Chapter 215 - Who's to Blame

"What. Did. You. Say?"

Alexa didn't expect to see Magnus's face so upset all of a sudden, and cringed,

"Why are you mad? Isn't that a good thing? I think it's a good thing, in the end," she defended herself.

"Who?"

"Who? Why, nobody. After all, I woke up…"

"What do you mean, nobody? Doesn't that Pandora Egg have just one solution? Don't lie to me, Alexa. I was going to marry you."

At first, Alexa was not understanding the reactions of the First Prince, but then everything became clear.

"No-no-no. I woke up in Alexander's body, as I was saying."

"And what does that have to do with it?"

"It has to do with that I fulfilled the requirement. It was strange, but…"

"Did you use Alexander's body? Really?"

"It was inevitable. I didn't know it would be like this..."

"Did you really have the nerve of? What did you do? Did you do that to a woman?"

"NO!"

His face got red, and he yelled,

"ALEXA!"

'Oh, oh, I don't even want to know what's going on in his head…' she tried to explain,

"Magnus! Listen to me! Alexander's body is male, and… when I woke up… well, there was a little…"

"ARGHHHH!" he blew out of his lungs, and walked away, angry and relieved at the same time.

"Why are you angry? I couldn't help it!"

"This whole situation is exhausting, you know?" Magnus vented.

"Yes! It was embarrassing! And ... Wait a minute there! Now that you don't have to 'save me' anymore, are you mad at me?" she squinted her eyes accusingly.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm mad that you went through all of this, confused by everything, and… incredibly disappointed…"

"DISAPPOINTED?! You are a pervert!" Alexa put her hands on her waist, throwing a cold glare at him. It made him laugh,

"Stop! Stop right there! Disappointed that you are not chasing me right now with your greedy little hands, instead of having those withering eyes to my side. And ... uh, it's aching right here, "he pointed at his shoulder, "You could help me while the sun is not up."

Alexa shook her head, not believing he managed to be as seductive as the more silly he was. In the past, she was just irritated by this absolute belief that Magnus von Wuttenfal seemed to have that his cheap efforts could seduce someone... Except it really worked, because she wanted to take care of him.

"It's fine, sit there as I said, and I'll help you. I should be looking after my brother, and not here with you," she reached for the basin while Magnus sat on the bed.

"Those kind girls seem to be attracted to Iacintho's mysterious type, don't you think? Will it work?"

"I don't know what to think, I just know that he acts the way he did before, so I hope everything will be under control," Alexa didn't want to think about Iacintho at that moment, and shook her head to get her brother's dilemmas out of her mind. The Princess began to carefully clean Magnus's wounds using the wet cloth. She was focused, trying to do it in the best way possible.

"Why don't you say what you told me before ... again?" he barely refrained his amused grin, she noticed out of the corner of her eye.

"Can you stop, please, Your Highness?" she pressed one of the wounds on purpose, "I was under a spell, I wasn't myself."

"Well, I think you were, yes, yourself, and everything you said was true. You just weren't hiding or playing games," he replied, still amused, and ignoring or pretending to ignore the pain.

"Can't you just forget?"

"No, I cannot and I won't. I want to remember everything, every little word and every little look of greed! You were salivating over me!"

"Salivating over you?! Let's not exaggerate, Magnus von Wuttenfal!" She hit the fabric hard on the bottom of the basin while rinsing it for a new application. Water even splashed on them.

"Don't be so outraged. Resisting you have always been so difficult, and that day, I don't even know where I found willpower for it."

"I appreciate you being so responsible, Magnus."

He pulled her onto his lap, and Alexa protested, "Don't do this, you're disturbing me. I want to finish this before dawn. I don't want to fall face-first into this basin with dirty water."

But Magnus removed Alexa's bowl again, and held her face with both hands,

"I don't want to steal a kiss from you tonight. Kiss me, Alexa."

The request surprised her, but she ended up smiling, and leaning in for a peck on his lips. However, Magnus did not let this be just a small kiss, making the sensual contact of his lips an intense, long, and delicious kiss. Alexa felt the body relax in his arms and extended her hands to also hold his face, and bring him to her.

