Chapter 193 - Twist of Fates

"Don't you want Emmeline?"

A disturbing silence followed, and Emmeline sobbed.

Alexa even felt a hint of pity and sympathy for the poor undead girl, even if she pretended to ignore the fact that one of them planned to do the same to her!

The gallop of horses echoed in the silent night, and Alexa's heart pounded even harder, in the expectation that it would be Magnus and the others!

"Well then! Keep her. Emmeline is no longer yours," the foot on her neck was removed.

It was painful to draw air into the lungs, and at the same time, it was a relief to breathe properly.

A cloak was thrown over her, and knowing that she was surrounded by three predators with much more strength than she, Alexa again had no chance to escape. She was rolled up and lifted in the arms by one of them. Probably the same one seeking a new mate!

She could at least try to delay them, until Magnus could catch up! He was close, she knew! All Alexa could do was struggle, but the undead guy had been too smart to wrap his prey inside the cloak!

She felt herself being carried as the undead ran, probably back to hiding.

Alexa even tried to pay attention to identify the place, even if she didn't see it, but her head hurt so much! Her face, neck, and pulse throbbed like hell.

Her last perception was to go down a long stairway ... Then everything went dark.

°°°

"AHHHHH!" the Prince woke from his sleep with a cry, frightening people in his room.

'Alexander, help me!' she sought support from the one who could certainly hear her.

'Calm down, Alexa. What happened?' the Second Prince's voice in her mind had the power to situate and calm her down a little.

Yes, she was in Holstein again. Away from the place where Alexa was about to become ghoul food! Or worst!

'I… I'm about to be eaten by ghouls!'

'Ghouls?'

'Dead who remain in their bodies, and feed on human flesh!'

'Magnus is dead?' he asked after a while, forcing his voice to appear calm. And not to fuel her panic, perhaps. Alexa knew that Alexander had been impressed and scared by what she said.

'No, he ... He was coming, and ...!' somehow, thinking and remembering that Magnus was close to finding and rescuing her calmed the trembling body. He would destroy the ghouls, she was sure!

'You know he won't leave a stone unturned until he rescues you! Just remember this time not to stop him from doing what he should do," said Alexander.

"Your Highness, how are you feeling?" the familiar voice interrupted her secret dialogue with Alexander. When Lex looked up, the Prince couldn't help smiling. It was Blue Eyes, beside the bed, smiling at the Prince!

"My dreams were horrible, Father," the prince sat on the bed, happy to see his tutor, and confessor, standing.

Lex realized that he was using an arm sling and also a staff to help him stand. He was still recovering from the severe torture to which Zilda and her acolytes subjected him.

A little further back, her older brother Narses stood upright in a strategic place where he could see and be seen from the bed.

Lex saw that there were more people than usual faces, like Balbo, Fani, Ceridom, and even Jette. Lex smiled at her brother, knowing that he knew it was she who had woken up in the Prince's body.

But who were all those people, with sad, hopeful, anxious expressions?

"God will comfort you, Your Highness, just trust Him," said the Princes' confessor, placing his hand on the Second Prince's forehead and blessing him.

"How's my dad doing? Were there other survivors?"

"Your father will be fine, and he has been worried about you for as long as he has been conscious, last night. All, without exception, are concerned with the health of both the Sovereign Prince and the Second Prince. But… How do you feel?"

"Yes, I'm doing fine ..." There was still the wound, but that was perfectly tolerable now, especially compared to the 'fresh' and piercing pain Lex had felt moments before while Emmeline beat her like a dirty carpet. All this body had were scratches and body aches.

Gutard had used his own body to protect his son's body, and thanks to that, and the fact that Lex had first fallen into the grave, he had been spared from the worst.

"I'm fine. But my father ... Is he unconscious?!"

The Prince's reaction was expected, but not even Alexa expected her reaction to the news.

She had really believed in Magnus's opinion that Gutard would be fine.

"Well… First of all, calm down. While your father, the Sovereign Prince, is recovering, the whole kingdom needs to know that Holstein is safe and well looked after. And that you, the youngest von Wuttenfal, are prepared to take responsibility while your father is bedridden," Agnello di Borghesi spoke slowly and clearly, staring directly into the Second Prince's eyes.

'Damn it. Alexander ... We are screwed.'

'Don't focus on that now. Let's see my dad. Then we'll think about it. State affairs are important, but my father's life is more, 'Alexander took a while to answer Alexa's desperate outburst. But he was firm. 'I already went to see him. He is worried, in a bad mood, scared, and in pain ... But far from dying ... If I learned anything from you ', he added.

