Another hour of this torture, and Alexandra was sure she would evaporate. Her palms and neck were wetter than clouds, sweat trickled down her hairline, onto her temple and traced her jaw, finally dripping down with a slight tip into the armor.
Her arms were sore in the uncomfortable position, her fingers had lost all sensation and the place were Moira's hilt was pressing against her stomach, was numb.
Still, outside, the discussions were raging. And Alexandra was glad to be able to hear.
The two men had lit up a dozen lamps in different corners of the room, one was right behind Alexandra - its increased heat the reason she was currently on the verge of death.
But she could recognize four voices.
Austin's, the Doveland Commander's, the General's and the same Ethorian Diplomat's. Rest were all unknown to her, they mingled into one another, all sounding remotely the same after such a long time. They were going on and on about how they were ready for any war-like scenario.
Alexandra's thoughts wandered off to Fannel's last letter.
By the August of last year, the two individuals - Marilyn and he - had agreed on a ceasefire - a cordial friendship at least. Then, in the same November they had decided to meet up in Losiane on Eleventh January - of which Alexandra had got to know from Diana.
On the fourteenth, he had sent her a certain, interesting letter. An ashen faced Jade had dropped it on her head and escaped through the window, not wanting to deliver the reply as well.
It had been pleasant to read such a letter. Especially since the best things he had been calling Marilyn a few months ago was "Stupid girl". The first sentence itself told Alexandra how successful that meeting had been - Eleventh January also being his birthday.
I'm an utter fool, he had written, have it Mabel - you were right, I guess Mary was right too. I was wrong...that I took it so dramatically when she just proposed an idea. The way she handled this... last night- all that misunderstanding, all that drama and emotions I was piling up. I gave it a serious thought just now... it's bitter, but it's true- Mary isn't selfish. I was selfish. When I was in Vellesmere- it was such a baleful location. So disturbed, so dangerous. But it was home, and I loved it- I wouldn't leave. It's the very same thing...Losiane might be bad, Losiane might not be anything equal to Idgard, but for somebody who's lived their entire life there... for Marilyn, at least I, of all people, should have understood how much it mattered.
And even after that, even after more than half the fault being mine - Mary was the first one to apologize. She was the first one to own up to mistakes. And she made me realize how earnestly I love her - leave out those parts. You understand this much, Sister - Marilyn's your sister-in-law now. Did I ever say we were going to start as friends all over again? Forget about it. We're engaged.
P.S. Marilyn was pretty hostile until I went on my knees and asked for forgiveness - her tender, girlish fury is amusing...
Even with the utterly uncomfortable atmosphere around her, Alexandra couldn't help smiling every time she thought about it. Though partly - she wondered how they would proceed - Fannel wasn't the type to elope, no. Marilyn wasn't either - they were two proper and prudent individuals.
You'll have time for that, idiot! Listen to them right now! Mind snapped at her.
Alexandra agreed ... she would have a lot of time to think about it, and talk to Mary and Mark, right now, these people were the ones to be heard.
'So, we can say that Doveland shall be the linchpin?' The Ethorian Diplomat asked, 'Or are there any objections?'
'If Ethoris and Cartania - are willing to provide full support,' Austin conceded, 'we are fine with it.'
'But where is the proof of support?' The commander growled, 'I do not believe this arrangement one bit.'
'The alliance points justify it, Sir.' Another voice volunteered, he was beginning to say something else too, but he was cut short.
'What sort of an alliance is THAT?' The Commander boomed, 'Do you even-'
'Calm down, Sir,' Austin begged. 'Please calm down - more than the alliance points, we can count on Ethoris' personal hatred for Vedessa. They will help us - for them, this is a personal skirmish. Is it not, Diplomat?'
'Most certainly, Sir. Most certainly!' The Diplomat exclaimed, 'So if that's in place - can we safely say that today, the Seventeenth of January, Doveland has officially declared war on Vedessa?'
He said it like it was the inauguration of a library. But Alexandra's mind filled with cold dread - she felt fear trickle down her throat like a bitter medicine. Intuitively, her ears perked up, her senses went on auto-pilot.
One war is all we need. All of them will join hands. I'm sure things are being cooked up even now.
Cooked up?! Here, the dish was ready - it was just about to be served! And of all places- her own Doveland ... fifteen years ago they were going on about marital alliances - and now? Invasion? If Alexandra could have moved with the armor, she would have gone ahead and use the trident on Austin - or even better, on that no-good Ethorian Diplomat, who was proficient in sugar coating the truths, turning and twisting sentences to make them sound sweet and beautiful, when they were nothing but veiled gambles.
'Unquestionably, Diplomat. Let it be made public - we are in war. Volunteers, are very much welcome. But also mark my words, we remain - only a linchpin. The war is yours. Do not let it go any other way, you get it?' Austin finished, even Alexandra, inside the armor, got the threat laced under it.
