Chapter 106: 106
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"Hahaha, there are many reasons why I wanted to be this bird," the First Prince turned his beer mug with evident thirst, noisily depositing it on the table and wiping his mouth with his sleeve, before getting up. "He's where I want to be, he's luckier than he can dream!"
After saying it he left, leaving Alexa a little confused. It was evident that his words had a double meaning.
Eventually, the tavern-keeper was able to calm Romeo and make the nightingale feel better with whatever she did, and with a smile returned the bird to the noblewoman. Alexa thanked her with money, and as soon as the woman left, she turned to Romeo, ready to question him about the difference between being in that unknown but soft nest, and with his dedicated wife. But not exactly a bird expert. But the nightingale fluffed his feathers and hid his beak under the wing, closing his eyes.
"I can't believe you're going to sleep!" she put him in the cage this time, where she thought he would be more comfortable.
She wondered if this was a strategy to evade something, but the maiden could do nothing about it. As soon as she finished her meal, it was time to embark, and she saw a caravel up close for the first time.
The Lagos was smaller than she imagined, its deck was only 25 meters. A fast and manageable boat, but with little comfort. In fact, some men in the party could not board, and would go on another, slower boat, with part of their luggage and horses. It was a fact that Magnus wanted to cut down on the road, even if he had to wait for the rest of the group at the port. And Alexa reasoned that, as Alexander said, the reason was probably her new vulnerability during the night.
The caravel weighed anchors and left the port, and Magnus stopped beside her by the rail, trying to stay out of the way of the Castilian sailors. He chuckled, which caused the maiden to look up at him,
"What is it, Prince?"
"I'm just looking back on earlier today. But don't blame him. It's a quality that Alexander has. Everyone wants to help him and do everything for him. He's angelic, fragile, and kind. Even in the shape of a bird, he attracts people willing to go out of his way for him. Is it a spell? I don't know."
Alexa was thoughtful. The kind of intimacy she had with Alexander made it impossible for her to see him like this. She saw it through his eyes, and she could feel it through his body. Was it something from the soul? Perhaps. It was obvious that people treated Alexander differently. Agnello went against the interests of the Di Borghesi in defending him. Balbo seemed to adore him, as did Konrad. And even the Sovereign Prince had affection for his second son, genuine affection.
"Well, if he and I are alike, why don't people think that of me?" she asked, curious.
The Prince gave her a sidelong look, "Don't be cynical. You know that many fall for your seductive tricks. You distorted an entire interrogation just by acting all v.i.r.g.i.nal and delicate. But of course, you never deceived me."
"Um, you keep repeating it. Of course, that's why you treated me like a nobody when we first met."
"Hnf," he snorted, "because I knew it was impossible for two creatures like Alexander to exist. Of course, one of them could only be a scam. And don't tell me I was wrong."
"Huh? As well? I am not a scam. I am a person! I never had an interest in Holstein."
"Princess, this has not yet been completely ruled out. As much as…" he turned to face her now, "I need you now."
Alexa bit her bottom lip, confused, and a little irritated, "Do you need me? I'm always surprised at how much you show to be a different person every hour of the day. You too… Do you think I am a means to your ends, as your father thought of the witches he married?" she didn't know she would end up snarling the words as they came out of her mouth.
Magnus locked his jaw, and his eyes flashed, but he replied calmly, placing his hands behind his back,
"Perhaps the time has come when admitting that I am more like him than we both would like is the best thing to do."
Alexa looked at the horizon, noticing the luminosity changing from gray to bluish. It was time to leave. His words were harsh, but she didn't know if it was a self-reflection or a warning.
"Does that mean I shouldn't trust you in the end?" she asked.
"Or ... you must trust me as much as I trust you," Magnus replied.
They were silent for a moment, until the Prince said,
"If you don't want to pass out in front of the crew, go to our cabin and rest."
Without looking at him this time, Alexa did what he suggested, and once in the small and uncomfortable cabin, she lay down thinking about the meanings of the words of the First Prince.
°°°
Resuming consciousness in the Second Prince's body, Alexa looked around, feeling observed. Again she was on the bed at the top of the tower, and this time, Prince Gutard kept his eyes fixed on the form under the covers. Alexander's forms but with Alexa's mind on it.
"Hello," Lex said, stretching.
