13 Pass the message

Alyssa and Kiva were not the only ones who sneaked out of the palace.

Maya was cautious so she could not get caught walking near the furnace. She looked around, making sure that she was the only one around. After confirming she was alone, she suddenly crawled her way into the bushes, ignoring stems of plants that was stabbing her all over. As she reached the fence, she put a piece of wood aside to reveal a hole big enough to fit a person. She did not hesitate, she crossed through the hole. And once she was outside, she reclined the thin wood back on the hole to cover it. She did it like it was her everyday routine.

Using the makeshift door, Maya had to take a longer and inconvenient route to reach the flea market. She folded her pants up to her knees as she crossed the creek, she walked carefully so she would not slip. Upon crossing to the other side, she removed her uniform--- a black buttoned-down blouse with a logo of a phoenix on the breast pocket. The uniform would get attention, and she wanted to blend with others as much as possible. She left it under a tree and covered it with withered leaves, she took a mental note to take back it with her upon her return. Underneath her uniform was a plain white shirt. She rubbed her hands on the mud and plastered her dirtied hand on the plain shirt--- it was too clean.

She was not planning to stay out for long. She cannot possibly know that maybe the Queen specifically ordered someone to have her under surveillance. But after a few days of staying off the radar, she saw no sign that her movements were being monitored. She took it as a good sign.

This led her to decide to make a bold move and sneak out of the palace.

Maya is a young woman in her early twenties. She had dark brown hair and eyes, perfect not to catch attention--- but people remembered her through her beauty mark under her left eye.

Even though she managed to look plain and ordinary, she got unlucky and was caught up in a situation. She was one of the attendants who was imprisoned--- they were alleged to be conspirators for poisoning the Princess. Maya could attest that none of them were. She would know. But the royals wanted a name, and she was the one who gave it--- she gave the name of the King to save the poor boy from being tortured. She managed to stay silent only for long, she could not bear their cries any longer. She took a risk, she opened her mouth, she raised her voice. Their eyes were upon her as she gave to them what they wanted, a name, any name. It was a risk that she should not have taken, it was a futile effort on her part--- the young man she was trying to save died anyway. Everybody died except for her, who knows what the royals did to their bodies--- or brains. She was specifically warned not to talk about what happened that day; the guards told her that she was lucky she had the Queen's grace.

Maya might have revealed the name of the King, but she was quite sure he was not the one. The King only asked for a bottle of whiskey from Jake. She might have only seen them talk from a distance that day, but Jake grumbled about the King's drinking habits afterwards.

The truth is, it did not matter to her if the King was innocent or not. She did not want to get involved on the lethal games the royals were playing. She did not care if they wanted to kill each other. She would even rejoice for that day to come.

She had to stay stronger for her partner, Jake. Jake was just caught up in the middle of a royal feud, this was not their doing. She felt determined, but afraid. She no longer had any comrade inside the palace full of zombies.

She presses a hand on her chest. She had to deliver a letter tucked between her beasts--- it had to be delivered to their leader.

She did not mind the long route. Every step she took was not just hers but Jake's too.

She arrived at the flea market sweaty and exhausted. There was a sea of people walking around--- just as she wanted.

She walked into the crowded street as she tossed her purse in the air. She kept on walking with the purse on her hand, waiting for something--- or rather, someone.

A blonde young boy stole the purse from her as she tossed it in the air.

The blonde boy played with her purse as Maya calmly followed her on a less crowded street.

The young boy turned around and faced her.

"What's the deal?" Luppy tossed the purse back to Maya.

Maya caught it with both hands. "I have a letter for the leader. It's urgent." She retuned her purse back into her pocket.

"What is it?" Luppy's brows furrowed.

Maya grabbed the letter between her breast and gave it to Luppy. "Jake's dead."

Luppy took a pause, to a young boy who had seen more deaths than years, he still could not get used to how fast life ends.

"Hurry, It's urgent."

"I'm on it. I'm running to the slumps anyway." Luppy nodded solemnly, he knew that Jake might have been gone but he died for a cause. Jake's life would not end in vain.

It was a short meeting; they immediately parted their ways.

Luppy went on his way to his brother.

Maya walked back the way she left; she did not forget to wear her uniform back. She returned to the palace as being a silent, invisible royal attendant.

***

One of the female attendants hammered on Queen Kathy's door. "My Queen! My Queen! The Princess has returned!"

The attendant was more restless than the Queen. In fact, Queen Kathy was relaxed. She was surveying her newly polished nails, she asked it to be painted with red. She thought it was the perfect color fit for celebration--- her nails were ready for tomorrow. There was one thing she was not satisfied about her nails though; they were very short. Her nails will never grow again--- one of the few nuisances of her unending life.

Queen Kathy sauntered out of her door to see a panic-stricken attendant waiting for her.

Queen Kathy proceeded to walk towards her daughter's room.

"I saw her, my Queen." The attendant followed behind her. "Thank goodness the Princess had no scratch. Well, at least from a glance." The female attendant was restless as if it were her own daughter who ran away. If she kept on working directly under the Princess, the attendant might catch a heart disease out of worry. They better hire a personal attendant for the Princess soon.

Queen Kathy slowly ran up the stairs as she held the tails of her long dress. "Let my daughter have her fun."

"But… but... my Queen…" The attendant protested behind her.

Queen Kathy smiled at the attendant. "I just want her to be happy. You said no harm was done, let her be."

