Chapter 152 - Eostre

The kiss.

When taking this attitude, Alexa knew that Magnus would not back down. She knew he would sensually take her mouth and taste the antidote.

And she also knew that if she didn't have a lot of willpower, she wouldn't be able to resist the taste of his lips. Because there was a spell that had an immediate effect on her, even though Alexa didn't want to give in to it.

Magnus' fingers dug into her flesh, and Alexa's dug into his hair, letting him delight in her mouth.

Magnus groaned with pleasure, and bent down to lay her on the grass, when they heard sounds that denounced people's arrival.

With a frustrated grunt, the First Prince stopped what he was doing, straightening up and narrowing his eyes. Turning to the forest, Magnus finally untied the headdress.

'I think I have to thank whoever is coming, friend or foe,' Alexa thought, relieved.

"I will kill whoever is coming, friend or foe," muttered Magnus, to her alarm. The princess grabbed his wrist, afraid that the elixir was not working, after all.

"No, Magnus! What good would that do?"

His gaze, however, shifted to the entrance to the forest, when human silhouettes emerged from the mist. It was a sizeable group, and it seemed like more people were arriving. Men in white, and women and men with ritualistic ornaments, carrying flowery offerings in their hands. Only at this moment, Alexa realized that they were next to a tall and imposing stone, and with a slightly rectangular shape. There were ancient symbols engraved on that stone, and Alexa didn't even dare to try deciphering them. 

People were shocked to find them there.

Both sides said nothing for a moment, trying to understand what was happening.

Magnus held Alexa's hand tightly, and raised her from the ground, almost taking the princess' feet off the ground with an abrupt movement, 

"Hey!"

As if fate wanted to play with them, a cloud moved away at that moment, allowing the morning sun's rays to fall directly on that hill, and on the couple and the ceremonial stone.

After just a moment's hesitation, someone cried out in joy, which was enough for others to rejoice in the Spring Couple's celebration.

"Magnus, are you there?" muttered the maiden to her partner, wanting to make sure the antidote had done its job.

"Almost there, almost there," he whispered back, his body muscles tense and his hand cold.

Some people came, smiling, with their offerings of flowers and… eggs?

One of the men in white shouted,

"EOSTRE! EOSTRE!"

"Yes! She brought the bird back! The enchanted bird!" a woman added, to the couple's total confusion, that she understood nothing but the fact that everyone was happy for some reason not connected to the reality of facts.

"Eostre is among us! SHE LIVES!" the crowd cheered and shouted in joy. Alexa held her breath at the demonstration of the people of Tanbury and Brentford. 

"I have no idea what's going on here, dear Prince, but don't you dare to act violently until we understand it, right? We shall not make things harder. We are just going to take Romeo and get out of here."

"Do you think it's fair?" although a little shaky, the sarcastic tone was back in the First Prince's voice. "After everything that woman did?"

"It's a complicated story, right? But let's make sure we get out of here alive, Prince Magnus. People who helped us can get hurt too. Please."

"Hmmm. You're right, for now…" he murmured through his teeth. A woman approached Alexa with a reverent smile and a rapt expression, to put a wreath on her hair. Someone brought the objects that belonged to Magnus, and he quickly put his cloak over his bare chest. Alexa imagined that Magnus' items must be close to the location for some unknown reason for her.

As they continued to be surrounded by the people who deposited their symbolic gifts next to the stone and looked at them in awe, more people arrived.

Alexa recognized, even without ever having seen him before, the Baron of Brentford. 

He was an older, dark-haired version of Rowan, and wore a sling on his right arm, under the cloak. 

The Baron looked at them suspiciously, but the same Druid who had shouted for Eostre before went to him,

"Look, Eowick, you mustn't hold a grudge! The gods came to us this spring!"

The Baron returned to look at the couple with surprise, but Alexa couldn't bear to hear those words from the cult priest.

Whether he believed that or just saw an opportunity to make politics and save Lady Gwen from ruin, as well as the whole celebration of spring, Alexa had no way of knowing. But she knew what had been brewing in her mind and heart for the past few days,

"Spring will come every year, regardless of whether or not you deserve it. The rebirth will be for everyone, good or bad. Now ... Don't think any god will come to bless you because of your vain prayers, and the cruelty and persecution of those who think differently. What happened here in the last few days was a shame! If the gods really heard you, they would be furious! No one can force spring to come ahead of time, nor can anyone force winter to stay."