The change in senses was beneficial. An airy and fragrant room, in contrast to the narrow pallet in the stinking cabin of a caravel. Sitting up, Lex smoothed the covers over 'his' lap, facing Holstein's sovereign,
"Surprise! The spell worked! Alexander's body is protected!"
Gutard closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Alexa really wanted to know what he was thinking.
"Pretty little thing, do you think I could be happy knowing that you are in the body that belongs to my son?"
Alexa scratched her head, exaggerating as much as she could. The powerful and strange Prince of Holstein was still a secret to her in many ways, but she knew a few things: his children were important to him, and he had a weakness in his heart for seemingly innocent things. Gutard hesitated to act against what seemed beautiful and pure, the facts showed. Maybe that was why he called Alexa a 'cute little thing'.
And maybe that was why Cordelia had 'bought' time for her family with her v.i.r.g.i.nal and innocent appearance. And without a doubt, although he said he liked smart women, he was also very suspicious of them.
Was that what Magnus meant by looking like him?
"Your Majesty, I was distressed, and I didn't make the best choice. I don't know whether or not the witch planned it like that, but I'm not completely sad. Because I can take care of his body better than any nurse."
He continued in silence, watching the Second Prince coldly, however,
"Why didn't you ask her to put Alexander back, if doing that was possible?" Gutard asked.
"Ahh… She said that the magic drink had locked Alexander out of his body. And ... she didn't give that option. She just said that if I wanted to buy time for Alexander, I had to accept the bargain..."
The eyes of the man in front of the young prince blurred, clearly lost in thought. Lex got up and pulled a robe over the nightgown he was wearing. Going to the table, Lex chose carefully among the available fruits. Picking up an apple, Lex polished it with the sleeve. The Sovereign Prince watched 'his' casual movements with interest.
"Why did you do that, Alexa?"
The question caught the maiden inside the prince off guard. She herself didn't know when she started caring for the Sleeping Prince.
"It's weird to ignore a person who looks so much like yourself, I guess. And our destinies linked so quickly, and in such a convoluted way. The Sovereign Prince chose me to be the wife of his youngest son, and I wondered whether I deserved it. After all the things that happened to me before I got to Holstein, getting married and becoming a princess to a young man I never spoke to ... I think I questioned the sanity of those involved. But then ... The secrets of this castle started being revealed to me ... And I realized that the reason I came here could only be because I needed to save Alexander. I think I understand you. He may have suffered and been misunderstood in many ways just because he's the son of who he is. Like me. Why did he have to pay for his parents' mistakes? Why did I have to pay for what I didn't do? I wished he didn't have a sad end by the treacherous hand of someone who judged him just because he is the son of a witch. And… " Approaching Alexander's father with the apple in his hand, Lex said,
"If anyone can understand me, it's my husband's father. We had to make tough decisions and give up important things to defend what was precious to us. I know I'm going to have to pay a high price for giving ears to an actual witch. But I needed to buy time ... You understand me, don't you, Majesty?"
She offered him the apple.
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"Hahaha, there are many reasons why I wanted to be this bird," the First Prince turned his beer mug with evident thirst, noisily depositing it on the table and wiping his mouth with his sleeve, before getting up. "He's where I want to be, he's luckier than he can dream!"
After saying it he left, leaving Alexa a little confused. It was evident that his words had a double meaning.
Eventually, the tavern-keeper was able to calm Romeo and make the nightingale feel better with whatever she did, and with a smile returned the bird to the noblewoman. Alexa thanked her with money, and as soon as the woman left, she turned to Romeo, ready to question him about the difference between being in that unknown but soft nest, and with his dedicated wife. But not exactly a bird expert. But the nightingale fluffed his feathers and hid his beak under the wing, closing his eyes.
"I can't believe you're going to sleep!" she put him in the cage this time, where she thought he would be more comfortable.
She wondered if this was a strategy to evade something, but the maiden could do nothing about it. As soon as she finished her meal, it was time to embark, and she saw a caravel up close for the first time.
The Lagos was smaller than she imagined, its deck was only 25 meters. A fast and manageable boat, but with little comfort. In fact, some men in the party could not board, and would go on another, slower boat, with part of their luggage and horses. It was a fact that Magnus wanted to cut down on the road, even if he had to wait for the rest of the group at the port. And Alexa reasoned that, as Alexander said, the reason was probably her new vulnerability during the night.
