Chapter 258 - Prince of the Dead

The door opened, and for a moment she felt her feet stomp, as if there was no floor under her feet. But the moment passed quickly, and the dizziness and tinnitus were also gone as if by magic.

Alexander was sitting in a chair, in the middle of the room, with his hands superimposed and facing them. The cold started to dissipate as the Shades left the place.

"Where's Balbo?" Alexa asked, remembering that she hadn't seen her friend since the Second Prince returned from the battle.

"Living, I think." Alexander studied them with keen, curious eyes. "Should I give a message if I see it? Did you come to visit me in the middle of the night just for longing, or is there a specific reason? "

"Stop telling your lackey to upset Alexa with stupid ideas. Alexa is not here to be a pawn or to fulfill prophecies, or to serve as a gift from your servants to you! I'm warning you, stop! If I have to bring this castle down to expel all of you, I will! "

Alexa worried about how Alexander's eyes shone with amus.e.m.e.nt and he barely controlled his laugh.

"Mags, my brother. Since you refer to Letitia like that, I realize that it is impossible to rescue any bond by repentance and effort on her part. Maybe you, or Alexa, remember all the work she did and how she was very collaborative with Zilda, when they stole this body and set my room on fire. She tried and due to all the confusion with the followers of the Cult of Diana, the poor thing has gained considerable power here ... Which is not much use when your mind is already clouded by madness and darkness, isn't it, Alexa?

Alexa had to nod at Alexander's words, seeing Magnus snort to control his confusion.

"What does that mean?"

"That at that moment, my not-so-lovely ex-bride almost took over this castle. Almost. But now everything is back to normal and you never have to worry about it again. I would even say that you should forget, but I know it's impossible. But ... She got me a favor, in exchange for her not to disturb our father in his final moments. Do you think I did it wrong? "

"What you did is your responsibility. Never involve Alexa in this again or your hypocrisy will end like your teeth, when I hit you. My patience has a single limit: the well-being of Alexa and the Holstein people, and I'm talking about the living. Enough! I might as well play the same game as you, but Alexa will be out of it. If one of her ghosts comes near her to speak an AH! and suggest anything that I think is dangerous, we're really going to test how much each of us can handle… since I'm feeling especially powerful now that you're awake. "

Alexa did not know this, and looked from one to the other, worried. The brothers looked at each other: Magnus frowned and showing his irritation with a withering look. Alexander returned an appraising look, but finally pressed his lips.

"I got the message. But, even though we are talking about someone who brought you into this world, let me say _ the queen of bitches is crazy. She has taken over important access in my absence ... and thinks she can do something for you. She decidedly realized that we are not the type for each other. "

For the first time, she saw Alexander being so sarcastic, and even though it was all true, she was ashamed to be there listening to him tell Magnus those things about his mother.

"You'd better get back to your work then, Prince of the Dead. I am dealing with the living at the moment and I was interrupted by this unpleasant matter. "

Alexander looked at Alexa thoughtfully and ended up saying,

"You look very beautiful tonight, Alexa. But… Did you cry? "

Her embarrassment and confusion made her put her hands over her swollen eyes. 

"Does she cry because of you, Magnus?"

"..." The First Prince took a deep breath, and wrapped his arm around Alexa's shoulders, but did not carry on the conversation.

They left as quickly as they came, and when Magnus returned to his room, he asked her, kneeling in front of him as he sat her on the bed,

"Is it true? Are you crying? Did I make you cry? "

°°°

Conversations that did not lead to solutions and only brought a feeling of frustration in both was not what Alexa wanted for her and Magnus. Before they happened, she knew there would be obstacles, she just didn't realize that even small things would have such an effect on them. How not to be able to simply declare that they were husband and wife was painful.

But they both knew they would need to work on the solutions to this over time. And there was really no room for conversation when the court waited for its future ruler.

There was no conversation, and if Magnus knew why she had cried, he didn't say. With a deep feeling of sinking into the darkness, Alexa was looking at the ceiling over her head, coming to the conclusion that, for feet used to running, living like a princess was a type of prison.

The next day, she was preparing for the seventh-day mass of Prince Gutard's death, knowing that she would be there beside Alexander. 

Alexa sighed in silence, without really having someone to share her thoughts with that morning.

The arrival of Father Agnello, announced by Bertha, made her leave her sad thoughts, and produced a smile on her face to receive him. The medical treatment of Iacintho in conjunction with Dr. Rosencrantz was surprisingly short-lived. Blue Eyes showed energy, although much thinner.

"Father Agnello!" she exclaimed, after asking for his blessing. "So is it true that the Archbishop said that you will be the next Bishop of Holstein ?!"

"I think the requirement is to survive Holstein and continue to live in the city - basically there were no other candidates ..." sardonically he sighed.

"You will be a good Bishop for us ... You know the truth and you will not be intimidated ..."

"I also know that we will have to prepare ourselves to deal with the truth ..." he gave a tired smile.

Agnello was one of those who felt betrayed because they had been 'tricked' by Orcaius. And Alexa found herself empathetic with both sides of the situation. The boy they met was Alexander, since Orcaius was not aware of who he was. They were fascinated by his innocent and sweet personality, weakened by stigma and nightmares. Even Alexander did not imagine that he was the source of all problems in Holstein. Now the Alexander they knew was gone, and there was nothing they could do to bring it back.

"I will go to Rome right after the Coronation, as part of my duties ..."

Alexa followed Father Florentino's agonized look at the people in the room, and asked everyone to leave her alone with her tutor.

"I thought about taking the divorce application signed by Alexander and Prince Gutard's seals for Your Holiness to analyze and grant the divorce. I thought of asking an audience to explain the reasons to him ... But not only did the letters disappear from the Bishop's office, but the official record of Holstein also disappeared from the Royal Library! Mestre Valerius is the only one who has the key to the enclosure, which was not broken into. But the Registry has disappeared! "

"Alexander..?" she whispered the question.