Chapter 27 - The Maiden Prays

"Ouch Father, it hurts!" she rubbed her ear with hurt expression, 'Blue Eyes should decide whether to act as an unscrupulous blackmailer or as a kind and concerned priest, I can't understand both!'

The maiden looked around and realized that she must be in the Florentine Priest's quarters. But something quite surprised her.

Alexa expected to find books in a man of the God's room, but not the piles and piles of books and scrolls scattered on the tables. Or the sacred symbols, in such profusion, around the doors and windows. It looked more than a sanctum; it seemed a fortress of faith. Against what, exactly?

She turned to the Italian priest, and used her favorite tactic,

"Father Agnello, the things that happened at the villa on my way here… Do they happen here too?"

"You think you'll escape telling me where you were, but I already figured it out. Lady Cordelia asked of you during the evening meal, as well as other people. I said I sent you to the convent of the Poor Clares for a visit, so you could get a blessed ointment for your burnt hands, so don't forget it. And…" he paused dramatically. "The Sovereign Prince got up in the middle of the night, went to see his son Alexander in his bed, and asked of you. A nun taking care of Alexander told me that. Do not disappear again, for the Sovereign Prince can call you at any time."

'Meh meh meh, how he is well informed,' although she scorned him internally, Alexa knew that the Florentine Father ability and network was quite important and lethal. But the Byzantine maiden thought the priest was her best ally at the moment, and perhaps Blue Eyes would open up and reveal things if he felt she was acting willingly. In spite of Prince Magnus' threats about her telling, Alexa concluded she should give the priest something in exchange.

"But that's not all that happened tonight, Father. If you explain to me what is going on in this castle, perhaps my brief passage here is not at all useless."

"Why, it's good that you're seeing things that way. I know your situation is uncomfortable and uncertain, and you of course haven't had the luxury of trusting people, but I said you can count on me to do my best for you. I have already proven that I can understand your situation and tolerate our different philosophies… to an extent."

"It would be better if I knew how I can repay your generous help until my departure, Father Agnello. It's hard to know what can be helpful… Are your interests either secular or spiritual?"

"In this court, Alexa, both things are the same thing. If the rumors of the Dallassenos' activities are true, you should have realized that already."

The maiden didn't answer directly, still preferring to make her identity dubious,

"And since Father is guarding me so well and generously, I think I should know what I saw."

Alexa then said,

"I went to talk to Prince Magnus about a horrible note Lady Cordelia received from him earlier at Mass. I didn't want to be seen by my friend, so I hid myself. Unfortunately while waiting to chat with Prince Magnus, I slept in his carriage. He found me there and took me to the manor for supper. I was going to sleep there, but found it inappropriate and decided to return, even without his knowledge.

He saw me leaving with one of the horses and chased me. When he reached me, we noticed a group coming from the coast. We hid because we found it dangerous to be seen by a group of strangers, as they could be bandits.

But they were not! It was Sovereign Prince Gutard and some trusted men riding back to the castle. So,..."

"So he didn't get up in the middle of the night. He came back from where he was and went to see Prince Alexander," concluded the Italian man.

"Yes," Alexa was agitated, "but the most interesting is yet to come! In return, Prince Magnus blindfolded me so that I would not discover the secret passages!"

"Uhn…"

"And there were ghosts under the castle! I felt! They were very close to me!" Ensuing, the maiden tried to describe the feelings she had as she walked blindfolded through the secret tunnels with the First Prince, and the Italian priest asked many questions about it.

Alexa sensed the priest's poorly disguised interest in the ghosts and the underground, but in the end, instead of talking about it, Father Agnello advised her with a serious tone,

"Stay away from my cousin and his friends. It's the advice from a priest. Become uninteresting, or he'll comb heaven and earth to find out who you are."

Alexa nodded, making sure that it indeed fitted the Prince Magnus she had met.

The priest opened a drawer and took a wooden rosary, handing it to her,

"Before you go to sleep, I think you need to pray a little to ease your soul. Do I need to point out loud the reasons?"

'YES!' Alexa thought, but she only nodded regretfully, looking at the western rosary in her hands, "Thank you, Father. I'll be going then…" she turned to the door.

"Not too fast. You can kneel there on the rug and start. Pray as you have learned: the Hail Marys for the souls you have seen, and the Our Fathers for your sins."

"How many, Father?" Alexa knelt in dismay. 'I am so tired…! Blue Eyes is so cruel!'

"As many as your conscience commands you, Lady."

'Not many, then,' she thought fiendishly, but said with the utmost sincerity, "Wow, so many Father Agnello. I was a great sinner today."

He came close to her and gave the same ear a tug, which hurt more than the others, "Double for acting mockingly, not repenting, and lying to a priest."

"Uh…" she pouted, but started praying aloud, watching the priest sit in his chair and open a tome, wetting his quill in the ink, and start writing ...

...

Alexa woke in the priest's quarters rug, overhearing a conversation about herself. Blue Eyes said quietly, near the door,

"My heart bleeds to wake up the poor little soul, see, Lady Alexa spent all night praying right there beside me while I was meditating. She was so restless!"

"I see, Father Agnello, but the Sovereign Prince is already waiting, she better hurry up!" said the male voice, a little distressed. "Our Majesty waits in Prince Alexander's chambers, she shouldn't make him wait."

Alexa knew this would happen sooner or later, but she would like to be better prepared.