The caravel weighed anchors and left the port, and Magnus stopped beside her by the rail, trying to stay out of the way of the Castilian sailors. He chuckled, which caused the maiden to look up at him,
"What is it, Prince?"
"I'm just looking back on earlier today. But don't blame him. It's a quality that Alexander has. Everyone wants to help him and do everything for him. He's angelic, fragile, and kind. Even in the shape of a bird, he attracts people willing to go out of his way for him. Is it a spell? I don't know."
Alexa was thoughtful. The kind of intimacy she had with Alexander made it impossible for her to see him like this. She saw it through his eyes, and she could feel it through his body. Was it something from the soul? Perhaps. It was obvious that people treated Alexander differently. Agnello went against the interests of the Di Borghesi in defending him. Balbo seemed to adore him, as did Konrad. And even the Sovereign Prince had affection for his second son, genuine affection.
"Well, if he and I are alike, why don't people think that of me?" she asked, curious.
The Prince gave her a sidelong look, "Don't be cynical. You know that many fall for your seductive tricks. You distorted an entire interrogation just by acting all v.i.r.g.i.nal and delicate. But of course, you never deceived me."
"Um, you keep repeating it. Of course, that's why you treated me like a nobody when we first met."
"Hnf," he snorted, "because I knew it was impossible for two creatures like Alexander to exist. Of course, one of them could only be a scam. And don't tell me I was wrong."
"Huh? As well? I am not a scam. I am a person! I never had an interest in Holstein."
"Princess, this has not yet been completely ruled out. As much as…" he turned to face her now, "I need you now."
Alexa bit her bottom lip, confused, and a little irritated, "Do you need me? I'm always surprised at how much you show to be a different person every hour of the day. You too… Do you think I am a means to your ends, as your father thought of the witches he married?" she didn't know she would end up snarling the words as they came out of her mouth.
Magnus locked his jaw, and his eyes flashed, but he replied calmly, placing his hands behind his back,
"Perhaps the time has come when admitting that I am more like him than we both would like is the best thing to do."
Alexa looked at the horizon, noticing the luminosity changing from gray to bluish. It was time to leave. His words were harsh, but she didn't know if it was a self-reflection or a warning.
"Does that mean I shouldn't trust you in the end?" she asked.
"Or ... you must trust me as much as I trust you," Magnus replied.
They were silent for a moment, until the Prince said,
"If you don't want to pass out in front of the crew, go to our cabin and rest."
Without looking at him this time, Alexa did what he suggested, and once in the small and uncomfortable cabin, she lay down thinking about the meanings of the words of the First Prince.
°°°
Resuming consciousness in the Second Prince's body, Alexa looked around, feeling observed. Again she was on the bed at the top of the tower, and this time, Prince Gutard kept his eyes fixed on the form under the covers. Alexander's forms but with Alexa's mind on it.
"Hello," Lex said, stretching.
The change in senses was beneficial. An airy and fragrant room, in contrast to the narrow pallet in the stinking cabin of a caravel. Sitting up, Lex smoothed the covers over 'his' lap, facing Holstein's sovereign,
"Surprise! The spell worked! Alexander's body is protected!"
Gutard closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Alexa really wanted to know what he was thinking.
"Pretty little thing, do you think I could be happy knowing that you are in the body that belongs to my son?"
Alexa scratched her head, exaggerating as much as she could. The powerful and strange Prince of Holstein was still a secret to her in many ways, but she knew a few things: his children were important to him, and he had a weakness in his heart for seemingly innocent things. Gutard hesitated to act against what seemed beautiful and pure, the facts showed. Maybe that was why he called Alexa a 'cute little thing'.
And maybe that was why Cordelia had 'bought' time for her family with her v.i.r.g.i.nal and innocent appearance. And without a doubt, although he said he liked smart women, he was also very suspicious of them.
Was that what Magnus meant by looking like him?
"Your Majesty, I was distressed, and I didn't make the best choice. I don't know whether or not the witch planned it like that, but I'm not completely sad. Because I can take care of his body better than any nurse."
He continued in silence, watching the Second Prince coldly, however,
"Why didn't you ask her to put Alexander back, if doing that was possible?" Gutard asked.
"Ahh… She said that the magic drink had locked Alexander out of his body. And ... she didn't give that option. She just said that if I wanted to buy time for Alexander, I had to accept the bargain..."