"What are you talking about?" Magnus muttered in his native tongue, squeezing the Princess's hand slightly. Even though he didn't understand what Alexa was doing, he was tricky enough to have frowned to match Alexa's angry words. 

Words that everyone listened to with absolute attention.

"You don't understand, but they are."

"Oh Goddess, how do we make you angry?" someone asked.

"Yes! Please tell us!" another voice cried, and others asked for the same.

"Why did you keep quiet when a maiden's eyes were gouged out? Why did you look the other way when the former Queen of Spring, the Red Lady, manipulated, lied, killed, and many other things? What are rites for, if they can be manipulated and used for the benefit of some, and the harm of others?"

"I can't believe you're impersonating a goddess ..." Magnus squeezed her hand again, as if begging for Alexa to stop. "I thought you didn't want revenge."

"I am fighting my heart not to want revenge. But it doesn't mean that I can't speak, if they're listening to me," she replied.

The Baron of Brentford looked confused, until his face lit up,

"I think I understand what you mean, Goddess. Apparently a vain woman went too far this time."

Alexa lowered her head, confused. If she continued to speak, she could change Tanbury's fate forever. But… wouldn't that also be a big scam? 'Well, at least I have to find a way to get us out of here ...' she turned to the Baron and the priests again,

"These people were mistreated. Hospitality wasn't seen in these lands. Did you forget how to be hospitable?"

"Forgive us. Forgive us!" people screamed. Alexa was feeling ashamed, but remained haughty. 

"That witch is not going to escape like that, don't even think about taking the pleasure of my revenge from me ..." Magnus murmured again. Apparently some people there were unaware of Lady Gwen's pleas, and sent for her.

"You're freezing ..." she commented, since she was still holding hands with Magnus, all this time.

"That damn medicine you gave me ..." he sighed. Alexa looked up at the Prince, and saw that unlike before, he was pale and little dots of sweat glistened on his forehead.

"While you were in prison, I discovered a few things. Lady Fairclough arranged to exchange the Baron for another partner, and decided that this would be you ... He cannot be the receptacle of the Horned god if he has a physical disability."

"I ended up understanding this part. Too late, however."

"From what I'm seeing, this will cause a crack in the community," Alexa deduced. She had seen this happen before.

Lady Gwen was brought in by some people. Although they were surrounding her in an unfriendly way, no one touched her. Even Alexa should admit that the woman was a vision of beauty with flowers in her hair and her red dress with a provocative cleavage. Lady Gwen was pale and with an angry expression, but she maintained her stately pose.

"Eostre and the Horned One came to us in their splendor to give us a message! They found errors in the attitudes of some! Repair must be done!" shouted the Druid, as soon as Lady Gwen stopped in front of the couple.

The small crowd watched expectantly.

Alexa held her breath, wanting to shake her head! 'No way! I just want to leave this damn place!'

And to make matters worse, maid Margrit came running to throw herself at the couple's feet, bringing Jennifer with her!

"Please don't! Don't kill Lady Gwen!" begged the woman.

"Please don't kill my mommy!" the girl whined, raising gleaming puppy eyes to the couple!

Rowan made space among the crowd, carrying Romeo with him on a red pillow.

Alexa didn't know if she was angry or laughed at the Prince-transformed-into-a-bird's triumphal entrance, carried by his newest minion.

Romeo looked inflated like a spoiled feather ball, which suited him perfectly.

"Great Goddess, you forgave the hare and turned it into a bird again!" the boy pleaded. The princess concluded this was one more reason they believed she was the goddess Eostre incarnate. She had a special bird that must fit some legend's description. But the boy continued, 

"Make my mother the mother she once was! And make Baron Eowick's fingers grow again!"

All eyes turned to Alexa, and she felt blood rush to her face.

'OH! My God, do they believe that I can work miracles?'

(A.N. Sorry, for some reason I cant delete the duplicated paragraphs below)

"Great Goddess, you forgave the hare and turned it into a bird again!" the boy pleaded. The princess concluded this was one more reason they believed she was the goddess Eostre incarnate. She had a special bird that must fit some legend's description. But the boy continued, 

"Make my mother the mother she once was! And make Baron Eowick's fingers grow again!"

All eyes turned to Alexa, and she felt the heat rise to her face.

'OH! My God, do they believe that I can work miracles?'