Chapter 216 - The Purest Love

'Oh God. Why isn't Magnus here now? ' Lex was sorry, for it involved Magnus directly, Iit was his right to be present.

'I prefer that he's not. He would be very disappointed,' Alexander told Alexa, though. Both foresaw the worst.

"Kurt," said Gutard, "I have spent years brooding over your crime and your absence. I wasn't able to see in myself the failures that contributed to the misfortune on our family, at first. But now I do. And... you came back. It's a troublesome time, and you said that you are here to help."

"All of this is true, Gutard," Kurt said looking at the sovereign's face.

"If you're doing this because you think 'your son Magnus' is going to inherit the throne, turn your back and go."

Everyone present was shocked by Gutard's harsh and direct words. Probably not Father Agnello, Lex noticed.

"Gutard, I ..."

"You think he's your son, and I know you do. If you blindly intend to defend 'his interests'," Gutard stressed, "go away. First: Magnus is not your son."

"You... You can't say that," Kurt shook his head.

Lex much rather preferred to be in any other place instead but witnessing this awkward conversation between brothers, however... For the first time, she felt that the imbroglio of a woman between two brothers was also a reflection of her own experience. Gutard was consistent, and he was a man who was not only discreet, but shrewd as well; a man who planned. If the Second Prince, Cordelia and Father Agnello were witnessing this conversation, it was important that they were there, Lex concluded.

Gutard replied his brother with a condescending and ugly grin, after staring at him for a moment,

"Ah, I can, Kurt. That madwoman wouldn't have put your son in front of my sword, knowing I was enraged and would kill her. She wouldn't have died laughing, if my horror at killing my son in her arms didn't satisfy her."

Cordelia even put her hand over her heart, shocked and disgusted.

If Lex hadn't already heard the story, she might have been just as confused as Cordelia was. Lex saw Kurt's frown, lost in memories and thoughts, and a myriad of feelings escaping his hardly composed face.

Perhaps he was so much more focused on the fact Gutard denied him Magnus' paternity that he didn't pay attention to the last and crucial part, Lex noticed. He was so sure of being Magnus' father!

But at last the Duke nodded, as if accepting the fact,

"Does that mean you haven't forgiven me yet? I am not here to crown Magnus. I'm here to help undo what I helped to cause."

After listening to his brother, and pondering for a moment, the dying man turned to the other side of the bed,

"Father Agnello di Borghesi. You have changed a lot since you got here. You went on to protect Alexander, and to penalize Magnus, when in the beginning it was different. I may not ask your reasons, but I know they exist. Plus… I know why you're here."

Agnello stiffened, and everyone looked at him, and then at Gutard. They both looked at each other, but said nothing. Lex knew the Blue Eyes' secret, and possibly Gutard had guessed it right a long time ago.

Perhaps Cordelia was the only person there who didn't know that Padre di Borghesi was Letitia's son.

Gutard looked at his brother and the priest,

"Help me. My two children are involved with the same woman. I forced them into this situation, without thinking about their futures, but to the present problem. I just thought I should make the best strategy to save both of them. Basically, I treated the girl, Alexa, just as another piece on the board. She was the third queen. But as long as I need to dispose of a queen to win, I should do it. I was wrong, as always. I just saw my victory, and the big game."

"Ahem, does Your Majesty refer to their marriage annulment?" Father Agnello wanted to confirm.

"Your Majesty! I dare to express my opinion, as a woman! This will ruin Alexa's life!" Cordelia came into the conversation. "I don't know if the past can serve as a lesson for the future, in this case. These are completely different stories!"

"Eventually, enmity and tragedy would set in, that's what my brother means, princess." Kurt tried to explain. "The only similar thing here is that there's a woman between two brothers. In fact, I consider the married couple as compatible and fit to each other, and there would be no reason to separate them ... Unless, as has been said, they can be brothers ..."

Gutard frowned.

"I would be doubly damned with unfaithful wives, huh? Isn't it enough to live my life like I did? Shall I be striped of the little mirth I have, my sons? I can tell you, they're my sole reason to endure your scorn. My heart got cold after so many stabs. After Gigi, it withered. Death would be a blessing!"

Lex wondered if 'Gigi' meant Gisela.

But the Second Prince went ahead.

"Dad, don't worry. I'm sure I'm your son. Remember when you showed me how our toes move the same, and are crooked? And that I sleep facing the same side as you?" Alexander knelt by the bed.

