded again, without even realizing that with that tiny nod of his head he had improved, yes, but also complicated his life considerably.

The next update will be up in a few days, but if you hate waiting you can read all my other Malec stories. I have a couple of multi-chapter fics and some one-shots. Anyway, see you soon!