Chapter 107 - Proof of Loyalty

The Second Prince wore a heavy hooded cape that hid 'him' completely, covering his face while walking behind Prince Gutard. While going down an endless and suffocating path, Alexa was sure that she would regret having agreed with her father-in-law, as proof of her loyalty, in following him.

But she had no choice, did she? Although technically Prince Gutard didn't dare to kill her, as he would kill his own son, she didn't doubt that he could find ways to make her suffer. He didn't need to threaten her: a Witch Hunter of dubious morality like him, would be satisfied only with the most convincing evidence of her sincerity.

The problem was that, of course, Alexa couldn't be honest.

Perhaps her mind was a big muddle of beliefs. What she learned among the Lazarites, who at the time she was born, already accepted and discussed the syncretism of cults and the Mysteries of Resurrection, Reincarnation and Transmigration. There was a Judgment, and there was a Hell. She also sincerely believed that Christ was a God, as she learned in the convent. But with whom, in addition to the initiated Lazarites, could she discuss what she felt and the doubts she had? Certainly, showing doubt would not do her any good.

What kind of test did Prince Gutard want her to take?

The sickening and sweet smell of rotten meat reached them and Alexa covered her nostrils, disgusted. The groans were muffled by the thick walls, but it wasn't difficult to guess that the dungeon was just after the next turn.

When they passed the thick door guarded by four men, who bowed in the presence of the Sovereign Prince, Alexa felt a shiver.

Only a very spiteful Shade would stay in a place like this. Death was a relief and deliverance for a prisoner, and never a collective prison provided such strong bonds ... or at least that's what Alexa was taught.

She saw a priest, whose face was covered with pustule scars. He was stocky and had curious eyes, who immediately tried to deduce who was the person who followed Prince Gutard. However, he didn't possess the audacity to question it.

The unnamed priest said,

"Your Majesty, the woman and her daughter continue to deny and say they were baptized, but both have a pagan symbol on the soles of their feet and as I explained to their foreman, they sell bewitched bread to women who want to buy it."

Alexa's eyes ignored the obnoxious man and darted in search of such women. In a cell without bars, but with shackles attached to the walls, two women huddled together, dirty and swollen by the inflicted violence. The youngest was little more than a girl, who watched them in terror. The older woman was unconscious, however.

"What is it?!" Lex pulled the arm of the Sovereign Prince, who in a sharp movement took the young prince's wrist and yanked the body of his son forward.

"Witches," he said simply, staring at the women.

Inside the Prince, she knew what they believed the women were, but for her, they were two women in extreme pain. Death awaited its tribute and Alexa pulled again the sleeve of the huge man beside her, "What mischief did these women do?"

"You heard it, they sell bewitched bread."

"They say those were 'love-breads'. Love spells," pointed out the priest, realizing that the hooded person was close enough to touch the Sovereign Prince.

Anger rose from Lex chest to the princely face, and Lex was glad for using a hood. 'Can I interfere? Should I interfere? What is this test? What does he want with me?'

"They deny it, so are they guilty?" Lex asked, unable to ignore the girl's suffering and the a.d.u.l.t woman's dire situation. "Where are all the people who bought these breads from? Shouldn't these people be 'questioned,' too?"

"Repentance absolved them," said the priest, annoyed for facing some unexpected resistance.

"So, do your part, Father. That unconscious woman said she is baptized as a Christian. She will die soon. Do the extreme anointing," Lex said imperiously, and liked how the masculine tone sounded with the Prince's words.

The priest barely hid his annoyance, this time, when he took a deep breath before answering.

"Your intentions are good, but as a member of the Church I know when to take the necessary actions."

"PERFORM THE EXTREME UNCTION!" Alexa insisted advancing towards the priest, indignant. Her body was squirming and she knew that Death had already taken that woman for herself. Extreme Unction was a rite that would aid in one's passage through the Underworld toward Judgment, like any other soul liberation and recommendation rite. But mostly, it could be the political key to saving the girl's life. If the priest agreed to do the rite, there was still room for discussion.

"I don't know if she really ...!" the priest raised his voice and stopped in shock, when he was aghast, the young Prince pulled back his hood, exposing himself. Right now, though,

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the girl gave a long, high-pitched squeak, starting to hyperventilate immediately, with smaller squeaks, clinging to the lifeless body and shaking it in an attempt to wake it up.

The detached, confused and angry soul of the older woman moved towards the priest, trying to reach him. However, she barely had the strength to resist the call of the 'Way' that opened up for her.

Ignoring everything he couldn't see, the priest kept his eyes hooked on Prince Alexander, as if the girl's screams were not frightening at all. Out of the corner of his eye, the inhabitant of that body realized that Alexander's father was not at all pleased that the Second Prince's face was disclosed.

