The Healing Heart
POV: Lucien
Alexandra was visibly pale when she walked into my office and I could tell that the events of the last two days were weighing on her. It was my impulse to get up and give her a hug, something tugged me into believing that she really needed it. She was contacting her mother about the biggest shock to happen to Vellum since my father died. I couldn’t believe Talon was alive and was made to go after his own family member. Knowing him, he would never willingly hurt his family. He was a man of integrity and honor so he would never do such an underhanded thing. I was sitting on my couch in my office admiring how Alexandra was taking all of this information. She put the priority on her other family members and didn’t break down in the face of having known that her own uncle was trying to kill her. I could feel a pair of eyes staring at me and I looked up to see Jess looking at me. She was regarding me almost as if she was analyzing me. She then smiled at me then winked. I thought that was peculiar that she would do that. Was she flirting with me? Was that appropriate given the gravity of the situation? I would have to revisit what just happened later because Alexandra turned around. She was just about say something else when Malinus came into the room informing me that my brother was injured.
I shot up out of my seat, “How?!” Malinus shook his head, “We don’t know yet. He strode up to the gates and collapsed in front of the guards. They didn’t know he was bleeding until they lifted him off the ground. The doctor is with him right now, I’m told he has a large gash across his stomach.” Alexandra gasped, “Do we know if he will be okay?” Malinus shook his head again, “I’m afraid not, Your Grace.” I turned to Alexandra, “You can go back to Blackwood and await your mother.” She shook her head, “I want to see if he will be okay. He likely got injured helping me out.” I nodded at her, “Okay, you can stay if you would like. Come with me.” We walked over to where we kept chambers for Blake at the castle. My mother was already waiting outside of the door and she sighed seeing me, “They won’t let anyone in yet. The only exception is Her Grace.” I turned to look at Alexandra who pointed at herself, “Me?” She nodded, “He was uttering your name in the daze he was in. He said he wanted to see you and the doctor said if you should happen to be here to let you in.” She swallowed hard and walked up to the door then opened it. I heard the doctor shout that no one was to enter. I peered in and spoke, “This is The Batiste, Alexandra. I believe he asked for her.” The doctor looked up at her, “Your Grace, please come in. I need your help.” She peered out at me as she was shutting the door but mouth a ‘thank you’ to me. It was a simple gesture but it made my stomach flip.
When the door closed, my mother turned to look at me, “What was she doing here?” I sighed, “She needed to quickly contact her mother. It appears that her would be assassin was actually Talon.” She pulled her hands to her mouth, widened her eyes and gasped, “That poor child must be in shock.” I shook my head, “I think she’s probably still processing it because she’s been pretty level headed.” Jess coughed, “If I may speak, Your Majesties.” I looked at her, “You may. Go ahead.” She nodded, “I don’t want to tell you her business but I don’t know if she’ll get a chance. I would like this to remain between the three of us for now.” My mother sighed, “Is it so important that it cannot wait until she tells us?” Jess shook her head, “I’m afraid not. You see she just found out that she’s cursed.” I furrowed my brows, “What do you mean cursed? Do we know specifics?” She shook her head again, “No, Dorothea analyzed her since Talon’s curse has corrupted Vanessa’s heart-” I shook my head and motioned for her to stop, “I think I missed the part where Vanessa’s heart was corrupted by Talon’s curse. You’re telling me had this not happened, then Alexandra might not have known she was cursed?” She sighed, “Yes, Vanessa was close to Talon when the curse was beginning to lift. She caught some of the curse as it was lifting. She gave Alexandra a tongue thrashing. Calling her a bunch of names. She was starting to tear up but she pulled herself together. It’s likely she knew this was not what Vanessa really thought. Given all that has happened to her the past two days, she’s on the path for an emotional breakdown.” I processed what Jess told me and asked, “What kind of curse magic is it?” She shrugged, “Dorothea said she didn’t recognize the magic used on Alexandra.” We heard a woman’s voice call out, “I can answer that, Your Majesty.”
I looked up to see Grand Pretre walking towards us with Pretre Jean following her. I nodded at her, “So what magic was affecting Alexandra?” She sighed, “It is shadow magic. Only the divine beings from the Heavenly realm and some semi-mortals that are touched by gods can use it. She was corrupted some time ago. We weren’t aware of it because it lied dormant until she came into contact with another cursed being.” I drug my hand across my face, “Do you know how it would affect her?” She nodded, “Well her ability is one of relationships and love. Naturally one who would want to curse her would like to affect her in such a way. She’s been cursed that she can feel the love of others but only be able to fall in love with the one who cursed her.” My mother gasped, “What if that person was not fated for her? She would be doomed to love someone that she really didn’t love.” Grand Pretre nodded, “Exactly it, Your Majesty. What I am not sure of is who it was that cursed her. She has not come in contact this person or divine being that I could tell or the curse hasn’t taken affect yet. My guess is that the curse came from the Heavenly realm because nothing about it is clear to me other than it is shadow love magic.” The thought of Alexandra being forced to fall in love with a God squeezed at my heart and I felt a sting to my eyes. A single tear fell down my face, I had hoped no one saw it. I was not in luck since Jess patted my shoulder and whispered, “We will help her, Your Majesty. Not just for her sake but for yours.” I looked at her and said, “You’ll have to tell me about that later.”
Grand Pretre stepped towards the door where my brother was being worked on, “He will be fine. He was injured trying to escape The Order. They thought they used him for the information they needed and tried to kill him. He fought back and jumped in a portal that came to Tarn. He had to stumble here but he knew that this was the best place to go even though he desired to be in Blackwood.” She looked up at me, “Her prisoner will be fine in a few days as well but his heart is scarred. He needs a special person to help him heal. That special person is in this room helping your brother to heal. Her presence, though she doesn’t know it, it heals those who love her. That is another side to her ability. Unfortunately for her, Talon’s curse lifting was not something she could heal and she’s torn up that she hindered the process. You will need to be her healing heart, Your Majesty. She’s taking on so many burdens all at once that you need to find a way to help her out.”
I felt my mother place her hand on my arm, “You could sneak her out to retreat after the presenting ceremony. There are hot springs there and it could be just the two of you since the place is like a fortress.” I looked over at her, I knew my mother’s purpose for this. She had made it known to me in private that her vote was already going to be for Alexandra as Queen. She wanted to create romance for Alexandra and I. She must not have understood what the curse meant for Alexandra. I gave her a pointed look, “Mother, I can understand why you would like me to take her there alone but I don’t think that will have the affect that you think it will. Alexandra can only fall in love with the God who cursed her.” She shook her head, “And what happens when the curse gets lifted? She will remember your kindness and I just know she will fall in love with you." I pinched the bridge of my nose; it was always this way with everyone I had encountered. They were always wanting me to fall in love with their chosen girl, it was upsetting to know my mother was like this too. I didn’t completely hate the idea since I think I was already opening my hear to the possibility. The door to Blake’s room opened and Alexandra came out, she had blood all over her arms and some on her shirt, “He’s going to be okay. The doctor said that he calmed down considerably when I came in the room so he was able to stitch him up easier. He will give you more detail but I’m exhausted.” With those words, she collapsed but I was able to catch her. Grand Pretre looked at me with a furrowed brow, “Her mental breakdown has started. She will need a lot of care over the next few days or we will all lose her to madness.”
