Chapter 66: 66
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Alexa woke up in the middle of the afternoon, hearing her name being called softly. Edel smiled and asked if she was okay.
Alexa wondered the same. After everything that happened, was she okay? She had express orders not to reveal anything about the events of the previous night. The maiden had tried to talk to Cordelia, but Cordelia's mother did not allow it, saying that Cordelia needed to rest, as well as Alexa herself. The Greek girl had the impression that Cordelia's mother seemed resented, perhaps at Alexa, by the tone of her voice. But there was nothing she could do about it.
Before parting ways, Alexa asked the First Prince if he had seen someone push her. As a reply, Prince Magnus had given her his rosary, before returning to the meeting where the postponement of their wedding would be discussed. Anyone else would think how pious and concerned he was. But the only thing that Alexa knew was that she could not understand that man, nor know what he was capable of.
What the maiden wanted was to confront Magnus and ask about that mysterious blade, but the elusive Prince always managed to not answer her questions. Alexa had fallen asleep thinking about it. In each of her hands under the sheets, Lex held one of the objects: the cross and the bloodstained blade. How could he live with both?
"What's going on?" She finally paid attention to Edel, who was waiting impatiently for her answer.
"Lady Alexa, the Royal Dressmaker needs to adjust the dress for your wedding. He's been waiting for hours, but there won't be time to finish the dress if Lady Alexa doesn't try it on now," the sweet Edel apologized with her eyes.
One day of her deadline for marriage to the Sleeping Prince had passed. Meanwhile, Prince Magnus had his wedding postponed. Wasn't it intriguing how fate played tricks?
While trying on the dress, Alexa saw Nerissa. The wedding dress was the one the Countess had given her, but which would be improved for the marriage with a prince. The Shade was near the chest where the dress had been kept, and was staring the Greek maiden with a serious expression.
The maiden wondered why this Shade wanted to be seen by her regularly. This was the third time, and Lex imagined it was on purpose. She wanted to help the poor murdered girl, but how would she do that now, that Alexa couldn't use her powers? The maiden wondered whether the punishment she received was because she hadn't used her gifts to free Nerissa before. Or was it because she had interfered with Prince Magnus' death?
In any case, Nerissa wanted to send a message or needed something from her.
Like most Shades, the secrets they carried with them were locked in their mouths. If they could really speak clearly, it would be so much easier to consult the dead, wouldn't it? Alexa did not know why it was so, just knew that it was no use asking any of them how they had died or what they meant once and for all.
"Herr Henning! One of the gems is lost!" said one of the Royal Tailor's assistants, horrified. Alexa looked at the dress front, realizing that something was really missing there. The dressmaker came rushing to check, and in a shock worthy of the discovery of someone's death, he exclaimed,
"The lovely golden topaz! Look it up! Look for it!" although the women started to rummage through the chests, Alexa knew it would be useless. She had had a vision with this topaz, and knew that it was closely linked to Nerissa's death. It was gone and Nerissa knew who it was with, and why. Nodding at the ghost, she saw it disappear.
°°°
Later, during the feast, Alexa felt a little out of place with her new position at the table and also because she was 'encouraged' to wear jewelry and props. It seemed that she made noise when moving, because everything clinked.
The maiden was sitting next to Blue Eyes, in the most central part of the U-shaped table that held all the guests in the huge hall.
This meal was part of the official events of the postponed wedding, and Alexa naturally didn't see the bride's family there. Lex imagined that they would announce the postponement in an elegant way, using the attack of the previous day as an excuse. She didn't know if they would even announce her wedding to Prince Alexander. But Alexa had already noticed that the news had spread informally, as her position in the castle had evolved. After all, she had come to use a Princely room in the wing of the royal family, and had attendants and chaperones.
The maiden really hoped she could see Cordelia right after the banquet, though.
