Chapter 229 - Princess Alexa of Holstein is Back

Her arrival at the side of the Prince Regent caused a surprise in the castle. The news spread quickly, and as soon as they had stepped foot in the main courtyard, the servants and courtiers rushed to see them, finally together.

At an appropriate time and situation, Alexa would have been happy. If she were not, for example, canceling the marriage, and having married Alexander's brother. But she could not ignore that their fantastic union was the subject of much curiosity and fascination. It would be disappointing when the news of the annulment was made public. In fact, Alexa shivered when imagining the scandal and repudiation she would face.

Alexander was awake in his own body, and well. And she had fully returned to her own body, full time. It relieved her. At the same time, Alexa would love not to be there!

She wanted to be at the traveling artists' caravan with Magnus.

But Alexander helped her off the horse, and again took her by the hand,

"Can you get refreshed and ready to go to my father?"

Alexa nodded, and soon afterward the castle maids efficiently 'kidnapped' her and took her to the room she occupied so briefly as Alexander's wife.

After a warm and relaxing bath, she was being dressed and helped by all the ladies who still remained on her personal staff. She knew, when asked, that the plague had also hit the castle, and claimed many lives. Edel had been one of the victims, and Maria, dismayed by the death of her younger cousin, had gone to the countryside.

The feeling that things were returning to normalcy confused her, in fact. After so many adventures, being back in her body and in the castle was disturbing.

She was being combed, and was absently chewing a cherry pie when Princess Consort was announced. Alexa sighed.

Cordelia, dressed in black, appeared to have grown even thinner in the short time Alexa had not seen her. Her clothes were loose on her body.

Alexa stood up, seeing her. She wouldn't be stingy and put all resentments aside. There was visible suffering on Cordelia's face.

"Alexa!"

"Cordelia! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for not paying attention to what was happening to you!"

"I'm sorry for being jealous of all the attention you've received! If I hadn't been so vain, everything would have been so different!" said Gutard's new wife, taking Alexa's hands. "Are you hurt?"

"It's okay ..." Alexa pulled the bandaged hand gently. "How's the father-in-law?"

"Ahhh… I'm concerned, in fact. He is not well, and the events of the previous day left him upset and agitated. He tried to get out of bed and it hurt his legs a lot..." Cordelia examined her face carefully, Alexa realized. Trying to read in her expressions what she knew from the events of the past day. But both were experienced liars. Alexa was aware Cordelia was hiding her knowledge about the garden. She had attended the service, voluntarily or not. Then she played dumb too, playing the same game of ignorance.

"What happened?"

"The Prince Regent broke into a garden to look for something. It seems to me that there is a strange rule about this garden ... Which the Prince circ.u.mvented, in some way." Cordelia sighed, staring at her for a few moments, slightly reproachfully.

Alexa understood that Cordelia wanted to say only with the look that she knew was her in Alexander's body. Just as she had made clear at Ashgraufelsen. But Alexa was not going to admit it. Her survival instinct told her she should never reveal the whole truth. She looked down thoughtfully and replied,

"He shouldn't have done that. But we found some writings stating that we could use a specific plant against the disease that afflicts him. Since he hadn't fully healed yet..."

This took Cordelia by surprise, and Alexa was pleased about how her makeshift story made perfect sense,

"Oh, yes. And if the medicine worked, then Prince Magnus' expedition must be contacted and returned immediately!"

Cordelia opened a genuine smile, this time,

"This is wonderful news, finally! While everyone was thinking that the Prince was acting strange ...! You were looking for a cure!"

Why did Alexa feel like throwing up when she heard Cordelia talking with so much and sudden encouragement? Was that about Magnus' return? She didn't know. But Alexa didn't even have time to say anything else, since she was told that the Prince Regent was waiting for her. Alexa invited Cordelia to accompany her.

Alexander waited outside the room, talking to Narses, and turned to them, with the shadow of a smile.

"Cordelia, my stepmother, thank you so much for spending so much time taking care of my father. Of course, he and I know the reasons, but we will not overlook your usefulness. A dedicated wife will always be praised, and taking care of it is very much worthy of a princess. In the meantime, stay away from Alexa ... It's not a request. It's an order."

The two women gaped.