'I get, Sir. You needn't worry.' The Ethorian replied, putting up a brave front, 'We won't disappoint.'
Alexandra then heard chairs being pushed back on the iron floor, men shaking heads and wishing luck. All this time, a hard ball of urgency kept rolling within her - as well as a bit of regret.
How was she going to get out of this suit of armor?!
* * *
Alexandra was trying. But it wasn't as easy!
It was more than half an hour after those men had left. She had tried putting her boots on the kneecaps of the armor, but it was slippery. She had tried to push her head outside at least, but it was not possible with the rest of her body stuck in there.
Finally she tried to hoist herself up by holding the neck of the armor. For a triumphant second, she had almost made it. Then, hot, sharp pain sliced through her palms, forcing Alexandra to give up and fall back down.
She stared at her palms. In the semi-darkness, she could see red lines etched on them. The neck of the armor was wickedly sharp.
Like "wicked" had ever stopped her before.
'Dear Pain,' Alexandra chanted, 'here I come.' And she grabbed the sharp edges with her hands again, and pushed her body upwards, first pain, then hot, searing torture, finally numbness.
Alexandra dropped right on her face outside the armor. 'Ouch,' she winced, rubbing her knees, then immediately looked at her palms. Thin lines of blood were traced across them. 'Nothing too much,' she muttered, and then turned to look around her, there was nobody. The lamps were still burning. And it was still dark outside.
'First from Akwanda - now from Doveland...' Alexandra ventured, standing up. 'I really need to stop making surprise appearances into the Idgardian Palace.'
* * *
'Liam!' She yelped, as soon as she had set foot into the Palace - it was just day break outside, the winter days always began very late, because it was actually eight in the morning, and she had exhausted all the means of transport on earth to get to Idgard in those hours.
Owing to her Spy-ways, she had simply jumped into the corridor closest to the Court, on the ground floor, because on a normal day, that was where you could find Kings.
She got lucky, which was something that happened for the first time in thirty years of her life.
'Another bad news-' Liam began, catching sight of her, then the guards raised their weapons - 'Put them down, put them down!' He told them hastily, as one sword missed Alexandra by an inch.
Her heart first did six flips, and then settled down to admire him - Mind must have face-palmed in exasperation.
'Bad news?!' Alexandra cried nevertheless, 'Bad news? This is the WORST news!' After her teacher's death, this was the first time they were meeting - and true to his words, she had got no inkling of any royal matrimonial plans.
'Austin died?' Liam asked, and perhaps he was serious, but it irked Alexandra.
'Shut up!' She retorted, her mind blazing in approval. The sentry raised their weapons once more, and Liam had to beg for non-violence. 'He isn't dead, but oh - he might die! Everybody might!' Alexandra continued. 'Doveland's attacking - it's declared!' She exclaimed, ignoring them.
One guard's sword fell from his grasp as soon as Alexandra completed, but apart from that - there was complete silence as the words registered. Nobody moved an inch, nobody spoke a word. To a layman, the way everyone was staring at someone or the other, their expressions frozen, this scene would have appeared like wax sculptures lining a Palace Corridor.
'There we go,' Liam admitted. 'Suspend court.' He added, the most important-looking person next to him nodded and left.
'There's more - Doveland being the linchpin - the war being Ethoris' and some personal hatred.' Alexandra divulged. Was it her imagination, or did Liam really go pale when she mentioned personal hatred?
'One problem at a time,' he then said, looking back to normal. 'You know what the Espionage has got to do.'
'I know,' Alexandra agreed. 'But we have got no Head! It is one thing to manage - we need strong leadership right now. Somebody who can hold things together - and preferably listen to me.' She added.
'Do you listen to yourself?'
Alexandra staggered like somebody had dropped heavy sacks on her shoulder. 'No - not me. Not me!' She protested, taking a step back.
'This is not the time!' Liam insisted, taking a step forward. 'Alexandra - please.' He said, and she had thought that his Amber eyes were only difficult to stare into. Wrong. They were even tougher to refuse.
And stupid Heart was pushing her already. Do it, he'll love you! She claimed, hammering against Alexandra's rib cage.
'F-fine.' She declared, raising her hands, 'Fine! I'll take care. I'll do it!'
'I'm ever grateful.' Liam replied. But had he said, I love you, it would have been infinitely better. Oblivious of this desire, he tossed her a small, shining, golden key, which Alexandra almost dropped. 'Head's Office key. All yours, now, Head. There's the letter I was giving you, in there - he had put in stuff he wanted the new head to follow. Read it,' he added. And she was forced to wonder what if this was the last time she was seeing him. If she ought to bare her heart now before it was too late.
He was turning, he was about to go.
'L-Liam...' Alexandra began, then shook her head. 'No - nothing.' She said, and then, 'You just won that challenge of making me the Head.'
And he replied with something, but she couldn't hear. Though from the way his lips moved, she thought for a wild, thrilling moment that he had said - I'll win you too, very soon.