"Silence, Your Serene Highness Gutard Willhelm Von Wuttenfal has an official statement," said the royal herald. Alexa had never heard that title, but saved the question for later.
The Sovereign Prince didn't get up, and when the silence was absolute, he said only,
"My Firstborn, Karl Magnus Wilhelm, prefers to wait for the complete recovery of his bride, Lady Cordelia, to perform the ceremony that will unite them in marriage. As everyone knows, the Bride suffered an attack yesterday, which is being investigated. Those who have news and evidence of the perpetrators of this attack will be royally rewarded."
There was no murmur, as the statement was not officially ended. After a sip from his wine goblet, the monarch got up, and everyone did the same, immediately,
"Although we have to adjourn the joy of my firstborn's wedding, my second son will be married in a few days! Lady Saskia from Byzantium accepted my request to marry the one she saved! Let's celebrate!"
The maiden could not imagine how the court really interpreted the fact. It seemed surreal, but that court also looked like a place where people accepted unusual facts as prosaic. Everyone cheered enthusiastically, and when the Sovereign Prince sat down and the speech was closed, the music resumed in the hall.
Many people came to greet Lady Alexa, and Father Agnello introduced people she didn't know. And when they left, Blue Eyes would comment a thing or two about 'who' they were at court. When a butler passed a tray behind them, the priest quickly turned and grabbed both the wine jug and the paper on the tray. The butler looked distressed, but Blue Eyes opened the note and read it, unabashedly.
Alexa followed that with interest and shock, but the Italian clergyman just put the note back on the tray, and beamed at the butler, who was sweating profusely now.
'That priest indeed is 'devilish'!' Alexa held her laugh, but her curiosity was not yet satisfied, and she imagined that the Priest would not tell her the contents of the note. She knew that cupbearers acted like cupids in every court in the world. It would be no different there.
Her gaze followed that butler, who went to the Princes, and lowered the tray to Prince Magnus.
'OH! How immoral!' she thought when the First Prince quietly took the note. Alexa was watching Magnus' gaze. She knew that he would betray himself at some point. So it was easy to follow his gaze at Lady Duvignes, his eyebrow raised in surprised and roguish questioning.
The maiden would like to believe that her sense of justice prevailed at that moment, when she stood up, and tapping a cup with cutlery, got the attention of the table. When Prince Gutard turned to her, Alexa greeted him politely with a bow. And the damsel said, hoping that her voice would sound firm and clear,
"Your Majesty, yesterday you told me that I should decide until today what payment I wanted for the offense I received. I already have a decision. Allow me, Your Majesty, to charge your firstborn son to pay before my marriage for the injury he committed against me. That way we will start as a family without hard feelings."
The entire court was thrilled by her words.
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Alexa woke up in the middle of the afternoon, hearing her name being called softly. Edel smiled and asked if she was okay.
Alexa wondered the same. After everything that happened, was she okay? She had express orders not to reveal anything about the events of the previous night. The maiden had tried to talk to Cordelia, but Cordelia's mother did not allow it, saying that Cordelia needed to rest, as well as Alexa herself. The Greek girl had the impression that Cordelia's mother seemed resented, perhaps at Alexa, by the tone of her voice. But there was nothing she could do about it.
Before parting ways, Alexa asked the First Prince if he had seen someone push her. As a reply, Prince Magnus had given her his rosary, before returning to the meeting where the postponement of their wedding would be discussed. Anyone else would think how pious and concerned he was. But the only thing that Alexa knew was that she could not understand that man, nor know what he was capable of.
What the maiden wanted was to confront Magnus and ask about that mysterious blade, but the elusive Prince always managed to not answer her questions. Alexa had fallen asleep thinking about it. In each of her hands under the sheets, Lex held one of the objects: the cross and the bloodstained blade. How could he live with both?
"What's going on?" She finally paid attention to Edel, who was waiting impatiently for her answer.
