2 Chapter 2: Sail Away

Alice stayed in her room in the whole trip. Other than stare at the plain blue sea beyond her windows, she did nothing else for the past three days.

She heard the door open and a familiar graceful footstep entered. Alice noticed her teacher Leisha's familiar rose scent was no more. She wasn't that surprised, she herself was reeking of blood. "Fix yourself for 30 minutes and come meet me at the captain's chamber." Her firm voice and stern face wasn't affected by the bloodbath, it actually made it more serious.

She was about to get out when Alice answered in a low voice. "I don't want to."

The middle-aged lady sighed before facing her. "Three days, Alice. That is more than enough, don't you think?"

Alice looked at her then looked back at the ocean. " he… my father he… --" she swallowed before continuing, "I bet they did not even give him a proper burial." She croaked then looked at her teacher once more.

Leisha took a step forward and bended to level the eyes of the young girl in front of her. "Girl, his body is the least you should be thinking. Right now, your father's name is being announced in the whole country as a king that tricked his people and corrupted the money of his people."

Alice stood with anger upon hearing this. "He would never do that! Everyone knows he would never do something like that!"

Leishe smiled with satisfaction and started to the door, " 25 minutes left." She said before completely disappearing in her chamber.

Alice hurriedly took a bath and changed to proper attire. Her mind was full of angry comments and thoughts about what they labeled her father. It was the biggest joke she had ever heard.

Her father was the kindest person she had ever met despite his strictness. He did everything for his people, even forsaking the time he should have to be with his daughter. She even made her own daughter struggle to be a prince and a princess at the same time just for their people. and now… all they had to say after his death was that he was a corrupted king? Lies!

Upon entering the captain's chamber, her brows were already furrowed and her eyes obviously filled with anger. When she saw the men gathered in the room, seating, and so alive…. Her anger rose.

"You were my father's most trusted generals, advisors, and ministers." She managed to speak out of her rage. "You were supposed to be with him…. you were supposed to risk your life for him and this country!"

General Jung of Hyden province was there. The generals assigned on the borders were sitting with him. the advisors and ministers that drank, and played chess with his father were in here drinking tea while the king that trusted them is dead and even being ridiculed by the same people that he saved.

General Jung plainly stared at her. She remembered him as the brightest and most cheerful general when she was a child. He was filled with humorous stories and adventures that made Alice laugh. But now, he was expressionless as he spoke. " If it weren't for you, we would have accepted the fate of dying alongside our king, no, our friend."

Alice's feet collapsed. A tear escaped from her eyes, soon, a great number of tears followed.

She knew. She knew why they were alive and his father is not. His father made them stay so they could protect his daughter. He made them betray their master do they could serve their new master. Her father had completely given up his life to save Alice from the very beginning. He never planned to make it out of this country alive. It was foolish of her. The king had told her plans about their escape. He had told her the route and the bases and the information needed. He had told her the rate of escape was 85% if ever it happens. She thought the both of them would have that rate. But now, it looks like it was actually only the daughter's rate of survival.

***

"The old geezers gave you a hard time, huh." A familiar middle-aged man's voice spoke and sat beside Alice. She stared at General Jung and noticed that his usual smiling face was back. Only it wasn't genuine anymore. It was only meant to cheer up the daughter of their master. Their past master to be exact.

The young princess put her stare back into the ocean that reflected the night sky above and shook her head. They talked a lot this morning. They discussed how they are going to clear their past king's name. They also planned the process in forming a new army in secret. It was stressing and difficult but she had to do it. It was her responsibility now. No matter where she is she is still the princess of the Airens. It was her natural responsibility to rule her own people.

"It really must be a great shock to you, your highness." The general gently spoke.

"Not really, my father had always told me this time would come." Alice said.

"Yeah… but what I meant was…" he hesitated but continued anyway, "The minister of war, the least suspicious of all, was the one who planned all this. In addition, his… son…"

Alice was again filled with rage. If she was sad and in pain, she did a good job in hiding it. Alice looked at the trusted general. He must have only wanted to comfort her. After all, he had always treated Alice as his own daughter. Alice only gave a weak smile as a response.

The general felt like he wasn't making any improvement in making the princess feel better. He stood and excused himself.

Alice nooded. Her thoughts were already on that same day her father died. That same day the king of Airen was shot by an arrow. She closed her eyes and played the scene in her mind again and again. She remembered everything on that day. His father struggling, his blood rushing out of his body, and the arrow perfectly shot on his heart. She recognized the style of the arrow that killed his father. Of course she knew who owned that, she designed it herself as a gift to a man. She also knew only one man could shoot an arrow perfectly from a distant. It was painful to think of it. His face appeared on her mind and it made her fists clenched. She knew- it was no other than the man she ever loved.