Chapter 124 - Bound by Word

"Please tell us," Alexa quickly urged.

Gwendolyn kept her expression thoughtful,

"Well, that poor creature needs a new chance, but I don't think it will be here. Tanbury is nothing more than the last and forgotten bastion of defense in this portion of England and we are Brentford's vassals. But nothing really changes here, and the families that live here will remain the same."

This was true for most towns and cities around essentially agricultural places. When she, Ian and Locke strayed a little way in the Teutonic empire, she saw several places like that. They didn't like strangers and anything that would interfere with their routine.

But Lady Gwen continued to expound her idea,

"In the valley to the east, beyond Brentford, Duncaster's lands are not so remote and traditional, and there is even a famous fair for trading. I think Duncaster could be an option for the miller's daughter. If she goes there, she'll probably get some placement that doesn't require much… In fact, a small caravan from Tanbury goes to Duncaster's fair often. Just… no one would have the patience to accompany her on the trip and find help for the girl. It would take a lot of patience, in fact ..."

"Um, well, in that case I believe that if someone can spare us all the necessary information, we can do that. I mean, take her to this city and find a place for Mildred," said Alexa, turning to the First Prince with a lovely smile on her face. "Can we? Yes?"

"Depending only on my will, yes, we can," Magnus held his breath for a moment, and smiled back, charming. Alexa was confused for a moment with all this staging, since he looked ecstatic even when it was all a farce. Lady Gwen straightened her hair, and frowned briefly,

"Oh, good. The peasants taking goods to the Duncaster fair leave the day after tomorrow morning. And many return the same day. But… Well, maybe I should send another letter to Baron Brentford."

Magnus, who had been holding his hand on Alexa's shoulder all of a sudden, released her,

"Ah, milady already sent the letter about the duel?"

"Well, my lord said I could, so I sent it this morning ... The messenger should be back in the early evening, since we are neighbors."

Alexa was not surprised that Lady Gwen reminded Magnus of the deal. And in fact, if she had managed to pull the promise out of that idiot and furthermore, announced the duel, Magnus was trapped by the word.

How had that proud idiot been so easily caught? In the midst of such a sensitive mission, commit to dueling for a cause that Alexa didn't even know what was?

"Don't send a messenger. I'll think of something and let you know, milady," said 'Lord von Wuttenfal', bowing in farewell and thanks, again putting his hand on Alexa's back. The false wife also bowed, and they both left Gwendolyn.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Magnus said,

"Now we have this huge problem. Lady Gwendolyn is right, the longer Mildred stays here, the worse it will be. But I also can't take my word for it and I shouldn't be absent if I have to duel."

Alexa resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but she knew that his reasoning had its logic. They were at an impasse. Alexander suggested,

~ What if Mags stays while we take Mildred to this city? She even said that she met some monks at the fair. It won't be that difficult. Ulrich and Johannes can accompany us, and as soon as we finish we will go back to Tanbury. ~

Alexa replied the Second Prince's comment to let Magnus know, but the older brother snorted,

"Impossible. Alexa goes to sleep at sunset wherever she is."

"Will the duel happen for sure the day after tomorrow? Could we wait until then?" Alexa asked aloud. "In addition, we should ask Mildred what she wants. It's her life, after all."

"By tomorrow night we will have something decided," Magnus did not seem satisfied, but he kept his annoyance to himself. "After that, I hope my esteemed brother did not go out to collect orphans and widows along the way. When I was talking about the soft heart that cannot bear suffering, I meant you, Zand!"

The statement outraged both Alexa and Alexander, each for a reason. But Magnus left them, and Alexa went to the bedroom. 

Mildred had dozed off at the foot of the bed, but woke up to her arrival, bewildered and frightened,

"Who's there?"

~ Calm down, it's us. Lady Alexa and me, ~ said Alexander. We are on your right, ~ 

Alexa wished they could leave soon. The castle had a gloomy aura and right now she felt her hands itching slightly. She didn't see any Shades around, but a castle like that always had at least one.

