Chapter 267 - Falling

Too late.

Cordelia's hands lifted Beatrix.

Magnus's sword came down on them.

Alexa closed her eyes, unable to see anything else, feeling the blood drain from her brain and everything turning red in front of her.

She heard the sound of flesh being shattered, bones being crushed, above the sound of the sea and the flames.

And Beatrix's cry, so loud it looked like it was going to pierce the smoky sky.

'…!'

'Beatrix's cry?!'

Still, she was afraid to open her eyes. Shades could also cry.

Through the curtain of tears, she tried to see something.

But what she saw was too horrible to try to understand, and she closed her eyes cowardly.

She felt the wet, heavy and sticky hand on her shoulder, the smell of metal and liquid rust near her. Even though she opened her eyes, she couldn't see under the tears. A soft, small, damp package was pressed against her arms.

A little bun that vibrated and screamed to the point of losing her voice, sobbing.

"Beatrix?!" She grabbed her little girl greedily, feeling the monster walk away.

When Alexa turned her head to where Magnus had gone, she saw his figure silhouetted against the flames in the distance, throwing Cordelia's head carelessly into the sea.

ººº

Captain Dubois had been the first person to reach Alexa and the little princess, taking them from the pier and the port. They were taken directly to the castle.

Alexa had no coherent memories of events from there, only her stubborn refusal to take medicines that would make her sleep.

Ceridom and Rosencrantz assured her that Beatrix was fine, however. Just exhausted. The girl didn't have a measly scratch on her body!

Her own exhaustion overwhelmed her, shortly after the reassuring news.

Alexa had confused and scary dreams, broken and disconnected, with doors and keys, the dead ones... and the living.

Alexander and Magnus.

ººº

Alexa woke up with a heavy body, and the soft baby cry in the background.

The Duchess looked and saw a wet nurse preparing Beatrix for her next meal.

That was a good thing. She had not been very successful in producing food for her baby.

Was winter coming, the curse on her body slowly taking over?

It was very cold, by the way, and a maid wrapped her in furs before she got out of bed.

"Your Highness, Master Ceridom asked to be warned as soon as you woke up. Many people want news. They want to see you. What should I say to them?"

The maid was nervous about pressing her, but Alexa didn't care. Receiving her daughter in her arms, Alexa examined Beatrix until she was satisfied, before answering,

"Ceridom can come in. Do you have news from His Majesty?"

The maid shook her head, ashamed.

The answer sounded about correct. Nobody knew about Magnus.

But she knew. She knew that he had finally been overcome by the Yellow Heart.

She didn't know what would happen now, though.

Agnello entered the room as soon as Ceridom left. After calmly blessing Alexa and meeting little Beatrix, he said,

"My dear, be calm. Balbo and your brother are looking for the Sovereign Prince. They will not approach him, because they know the danger of this. But we will soon know where he is, and how he is. I don't want to be unfair to you at a time like this. But you must remain strong. And flexible as always."

"Dom Agnello! Winter is only a few days away! What will happen?"

Agnello sighed.

"If you were another type of woman, I would hide the fact from you. But I know that you can understand. If Holstein falls under a demon, the demons will prevail. If we can defeat the monster... Holstein will be without government. If the von Wuttenfal manage to recover from all this tragedy, they may be able to survive in power. We can work for that. Godiva is skilled as eminénce grise, and I can help. The von Wuttenfal cannot lose any more allies. Perhaps ... Konrad can take the throne as Regent. It's risky, because despite his great character, he's too gentle and can be seen as weak. Beatrix must be enthroned as part of the family… For her sake…"

" No, Dom Agnello. Don't you dare suggest that. Beatrix will not carry the name of Alexander."

"It will make her life very difficult, Alexa... You had to take someone else's name in order to survive."

"Is different. I can not do it."

"Then she will be Magnus's heir. The annulment of his marriage, which I personally asked the Pope, has not yet been made official. You and Magnus were not officially married, and for the Church she is an illegitimate daughter... But if the Sovereign Prince makes Beatrix his heir, it can ease things up a bit. "

Alexa wasn't sure if Magnus cared about that kind of thing right now.

"II ..." Alexa decided to open her heart to her tutor, "I wonder if Alexander couldn't..."

"Regret it?" Blue Eyes got the distant look, and this look became hard. "How can we know? To be honest ... I was close to that door yesterday. "

Alexa turned to Agnello with eyes full of amazement.

"Yes. I was too troubled in my heart because of everything that happened. I thought to myself that if there was a way to resolve this, even if it cost me my life, my soul, I would do it. But when you get there… "

"What made you change your mind, Don Agnello?"

"I spoke to him through the door. I asked if he could do anything to help Magnus. I talked about Cordelia. About your innocent child. And he said ... "

Alexa held her breath to hear, but Blue Eyes changed his mind.

"He was bitter, Alexa. He just asked who would take care of the child, Beatrix, when you were asleep and Magnus..." he broke off, hinting at Magnus's mad fate. "He also commented on The Little Wisp. Referring to her, I guess."

She swallowed. 

Everything was falling apart because they forgot Cordelia completely. Because it made Magnus irreversibly cross the line.