Chapter 44 - A Deal

'What a sly fox! He was here bluffing and using my time so that I could not interfere with his investigations! ' Alexa didn't know if she was angry or relieved to have realized that. Although she felt very stupid that she didn't realize it was all a ruse from that shameless Prince from the beginning, imagining that all he said was just empty words had its positive side after all.

And as for the Florentine priest… well, it was hard to know what to do with this situation. She was convinced that he and the Prince had some scheme going on. But here he was, giving her important information by his cousin's back.

"Where is the assassin right now?" she asked, as he seemed to know.

"In the dungeon, but he won't be alone for a while. I still don't know exactly what he has let go, but it seems very little so far. What are you going to do, Lady?" Blue Eyes sat impassively by the table, not even looking at the good smelling foodies once. Alexa admired his self-control, and admitted,

"I don't know, Father! I don't know how the news would be received."

"I don't think it would be dissociated from the events in the villa where you joined Cordelia. Things could get complicated for you," the clergyman contributed his opinion, which the maiden considered quite thoughtful.

"Hmm…" the maiden could only wonder how much it would complicate things for her. And to imagine that perhaps she would lose her only possible current allies: Cordelia and her family…

"Lady Alexa. In the past, this kingdom found and condemned a witch: Princess Gisela, mother of Alexander. She was found committing witchcraft, or so it is as story goes. Prince Gutard himself had her arrested, and she died in prison. Although people don't often comment on this, for fear of the Sovereign Prince's reaction, I imagine they are very sensitive and watchful to any signal of heresy."

'My identity and my family history should never come to light!', Alexa knew this much. And this new fact revealed by the priest was devastating! 'The White Queen had been a witch in life!'

"Could that be the reasons behind why they poisoned the Second Prince?" she asked.

The priest seemed to ponder for a long, until he replied, "Lady knows that in the end, either of the two Princes could be the next ruler, don't you? Of course the court divides on this. I'm only a year here, and I don't know all the facts. But my family worries about the fate of my young cousin."

Alexa wanted to tell the priest that it was not just the political factions among the living who were interested in the succession to Holstein's throne. But couldn't figure out a way to say that to a priest, even Blue Eyes, without signing the witchcraft confession with that.

"I need to leave! I don't want to get involved with any of this!" the maiden complained, and Blue Eyes just shook his head,

"But you sent a letter to the Sovereign Prince, and he brought you back, so I don't know if I really believe that."

Alexa gaped at the clergyman's ability to get information so quickly. She just wondered if he knew the content too.

"It is a fact, I just wanted to help poor Prince Alexander by mentioning a person who might know how to cure him."

To her surprise, that drew a subtle smile from Blue Eyes,

"I will pray for this miracle, Lady Alexa. You indeed gave me good news now."

"So Father is not in the "Italian" party, defending Prince Magnus as successor?" she was intrigued and had to ask.

"If you knew Alexander, you would find it hard not to like him. And even if I'm on one side, which I'm not, I want him to live. He doesn't deserve to die or end like this, whatever the reason."

The maiden even thought she might like Blue Eyes if what came out of his mouth wasn't a lie. Also, for the first time, she started to think of Prince Alexander as a human being, not "The Sleeping Prince." She already learned he was amicable, by Father Agnello's words; he was a good student with beautiful handwriting, by his father's opinion; and had little appetite, according to his older brother Magnus.

Alexander was a person, not an event, or a statue in a flower garden; or an inverted mirror reflection of herself.

"Lady Alexa, let's make a trade of small favors. Some things are impossible for you, as others are for me," the Italian priest's voice drew her from her philosophical contemplations.

"Uhn… What is it, Father Agnello?"

"I can try to stop the killer from revealing your identity."

This statement naturally made Alexa wonder at the possibilities of how this could be done. She herself did not want to imagine having to sort this out in person. That would be dirty and she wasn't sure if she would have the stomach for everything that was needed. Besides, if she got caught by Magnus… No doubt that would be her end.

It was clear that he had suspected her from the beginning, and as a merciless hunter, the First Prince was determined to expose her. 'And the bastard is very good at it, and full of tricks as well!'

"I don't think I should like to know how, but… Father Agnello is a very unusual 'Son of God'…" she pointed out, still unsure whether to agree or not.

"I will accept the judgment of the Almighty Lord when He deems it appropriate. Until then, my means should not interest you. But rest assured: if your decision is swift, I think I can stop him from speaking against you," Agnello di Borghesi stood up, showing he was ready to go as soon as she agreed to the terms.

"And… for my part, what should I do? What is impossible for Father Agnello, but possible for me?"

"I heard that Alexios was as good as Narces in the rogue arts. That the brothers' passage through Venice was... memorable to some. So there is a mission Alexios could do for me," Blue Eyes smiled cryptically.

Alexa raised an eyebrow in disgust,

"Don't think I'm going to become an assassin at your command, Blue Eyes. Forget it, it won't happen!"

He reacted with surprise, but quickly composed himself,

"Blue Eyes?! This is funny, little one, really funny. But no, I would not ask you to do acts against any of the Divine Commandments. Be sure of that, at least."

Still suspicious, but a little more relieved, the maiden asked,

"Uhn… So what would I have to do for you, anyway?"