The eyes of the man in front of the young prince blurred, clearly lost in thought. Lex got up and pulled a robe over the nightgown he was wearing. Going to the table, Lex chose carefully among the available fruits. Picking up an apple, Lex polished it with the sleeve. The Sovereign Prince watched 'his' casual movements with interest.
"Why did you do that, Alexa?"
The question caught the maiden inside the prince off guard. She herself didn't know when she started caring for the Sleeping Prince.
"It's weird to ignore a person who looks so much like yourself, I guess. And our destinies linked so quickly, and in such a convoluted way. The Sovereign Prince chose me to be the wife of his youngest son, and I wondered whether I deserved it. After all the things that happened to me before I got to Holstein, getting married and becoming a princess to a young man I never spoke to ... I think I questioned the sanity of those involved. But then ... The secrets of this castle started being revealed to me ... And I realized that the reason I came here could only be because I needed to save Alexander. I think I understand you. He may have suffered and been misunderstood in many ways just because he's the son of who he is. Like me. Why did he have to pay for his parents' mistakes? Why did I have to pay for what I didn't do? I wished he didn't have a sad end by the treacherous hand of someone who judged him just because he is the son of a witch. And… " Approaching Alexander's father with the apple in his hand, Lex said,
"If anyone can understand me, it's my husband's father. We had to make tough decisions and give up important things to defend what was precious to us. I know I'm going to have to pay a high price for giving ears to an actual witch. But I needed to buy time ... You understand me, don't you, Majesty?"
She offered him the apple.
"Hahaha, there are many reasons why I wanted to be this bird," the First Prince turned his beer mug with evident thirst, noisily depositing it on the table and wiping his mouth with his sleeve, before getting up. "He's where I want to be, he's luckier than he can dream!" After saying it he left, leaving Alexa a little confused. It was evident that his words had a double meaning. Eventually, the tavern-keeper was able to calm Romeo and make the nightingale feel better with whatever she did, and with a smile returned the bird to the noblewoman. Alexa thanked her with money, and as soon as the woman left, she turned to Romeo, ready to question him about the difference between being in that unknown but soft nest, and with his dedicated wife. But not exactly a bird expert. But the nightingale fluffed his feathers and hid his beak under the wing, closing his eyes. "I can't believe you're going to sleep!" she put him in the cage this time, where she thought he would be more comfortable. She wondered if this was a strategy to evade something, but the maiden could do nothing about it. As soon as she finished her meal, it was time to embark, and she saw a caravel up close for the first time. The Lagos was smaller than she imagined, its deck was only 25 meters. A fast and manageable boat, but with little comfort. In fact, some men in the party could not board, and would go on another, slower boat, with part of their luggage and horses. It was a fact that Magnus wanted to cut down on the road, even if he had to wait for the rest of the group at the port. And Alexa reasoned that, as Alexander said, the reason was probably her new vulnerability during the night. The caravel weighed anchors and left the port, and Magnus stopped beside her by the rail, trying to stay out of the way of the Castilian sailors. He chuckled, which caused the maiden to look up at him, "What is it, Prince?" "I'm just looking back on earlier today. But don't blame him. It's a quality that Alexander has. Everyone wants to help him and do everything for him. He's angelic, fragile, and kind. Even in the shape of a bird, he attracts people willing to go out of his way for him. Is it a spell? I don't know." Alexa was thoughtful. The kind of intimacy she had with Alexander made it impossible for her to see him like this. She saw it through his eyes, and she could feel it through his body. Was it something from the soul? Perhaps. It was obvious that people treated Alexander differently. Agnello went against the interests of the Di Borghesi in defending him. Balbo seemed to adore him, as did Konrad. And even the Sovereign Prince had affection for his second son, genuine affection. "Well, if he and I are alike, why don't people think that of me?" she asked, curious. The Prince gave her a sidelong look, "Don't be cynical. You know that many fall for your seductive tricks. You distorted an entire interrogation just by acting all v.i.r.g.i.nal and delicate. But of course, you never deceived me." "Um, you keep repeating it. Of course, that's why you treated me like a nobody when we first met." "Hnf," he snorted, "because I knew it was impossible for two creatures like Alexander to exist. Of course, one of them could only be a scam. And don't tell me I was wrong." "Huh? As well? I am not a scam. I am a person! I never had an interest in