"Lady Alexa, the Royal Dressmaker needs to adjust the dress for your wedding. He's been waiting for hours, but there won't be time to finish the dress if Lady Alexa doesn't try it on now," the sweet Edel apologized with her eyes.
One day of her deadline for marriage to the Sleeping Prince had passed. Meanwhile, Prince Magnus had his wedding postponed. Wasn't it intriguing how fate played tricks?
While trying on the dress, Alexa saw Nerissa. The wedding dress was the one the Countess had given her, but which would be improved for the marriage with a prince. The Shade was near the chest where the dress had been kept, and was staring the Greek maiden with a serious expression.
The maiden wondered why this Shade wanted to be seen by her regularly. This was the third time, and Lex imagined it was on purpose. She wanted to help the poor murdered girl, but how would she do that now, that Alexa couldn't use her powers? The maiden wondered whether the punishment she received was because she hadn't used her gifts to free Nerissa before. Or was it because she had interfered with Prince Magnus' death?
In any case, Nerissa wanted to send a message or needed something from her.
Like most Shades, the secrets they carried with them were locked in their mouths. If they could really speak clearly, it would be so much easier to consult the dead, wouldn't it? Alexa did not know why it was so, just knew that it was no use asking any of them how they had died or what they meant once and for all.
"Herr Henning! One of the gems is lost!" said one of the Royal Tailor's assistants, horrified. Alexa looked at the dress front, realizing that something was really missing there. The dressmaker came rushing to check, and in a shock worthy of the discovery of someone's death, he exclaimed,
"The lovely golden topaz! Look it up! Look for it!" although the women started to rummage through the chests, Alexa knew it would be useless. She had had a vision with this topaz, and knew that it was closely linked to Nerissa's death. It was gone and Nerissa knew who it was with, and why. Nodding at the ghost, she saw it disappear.
°°°
Later, during the feast, Alexa felt a little out of place with her new position at the table and also because she was 'encouraged' to wear jewelry and props. It seemed that she made noise when moving, because everything clinked.
The maiden was sitting next to Blue Eyes, in the most central part of the U-shaped table that held all the guests in the huge hall.
This meal was part of the official events of the postponed wedding, and Alexa naturally didn't see the bride's family there. Lex imagined that they would announce the postponement in an elegant way, using the attack of the previous day as an excuse. She didn't know if they would even announce her wedding to Prince Alexander. But Alexa had already noticed that the news had spread informally, as her position in the castle had evolved. After all, she had come to use a Princely room in the wing of the royal family, and had attendants and chaperones.
The maiden really hoped she could see Cordelia right after the banquet, though.
"Silence, Your Serene Highness Gutard Willhelm Von Wuttenfal has an official statement," said the royal herald. Alexa had never heard that title, but saved the question for later.
The Sovereign Prince didn't get up, and when the silence was absolute, he said only,
"My Firstborn, Karl Magnus Wilhelm, prefers to wait for the complete recovery of his bride, Lady Cordelia, to perform the ceremony that will unite them in marriage. As everyone knows, the Bride suffered an attack yesterday, which is being investigated. Those who have news and evidence of the perpetrators of this attack will be royally rewarded."
There was no murmur, as the statement was not officially ended. After a sip from his wine goblet, the monarch got up, and everyone did the same, immediately,
"Although we have to adjourn the joy of my firstborn's wedding, my second son will be married in a few days! Lady Saskia from Byzantium accepted my request to marry the one she saved! Let's celebrate!"
The maiden could not imagine how the court really interpreted the fact. It seemed surreal, but that court also looked like a place where people accepted unusual facts as prosaic. Everyone cheered enthusiastically, and when the Sovereign Prince sat down and the speech was closed, the music resumed in the hall.
Many people came to greet Lady Alexa, and Father Agnello introduced people she didn't know. And when they left, Blue Eyes would comment a thing or two about 'who' they were at court. When a butler passed a tray behind them, the priest quickly turned and grabbed both the wine jug and the paper on the tray. The butler looked distressed, but Blue Eyes opened the note and read it, unabashedly.