It was so good to kiss him!

When their mouths parted, she felt dizzy and light, and her fingers traced the outline of the Prince's jaw, the design of his neck, in a soft caress.

"Thank you for saying that you would marry me in that situation," she said.

"Hm, it was the first time that you were excited about the idea. But of course, it was the spell," he teased.

"Sure," she narrowed her eyes, and crossed her arms, accusing him, "You just said... 'I would marry you'. But you were quickly changing your mind, because of a minor obstacle ... You are so fickle, Magnus von Wuttenfal."

"I was taken aback," he scratched his head, making a face as he moved his arm. "I don't know what to do with it. The fact that they marry you to Alexander is probably my fault, in the end, and it hurts me."

"Why do you say that?" she frowned, confused. But the strength of the morning dragged her away, and she didn't hear whatever he was talking about, after all.

°°°

"Jürgen de Wits escaped?!"

The Second Prince didn't believe what he was hearing. Sitting at the breakfast table with Duke Kurt, Father Agnello, and Princess Cordelia, the news was indigestible and worrying.

The prince looked sideways at his stepmother, whose face was lowered to the plate, red with shame. They were having breakfast together at Kurt's request,

"He ran away this morning, no doubt with expert help. Some men guarding the prison died. Captain Gunnar is investigating. I wonder if Princess Cordelia is in any kind of danger. We should reinforce your stepmother's guard, Alexander."

Lex looked at Cordelia,

"Does my stepmother want to leave? Or will you make it easier for us to protect your life?"

She sighed, not raising her head,

"I already suggested to my husband that he allow me to go to the countryside, if he wanted to. If he believes that I do not serve him, I think he could ask for the annulment, as the Prince Regent recently asked of his wife ..."

" And what did my father say to him? " Lex asked, ignoring Cordelia's comment about the marriage annulment. The Prince was surprised that Alexander's stepmother already knew.

"Your father is very generous to me. He heard me and forgave me for being weak and obedient to my mother. He understood my insecurities and said that I shouldn't worry, he doesn't think of humiliating me by sending me home..."

"But Hansa members think you're a hostage. In fact, Your Highness, the Hansa Leaders sent an official letter to Holstein, demanding explanations," said Kurt.

"I think the only way to prove that would be to send me back, but I don't want to go. My husband rescued me, and I want to repay his kindness as long as he allows... If my father comes to me, I will tell him that!"

Lex was pondering Cordelia's words, and trying to understand the political impacts of this situation, and what they could do. This subject was so unpleasant, mainly because it involved Cordelia.

The chancellor excused himself to enter the room where the von Wuttenfals ate, to warn that Prince Gutard was calling them.

The Chancellor's distressed expression showed the urgency, and that he imagined that the sovereign Prince wanted to express his last wishes.

Lex went there immediately.

'Please, Alexa! If you can keep my father here a little longer, don't let him go!' Alexander pleaded.

Since she woke up Alexa hadn't heard his voice, although she felt Alexander with her. However, they also hadn't had a minute alone since the Prince Regent had left his chambers.

'I have no more power to prevent death than any ordinary human, Alexander,' she replied, feeling how sad he was with her response.

The Sovereign Prince didn't look any better than yesterday, and Alexa's heart was upset too.

'Alexander, you better talk to your father, I will move away so you can be with him,' she offered, giving the command to Gutard's real son.

Now, she was just an observer.

Gutard, looking bloated and feverish, stared at the people who gathered around his bed. After a long, he commented,

"I wish Magnus were here. And Godiva too…"

"Father," Alexander took his father's hand, tears in his eyes, but Gutard motioned for him to be silent,

"I gathered everyone here because I want to speak, not listen."

Alexander nodded, as did the others.

Gutard took a breath,

"My younger brother always had a doubt in his heart. And in Ashgraufelsen, that witch barked her lies and her justifications in order to poison our hearts. Doubt has germinated for a long time... doubts I knew some people had. But there are things that I discovered later than I should have... If you wonder, Kurt, whether Magnus is your son, I have to tell you now."