Chapter 3 - The Maiden and Holstein

Alexa gaped as she approached the city gates. She had never seen anything like it in all her journey west. The sharp peaks she saw in the distance were skyscraping towers, with strange and seemingly impossible structures. They seemed to defy the known architecture and rules of nature. She marveled and wondered how man could build such vertical things. As they passed through the gates in a tightly knit group, she looked up to see the ceiling of the tunnel they passed through, with an intricate and very high ribbed-vault. From any point of the city one could see the towers of the cathedral, tens of meters high. It was vertiginous. Its elongated shapes seemed to drip from the sky into fantastic sharp forms.

The church seemed to be the center of the capital, but from a distance she could see the silhouette of the castle, set back and surrounded by another wall, on a craggy hilltop. Holstein was a seaside kingdom, and its main city of the same name was a large and prosperous port.

"Is the 'Greek Princess' impressed?" teased the prince softly, close to her ear. "The West has found new routes to what the East has. We no longer need Byzantium or the Venetians.'

'I don't care,' she thought, still intrigued by the buildings. Surely this kingdom was richer than she had imagined. Alexa saw signs of ancient yet firm ruins marking the public sites of an ancient Roman settlement on the way to the castle. 

The city should be prepared to celebrate the arrival of the Prince's bride, but Alexa saw that people were quickly exchanging flowers and festive banners for black crapes and other signs of mourning. The city was not noisy as usual on a busy day of trade and fair, but there were heralds playing funeral instruments through the main streets, warning, 

"Our Prince's beloved son died today…" he repeated in his wailing voice, distancing himself and multiplying in the voice of other heralds.

Probably because of the signs of mourning or simply because of some decorum, the Prince motioned to one of his men, who approached and took her from Prince Magnus's horse to his own. The Prince then accelerated his horse, galloping toward the castle while his men continued to escort Lady Cordelia.

'What a sham!' thought the maiden, not impressed that royal brothers had no affinity. She just came to think that it was better to have a plan, a good plan, to keep her identity secret, and perhaps with the help and gratitude of the local royal family, take a boat to Britain.

But the more she thought about the events of the last few days, and the mischievous expression of Lady Cordelia's future husband, more she thought the poor Lady was in danger. 'A young prince dies. The bride almost dies attacked by demonic things on the way to her wedding… The groom doesn't seem at all sensitized by any of it… And yet he insinuates to know something… Why I thought I should believe it would be a short, quiet stay as Cordelia promised? Uh, let me see… Because I didn't have another alternative? ' Resigned, the maiden rode along with the entourage into the imposing castle of a thousand flying buttresses, pointed ogive archs, and intricate architecture.

At dusk, after meeting Cordelia and her family members who were already waiting for her, Alexa was able to rest for a while in a chamber they granted her. She had to insist not to stay with either Cordelia in her chambers until the wedding day, or with other ladies, so the room she was given was a small studio under a spiral staircase, climbing to a tower in the wing where the Flemish guests were staying. The room was about ten steps where a bed, a table and a chest were placed beside a stained-glass window. It was enough for Alexa, and she had been in much worse situations anyway. After bathing and getting clean clothes at the request of the Prince's bride, Alexa was instructed to visit her in her room to change the bandages.

Alexa arrived and Cordelia was with her cousins ​​and some women from the palace. She was already dressed in the white of mourning, which noble women used to wear. Alexa, by contrast, had been given an apparently hastily-dyed black dress. 

Cordelia gently but firmly dismissed the visits so she could be alone with Alexa, and as the door was closed, said with a kindly gaze,

"Come here my friend, let me take care of your wounds."

Really that maiden goodness might overcame the fact that she wasn't really a noblewoman by birth. Maybe all this kindness would be enough to start a spark of change in that spoiled and naughty prince? She supposed, trying to be optimistic for a change. 

Cordelia would be a good, wise mother to the next Prince of Holstein. Alexa sat next to her new friend, and showed her palms.

The wounds were still open, and were barely beginning to heal. They were not burns, but raw sores. Cordelia began to apply a balsamic salve, which certainly gave some relief.

"Thanks for not talking about it, Lady Cordelia," Alexa murmured as the other maiden was bandaging her hands.

"When I lived in the convent, I heard about such phenomena. They are miracles. Called stigmata."

Alexa just nodded, and said,

" Lady Cordelia, after your wedding I must leave without delay. My guardian and the mercenary who accompanied us no longer live. My mother's family can shelter me in England. Can you help me?" There was no other way but to distort the truth so no one would get hurt. Cordelia seemed the type who would keep her secret, if not out of gratitude, just for being a discreet person. But Alexa really only knew her for a few days. How could she really know?

"Don't worry Alexa my friend. My family treasures you for what you have done for me, beyond your strength. My father will contact your family, just name them. He does trade with the whole Britain. He has already said that he will take care of it personally and deliver you to your uncle's house as the most precious thing, like a new niece to him! He wants to give you a generous gift too."

'Oh, damn it! I didn't expect it! If one of Hansa's Masters decides he'll find my family, it won't be long before he finds out the truth!' such were the thoughts running by the damsel's mind, but she modestly said,

"Yes, of course! I am grateful. But this matter can wait for after your marriage, as I said."

"Oh, my dear! The death of the young prince! My father will find out, after tonight's rites, what the schedule will be. He will meet with Great Prince Gotard… But the Sovereign Prince, though composed, must be desolate…! My father said Prince Alexander was actually the best-loved of my future father-in-law," Cordelia whispered.

'Hmmm, so was the second child actually the favorite? And died?' Alexa reasoned, imagining a very interesting political scenario. Only two things did not close to connect the prince's death with the attack on Cordelia: the dead who came back to life at the villa.

"Lady Cordelia, do you think people from Holstein tried to kill you for some reason?" Alexa asked abruptly.