Alexa followed that with interest and shock, but the Italian clergyman just put the note back on the tray, and beamed at the butler, who was sweating profusely now.
'That priest indeed is 'devilish'!' Alexa held her laugh, but her curiosity was not yet satisfied, and she imagined that the Priest would not tell her the contents of the note. She knew that cupbearers acted like cupids in every court in the world. It would be no different there.
Her gaze followed that butler, who went to the Princes, and lowered the tray to Prince Magnus.
'OH! How immoral!' she thought when the First Prince quietly took the note. Alexa was watching Magnus' gaze. She knew that he would betray himself at some point. So it was easy to follow his gaze at Lady Duvignes, his eyebrow raised in surprised and roguish questioning.
The maiden would like to believe that her sense of justice prevailed at that moment, when she stood up, and tapping a cup with cutlery, got the attention of the table. When Prince Gutard turned to her, Alexa greeted him politely with a bow. And the damsel said, hoping that her voice would sound firm and clear,
"Your Majesty, yesterday you told me that I should decide until today what payment I wanted for the offense I received. I already have a decision. Allow me, Your Majesty, to charge your firstborn son to pay before my marriage for the injury he committed against me. That way we will start as a family without hard feelings."
The entire court was thrilled by her words.
Alexa woke up in the middle of the afternoon, hearing her name being called softly. Edel smiled and asked if she was okay. Alexa wondered the same. After everything that happened, was she okay? She had express orders not to reveal anything about the events of the previous night. The maiden had tried to talk to Cordelia, but Cordelia's mother did not allow it, saying that Cordelia needed to rest, as well as Alexa herself. The Greek girl had the impression that Cordelia's mother seemed resented, perhaps at Alexa, by the tone of her voice. But there was nothing she could do about it. Before parting ways, Alexa asked the First Prince if he had seen someone push her. As a reply, Prince Magnus had given her his rosary, before returning to the meeting where the postponement of their wedding would be discussed. Anyone else would think how pious and concerned he was. But the only thing that Alexa knew was that she could not understand that man, nor know what he was capable of. What the maiden wanted was to confront Magnus and ask about that mysterious blade, but the elusive Prince always managed to not answer her questions. Alexa had fallen asleep thinking about it. In each of her hands under the sheets, Lex held one of the objects: the cross and the bloodstained blade. How could he live with both? "What's going on?" She finally paid attention to Edel, who was waiting impatiently for her answer. "Lady Alexa, the Royal Dressmaker needs to adjust the dress for your wedding. He's been waiting for hours, but there won't be time to finish the dress if Lady Alexa doesn't try it on now," the sweet Edel apologized with her eyes. One day of her deadline for marriage to the Sleeping Prince had passed. Meanwhile, Prince Magnus had his wedding postponed. Wasn't it intriguing how fate played tricks? While trying on the dress, Alexa saw Nerissa. The wedding dress was the one the Countess had given her, but which would be improved for the marriage with a prince. The Shade was near the chest where the dress had been kept, and was staring the Greek maiden with a serious expression. The maiden wondered why this Shade wanted to be seen by her regularly. This was the third time, and Lex imagined it was on purpose. She wanted to help the poor murdered girl, but how would she do that now, that Alexa couldn't use her powers? The maiden wondered whether the punishment she received was because she hadn't used her gifts to free Nerissa before. Or was it because she had interfered with Prince Magnus' death? In any case, Nerissa wanted to send a message or needed something from her. Like most Shades, the secrets they carried with them were locked in their mouths. If they could really speak clearly, it would be so much easier to consult the dead, wouldn't it? Alexa did not know why it was so, just knew that it was no use asking any of them how they had died or what they meant once and for all. "Herr Henning! One of the gems is lost!" said one of the Royal Tailor's assistants, horrified. Alexa looked at the dress front, realizing that something was really missing there. The dressmaker