Chapter 125 - Your Eyes

Alexa felt a lump in her throat, and also the blush rising to her cheeks.

"If I didn't know that this ... Red Lady is trying to seduce my husb ... Prince Magnus, I would think that I have been very unlucky lately, for always stumbling over these intimate scenes…"

Before the Prince or the owner of the castle could see the trespasser there, Alexa came back where she had come from, pretty annoyed by what she had just witnessed.

'But… Who knows, I might just end Lady Gwen's plans? I have no doubt that that door was open for the sole purpose of allowing Magnus to see what he was not supposed to see. 

A beautiful woman thirsty for pleasure.

Alexa narrowed her eyes, arriving again in front of her own room without even noticing how. 'Should I interfere? Shouldn't I do it?'

On the one hand, how could she condemn him if he did not resist Lady Gwen's charms? Both had no commitments to other people. Magnus wasn't even engaged. On the other hand, Lady Gwen did not know it.

Turning on her heels, the Princess returned, this time on the conventional path. Night was falling fast, and the hall was already full of shadows, and she knew she didn't have much time. She went towards Lady Gwen's room, keeping her steps as light as ever. She found Magnus coming towards her, but noticed that when he saw her coming, the Prince held his breath and could barely hide the guilt on his face. The princess contained the urge to narrow her eyes, and came to him.

Magnus scratched his chin, staring at her without saying anything. He was facing a window, and the light illuminated his chiseled face, highlighting his handsomeness. His eyes captured the golden light of the sunset as he watched her.

Alexa was stunned. She didn't know what to say, but her body did. There was no way to pretend not to understand Lady Gwen's motivations.

"Alexa?"

"Ah ... Magnus," she had nothing to say when she saw the shadow of a provocative smile appear on the First Prince's lips. "Did you know that little Jennifer says you have cat eyes?"

'Ouch, what nonsense was that I just said?' she bit her bottom lip, sorry for her comment.

"Is that what you think too?" he approached Alexa keeping his gaze locked on hers, invading her personal space while his smile increased. In one corner of her mind she imagined hearing light steps, but nodded, swallowing,

"A big, bad cat, of course."

"It is because the eyes reflect the soul, my love," he said, taking her waist gently and lifting the princess easily into the air. Alexa could only hold his biceps for greater stability while facing each other. Her heart was pounding as she looked into the Prince's eyes with no good answer to Magnus's dubious comment. The princess was still surprised how easy any physical effort seemed to him. But Magnus continued, in a quiet voice,

"Don't you know? I love your eyes. They look so good on you. I know people with beautiful eyes, but you have the most beautiful eyes. Because they are really a piece of your soul. Even when they are angry for some reason, like now..."

"...?!" she felt herself blush again, and was totally confused. Her feet dangled in the air as she looked down and at Magnus, trying to understand... 

And her soul was dragged away from her body again, and she still felt herself being supported by Magnus, before waking up in the tower at Holstein castle.

'What the hell was that, out of nowhere?' the maiden covered her mouth nervously. 

Unable to understand, and taking longer than she should, lingering into the feeling of staring into Magnus's eyes, Alexa stayed in bed trying to think of how to solve the problem they were experiencing in Tanbury. Until, realizing that she couldn't think of any other solution but to go to Duncaster, Alexa got up.

Blue Eyes looked up from his notes,

"Any special reason for the sighs?"

"Aagh!" Alexa almost gave a jump of fright. As she composed himself, the Princess commented sarcastically, looking from corner of eye to the priest,

"It is very strange to know that there is someone watching your sleep." However this time the manly voice coming from Alexander's throat wasn't so charming into her ears. Perhaps she was totally losing her ability to fake being a boy. Her soul now knew what was to truly be a woman.

"It's not your sleep. It's Prince Alexander's sleep," the priest replied, closing his leather-bound notebook. He looked melancholy, suddenly. "How is he, anyway?"

Alexa took a deep breath,

"For a bird, he can make a monumental mess. In fact, was he always like that?"

