Alexa narrowed her eyes, feeling the morning light kissing her eyelids, but not really wanting to wake up to reality.
Her last good memory was that Magnus had comforted her and kissed her hair, and Alexa wanted to keep that at least in her memory, but ...
'This isn't the sun, is it, actual kisses ...?' She wondered, feeling the delicious, tender pressure on her eyelids.
"Magnus?"
He hugged her,
"How do you feel today? Are you all right?"
"All right? What do you mean with 'all right'? Why are you asking this?" she opened her eyes, and looked at him.
Magnus had messy hair and eyes swollen with sleep. And a silly, gentle smile on his face. He rested his chin on his hand to watch her.
She had no idea why he was asking that question. And mostly, why was he there, lying next to her?
"Well… you asked me to control my desire… I tried to do my best, but…" He pretended to be annoyed with himself, barely hiding his smile, "That was asking too much. So, are you feeling… hm?"
Alexa sat on the bed. She had no idea where they were, it was an unknown room, and she was n.a.k.e.d.
Magnus also was n.a.k.e.d.
Slowly, the memory of Pandora's Egg came back to her.
"What happened? We…"
"You couldn't take your hands off me, so… Don't you remember?"
He laughed, but he wasn't mocking at her. In fact Magnus pulled Alexa's hair behind her ear, and slid his finger contouring her ear, lobe and neck, causing all sorts of chills in Alexa.
She felt a more sensitive part of her neck, exactly where he had left the tip of his index, and was looking at her provocatively. She tried to look, but she just squinted. What was that? A hickey?
NO! She didn't remember! How was that possible?!
"I can see from your confused face that all your screams from yesterday, calling my name, will just stay in my memory ... But ... I want to make you have all the memories of it," with a naughty smile, Magnus leaned back, kissing Alexa's belly.
"Hey, stop it!"
"That's not what you said yesterday!" He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her belly and sliding his hands up towards the Princess's b.r.e.a.s.ts.
"Oh my God, what are you ..." She knew what he was doing, of course, the princess just didn't think she would be so embarrassed. Even more when he brushed her pink n.i.p.p.l.es with his thumbs, in circular motions. No doubt those spots were linked with other parts across her body, and Alexa bit her lip, m.o.a.ning.
"Uhn ..."
Magnus' golden gaze looked up at her, and one hand went down from her b.r.e.a.s.t to her thighs, while he lifted his chin to grab the n.i.p.p.l.e he had abandoned, drawing an aroused sigh from the maiden...
His hand moved forward gently, opening the path that Alexa was involuntarily making easy for him, until he brushed the pink slit between Alexa's legs…
Ohhhhh!
A kind of pleasurable and trembling sensation took over her body, coming from her core, and the princess squirmed on the sheets, half-opening her eyes and seeing stars...
The well-known stars embroidered on the canopy, looked back at her, and she was frustrated because her dream had been interrupted ...
'Alexander?' a horrible thought came to Alexa's mind. Alexander was around?
'Hm?' he replied, enigmatically.
'Ah, uh ... Did I sleep too much?'
'Strangely, yes... Did you have any weird dreams?' he asked, casually.
"ME?!" Alexa reacted out loud, placing her hands on her chest. She was in Alexander's body, of course and...
And...
What was that wet feeling between the legs?! She closed her eyes, feeling her face flush. She knew what it was. It could only be one thing.
'Alexander! I ... I can explain! It was just a dream! Just a stupid dream! ' After all the emotions of the past few hours, she didn't really want to explain anything to Alexander. Not a thing from last night.
'It had never happened to me, before you,' said Alexander. 'But ... It's embarrassing!'
'Uhn… Never?' she was nervous about all the possibilities of an argument with Alexander, but she didn't expect him to say something like that.
'Well, I mean, I'm sure no incubus or succubus came to disturb your sleep. So there are only two possibilities ... '
' It was a dream! I swear, it was a dream!' She was feeling quite guilty, and desperate for Alexander to accept her word for it. Even if it was he who asked for the marriage annulment, she felt bad.
'Well, it never happened to me before. Dreams like that. You better clean this up and not embarrass me.'
'Wait ... Aren't you mad at me?'