Alexa never expected Alexander to act so arrogantly and cruelly, even if he was proving to differ greatly from what she imagined. She didn't think it necessary for him to offend Cordelia.

"But… Alexander! Don't you think you're overreacting in your care?" She asked cautiously. At the same time, she did not want to undermine the Prince's authority by questioning him. However, she couldn't just keep quiet.

"My stepmother is very intelligent, and she knows that the current situation requires a cautious strategy. I'm just reminding her she might as well spend as much time helping my father. A widow would be nobody in Holstein."

Alexa blinked. Alexander did not like Cordelia, perhaps much less than Alexa herself, but apparently he was showing how he was Blue Eyes' excellent pupil. In Cordelia's place, Alexa would be furious and humiliated.

Cordelia's face was heavy and contrite, and she managed to speak, in a choked voice,

"Y-Your Highness, it is my duty to look after my husband. Strategies are for war. I'm happy for what Coff Coff ... A-Alexa told me. The Prince found a cure. I'm leaving, with your license."

Alexa noticed that Cordelia's cough returned.

After she left, Alexa asked,

"Was it necessary to do this?"

"If she didn't know what to do, now she does. She must stay away from you. All that jealousy could dry you dead with just a look…"

"I agree," said Narses, shrugging. "You refuse to take the necessary actions, Alexa, and that will become a big problem later. At least your husband is attentive and takes care of you."

Alexa wanted to say that Alexander was no longer her husband, but even if Alexander himself knew and agreed with that, it was a rude thing to say without a good reason. But when she was alone with Narses, Alexa really had a lot to say to him.

The trio went to the Prince Regent's room.

To their surprise, however, Prince Gutard already had visitors. The Prince Regent's tutors stood beside two ministers, talking to Prince Gutard.

Alexa also didn't like to see how the giant Gutard was thin and weak, now that the swelling had subsided.

Death was definitely waiting for him ... But he was quite attached to this world. His will to live was admirable.

Everyone greeted each other properly, and Alexa knelt beside the dying man's bed,

"Everything will be fine now, Your Majesty! We're getting to the end of it all. Magnus is returning and Alexander is back. Isn't that good news?"

"Ah… The pretty little thing is what she was and it makes me happy… And guilty about you… But here you are. Seeing your face makes me think I played well, after all ..." He put his hand on the Princess' head, stroking her hair in a benevolent and awkward caress. "Can we talk about this later ...?"

Alexa nodded, a little confused. What could be more important than that in the Holstein Sovereign's mind?

Gutard motioned for Duke Kurt to speak, and Alexander's uncle turned to his nephew with a deadpan face. Alexander was keeping an impassive face, too, but the very upright posture showed his discomfort with the situation that took him by surprise.

Narses ... Well, Narses had the gift of mixing with the environment when he wanted to, and he kept himself neutral and discreet, watching everyone.

"My nephew. As the battle on the eastern front intensifies, and we have received worrying reports, the Duke of Burgundy has advanced rapidly through the territories adjacent to Holstein and Würtz ... Our divided forces will soon be in trouble. Würtz has lost a fort to the south, and the enemy army is advancing to the north, which is more unprotected."

Alexa made quick calculations, understanding that Konrad and Aunt Godiva were in the north, and the armies were insufficient.

Worse than that, Holstein had withdrawn part of the soldiers promised to defend the allies at Würtz, to move them into battle against the Poles in the east. The Duke of Burgundy's consecutive victories would certainly affect the defenders' morale. Konrad was inexperienced and not warlike. The Duke of Burgundy had chosen well his way to reach Holstein, an important kingdom whose greatest strength was maritime. Forces almost useless in the attack that came by land, finding a capital weakened by the plague.

All of this she was able to think for herself because of her endless meetings in the shoes of the Prince Regent and also because she remembers Magnus's meeting in the war room in Würtz, almost a month ago.

Alexander frowned, "Can't we have a little peace for a change?"

"There is peace in eternal rest," said Duke Kurt to his nephew, enigmatically, and Alexa shivered at the thought if the Duke knew something, "but none of us are really avid for that rest."

"I know that my brother would be much better than me right now," said the Prince Regent, "But he's not here. In this case, since General Egon is in the east, I will go to the border with Würtz with two-thirds of the remaining assets. How long will it take to get them together?"

Everyone looked at Alexander, gaping.