Chapter 173 - House on the Rock

After their eyes roamed across the room, the trio deliberately turned their eyes to the Prince, waiting calmly at the back of the room.

For the first time, Lex had the impression that they were holding their breath and waiting for something.

Cordelia, in particular, could not hide the tension on her face, although the older women maintained falsely serene expressions. Lex was sure they weren't. As Lady Eudoxia said, 'every woman feels tense when entering another woman's domain ... And those who manage to pretend they are not, are really dangerous.'

This gave him a little confidence to deal with,

"Your Highness Cordelia, welcome!" Lex gave a half-smile in greeting.

"Oh, I didn't expect to find you here, Prince Alexander, but I'm happy to see you," said Cordelia, looking at him curiously. "As you has had a lot of business with your father lately, I thought you would be in the capital. But… do you look ill…?" she raised an eyebrow looking genuinely concerned.

"I had an accident ... But I'm recovering well, as you can see," Lex had no way of knowing exactly what Cordelia knew about recent events. But I couldn't rule out anything. They had practical knowledge of necromancy and maybe they could even get information out of the dead and ghosts…

"Oh, my God… Do you need help? I can stay here to help, I have experience as a nurse, and… "Cordelia proposed. Nun Ludovica nodded, but her mother remained silent.

"It's not necessary, a doctor is here just for that," Lex gracefully dismissed the offer, and approached them slowly.

"Is this your mother?"

"Yes, Greta de Wits, Baroness of Volknau. And my uncle Egbert, my father's brother. This is Sister Ludovica."

'Uhn, have Cordelia's parents even won some l.u.s.ter of nobility?' Lex looked over them, flashing a smile of recognition, but maintained the proud posture of a von Wuttenfal.

"How was the trip to Ashgraufelsen?" the Second Prince asked, again with a gesture ordering the servants to put the guests at ease. It was impossible not to notice the newcomers' itching curiosity and the question about Alexa's whereabouts hanging in the air, but no one wanted to break the barrier of manners.

"Ashgraufelsen is a beautiful place, I hope I can see every corner!" Cordelia exclaimed, accepting the chair offered to her. "The castle in the capital, and its mansion, are perched high on rocks, but Swarzenhofhausen is different. Will this have to do with the owners' personality?"

Wine was served, and Lex said, with a calculatedly indulgent smile,

"It would be interesting,huh? My older brother has a house near the rocky shores, on a level ground, with a magnificent garden with black gates. He has a spectacular facade, doesn't it? And yet, he is usually very sincere in his words and also, like the sea, has no mercy on anyone..."

"And how would the Prince describe himself?" asked Cordelia's mother.

"Uhn ... Like my home."

"Beautiful and inaccessible, and on the edge of a cliff?"

"Yes, the dangers are evident, and only those I want come to me," Lex took the water from his goblet, with a little resistance and making a face because he preferred wine. The butler, however, was following the doctor's orders.

Contrary to Duke K's impression of Prince Alexander before entering the Roman ruins, these people seemed to be seriously considering his words. This was fascinating.

Perhaps all this respect was because Alexander was, in fact, the son of Gisela, the witch queen who supposedly dethroned Letitia?

Lex could only assume that was the reason. 'Perhaps they fear that Alexander himself is a powerful wizard ...' This assessment made perfect sense, and it wasn't even a fresh thing. Gutard's second son always suffered from the fact that he was publicly the son of a woman accused of witchcraft, unlike Magnus. Letitia's secret never really came to light, and she and her ladies were killed because of betrayal, when Prince Gutard discovered that she and his younger brother, Kurt, had an affair.

At least, that was what Odila had recorded in her diaries.

"My stepson is far more mysterious than I supposed from the reports…" Cordelia commented, trying to lighten the mood that the prince's impressive statement had left in the air.

"But as I said, I approach and let those I want to approach. And you are here."

"I thank you again. All I want is to make friends with my new family on the best terms! Princess Alexa's invitation was timely. When will we see her?" Alexander's stepmother asked, finally, using the words expertly. Lex tried not to show discomfort with the question, as he was waiting for it, anyway.

"I apologize for that. She should be ready to host you ... But Alexa received a messenger just before my stepmother's messenger arrived ... And is dealing urgent matters. I hope she will soon join us ... But please, take the time to freshen up and we will meet for dinner. Allow me to be a host at least reasonable."

With the cue of the host, the guests had no option but to go with the servants to the rooms they would occupy, before dinner, without further embarrassing questions.