Holstein." "Princess, this has not yet been completely ruled out. As much as" he turned to face her now, "I need you now." Alexa bit her bottom lip, confused, and a little irritated, "Do you need me? I'm always surprised at how much you show to be a different person every hour of the day. You too Do you think I am a means to your ends, as your father thought of the witches he married?" she didn't know she would end up snarling the words as they came out of her mouth. Magnus locked his jaw, and his eyes flashed, but he replied calmly, placing his hands behind his back, "Perhaps the time has come when admitting that I am more like him than we both would like is the best thing to do." Alexa looked at the horizon, noticing the luminosity changing from gray to bluish. It was time to leave. His words were harsh, but she didn't know if it was a self-reflection or a warning. "Does that mean I shouldn't trust you in the end?" she asked. "Or ... you must trust me as much as I trust you," Magnus replied. They were silent for a moment, until the Prince said, "If you don't want to pass out in front of the crew, go to our cabin and rest." Without looking at him this time, Alexa did what he suggested, and once in the small and uncomfortable cabin, she lay down thinking about the meanings of the words of the First Prince. Resuming consciousness in the Second Prince's body, Alexa looked around, feeling observed. Again she was on the bed at the top of the tower, and this time, Prince Gutard kept his eyes fixed on the form under the covers. Alexander's forms but with Alexa's mind on it. "Hello," Lex said, stretching. The change in senses was beneficial. An airy and fragrant room, in contrast to the narrow pallet in the stinking cabin of a caravel. Sitting up, Lex smoothed the covers over 'his' lap, facing Holstein's sovereign, "Surprise! The spell worked! Alexander's body is protected!" Gutard closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Alexa really wanted to know what he was thinking. "Pretty little thing, do you think I could be happy knowing that you are in the body that belongs to my son?" Alexa scratched her head, exaggerating as much as she could. The powerful and strange Prince of Holstein was still a secret to her in many ways, but she knew a few things: his children were important to him, and he had a weakness in his heart for seemingly innocent things. Gutard hesitated to act against what seemed beautiful and pure, the facts showed. Maybe that was why he called Alexa a 'cute little thing'. And maybe that was why Cordelia had 'bought' time for her family with her v.i.r.g.i.nal and innocent appearance. And without a doubt, although he said he liked smart women, he was also very suspicious of them. Was that what Magnus meant by looking like him? "Your Majesty, I was distressed, and I didn't make the best choice. I don't know whether or not the witch planned it like that, but I'm not completely sad. Because I can take care of his body better than any nurse." He continued in silence, watching the Second Prince coldly, however, "Why didn't you ask her to put Alexander back, if doing that was possible?" Gutard asked. "Ahh She said that the magic drink had locked Alexander out of his body. And ... she didn't give that option. She just said that if I wanted to buy time for Alexander, I had to accept the bargain..." The eyes of the man in front of the young prince blurred, clearly lost in thought. Lex got up and pulled a robe over the nightgown he was wearing. Going to the table, Lex chose carefully among the available fruits. Picking up an apple, Lex polished it with the sleeve. The Sovereign Prince watched 'his' casual movements with interest. "Why did you do that, Alexa?" The question caught the maiden inside the prince off guard. She herself didn't know when she started caring for the Sleeping Prince. "It's weird to ignore a person who looks so much like yourself, I guess. And our destinies linked so quickly, and in such a convoluted way. The Sovereign Prince chose me to be the wife of his youngest son, and I wondered whether I deserved it. After all the things that happened to me before I got to Holstein, getting married and becoming a princess to a young man I never spoke to ... I think I questioned the sanity of those involved. But then ... The secrets of this castle started being revealed to me ... And I realized that the reason I came here could only be because I needed to save Alexander. I think I understand you. He may have suffered and been misunderstood in many ways just because he's the son of who he is. Like me. Why did he have to pay for his parents' mistakes? Why did I have to pay for what I didn't do? I wished he didn't have a sad end by the treacherous hand of someone who judged him just because he is the son of a witch. And " Approaching Alexander's father with the apple in his hand, Lex said, "If anyone can understand me, it's my husband's father. We had to make tough decisions and give up important things to defend what was precious to us. I know I'm going to have to pay a high price for giving ears to an actual witch. But I needed to buy time ... You understand me, don't you, Majesty?" She offered him the apple.