Alexa felt a little pain in the flank, which alarmed her more than if she felt the pain as before. This meant that time was passing, and the body was recovering, exactly as predicted. And that meant that their time was running out.

At the same time, he was so happy that Alexander had this complicity with his father.

"Yes, Zand, and you used to do many things I thought were similar to myself... Over time this has changed, but I recognize myself in you..."

And speaking in general to your small audience, he continued, "Well, I had two children, and I don't want them to become enemies. The annulment of the marriage of Alexander and Alexa should happen as soon as possible. Spare no effort. You understand the reason."

"But... is Alexa in agreement, Your Majesty?" Cordelia asked in a shy voice.

"Cordelia… This is a good question. Does she want the annulment? Does she just want to leave, leaving my two children behind? Does she want to be with Alexander? Does she want to be with Magnus? I don't know. Whatever she answers will be done. But I don't want my children to become enemies, or to cause each other's pain."

The men nodded. After seeing their agreement, he once again stared at each of them for some time, then addressed his new wife,

"These are my family matters. Cordelia. You said yesterday that you didn't want to leave. You said yesterday that you have nowhere to go." He took a heavy, aching breath. "But your options are just as open as Alexa's. I killed your mother, and I would kill your father if I had the chance... How can you want to be my wife?"

Alexa had never seen Gutard be so direct and frank before, and couldn't help thinking he and Magnus had many similarities, after all. She also didn't know how Cordelia could handle it, so the answer was a genuine surprise.

"I-I want to stay. You set me free."

°°°

Gutard couldn't endure this family reunion. His fever had not left him, and he asked to be allowed to rest. Alexander insisted on staying with his father, but was also expelled,

"You are the Regent of Holstein, and you have a lot of work. Do you think the world will stop just because a man like me is about to die?"

Alexander fought back tears, and it worried Alexa. Death was prowling that room. And she could practically feel Letitia's presence, savoring Gutard at last rotting on a bed. The room was filled with the energy of hostile Shades.

For a while, it was impossible to do anything other than let Alexander breathe heavily while looking out a window. He asked for reports from Ceridom, and was not satisfied with what he heard.

The rotten blood, the infection in the lower limbs of the sovereign prince... It wasn't getting any better.

The Prince Regent asked to prepare a horse, and went down to the castle courtyard. Alexa was going to ask what Alexander intended to do, but he surprised her by saying,

'Alexa, if my dad dies because he tried to save me ... You know I don't deserve it, don't you?'

'You shouldn't say something like that ... He thought you deserved it, and that's the important thing. As he said himself, he is aware of all the mistakes he made, trying to do his best. But he's not the only one, is he? Me, you, your brother, and everyone around us ... Everyone is solely responsible for what they do,' she put into words some disconnected feelings that had been growing inside her for the past few days.

After a brief silence, Alexander said,

'I've been thinking ... I just get what others have to give me. It is time for me to repay everything they have already done for me. My dad, Mags, all the people around me, and you, Alexa. If my father doesn't survive, I need to do my best until my brother comes back, and takes the throne. '

'YES! SUPPORTED! ' Alexa spoke excitedly. She felt that Alexander was saddened and at the same time wanted to find the strength to continue. 'Alexander, we are really soulmates. I will not abandon you on the path you need to take.'

'But that doesn't mean that we have to be in a marriage, so I know I can let you go. Our connection is of a different kind. It's Philia1, who is born in my heart, and I feel it comes from yours to me,' he explained.

Alexa couldn't be more surprised at his words.

'Yes, Alexa. Our souls are already connected, either by magic or because, from the beginning, we are one. We are more intimate than you will ever be with another person. And yet, we will have to separate once again. We are so equal that we could be confused to, and fuse into, each other. I am happy that your heart has chosen my brother to love. We can no longer live each other's lives. We will have to separate, and I ask you to take the first step. '

Now they were riding, in the company of Balbo and a group of guards, out of the city.

Alexa had been mesmerized and absorbed in the developments that Alexander's words caused in her mind. Alexander was a lot more literate and philosophic than her. But deep in her heart, she understood what he meant.

'Where are we going?'

'To the lighthouse. My mother's Shade had said that we should restore Sigrid's spell. We should look for where Sigrid has spent the last few years, don't you think? This will be the second step to part from each other.'

'And… what is the first step?'

'Stop pretending that the marriage annulment's decree makes any sense to us, as it does to other people. You and I are a pair, but you and Magnus are a couple.' the purest form of platonic love.