Chapter 113 - The Lady in Red

Alexa woke up spitting a ball of herbs from her mouth, not understanding why she was upside down and her body bandaged in jute. As the maiden looked around to find out why she was so dizzy and the world spun around her, she realized that it was thrown over Magnus' shoulder like a sack of onions, while he brandished his sword at people around him. Raising her head a little, she asked,

"What the hell is going on, Your Highness?"

"Get away, you all. Nobody gets close," he bent down quickly to put her on the floor. The princess tried to stand, but she was well tied, and she fell to the side. The Prince defended her while Alexa heard a big fire crackling behind her.

'Wait ... I ... Was I going to be burned?!' her eyes widened in realization when she also realized that the First Prince apparently saved her from becoming grilled meat. Around her, people looked horrified to realize that she was moving. A man wearing chain mail and a spear shouted at Magnus,

"Sir. We understand now. The woman lives. Put your sword down and calm down. We don't mean any harm," he said as if he wasn't sure he was being understood, very slowly. Magnus shouted, not letting go of the sword as suggested.

"I am not turning myself in until I speak to your Lady," and leaned over without failing to look at the warriors and peasants who surrounded them, "Are you all right?"

"How could I be?! They tried to roast me!" she complained. They had prepared her body in a shroud to burn. What kind of people were they?

A groan caught her attention, and although the dawn made everything a little indistinct and confused, Alexa saw not so far away, a man lying in a pool of blood, beside him a sword. And not far away, what did she imagine being… his hand?

'Oh my God, what is Magnus doing?!'

The gray and cold dawn imposed itself little by little, bringing only a little more light. Alexa would like Magnus to use his sword to loosen her hands and feet, but she knew he couldn't be distracted. And while they were in that impasse, the Princess realized that she didn't see or hear Alexander.

"Where's Zand?"

"I don't know," the First Prince grumbled.

They both heard the throng of men arriving. Magnus switched his sword, taking a deep breath. She noticed the First Prince was wearing different clothes from the ones he arrived with, but still looked tired and pale.

The woman in the red cloak arrived surrounded by soldiers with spears. With a wave of her hand, she ordered everyone to stop, and quickly analyzed the situation. Although, for a moment, her eyes shone in the firelight when she saw the man with the severed hand m.o.a.ning, the lady in red said nothing about it.

"Milord? After offering housing, care, and showing goodwill to you and your men, is this how you repay me?"

"You didn't tell me you were going to burn my people, milady."

"Ah ... I didn't know they would do that," she said without emotion. People finally collected the dying man. Magnus took the opportunity to raise Alexa, and started to carefully cut the fabric wrapping her like a coccoon. He replied without disguising his anger or glancing at the blond woman in the slightest,

"Is that how you treat the dead here? Aren't you Christians?"

That would also be the question that Alexa would ask, if she wasn't still trying to spit out the grasses and roots in her mouth and throat. The lady in red said,

"Don't go out and judge what you don't know, stranger. I know you're angry, but control your tongue. And your sword. Now, if you wish to leave, do it. If you wish to stay, come with me," after saying it, she turned her back and started walking. Alexa was still trying to get rid of the bandages wrapping her. The First Prince bent down a little,

"Johannes and Ulrich are with them. We have to go back," and saying that, he threw Alexa again on his shoulder. 'Wasn't he hurt and with a fever when she left him?' the Princess wondered.

Alexa didn't have much opportunity to see the surroundings, while going up the hill. They were not alone, however. Most people, guards, flanked Magnus. Although not officially a prisoner, they could guess that he was on his edge.

When they arrived at the big building on the hill, he put her back on the ground, and before Alexa had looked, she heard the woman's harsh voice again,

"Somebody, help the foreign lady. Attend the couple and take Eadric, he needs help."

They immediately obeyed her commands. Three women helped Alexa cleanse herself from the soot, and brought a woolen dress and boots, warm soup and some bread, while Magnus went on the woman in red's track.

The people in the kitchen looked at Alexa with discreet curiosity, but remained silent while she ate. Her thought sometimes took a while to abandon 'Alexander' and come back to 'Alexa', but after some nutritious food, the Princess finally acknowledged where she was and what was going on.

"What's the name of this place?" she took advantage of the fact that a boy had entered the large kitchen and was staring at her shamelessly and asked. The ragged boy carrying eggs seemed to tremble and didn't respond, so a woman took the basket of eggs from him and said,

"This is the Tanbury Castle, milady."

"Thanks. And who are the lords of this castle?"