Queen Kathy arrived in front of her daughter's chambers and knocked on the door. "Alyssa, they told me you already arrived."

"Yes, mother. The doors' open." Alyssa announced.

Queen Kathy entered the room.

Alyssa was sitting at the round table, contemplating if her mother would lecture her. The bag of goods was sitting obnoxiously on the table, Alyssa had no time to hide it.

Queen Kathy sauntered to her daughter's side and sat on the chair. "It's okay Alyssa, you don't need to hide anything from me. You know you can do whatever you want."

Alyssa's cheeks reddened. "I just went outside for a walk."

"I think you went shopping with Kiva." Queen Kathy eyed the bag of goods on the table. "Did you buy a lot? Do you have something for me?" Queen Kathy smiled.

"No…" Alyssa's back straightened, she had not thought to buy something for her Queen mother.

Queen Kathy laughed." It's fine, maybe next time." Queen Kathy held her daughter's hand. "I'm not here to scold you about that."

Alyssa's smile returned, relaxing. "You're not?"

"Of course not, love."

"Really?"

"Unless this is your late adolescence teenage rebellion?"

"What?" Alyssa laughed. "No! No… Kiva and I were just looking… for something."

"Something?" Queen Kathy raised her eyebrow.

"Yes just…stuffs…. combs and candies, those stuffs."

"You can have all your freedom really," Queen Kathy held her daughter's hand. "you don't need to sneak out of the palace. The next time you go out, just tell me okay?"

"Okay." Alyssa was hesitant to say, it would be hard for her to say to her mother some of the things that she does. "Then why are you here if you're not going to scold me?"

"I'm here to ask you about the rumors going around." Queen Kathy removed her hand on Alyssa.

"What rumors?" Alyssa had always been the topic of conversations; she was not sure what of the many rumors her mother was talking about.

"I'm talking about you and Ziloh spending the night." Her mother leaned forward.

"Oh! That! That's not how it sounds like at all! Nothing happened really."

"Are you sure?" Her mother pressed on.

"Yes! I just need him to represent me against the marriage proposal of Duchess Sisa. I don't want to get married! I'm too young."

Alyssa cannot say to her mother that Ziloh nursed her to health. Sick? It was a word not on the royals' vocabulary.

"Sisa." Queen Kathy tapped her fingers on the table. "Maybe I need to amend our laws." Queen Kathy said more to herself.

"Yes, I mean why we have such a rule?"

"I made that so anyone has a chance to be a King, as long as you have courage and ability, you can have the throne."

Anyone could be a King or Queen. The owner of the King's throne kept on changing on the past years, but the Queen's throne had always been Kathy's. No one dared to take Queen Kathy's throne from her. The royals are within Queen Kathy's tight grip. As long as she had the secret of eternity, they will all bow down to her. No one would dare to threaten Queen Kathy's and her daughter's position again after tomorrow. Everybody could be a King or Queen, but nobody would be able to defend the position as great as Queen Kathy does.

"I know but," Alyssa pouted her lips. "Well, anyway. As long as Ziloh wins the battle everything would be solved."

"Yes, now you understand. I already scheduled their duel tomorrow." Queen Kathy informed Alyssa.

Alyssa's heart thumped in her chest.

"But what if Ziloh lost mom," Alyssa's voice came to a whisper. "Will I get married just like that?"

"Oh," Queen Kathy waved her hand. "You don't have to worry about that. Ziloh won't lose."

"But, he's just on the lean side and maybe this Edward is as brusque as the King!"

"A battle cannot be won with just muscles, Alyssa"

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Well, let's hope for the best!"

"You don't have to worry about that but, you have one thing to remember though."

"What is that?"

"You can have any men in the world, whoever that is. Make him the crown prince, make him a King." Queen Kathy fumbled with her golden necklace. "Anyone but Ziloh, do you understand?"

"You don't have to worry mother." Alyssa leaned back on her chair. "I won't get married to anyone."

***

Kiva's eyes bulged.

Kiva saw the attendants plastering posters on the hallway, she got curious and read it. It advertised the battle between Edward and Ziloh for the position of the crown prince. Knowing that the position of the crown prince is still vacant, Alyssa named ZIloh as her representative. But with the rumors going around, the royals would think that Alyssa would want Ziloh as her crown prince.

Ziloh was walking towards Kiva.

Kiva ripped one poster from the wall and threw it into his brother's chest. "What are you going to do about that?"

Ziloh uncrumpled the poster and read it. "Win." Ziloh shrugged. "Little sister, I did not volunteer for this. It was Alyssa's idea."

"I know! But there will be lots of royals watching, maybe it would be better to lose." Kiva pondered. "But what shall we do with poor Alyssa, she doesn't want this Edward." Kiva's lip's tightened. "Heck, I don't want this Edward!"

"Then she won't."

"But you, you might do something stupid in front of all the royals."

"Winning is not a stupid thing to do."

A female attendant passed by and smiled to Ziloh coyly.

Ziloh smiled back.

Kiva dragged her brother on the side. "Look, control your strength tomorrow. You can't be exposed."

Ziloh lifted his eyebrow. "What? Zombies exists but my kind can't?"

"No," Kiva whispered. "There's no your kind, there's only you."

"And why do you think they don't want me to be exposed?"

"I don't know… maybe for your own good? Just… just… follow what they say okay?"

ZIloh laughed his lungs out. "You know I don't have other option but to follow."