came rushing to check, and in a shock worthy of the discovery of someone's death, he exclaimed, "The lovely golden topaz! Look it up! Look for it!" although the women started to rummage through the chests, Alexa knew it would be useless. She had had a vision with this topaz, and knew that it was closely linked to Nerissa's death. It was gone and Nerissa knew who it was with, and why. Nodding at the ghost, she saw it disappear. Later, during the feast, Alexa felt a little out of place with her new position at the table and also because she was 'encouraged' to wear jewelry and props. It seemed that she made noise when moving, because everything clinked. The maiden was sitting next to Blue Eyes, in the most central part of the U-shaped table that held all the guests in the huge hall. This meal was part of the official events of the postponed wedding, and Alexa naturally didn't see the bride's family there. Lex imagined that they would announce the postponement in an elegant way, using the attack of the previous day as an excuse. She didn't know if they would even announce her wedding to Prince Alexander. But Alexa had already noticed that the news had spread informally, as her position in the castle had evolved. After all, she had come to use a Princely room in the wing of the royal family, and had attendants and chaperones. The maiden really hoped she could see Cordelia right after the banquet, though. "Silence, Your Serene Highness Gutard Willhelm Von Wuttenfal has an official statement," said the royal herald. Alexa had never heard that title, but saved the question for later. The Sovereign Prince didn't get up, and when the silence was absolute, he said only, "My Firstborn, Karl Magnus Wilhelm, prefers to wait for the complete recovery of his bride, Lady Cordelia, to perform the ceremony that will unite them in marriage. As everyone knows, the Bride suffered an attack yesterday, which is being investigated. Those who have news and evidence of the perpetrators of this attack will be royally rewarded." There was no murmur, as the statement was not officially ended. After a sip from his wine goblet, the monarch got up, and everyone did the same, immediately, "Although we have to adjourn the joy of my firstborn's wedding, my second son will be married in a few days! Lady Saskia from Byzantium accepted my request to marry the one she saved! Let's celebrate!" The maiden could not imagine how the court really interpreted the fact. It seemed surreal, but that court also looked like a place where people accepted unusual facts as prosaic. Everyone cheered enthusiastically, and when the Sovereign Prince sat down and the speech was closed, the music resumed in the hall. Many people came to greet Lady Alexa, and Father Agnello introduced people she didn't know. And when they left, Blue Eyes would comment a thing or two about 'who' they were at court. When a butler passed a tray behind them, the priest quickly turned and grabbed both the wine jug and the paper on the tray. The butler looked distressed, but Blue Eyes opened the note and read it, unabashedly. Alexa followed that with interest and shock, but the Italian clergyman just put the note back on the tray, and beamed at the butler, who was sweating profusely now. 'That priest indeed is 'devilish'!' Alexa held her laugh, but her curiosity was not yet satisfied, and she imagined that the Priest would not tell her the contents of the note. She knew that cupbearers acted like cupids in every court in the world. It would be no different there. Her gaze followed that butler, who went to the Princes, and lowered the tray to Prince Magnus. 'OH! How immoral!' she thought when the First Prince quietly took the note. Alexa was watching Magnus' gaze. She knew that he would betray himself at some point. So it was easy to follow his gaze at Lady Duvignes, his eyebrow raised in surprised and roguish questioning. The maiden would like to believe that her sense of justice prevailed at that moment, when she stood up, and tapping a cup with cutlery, got the attention of the table. When Prince Gutard turned to her, Alexa greeted him politely with a bow. And the damsel said, hoping that her voice would sound firm and clear, "Your Majesty, yesterday you told me that I should decide until today what payment I wanted for the offense I received. I already have a decision. Allow me, Your Majesty, to charge your firstborn son to pay before my marriage for the injury he committed against me. That way we will start as a family without hard feelings." The entire court was thrilled by her words.
