Chapter 84 - The Secret Room in the Tower

"Choo! Romeo, what is your problem?" Magnus tried to push Alexander's nightingale away with his hand, probably thinking the bird could hit Alexa. But the little nightingale landed on the Princess's head, and the Second Prince commanded,

~ Come on, milady! Let's not waste any more time! ~

'Uhn, just a little while ago you said you didn't need me for anything ...' she winced as she stood up. The First Prince had an amused expression because of the bird on Alexa's head, but he was certainly intrigued by the fact that Romeo stayed in place even while she stood up. He did the same and covered the jar of ointment.

"Another oddity, Greek lady! Are you also a bird charmer?!"

~ My brother thinks he's smart but has not yet realized the obvious, ~ Alexander scoffed.

"Watch out, it can get your head dirty," said the First Prince, offering his index finger to attract the bird. Alexa started to laugh, and Alexander was outraged,

~ What is he talking about?! I know how to control myself! I won't shit on my wife's head! ~

"Won't you?" she asked, controlling her laughter and having the first bright moment of the day with her husband's spirit inside the nightingale perched on her head.

Magnus grabbed the bird quickly,

~ Hey! Let me go! Let go, Mags! ~ this time while Alexander protested, the nightingale was also trilling loudly, trying to escape.

"Don't do this, Your Highness. You're hurting the poor birdie!" the Princess intervened. Magnus then released Romeo, but the nightingale came back and landed on his head, this time.

"What's up with this bird?"

~ Tell him, milady. Before he flicks me!~ the bird began to smooth the feathers, and as he sensed, Magnus carefully prepared a flick…

"Don't do that, Your Highness! You will regret it!"

"And what should I do now? Let him place a nest in my hair?"

~ Milady's hair is much softer, so don't dream, ~ Alexander said, as if his brother could hear it.

It was hard to keep from laughing. At least the Princess felt a little joy when she found Alexander and heard his voice. Contrary to what she imagined, he was full of energy!

The touch of Magnus' thumb under her eye surprised Alexa. There were no tears to dry there, but her eyes were swollen and small from crying, she felt.

The First Prince, ignorant of his mistake, said,

"If it helps you stop crying, he can stay where he is."

~ HEY! No-touch! Tell him I'm going to shit on his head NOW! ~

Again Alexa laughed, pulling Magnus's hand away, "You got a warning. He's going to shit on your head!"

"Witches have animals that speak to them," the Prince mumbled. Perhaps he resented the quick refusal of his touch.

"He's really stupid, Your Highness," the Princess said, taken with a new whiff of will. "I don't know if I can get back there. Should I ask your brother?"

"Who are you talking to, Alexa? Ouch! What the hell?! This bird is clawing at my head!"

"Your impish brother has returned, Your Highness. He's sitting on your head and he really wants to go to the door that was opened today."

°°°

"Unbelievable!" Magnus was still grumbling as he climbed the stairs again towards the blue door, with the impassive nightingale perched on his head. Alexa followed right behind.

"Actually, the name is metempsychosis. A process similar to transmigration, but a man named Pythagoras, who you may not know, recorded this on his writings. In the East, almost everyone knows that it's possible," she explained. "Normally this should happen after a Trial, but for some reason, your brother's soul is in Romeo."

"You only spent a few minutes with my brother, and you've already started to talk like him! Stop speaking difficult foreign words," Magnus complained.

The bird abandoned them and flew quickly ahead, reaching the door quicker. At this point, the First Prince turned to the princess and asked,

"It seems that you know many things. Just tell me that the previous plan still works. Can he return to his body?"

Alexa shrugged, showing that she wasn't sure.

When she reached the blue door, the Princess felt the moldy and typical breath of a tomb. Except that this burial chamber was a secret tower, sealed long ago by some spell.

The walls were painted with different designs, faded and stained by time. The windows were open now, but closed years had passed, and mold had taken over the furniture that had once been luxurious. But there was no longer a skeleton there. The First Prince had already told them that Prince Gutard had removed Gisela's remains.

~ Light up here! ~ Alexander asked, flying near a wall and landing on a chest. Alexa passed the torch slowly next to the drawings on the wall. The artist was very talented, but the wood panels were worn out by time and neglect. Alexa could see only part of the images. From the themes, the Princess suspected that the Witch herself had drawn each part and each piece of furniture. There was no type of written word other than her own name.

Magnus also observed the drawings, full of pictures of stars, plants, animals and fantastic creatures, and scenes that she did not understand.

"What is all this?" she asked.

"I think that's all she knew about witchcraft. She locked herself here for a long time when I was a child. This was where she was, and where I couldn't come," said the First Prince.

"So this is Gisela's grimoire! Didn't she know how to write?"

Magnus shook his head, saying out loud, "If you keep flying around the flame, Ale, you will end up becoming a roasted partridge! I know you're agitated, but stop or you will get hurt!"

~ It's just like in my dreams! Milady, my mother was a witch, but she was not an ignorant woman. Not a bad mother, either! Ask Magnus how she treated him! ~ Alexander decided to rest on his brother's shoulder and peck his ear.

"Stop, you plague!" the First Prince complained, threatening to hit him, but without doing so.

"Your stepmother saved you, you said earlier, Your Highness. Despite being the person who saved the First Prince's life, she had a sad ending. Some people say that her father killed Princess Gisela. You said she killed herself. What is the truth? And what lesson should I learn from this?" Alexa asked Magnus frankly.