As soon as the blind girl calmed down, the princess introduced the subject as best she could: speaking directly,

"Mildred, we were thinking of taking you to Duncaster where you could meet your friends from the Church. Monk Peter may know how to help you. We talked to Lady Gwendolyn, and she supports you to leave ... She imagines that you won't have many chances here. And honestly, without meeting the people here, I don't know who could help it."

"All the people who were my friends turned on me after I decided to not hide my faith anymore. I was very innocent, maybe. But they didn't grant me a quick death…"

The bird flapped on her shoulder, and Alexa tried to comfort Mildred by rubbing her icy hands, "Trust your faith and don't let your truth die out in your heart. But being practical, I can't think of anything better than the suggestion of the lady from that land."

Mildred was silent for a moment, fighting her feelings for the way she breathed heavily and swallowed. Finally she said,

"If you can help me with just that, my lady, I will be forever grateful. More than that, I am forever grateful to Zand, milady and milord, for having pity on a low and miserable person like me. The Abbey of St Ewe might shelter me… The monk Peter says that the abbess is a principled person, and even suggested it to me once… If I had at least accepted it! None of this would have happened!" she exclaimed, trembling at the memory of her ordeal.

~ If I could I would kill the person who did this to you! ~ Said Alexander suddenly, inflamed. The maiden's eyes widened, surprised by so much bitterness and vitriol,

"Why are you saying that? What would that help?!" she asked irritably. "Go keep Magnus' company if you're going to be talking nonsense and making Mildred sad!" She got up, agitated, and opened the window. Romeo ignored the window and flew to one of the wooden beams on the roof, disappearing into the shadows, however. Alexa understood that he felt constrained by his bewitched form, and by not being able to express himself physically. 

Seeing how upset her husband was with the situation of the peasant she had recently met, Alexa intimately wondered if she was the person being insensitive to Mildred's suffering. She tried to be practical, but it was easier when it came to her own feelings and needs than when someone else needed her.

And then she remembered, the times when people went out of their way to help her, and how essential their outstretched hands were.

Like Sir John Blackrose, for example.

Embarrassed for being so reluctant, Alexa decided to replicate the kindness she had received from that man, who freed her from suffering and possible death. Sighing, she turned to Mildred, who was quiet and with her head down in the same spot as before,

"Mildred, I will take you to the monk Peter, and arrange for you to get to the convent. You have my word on it."

"I ... have no words to thank you, milady."

"Well, then please stay with this stubborn guy over there, but don't listen to his nonsense. I think I should figure out how to go to Duncaster today," looking out the window made her realize how fast time had passed that day. Soon she would be asleep and back in Holstein, where other types of problems awaited her.

Leaving the room, the princess was going down the nearest stairs, but she saw Jennifer coming in that direction. Imagining that the girl was going to take her precious time, Alexa turned around to avoid her, entering a narrow corridor that she didn't know where it would end. There was no alternative but to move on and find out where the corridor would lead. By the way, Alexa imagined it was for the battlements of the keep. But the princess was wrong. It ended in a window and a door. The door wasn't locked, and she pushed lightly, but stopped when she heard what sounded like conversation.

'Ignore it, Alexa, it's none of your business,' she thought, but there was something that made her want to know what was there. So she made her steps lighter and pushed the door cautiously to peek inside.

The soft splash of water anticipated what she would see. This was Lady Gwendolyn's room. She knew because she saw herself, her back with her lush hair trailing on the floor, while her body was plunged into a bathtub.

"Ohhh ... Hmmm ... Damn ... Ohhhhh!"

Gwendolyn was restless and undoubtedly did not notice Alexa hidden in the shadows at the back of the room. The sounds coming out of the woman's mouth left no doubt what kind of sensations she experienced in her bathtub. 

Then Alexa's gaze stretched beyond the tub where Gwendolyn had her solitary pleasure. The half-open door, or rather, wide open in Lady Gwendolyn's room, could not be an oversight. It was an invitation.

And with dark eyes and fixed on the scene that Alexa saw only from the back, Magnus was outside the door.