As soon as Cordelia and her entourage left to dust off their clothes and rest a little before dinner, Lex took a deep breath, feeling small and fragile again inside her husband's body. Staging security and self-control was only possible because it was in front of Cordelia's mother, whom she had detested deeply since the day the matron had slapped her gratuitously.

Calling Helga and the butler, who he had discovered was named Wilbert, the Prince ordered the prepared carriage to go to the capital.

"Empty, Your Highness?" Wilbert confirmed, a little stunned. He looked nervous. Lex nodded,

"Just trust me, my dear. These women are very interested in knowing where my wife is, and have been mean to her before. And I don't want to reveal she isn't here as yet ..."

"Ah, of course! I will see that they never imagine! " still, you could see that the butler looked restless and Lex hoped it wasn't because he thought his master was not who he claimed to be. The help of these innocent people was essential at this point, but Lex would still like Balbo, Blue Eyes and even Gutard to be around.

Looking out one window as he watched the servants prepare the dining room, Lex saw the steep cliff and the entrance bridge to the mansion, looking suspended in the air in the night fog, now understanding the name of the place, 'The White Rock'.

The bell announcing dinner rang, and the guests joined the prince at the table. Doctor Ceridom was also with them, as the Prince's guest, sitting on his left. Cordelia was on her right. Alexa's place, on the other side of the table, was set, as if waiting for her.

"Ahh, I'm sorry to inform you," the Prince said, keeping his voice as low as possible. "Alexa received a message. Father Agnello, my confessor and my wife's tutor, was found and Alexa was called. I would like to go to him too, but ... " leaving the reason why he had not gone, since he had guests in the house, 'Alexander' continued. "He was kidnapped by demons, but he was rescued. Some people involved were captured alive ... But tha's not my concern, but my confessor's life. Alexa, who is his protégé, was very distressed and asked you to forgive her. She will be back in the morning."

'Uhum, they didn't expect us to have captured one alive,' Lex realized when he saw the silence fall over them. The man who accompanied them made a sign of the cross, and wished the priest well.

Cordelia did the same right afterwards, and gave an embarrassed smile,

"I hope that Father Agnello will recover soon, and that he will come back to us soon. If Alexa is taking care of those who helped her so much, I don't mind just seeing her in the morning."

"Since we have a nun here at our table, can I ask you to do the honors and say a prayer upon our meal?" asked the Prince, after nodding thanks for his stepmother's understanding. Lex had doubts about Cordelia, but he was absolutely sure Ludovica was the leader of the Cult. She was the right age and posture. As Hecate's priestess, would she ask for the blessing over dinner in the name of the Christian God? No, if she feared Hecate's vengeful wrath.

Ludovica looked at the fingers on the table and smiled.

At that moment, Lex and everyone at the table felt a chilly breeze go through the room and move the curtains, even with the windows closed. Ashgraufelsen, as beautiful as it was, was a cold place.

When Lex turned his eyes again, the nun was staring at him, as if daring him to ask again. Lex raised an eyebrow, as if asking there was something wrong.

"Do you believe demons can be summoned and walk among mortals?" she oddly asked. 

Lex felt a deep disgust at that woman sitting at his table, suddenly. He felt the chilly air which had settled in the room, and although he didn't know exactly how, he guessed one of them had disturbed the house's peaceful air with something profane. The doctor on his left side choked, and cleared his throat, apologizing to everyone.

'She wants to test Alexander, and know how much he bluffs? Well, Alexander may not be a player, but I am! ' Standing up and resting his hands on the table, the Prince said, taking inspiration from Gutard's imposing personality,

"Yes, my dear Sister Ludovica.My wife and my father's wife witnessed hell on earth, but they're not the only ones. I also saw it recently. I saw the astonishingly beautiful lady who came to the castle in search of men's seed, and the rot of death in her guts. And that's not all what I saw and know. These minor things are only at work because they are just pitiful displays of skill, nothing close to genuine power, and they shouldn't bother me. However ... I don't like all that dirt. It makes me sick, even if they are simple to solve."

Another unexpected gust blew out the candles in the room, and Cordelia grabbed Alexander's wrist with a squeak.

The servants ran to light the candles, and the Prince calmly took his stepmother's bony, cold hand from his wrist. However, in this brief moment of silence and darkness, they heard the trot of horses coming.

Lex wondered who it could be. There was no chance that his message had already reached Holstein.

Lex turned and asked the doctor to say the prayer before the meal, as if he had never asked Ludovica in the first place. The doctor was getting up when Wilbert excused himself, clearing his throat and looking paler than the candles in the candlesticks,

"Excuse me Your Highness, but ... Duke Kurt von Wuttenfal announces himself at the gate!"

Everyone looked at each other, static.