'Why would I be mad at you? Yesterday, my biggest fear was that you would die, Alexa. You were in a horrible situation, and a miracle happened. I have no idea what you're dreaming about, but it must be with… love. So you were happy, at least in your dreams.'
Alexa was confused, but grateful, with Alexander's reaction. It was especially shocking to realize that no one thought of it, back in France!
It was enough for her to return to Alexander's body, where the condition of Pandora's Egg ended up being fulfilled!
Alexander seemed more curious than angry, and that was more than unexpected. It was suspicious!
But Alexa needed to be absolutely sure,
'You are not the least bit upset about this happening to your body ... And you didn't even enjoy the sensations yourself? Or… '
Alexander didn't respond directly, however.
'You are proving that this body is healthy after all. I know you were dreaming. I can see when your soul returns to my body ... And with each passing day, I notice how my body is getting healthier, more ... developed. You are really bringing life, authentic life, into this body, Alexa.'
'This is a good thing!' Alexa could correlate with her own conclusions about her own body. She also felt that her own body was blooming, albeit late. The Second Prince replied, however,
'Actually, Alexa, I don't know. We have to talk about this and many things, but ... You had scheduled a meeting with your brother, if I remember correctly. And now, as Regent, it will be a very busy day.'
'Many weird things have happened, Alexander. I have a lot of news. But first, how is your father?'
'He had a rough night. Ceridom is an excellent doctor, but he's also concerned ... I wish I could do something to help, but I don't know how far the knowledge of doctors can go ... '
Alexa thought if Iacintho was around, he might be able to help, but they were so far away!
'And how about your mother's Shade? She said she would be around ... Maybe she knows something. '
'Another spell? Would my father accept, after everything witchcraft has already done to our family?'
'Don't forget everything she said about our current situation.'
'About this, I promise, we have to talk. But Helga is coming soon, please clean this up!'
Alexa also wanted to say many things. About Zilda's statement about her and Alexander being brothers, for example. About his dealings with the Black Queen.
But the more she knew about Alexander, the more intrigued she became... What she had seen in the cathedral didn't really go out of her head.
The Princess didn't know that much to draw definitive conclusions, but soon she could talk to someone who understood infinitely more than she did. Iacintho would know how to clear her doubts, or at least some of them.
As the Second Prince walked to the chapel with his small entourage, now inflated by the addition of secretaries reminding him of appointments, Lex saw Nerissa briefly, in a corridor.
She was letting herself be seen, and Lex hoped it was only the Shade's conscience finally ready to leave the world of the living, and no longer some horrible bond with that place. Perhaps Lex could ask Narses to help her, since as Prince Regent, Alexander was in evidence now, and with a busy schedule.
Getting close to the chapel made her shiver when she remembered the humiliation she had experienced a few moments ago, back in Alençon.
Lex halted in the courtyard, in front of the chapel's doors, and everyone looked at the Prince Regent expectantly. The resentment was still consuming and Lex felt his hands tremble.
'What is it, Alexa?' asked Alexander.
'We were expelled from a church, your brother and I, because of an uncompromising and dogmatic priest,' Alexa replied. 'I'm sorry, I should be at that mass. But I am sick of the idea of being judged, not by a God, but by men who think they speak for God.'
'I'm sorry, Alexa.'
"If Narses Dallassenos is at Mass, tell him I expect him, and take him to the Labyrinth Garden, where I will be," Lex asked some servants, and turned around, refusing to enter Mass as planned .
Upon reaching the labyrinth, the Second Prince ordered everyone to leave. He went to the gazebo where Lex heard the White Queen's voice for the first time.
The Second Prince walked the paths surrounded by green hedges, and this time there was nothing frightening about the maze.
'I survived because my other brother found me! Iacintho!' Lex shared the news with Alexander.
'But your brother is dead!' he replied, astonished.
'Ah ... You know that because, like you said ... You have dreamed of me all your life. So, that's why you didn't have pleasant dreams as you would expect for a handsome prince like you. You had your nights busy dreaming about my life. The past few years have been less than pleasant ... '
Alexander was silent.
Lex sat in front of the chess game, randomly moving the pieces.
Then she asked,
'Alexander, I was told that they found you here, with a bottle of poison. Where did you get the elixir? Was it Balbo? And you said you had come to find me. It always confused me, but now I really need to know. '