Chapter 91 - This Heart of Mine

Maria was giving food to Alexa's mouth, while the Princess' wrists and feet were tied to the chair by strips of cloth. The Princess was furious, but the First Prince was at the window, watching the rainy weather, and Maria didn't dare disobey a royalty's order.

Her anger didn't stop her from chewing the meal that was good, by the way.

"Your Highness, you cannot keep me like this! This is ridiculous!"

"It is the tenth time that I repeat the same thing. You'll end up killing yourself and I cannot allow it. Your hands are raw and grazed under these bandages, your feet are lacerated and you are a little deaf!" the Prince came to Alexa, pushing her nose with a finger.

"Not deaf. Maria has already cleared my ears. I hear very well, thank you."

He snorted in response to her back-talk.

"Rumors that an angel came down from heaven to fight the witch inside the cathedral are spreading at the castle gates. They're talking about you! About you, 'Princess'! The Bishop and other clergymen want to see you and speak to you. What do you think? Do you want to become the bastion of virtues they need? Not so long ago, a French woman had a huge problem going this route."

The news startled the Princess, but she definitely didn't want to become a pawn for the Church or a martyr for the people. She nodded to Maria to pour her more drink. As her chaperone poured wine, she rocked in her chair,

"I'm feeling fine now! The pain is gone!" Alexa whined childishly.

"For you to resume jumping things, hanging on poles and risking your life? No. At least recover and learn to behave like a married woman. Stay close to Alexander and watch him. Help the poor and homeless. Like… sewing blankets and serving soup. No. It uses your hands. Just pray for them. Not on your knees. Sitting."

"Release me right now and I promise I won't do any of these things," she asked, when Maria wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Lady, get out," ordered the Prince next.

Alexa watched Maria withdraw with wide eyes, not knowing what to expect from the First Prince.

Then Magnus crouched down in front of her, and to the maiden's absolute surprise, put his head on her lap, and wrapped his arms around her thighs. And he let out a long breath after that.

For a long moment Magnus was silent.

'But what is he doing?!'

Saying nothing, he got up and went back to the window.

"W-aren't you going to say anything about it? Why did you do it?!" the First Prince's attitude drove her crazy. But he just shook his head.

"You wouldn't like to listen to my reasons. But listen to something else I have to say. The things you asked me yesterday."

The Princess fell silent, and realized that Magnus's dark gaze seemed a little distant when he spoke,

"When I was a little boy and my father killed all the people closer to me, from the nanny to my milk brother, I wanted to know why. But they didn't tell me. Not even my stepmother told me. My mother told me, or rather, her ghost. She said he killed her because the woman who was now my father's wife was a witch. A witch who had put a stone in my heart's place. Heart that she had stolen and eaten raw."

"...!" she held her breath. Alexa couldn't help but fear a woman who had this ability and these supernatural alliances. Now she was not sure if her little power had been enough to banish the White Queen forever from the land of the living. It was very likely that Gisela knew ways to come back.

"I was also seduced, as a child is, by Gisela. She was kind, caring, and always seemed happy. But when I heard that she had devoured my heart ... I realized that all she wanted to do was to dominate our family and drag us into darkness. When Gisela was in the dungeon, I went to see her. I asked her why she had taken my heart out. She said, 'I just wanted to save you, little scorpion. But deep down I knew ... The shadows I put on your chest would one day devour us all, starting with me' ..."

Alexa listened carefully, imagining the horror of having lived those things, as Magnus lived. She wished to reach him out and console him, bus she was tied.

"So I asked my father for an answer. Naturally, he didn't think I needed one, but he said, just once. 'I sold the kingdom to that witch, Gisela. For my only son to live. And now I have two children. I should kill your brother, but I can't. I won't.' Incredible isn't it? I couldn't pressure him any more. Is it a spell that makes us all like Alexander? Is this how the witch protected her son? Making him sweet like an angel?"

The Princess was starting to understand Holstein's past, but mostly, the Von Wuttenfals dark secrets.

"But ... You know that your mother was also a witch, don't you?"

"That's what my father told me. Apparently this is the destiny of this city and the destiny of this family, to fight witchcraft and be consumed by it."

"Don't be so fatalistic, Magnus. I know little about witches. All I know is that their cults and teachings change according to the regions. But your mother must at least compete in power with Gisela, as ghosts. And as I understand it, they didn't act alone. Letitia was the foreigner, and your father may have tried to eliminate any trace that she may have brought with her. But it was not enough. Shades only stay strong if they are 'alive'. With prayers and devotion. So there are still people alive who maintain their legacy. Likewise, Gisela. I don't know what happened to her. Eventually she can come back."

"I understand. But ... What is Shade? You said you didn't understand any of this, but I see that it ended up revealing yourself finally."

"Ahem, I… I just repeated what they said in my home. What ghosts can only dwell a house when the living cry for them," although she was rethinking whether her secrets are so horrible for the Von Wuttenfal, Alexa still felt insecure because, despite eventually negotiating with witches, Prince Gutard still hated heretics.

"Hmm," Magnus approached again, in the suspicious way that Alexa was more used to associating with him." For one who know nothing, you know too much," he untied the maiden.

"Perhaps people from the East are aware of things people from West is not," she replied, hoping it would do.

"I don't know if I can count on your promises. But, in three days I will leave for Languedoc, Alexa. Survive with Alexander until I get back. Stay healthy, don't fall off the roofs. Keep your eyes open. You are his best chance now," Magnus looked her in the eye when he finished untying the Princess.

"I should go instead, the truth is that I should go in your place."

"Alexa, don't you understand? This heart of mine… He's treacherous, and it's corrupting me. Every time I lay someone's blood… My heart aches and become heavier," he told her, with a grave hoarse voice. Her eyes widened again, and her heart pumped fast with the realization of such a dark fate.

"I don't want my heart of stone to wish my brother dead, so I ..." he bent and sniffed her hair with lust.

Alexa closed her eyes, realizing that the biggest challenge she had was not witches, inquisitors or assassins.