Chapter 68 - Queen Swan's Spell

To the maiden's surprise, Magnus' act, followed by his words, did not cause revolt and exasperation, but a new kind of sadness and tightness in her chest. When the peasant and the soldiers removed the violent ram, Prince Magnus helped her down from the tree, and held her in his arms for a moment.

Alexa didn't even remember when she needed help to get down from a tree, and she certainly didn't need it now either. But the damsel didn't protest. She quietly accepted the flimsy excuses to be in his arms and to glance into his eyes; to feel that the bodies were touching lightly through their attires. These little things provoked a strange excitement for her, similar to the sensations the maiden felt in the maze.

But that was so brief and soon ended.

Lex pulled the donkey's ears from the Prince's head, putting an end to the punishment. Running from an enraged ram had exhausted them, after all.

"Satisfied with the end of your retribution, milady?" he asked, teasing the maiden.

"It would be better if Mr. Ram had struck your rear, Your Highness. I'd have felt avenged!" she replied, still pouting.

"It's not my fault if you don't know how to choose the punishments you will give me. Better luck next time," the First Prince chuckled.

Somehow, now she was quite aware of her femininity and all of Lady Eudoxia's guidance came to her mind. How to act, how to move her hair, how to laugh and how to entice a man with a mere glance. 'But I don't want any of this, I don't want to seduce him!' she tried to tell her own mind to stop sending stupid instructions. There was nothing she wanted from Prince Magnus, other than distance.

She just didn't understand why now that they were walking side by side, they ran into each other all the time, like clumsy idiots,

"Sorry."

"Oops, I'm sorry."

"Sorry, Lady Saskia."

"Oh, I'm sorry again, Your Highness."

When they arrived at the horses, the soldier's captain suggested that the group wait for Father Agnello to meet the villagers. They could wait at the watchtower at the top of the hill where it would be most comfortable, and they could have a hot meal. When the Prince agreed, two men stayed to wait for the Florentine priest, while the rest of the party went to the watchtower.

The soldiers were more relaxed after the unexpected exercise of restraining a territorial ram, and were talkative now. They told similar stories, of which Magnus laughed openly. He seemed distracted and happy, with no sort of sarcastic, arrogant or somber attitude.

And Alexa enjoyed that ride. The conversation of soldiers and the simplicity of life away from the court. It reminded her of her best days, totally buried in the past like all those people.

°°°

The outpost's crew on duty received well the group, despite the unexpected arrival. It delighted Alexa to be at the peak of that mountain and to see the whole valley on one side, and on the other side, the seascape. Also, because of the peculiar vapor fog that came from the forest, Alexa imagined that there must be some source of hot water nearby.

The group of travelers ate at the soldiers' ranch, next to the tower, amid laughter and bravados. The maiden asked questions. And since she showed herself accessible, they even asked Lex about things that those soldiers never saw, but imagined she knew. Alexa would like to talk more about herself and her experiences, but she just talked about generic things about the Ottomans and the wars in the east. She also asked the Prince questions, and as she imagined, he had already taken part in wars, since they considered him of age for it. Magnus, however, did not want to pursue this matter.

A carter who brought milk and cheese for the soldiers in the mountain's top arrived. Alexa got to talk to the peasant woman, pretending curiosity, but in fact, she wanted to eat free cheese. Old habits never die! The woman recognized her noble clothes but seemed intrigued by her manners. The Cheese-maker even commented,

"You know, Maiden, if it weren't for your beauty and bearing, I would think you are such a beautiful boy who appears near the milk girls and also the tavern maids, and seduces them with a sweet smile. But all he wants is a loaf of bread and cheese!"

"Ahem! OH! Is there such a boy?! How awful! If I were that boy, would you give me a piece of your cheese?!" Lex smiled as seductively as possible, earning a toothless and happy laugh back.

"The maiden shouldn't ask for this when there is such a beautiful man around. Cheese is good but makes your breath sour, my child! Your man won't like it, if all he wants is your kisses!"

"No, ma'am, that's not it, in fact, he is…"

"My dear, enjoy your youthful days! You are close to the Queen Swan fountain! If he is not your man, soon he will be!" the old woman winked maliciously, full of wisdom, at the young noblewoman.

"Queen Swan Fountain? What is it?"

"My child, this is a women's thing here. It was in this very spring where the 'Queen' Gisela conquered our 'King'. She was just a peasant, and she certainly didn't have half your beauty. And he made her queen! Imagine you, my fair maiden, who already has that dark-haired man already swooning for you!"

Speaking of the half, half of Alexa wanted to laugh until she fell from the blunders that the woman was making up thinking she would like it. Another dark half, however, had doubts ... And the woman didn't even distinguish Princes from Kings. So it was for the folks. The cheese-maker didn't even know that Magnus was the Prince, obviously.

"So that hot spring is the spring where the queen ..."

The old cheese-maker climbed into her cart, making a sign of silence, "Shhh girl. Women don't say that. In the past, a woman like Queen Gisela was called a witch and nothing was left of her. But Gisela bewitched the Greatest Witch Hunter; our king fell to his knees for her, yes ... And after she did that at that hot spring, a woman who wants a man always bathes there. Pray tomorrow if you think it will do you good. It's just an old woman's advice to a girl, hihihi," with a squeaky and scandalous laugh, the old carter lady said goodbye and left.

Alexa was a little thoughtful about everything she had heard, and looking over her shoulder, she saw that the Prince and his men were having fun in the tower's shadow. The afternoon was quiet and still, the gray sky just seemed to suspend the day in limbo.

One day she hoped it wouldn't end, because the next day, she would marry the Sleeping Prince.

'It won't hurt if I go to check on the hot spring where that witch, ahem, seduced Prince Gutard. Was he a witch hunter in the past?! If a peasant witch seduced Prince Gutard, what would Lady Eudoxia do to him, ha?! Poor man!'

The maiden moved away discreetly from the tower and went into the forest in search of the Queen Swan's Spring.

'It's not like I want to bathe and seduce anyone. I'm just curious… '

Alexa didn't have to go far to find the trail that led to the hot spring. The rocks were warm under her feet, and the maiden finally came to a misty rocky basin. She crouched down and touched the water that was just warm and pleasant. This water had a distinctive quality, but it had no smell, and only a slightly saline and fizzy taste. Her hand was immediately silky, and this effect amazed the maiden.

She took off her boots and dipped her feet in the bubbling water. The sensation was exquisite. Only that, as Alexa dipped her feet and soaked them, her body felt immediately dirty, sweaty and dusty in comparison.

'It won't be a problem if I do as usual, bathe in my undergarment tunic, will it? This is so good!'

Alexa still hesitated a little, but the sensation of dipping her members into the water was too delicious to resist. Taking off her clothes and leaving them under watch, she entered with her undergarment in the hot spring, feeling surrounded by small fizzing bubbles and a wonderful feeling of well-being.

"I was told that it was in this spring that my father gave me a brother. But it's easy to understand, if that was the vision he had," Magnus crouched down beside the hot spring, touching the warm water. Alexa would lie if she said it had alarmed her. Perhaps she had expected this to happen. Perhaps she had wished he would come.