Her comment was apparently very unexpected and shocking, because Blue Eyes stared at Alexa, or rather, the Second Prince, and laughed until dry tears in the corners of his eyes. The princess had no idea why he was laughing so much, and was embarrassed. She waited for the priest to calm down, while turning Alexander's royal ring on his finger.

"Eh ... What was so funny?"

"You, the Queen of the troublemakers, are judging Alexander."

"Uhn, I don't get it… But maybe it's because, as Prince Magnus said, everyone loves Alexander. Apparently people cannot see who he really is."

"Ah, so you have complaints about your husband?"

"Father Agnello, please don't come and tell me I am being unfair. He barely got there and had already found another girl!" the princess ended up speaking with the feeling of betrayal that she had in her chest, since the person she gave up half of her life for just disappeared, and then was involved with another girl!

The Father blinked, perplexed, and Alexa went on to tell the facts, including that Lady Fairclough had had the peasant blinded, according to Mildred's own account.

After a thoughtful moment, the priest said, sternly,

"Alexander wouldn't be able to bear the fact of not helping this girl. She must be removed from there and when you arrive at the convent, tell them exactly what I am going to tell you…" after that, the priest explained in detail how to inform the abbess about the problem without creating unnecessary complications that would hinder their trip. Alexa agreed, feeling more relieved to have a plan at least regarding it.

"Ah, Father, I need money. A good amount," said Alexa, remembering what she had to do tonight. The priest made a face,

"Why do you need money if what you're going to do is help me with these Greek texts?"

"Ah! Father Agnello, I promise I will do this soon, but listen to me!" reporting her discoveries about Cordelia and her encounter with an infernal creature, and also about with Lady Charlotte Duvignes, Alexa held out her cupped hands to the Florentine priest, beaming a smile. "Come on, lend me some money! I can pay it back, right? I am no longer the poor lady with nothing but a bundle of clothes! Thanks to you!"

"At least you recognize that. Will you pay me with your money or with Alexander's money?" he asked, before going to get the amount.

"Uhn… With First Prince's money! He's funding this meeting. It was his suggestion, so the money will be his too!" she felt especially brilliant for thinking about it.

Blue Eyes just snorted and, when he returned, in addition to the gold bag he also had a promissory note with the name of Princess Alexa written on it, which she should sign.

"Do I need to call a witness?" asked the Italian priest.

'Ah, how stingy!' she shook her head no, counting the coins carefully before signing.

Later, around the agreed time, the second prince, the priest and Balbo left the castle in a closed carriage. Stopping the vehicle a little way from the Jewish quarter, Lex put the purple mask back on and pulled the hood up, speeding the distance to the bridge. It was just natural to suppose that Balbo would be watching the entire meeting from some strategic point. Lex might not like Charlotte Duvignes, but she was very intrigued about her. 

Lex didn't know Holstein well enough to know more, but the night was morbid and suffocating, despite the cold weather. The stone streets shone with the night dew, but the stench of death still lingered, much to her dismay.

Since the flood Lex had not been walking the streets of Holstein.

The bridge was apparently on the edge of the Jewish quarter, which was between the port and the city center. On the other side, it was possible to see a gate guarded by soldiers.

It didn't surprise Lex that the neighborhood had a kind of curfew. She had heard that it happened elsewhere. Those people, not being of the same religion as the majority, did not have free access to the city at night. 

But Lex noticed a strange movement near the gate. 

Narrowing her eyes to follow what was happening, even with the streets poorly lit, hooded men were sneaking out of the Jewish quarter, apparently with the consent of the gate guards. They quickly went into an alley. Lex would have followed them to see what they would do, but she noticed that the person she was supposed to speak to had already arrived and was at the meeting point, looking both ways for him.

Approaching, Lex remembered to impersonate his old character, Alexios, to help maintain the farce.

"Milady," 'he' greeted the hooded woman, trying to read on the French lady's face what her intentions were.