“Y-you are impossible!” the princess quavered. She was soaked from head to toe with ice water. Her hair was ratted and makeup streamed down her face. She really was a sight, much to Alex’s pleasure.
“I don’t want to see you ever again!” she shrieked.
She pulled up her wet skirts and trailed off, screaming for her maids and servants to follow her. Looking out the castle window one could see a carriage pull up, and quickly drive away, carrying an angry princess and some very confused servants.
Standing and watching the whole spectacle, a thin man about the age of forty pulled out a notebook from his jacket and crossed out the princess’s name. He pushed his spectacles up his long nose and said, “That makes five in three months. You really are getting better, or should I say worse, at this falling in love thing.”
He said this to the prince, who was busy rolling in the dirt and wiping tears from his eyes. The prince shouted out an impolite farewell at the carriage and then turned to face his advisor. Noticing the unimpressed look in his advisor’s eyes, he instantly changed his huge smile to a neutral expression.
“She was a bad one anyway. She let her temper get out of control just because she fell for the old bucket-of- water- in- the- door trap. It’s a shame, she was only here for two days,” the prince said. He cracked up again, and this time he didn’t bother to control himself.
The advisor rolled his eyes and headed towards a back entrance for the castle. Alex quickly followed, grinning ear to ear. They were soon walking the thin corridors to the side of the castle, which led into the larger, grander halls of the main floor. The advisor pushed his way through the halls in a huff, ignoring the servants and maids that he bumped into.
“Your father is going to kill you for this,” Jean said. He stormed through a door that led up to the main hall.
“Jean, I thought you supported me scaring off princesses that I didn’t like.” Alex said. He grabbed a small appetizer off a tray of a passing cook.
“I didn’t mean for you to scare off every single one of them. I figured you would just pick one and settle down. Maybe if you hadn’t scared them all off so early, you would have found a wife by now.” the advisor answered. He pushed a small wooden door aside and rushed into a larger, more ornate hall. For a while, all that could be heard was the sound of Alex’s and Jean’s footsteps on the tiled floor. Alex decided to break the silence.
“Listen, I know that you’re upset. I can understand why. But I am never going to get married. I’m not going to spend my life with a single person; it’s a waste of time.”
Jean let a weak smile cross his face. He took a look at the prince, who was busy looking adamant with his decision.
“But we know that isn’t the real reason, is it?” Jean said.
Alex halted in his march. His eyes suddenly lost the foolish determination. He clenched his fists and turned to his long time friend. After staring at him for quite sometime, he turned back to the hall, and marched ahead of Jean.
Without turning back, Alex said, “We’re done here. I’ll see you in the throne room.”
Jean watched him reach a fork in the hall and take a left, which, unfortunately led to the guest rooms, not the throne room. He had to admit Alex got lost quite easily, even if his home was a castle. Jean started to walk in Alex’s direction. He knew his friend couldn’t live like that, and it was time for him to find someone. Someone who cared for him, listened to him, and most importantly had a good sense of direction. And there Jean swore that Alex would fall in love, whether Alex liked it or not. He adjusted his glasses and ran after Alex, who by now was circling the halls trying to find his way. Jean caught up to him and yanked him around. Alex let out a howl of pain and glared at him.
“What was that for?” Alex demanded.
“Listen, maybe I was out of line. But Alex, you really have to know that if you don’t find someone soon, you may be alone for the rest of your life. Another princess is soon to be here. Please promise me that you will at least try to be hospitable?”
Alex frowned and crossed his arms, which was his usual way of saying, “I don’t wanna”.
But he knew that his friend was distressed, so he decided to humor him.
“Fine. I promise I will say hello, answer all of her questions, and offer to take her for a stroll in the garden. Are you happy now?”
Jean frowned and crossed his arms as well.
“I have no idea what you have up your sleeve, you royal pain, but you better know right now that I won’t fall for it.”
Alex chuckled and headed down the hall, skipping every few steps.
“What,” Alex said, “and ruin my fun?”
I love this line where the narrator speaks of a good wife for Alex. 
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