"I wonder if, if it were me there, would you look for my name in the church register, or would you act with the expected compassion," spitting out the words and passing him, Alexa entered the cell, thinking of calming the girl.

But when she entered the cell, she felt a sudden cold, climbing up to her feet and taking her body by assault. The girl stood up too, even though she was tied around her neck with a chain. She scratched her face and neck, deliberately staring at them with feverish, hateful eyes. Then she started to mumble under her breath, while Alexa looked mesmerized by the scene, just like the others. The Princess, however, no longer saw her mother's soul. 'Was it that fast?'

Her experience told her that the mother would not leave her daughter that easily.

The girl's voice increased in volume as the welts she produced on her face and lap turned red, and the blood started to ooze.

Alexa felt the palms of the Second Prince's hands throb and the sores start to open without her being able to avoid. The soul had possessed the girl!

Darkness began to expand from the corners of the dungeon to surround them, and the priest fell on his knees in prayer, quivering.

Alexa had no idea what the witch wanted to invoke or was doing, and just did what she had to do. Raising a hand, she expelled the shade from the world of the living, but it was not as easy as it was when it was in her own body. She didn't know if this was due to the fact that it was in Alexander's body, or if the shade was putting greater resistance. Or was she still weak from her battle with the White Queen? Or even, was she being punished for her doubts and hesitations about being a Light Bearer?

When she finally got the witch's soul to be swallowed up from the world of the living, her hands dripped with blood. The girl started to scream even louder than before, and the Sovereign Prince, who had hitherto been motionless as an observer, took a step forward. With a clean, sudden movement, his sword left the scabbard to cut the girl in half.

Blood splashed on the kneeling priest, who screamed in horror and cringed.

ººº

Alexa woke up with her nose stuck to Magnus' back, at the rear of the bed. The ship made a peculiar swing up and then down. Still a little dizzy, she clung even more to the broad back in front of her, out of pure instinct. She still didn't know how the world moved, and she barely remembered she was on a ship. The First Prince groaned and placed a hand over hers, pulling it to his chest, but in the next very abnormal shift of the boat, he asked,

"Are you awake?"

"Uhum," she mumbled, a little confused as to why they were sharing a bed and also what was going on. The strong memories of her night still filled Alexa's mind. And everything she witnessed, together with the suffocating smell of the cabin, made her pat him on the back so he could give her passage. Crawling rather than walking, she reached for a bucket and threw up the contents of her stomach.

The boat's violent swing was frightening her. Magnus came to her, holding himself as well as he could, and didn't ask if she was okay, as it was obvious she wasn't. He handed Alexa her own cloak, and said,

"Stay with Alexander, I'll talk to the captain," he handed over a beret where Romeo was nestled in the best possible way. She grabbed the beret and Romeo chirped, frightened. In a corner of her mind, she heard her husband mumbling prayers to calm his nerves.

"Do we have to worry?" the noise was loud, coming from outside, and the cabin was dark enough that she could only see the silhouette of the Prince and the cage covered with the cloak where she left it last, swinging wildly.

"Just stay here. Don't leave. Don't get in the way. You can be thrown into the sea," Magnus was emphatic as if talking to a child. At the moment, however, she felt too small and scared to discuss it.

When the door opened, a powerful gust of wind entered the cabin. Now she figured out that the sounds were of creaking wood and waves crashing against the boat's hull. The First Prince left, and the door slammed behind him.

In silence, she sat in the dark, trying to ignore the fear, no, panic, that threatened to take over her mind. After the night before, when two witches died in front of her, the Princess was not feeling lucky.

In fact, Alexa had a grim feeling about it.

Making a decision, she stood up, leaning on the furniture attached to the floor, and reached the door. The corridor was wet, and she felt Death on board. Walking carefully down the narrow corridor, she climbed the soaked stairs. In fact, the water ran down into it. She had to hold on to the ropes that served as handrails on the walls, because the boat was rocking up and down, and sideways, randomly and violently.

When she was arriving at the door to the upper deck, a horrible roar followed by a bang almost deafened her. The whole boat shook and the unmistakable sound of a huge thing breaking was heard before Alexa was thrown into the air. She held on tightly to the strings, thanking her for being the other body, and not this one, with injured hands. Alexander in her mind gave an involuntary cry of terror, following her own.

The door opened and Magnus emerged, drenched wet, along with a stream of water. Behind him, everything was a white blur.

"Alexa! Hold my hand," he cried.

She had no doubts as to why he had returned.

The Lagos was sinking.