Chapter 5 - part 3: "The Mead House"

Knowing Alex, the possibility that she had talked to her was very high, so I had to ask her questions.

"Keira Mellarc? "

"Her majesty? "The soldier only recognized me when I got close enough. I wore a cloak with a hood so that no one could see my face, moreover the color of my hair was so rare that it was immediately recognizable; I couldn't risk that they would find me wandering in the crowd, I had to avoid the soldiers too, but I needed to find information as soon as possible. I took Keira aside, taking advantage of the distraction of her companions.

"I offer my heartfelt apologies for my rudeness, but… what is her majesty doing here without an escort?"

" Don't worry Mellarc. Have you talked to Alex recently? " I asked right away. The woman looked at me confused and pointed in a direction that led to an alley: "Yes, we just talked ... she was going that way, maybe her majesty still has time to reach her."

"Thank you Mellarc."

I smiled at her and did not lose time, immediately starting to run towards the indicated place and entering a narrow and dark street: at the end of the alley I saw a hooded figure turn the corner and believing that it was Alex I began to chase it, but when I reached its previous position, I found myself once again in the crowd, frustrated by the confusion.

I looked everywhere, also checking the rest of the streets, walking a few meters in the middle of the main road, then I saw again a dark cloak and I hoped it was really the witch: I was wasting a lot of time chasing her and her behavior was driving me crazy . We had to talk about what I had discovered about her past, I also wanted to understand what she was going through.

She couldn't be tongue"tied about it forever.

The figure I was following suddenly disappeared, but something led me through small streets towards the outermost ring of Riviera, in the meanders of the suburbs; it was as if my instincts were whispering to me the directions to take, forcing me to continue on my path despite being unaware of the goal I would have reached. Soon I found myself in quieter, less crowded places: few people walked around the suburbs, but since I had increased security in this area too, crime had dropped dramatically; I suspected that there was a secret business on the Riviera, a kind of sub"village of the black market, and my men were investigating the area and the undergrounds of the city thoroughly.

As soon as I got some information on the matter, I would make a decision: I knew that the black market for some provided sustenance that they otherwise would not have obtained with simple jobs in the city, but I would not tolerate the slave trade or any other illegal act that would harm a human being in any way.

A few minutes after my arrival in the suburbs, my feet stopped in front of a silent tavern, which was called "Mead House", and I immediately chose to enter, trusting my instincts. I moved the curtain of colored stones to enter the place and looked around, surprised by the dust that covered most of the furniture in the room: it couldnì be a frequented place, so I wondered why the place was completely intact, in an almost timeless atmosphere. A little farther on, in addition to the room and after the bar counter, I saw a staircase that led to a lower floor and I continued on my way, without fear of risks, captured by the purest curiosity. I went down the creaking stairs, which took me in front of a half-closed door and finally I heard noises: they seemed to be whispers, I could not distinguish the words, until a familiar voice made its way through those low tones.

"Fiamma? I still don't understand what's happening to me... I only have you, yes, only you. You do not believe me? Too many things are changing and too fast, I can't take it Fiamma! Why did you stop giving me advice..? Ah..! Do you still think I'm corrupt? It's impossible! I still have my powers and if that were the case Nature would tear them away from me instantly! I have to hold up, just one last step, Fiamma, I have almost found the solution ... if only my grandmother had told me more... unfortunately I do not have the same knowledge, her experience. On the contrary, I feel really ignorant at this moment and I can't do anything about it. The books I found speak very little of what I need and you... you continue to remain silent on the subject! "

Alex's voice was so clear, but the person she was talking to didn't seem to answer; could they have been whispering? For what reason? I still stood listening, but I was aware that it wouldn't be long before Alex discovered my presence.

"We have already talked about my revenge… I will only kill him when I have completed my plans ... I can not give up on this, my powers... only later. I have to go back soon... I think I'll go crazy. At night I only see their terrified faces and hear their screams... continuously, for months. But I am close... now I have the Eye... Fiamma, is not far away, but don't make that face, please! "

I decided to go away, to avoid problems with Alex, besides I still had little time to stay in the streets of Riviera, I would have to return at sunset to welcome some nobles from foreign kingdoms. I could not wait to go to my rooms and forget about everything and everyone at least for a few hours, which actually was impossible since at any moment I could risk my life, being an empress.

I was aware that some nobles of Atenarte still supported Yurik despite being in the prisons of Riviera: I always had to be ready for anything, especially to defend myself from possible assassinations sent by my political opponents. After two years as empress I had had to foil a putsch, led by Yurik with his men, but thanks to the support of my army and Alex, we were able to repel them completely, capturing and condemning the prince.

I don't even pause to think about the attempts at poisoning or suffocation in my sleep that had forced me to increase surveillance. Fortunately, over time I would win the support of even the worst and my power would achieve the stability it needed. I was convinced that I would be able to get everything I wanted: perhaps I was too sure of myself, perhaps I was overconfident in my leadership abilities and the assistance from Alex. She was my scepter. An important piece of my future and I didn't want to do without her.

I had thought the same thing the day my father handed me the imperial scepter, the crown and the place on the brilliant and majestic throne.

When the sun began to set, I was already back from my short trip to the city; I had a lot to think about and first of all I was wondering how to approach the witch's past without making her run away from me, since she too had previously behaved this way because of my requests. After discovering some of what had happened to her thanks to information retrieved not without difficulty from the governor to whom I had assigned Fokranstad, I had changed my attitude towards the victims of those horrible tragedies. I was amazed that she was alive, because although I knew of her strength, her mind must have been so fragile that it could break at any moment. Just like it had been that night of the royal ceremony, the day she saw the old oak burn. Was it a vision or something else? I kept asking myself, but I had no answers that could resolve my doubts.

I remembered those words that Alex had uttered to Fiamma with so much concern: "I have to go back as soon as possible ... I think I'll go crazy." What could she mean by the term "back"? And the Eye she had named...

Alex looked so thin when I looked at her; I felt the need to support her: I indulged almost every request of her, including the last one to be able to travel in the secret dungeons of the imperial castle. I was not stupid, I knew perfectly well that Alex was planning something and was exploiting her position by my side to get what she needed, acting behind my back, but I wanted to trust her and hope that she would not betray me.

In the worst case, I would have to make a decision that I would not like.

"Her majesty has an exceptional intuition, as always" Malik joined me when I returned to the palace, informing me that Alex had taken the way back. He had informed the woman to join me immediately. It was time for confrontation and nothing would save me from the disappointment I would feel that day.