Chapter 50 - Rain

Alexa was very aware of the heavy breathing of the man behind her back, and asked herself what he was thinking about. Alexa wondered if the Prince knew beforehand who was imprisoned in the lighthouse, and if he knew that his father was consulting with witches. Holstein was definitely a complicated and dangerous place.

The fine drizzle had given way to strong, cold drops as they concentrated on trying to hear the mighty Prince's conversation with the prophetess. Alexa found herself freezing and turned over her shoulder to look at Magnus. He, in turn, tried to keep up with the group leaving the boat. She touched his cheek to get his attention, and he got startled,

"You have to tell me," she whispered, "do you have any other way out of here?" the maiden had a hope that she didn't need to risk going down the slippery wall with all that rain.

He snorted sarcastically,

"Just flying, 'Princess of Constantinople'. We'll have to wait for this rain to die off, if we don't want to die together like bird poop down on the rocks."

Without much thought, Alexa knew it was the best alternative, although it is uncomfortable to perch on the window sill several feet off the ground. Even if leaning against his embrace. It was essential not to sleep.

The Prince, however, adjusted his cloak to cover her and protect the maiden from the rain as well.

Alexa would like to support her back on his chest as it would be relaxing for her tired body. But it wasn't appropriate either, and she remained tense, leaning against him as little as possible. Magnus made no effort either, just kept an arm around her to hold the cloak in place.

"Who is this woman?" she asked after a while.

"Shhh. If I knew, why would I tell you?'

'I'm not a spy,' she thought, but it was useless to say that, even because it was a lie. She was a spy, and more than that. What she meant was that she had no interest at all, just curiosity. But that too was a lie. Since it became clear that Prince Gutard von Wuttenfal was waiting for 'the messenger child; the silver bird, or whatever', Alexa was inserted into Holstein's Sovereign Prince's plans. There was a prophecy, and…

"My father is getting distraught with what happened to my younger brother. He would not do that in his right mind; he wouldn't have come here if it wasn't a desperate act."

If those words were just a smokescreen to distract her, Alexa wasn't sure. The bitter tone was audible in the Prince's voice. Sadness, concern, anger, and spite; it all seemed to be pour in a single line.

"A loving parent can fall prey to such pitfalls, yes," Alexa understood that very well. A father could do strange things to protect a child.

A mocking chuckle came from the prince's throat, full of doubts,

"Just be quiet, or they'll notice us here."

The maiden just nodded, letting the silence fall between them.

Gradually the maiden's body relaxed and Alexa's tiredness overcame her. Even when the Greek girl noticed that she had leaned instinctively against the heat of the other body behind her, the maiden thought it was inevitable. At that moment and place they were only two humans seeking shelter and warmth.

And even as the Prince's fingers absently touched her ear, only at first did she find it strange; but then. the soft touch of his fingers playing with her earlobe brought her no erotic connotations, or a sense of threat or disgust. She knew Magnus was lost in thought, watching the rain and the sea. So she just enjoyed the good feeling, which would surely last shortly.

Most likely in the morning, he would decide what to do with her.

Would he kill her?

Probably not, or he would not even expect to come down from the lighthouse. It was simpler to throw her from there, as he had said.

Would he arrest her?

He would hardly do so, knowing that his father seemed inclined to believe the words of the cloistered clairvoyant.

He could send her away, as he had once tried. But maybe secretly.

That was a good plan. She could try to convince him of that later.

But as Alexa tried to make plans, many disconnected images and ideas came to her mind.

Nerissa, and the nightingale; the French ambassador's wife, and Blue Eyes, ... Konrad and the Sleeping Prince too ...

No doubt she lost track of time, and when the rain subsided sufficiently, for a short while, the first rays of sunlight were already dawning on the horizon. The Prince was motionless now, behind her.

Alexa even wondered if she had dozed off at some point.

"AHAAAAAAAHHH! Damn birds! Get out, get out! AHHHHHHHHH " The woman's raspy, looud voice startled them both. Alexa turned to the grilled window, and saw the woman's face very close to the window.She was poking Magnus with a broomstick through one of the holes, trying to get him out of his corner.

Sigrid the prophetess was not as old in appearance as her voice sounded; but a horrible scar on the left side had sewn the place where there had once been an eye. And the other eye was covered with white opaque cataract. The sight of her face was terrifying, but the maiden now knew that the woman only could see blurs.

Magnus used a rope and a hook to start climbing down, before the blind woman could finally get him out y force. Alexa also began her descent, and standing side by side with the Prince, she teased, smiling,

"You say I'm not what I should be, but look at you, acting like a thief,"

Magnus smiled back, and though it was clear to her that he did not have the practice and was making much more effort than she was, he was determined,

"I am what I need to be, Lady Saskia."

"So be my friend, Your Highness," she dared to ask; perhaps their unusual situation together might be the way for him to help her, she mused.

"I can't be your friend," he answered promptly, still smiling, as he handled the climbing gear,

"And why not?"

"I told you, you'll be mine," was the reply.

"Uhn ?!"

"I wasn't kidding yesterday," he replied, jumping to the floor, followed by her. He didn't bother to pick up the equipment, just waited for Alexa. They crept to the pier and used the boat to get out of the lighthouse, since the tide was high now.

"Where are your men, Prince? And why did you come to the lighthouse?"

"I tell you if you tell me the content of the conversation with my father yesterday, and what letter is that," despite the demand, the tone was friendly, and the maiden was grateful for it. Maybe if she told him, he could do something.

Briefly the maiden reported to the Prince what she told to his father about Petrus de Languedoc and the antidote, as he paddled the small boat to the beach.

The rain was strong again by the time they reached land, and they ran for their horses, not caring about the mud or how wet they were at this point. In fact, as they climbed the rocks, they fought a silly, tricky race that drew laughter from both of them, and of course Magnus won.

The Prince shouted, starting a horseback ride down the deserted road,

"Let's go to Schwarzenhofhausen!"