"If I may," said Narses, calling attention to breaking the protocol and addressing to the Royal Highness publicly, without being asked. "I am Narses Dallassenos, a relative of your wife ... And she sent you a letter," pompously her older brother bowed as he approached and delivered a sealed letter.

A small murmur ensued, leaving Alexa to be sure that even the highest court dignitaries followed the Second Prince's wedding with interest.

'Tell the nobles and ministers present here to refrain from worrying too much. After I see my father, there will be an official statement, I promise, ' Alexander advised her.

'You can say that yourself!'

'The last time we did that, I felt it was much harder than I expected. It was too tiring and energy consuming ... different from before. '

Alexa didn't quite understand what Alexander meant by that, but she didn't have time to keep asking. The Princess was sure that while they were talking internally, the Prince should look silly, which would only make ministers more concerned.

"Dear ones. I am grateful beyond words you came to wish me a good recovery after the incident. I know you are concerned about the fate of the kingdom, while my father is recovering. I assure you we will keep you informed shortly about what we will do. First of all, I will see my father."

"Your Highness! Tell us where your brother is! He must come back!" one minister asked, pushy but respectfully.

"As soon as I talk to my father, I will inform you of everything you need to know," the Prince rephrased.

The Prince understood there, that at that moment, the factions would begin to articulate their plots to power, without even waiting for Gutard to be inside a coffin,

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll summon you later."

Her choice of words caused a few noblemen to raise their eyebrows, which made Alexa wonder if she wasn't acting too aggressive and conceited. "Right now my mind is on my father's health, so please forgive me beforehand."

Agnello de Borghesi took the cue to add,

"Your Highness undoubtedly thanks you for your prayers, pious ministers and nobles. At this point, each one should FAITHFULLY watch over their tasks. The Sovereign Prince will recover, so there is no reason to worry or to falter. Surely all the true supporters of Holstein shall be engaged in helping the von Wuttenfal to lead this land to prosperity and wellbeing. The von Wuttenfal always did the best for Holstein, and this land only prospered and keeps safe from external enemies and even spiritual attacks, under their guidance. It shall not change."

They politely dispersed, but even Alexa was not so innocent as to imagine that, at that moment, there was a feverish battle behind the scenes, to promote the change of powers in Holstein!

Even with the White Queen almost out of the game, and the Black Queen very absent, the princess suspected they still had important roles to play. None of them had been totally excluded. And the interests of the living were also an unbalancing element.

The Prime Minister and the Grand General said they would wait outside, to go with Alexander to Gutard. Alexa wondered if this was some kind of suspicion, or just precautions between opposing parties.

Lex opened the letter while they left, but on the paper, there was only a bold and obscene drawing. So just like her brother's shenanigans! She looked up at him, gaping.

Narses winked at her.

Alexa could hardly wait to talk to him alone ... Well, not necessarily alone, since Alexander would possibly be together.

In moments, the small retinue crossed the corridors to the Sovereign Prince's room.

Although Alexa and Alexander preferred a personal encounter with Gutard, it had been impossible, even for Blue Eyes and his excellent rhetoric, to move the two most politically important people after Gutard himself, not to enter the Second Prince in the Sovereign's alcove.

Lex found Gutard different from what she imagined. He was in bed, lying quite stiffly, accompanied by doctors, and Duke Kurt. And it didn't look right, she could tell right away. His body and face were swollen, and he had many horrible bruises.

"DAD!"

Gutard moved his lips slightly, in what might have been a smile, and then winced in pain.

Lex went over to her father-in-law, whom she would now call a father, for convenience's sake.

But, even if indirectly, that man had risked his own life to save her ... Shouldn't she be grateful?

"How are you feeling? Oh my God, I didn't think it was that horrible! You took it all by yourself, did you…"

"Shut up. Alexander. Alexander?"

'Tell him I'm here. And that I'm fine. Please, ' Alexander asked her. His voice was so and void of emotions, but Lex guessed it was because Alexander was trying to control his feelings.

"I'm here, father. You can talk.'"

"You must endure a lot of responsibility now."

'Is he thinking he's going to die? We have to tell him he's not!'

'Worse than that, Alexa. He's afraid to live like an invalid. Let him speak, please,' the real Second Prince asked.

"The scribe has already registered ... my decree. But I want you to listen. It's my will."

The men around the bed nodded solemnly. Only Alexa felt like she was going to freak out. What was going on? Why was she not liking to where it was leading to, at all?

"Alexander will be the Holstein's Regent ... under the tutelage of both... Duke Kurt and Father Agnello. Until my recovery ... and the return... of his older brother."