"Lady Gwendolyn Fairclough," said the woman. This was unusual, and Alexa had to question it again, to be sure,

"Lady Fairclough is the lady of the castle? Sure thing?" slowly, people nodded, confirming the fact but leaving the details out. Alexa then decided to find Prince Magnus and learn more. And after that, look for Romeo. She worried the moment Magnus said he didn't know where the nightingale was.

She started to explore the castle, which was quite different from the Holstein's sharp and modern building. In fact, it looked more like a small stone fortress, quite simple compared to the splendor of the kingdom from which they came. However, there were picturesque artistic details that caught the Princess's attention. A style of intricate knots that reproduced even in animal figures. Alexa imagined that the golden age of this place had passed some time ago, because the most beautiful things were not the newest.

As the morning started, she tried to sharp her hearing to identify some nightingale singing, but what caught her attention was a part of the conversation. The woman's voice in red sounded amused and mocking,

"You stink."

And Prince Magnus,

"You have been sympathetic to worse things."

Alexa widened her eyes, stepping softer from that point. What kind of conversation was that? She still couldn't figure out where they were, though.

"Indeed. Won't you really reveal to me who you are? Are you measuring whether I'm worth of trust after I accepted that you hurt my rider in an accident? You are an arrogant man, milord."

'Yes, he is quite arrogant. You have no idea,' Alexa thought, being careful to keep unnoticed before she knew where they were. Then the Princess realized that they were talking in the stairs. At least she saw a flash of the woman's red cloak, Lady Gwendolyn, in the mid landing of a turret, but she didn't see Magnus from where she was.

"You cannot blame me for being cautious, milady. But like I said, I don't want to sound that rude. I have already caused many problems, and I sincerely apologize for all the inconvenience. Is that your... warrior, he…! Wow! What are you doing, dear?" his voice had a small start and then his tone changed to the usual gallant bastard he was. The Princess took a deep breath. What were they doing?

"Seeing if you still have a fever," the voice was naughty and at the same time, sarcastic. Magnus laughed, but he coughed a little too,

"Well, milady isn't mad at me, then. Just concerned with the health of the guests, I see."

"Yes. Guests I still don't know who they are," she sighed, sounding bored.

Alexa silently arrived at the base of the stairs, fighting between announcing herself or not. The woman continued,

"I must let you think about what to do next, my noble friend. My conscience is calm as to what I did when I housed your people. But I don't want to be held responsible if I sheltered the wrong people moved by charitable feelings…"

"Did you find out whether I still have a fever, or will it take longer?" he asked suddenly, sounding amused and ignoring her words.

"You will survive, despite how hot you are... But I will ask later how your friends are doing," it sounded that she would leave him, and Alexa heard her move away from the Prince.

"Hey. Listen. I'm sorry for your knight. I will try to compensate," he said, sounding sincere. Alexa could identify this much by his voice's grumbly and grave intonation.

"Hm, it's interesting news, milord. I will definitely want compensation. You took Eadric's hand off in the heat of your emotions. And he wasn't just a mere warrior, but a well-famed knight in our region. Therefore…"

Alexa felt a tightness in her chest. Had Magnus done that to that man? Again he was seized with fury and sadistic abandonment when he fought with those men to… um, rescue her from the fire? The Princess was very glad that he did it, but he wounded at least one man permanently. She started up the stairs, making noise, and announcing her arrival. The conversation ended, and she found them standing, staring at her.

This time she could have a better view of the woman in red. Alexa couldn't estimate Lady Fairclough's age, but didn't seem to be over thirty years old. Taller than Alexa by maybe a head, Lady Gwendolyn's golden blond mane adorned with beautiful waves fell down her back to her h.i.p.s. A simple veil attached by a small hat tied under her chin covered her lush hair. She had big gray eyes, which looked like two polished stones. In fact, she was a woman of impressive beauty. And Lady Fairclough wasn't shy at all, it was obvious. Her red cloak fell over her shoulders over an almost black dress, as did the veil.

"I beg, don't hold a grudge against us, milady," said Lady Gwendolyn as soon as Alexa stopped in front of them. The Princess was two steps below them, looking up. Her eyes met Magnus's quickly, but she only saw concern in them.

"Lady Fairclough, I must thank you for your help in the most desperate hour of my life. And your benevolence, for sure," Alexa bowed gracefully to the hostess.

"You know my name, but I don't know yours, unfortunately, milady," said the woman.

Magnus interrupted,

"This is my wife, Alexa Zöe Saskia von Wuttenfal."