3 Chapter 1: An Unexpected Visitor

Princess Alice has been practicing the proper handling of the hilt and how to use the sword skillfully. She was determined and full of strength every single day, Alice swayed and sword into the air. Too late for Cartlon to elude, the Princess's sword was only an inch away from his neck. In one wrong move, his neck will be slice.

The weapon that the princess is using is no ordinary blade. It was made, sharply and for the Princess only. The hilt was carved simply for gripping but it has an amethyst stone. It was simple, but the stone makes the sword more alluring to touch.

"Nice approach, Princess Alice." Cartoon laughed abused and stunned and put the sword into its sheath. "Thank you, Cartlon!" Alice has been preparing herself for the possibilities, for a w war, for a zombies apocalypse or an intruder trying to civilize her kingdom, and so on.

As a Princess, and soon, as she takes over the throne, and will be crowned as the next queen, Alice thought and planned things that are best and good for her sister– Shaotzie, and her loyal and faithful servants and people.

"It's my pleasure, your honor." Cartlon bowed,  with his hands clasped together. Cartlon has been serving Alice's parents for almost three decades, until now, he stayed faithful and dedicated to the next queen, Alice.

Alice took off the armor that protects herself from the sharp blade, and weapon. She looked at him satirically with a smile on her face. Princess Alice is known for being such a clever, dauntless, and courageous princess of all nearby kingdom. She was not the type of girl that is a weak and faint-hearted princess. She's totally different that makes the Prince of all kingdom admired her.

"Let's fight again, tomorrow Cartlon!  I've been starting to like the roaring sounds of blades and blood." Alice said, shooking her head back and forth.

Cartlon and Princess Alice usually have the sword practice in the middle of the fight place, just a few steps away from the tall and breathtaking entrance of the kingdom. "I can no longer wait for tomorrow, your honor." Cartlon gave her an abrupt, whimsical laugh.

Princess Alice shrugged her shoulders as she wears her royal crown, "Your honor, please give me a moment to tell you something." Lucy, her servant for how many years told her. "Go on, Lucy," Alice speaks with both kindness and authority.

"Someone is looking and wishing to talk to you, your honor," Lucy said with her head bowed down. It's been in the rules, that when you speak to one of the members of the Royal Family, you must not look at their eyes unless they told you to do so. "I didn't expect someone today, for all I know the day after tomorrow, Prince of the Knight's Kingdom will be here, not at this juncture."  She added, confused, and surprised.

"Thank you, Lucy." Princess Alice told her, hiding her shocked reaction earlier. "As you wish, your honor." Lucy bowed for the last time and took the opposite way, leaving Princess Alice, the visitor, and Cartlon.

"It's my pleasure and honor to meet personally, the most popular and brave Princess of all Kingdom, after for how many years." The man took the Princess's hand and kissed the back of it. Princess Alice, let him be and turned her gaze at Cartlon, who's standing firmly beside her. "Leave us for a moment, Cartlon." She whispered.

Cartlon, with doubt in his heart and soul, obeyed with the Princess words. He took the same way as the servant earlier. Alice looked back at the man, who's still bending his right leg. "What with the sudden, visit, Caliek?" Princess Alice didn't expect that her old and childhood friend, Caliek will visit her in the Kingdom.

Caliek stiffened, and breathe deeply. "You need to be prepared, Alice." He warned her, but Alice doesn't understand what he was talking about. "Tell me frankly! I don't have enough precious and ample time to guess your point."  Alice narrowed her eyes, waiting for a better explanation.

"Zombies apocalypse!" Caliek exclaimed, clenching his beautiful and white set of teeth. "Zombies? What an absurd news, Caliek!" Alice profoundly raised her voice at him and abruptly laugh. "I'm telling you the possibilities, Alice. The Kingdom of King Vladimir, King Arthur, Queen Mary, and so on was fallen and didn't found the cure to end it!"

"Zombies are spreading easily, and you can't believe that there's someone behind all this. You need to make an immediate action, Alice because if not, your Kingdom will be fallen too." Princess Alice loss her control upon hearing the bad news, she heaves the sword on her right side and pointed it at Caliek.

Caliek, step back slowly, making sure that he will not commit a mistake. "Put your weapon down, Alice!" He screamed out of fear. Alice came back to her senses when Shaotzie, called her. "Princess Alice!" Shaotzie exclaimed, sighing deeply. "What's going on here?" She added before her sister, Alice could speak.

Alice sheathed the sword and turned her back at Caliek, finally, he can now breathe properly. "Follow me, Caliek!" Alice uttered solemnly. "Go back to your to, Shaotzie!" She added and walked away from the fight niche.

Shaotzie looked confused at Alice, she can felt that there's something wrong at her sister's action. "As you wish, your honor." Shaotzie bowed her head as Alice passes by. She could smell the fragrant long black hair of Alice. It was a mixture of vanilla and a very fragrant flower, the fortunes that last for two or three days.

Even though she's not comfortable, Shaotzie went back to her room and looked at the Kingdom at the window.

**

– At the conference room with Princess Alice –

"I'd gathered all of you today, for the fact that my Kingdom, my home– your home, is at risk. Zombies are scattered and dispersed everywhere, if we fail to find the cure in a month, this Kingdom will befallen." Princess Alice started the royal meeting with different leaders of the Kingdom.

Everyone was startled upon hearing the bad news from the Princess itself. They have their different opinions, and they forgot that Princess Alice is watching them, keenly. "I can't let our guards down! We need to find or if it's necessary, let's make an antidote to save people!" Princess Alice said with determination and eagerness.

"Your honor, how can we make an antidote if we don't have samples of a zombie's DNA?" Hansen asked her.

Hansen was right, they need samples before doing an experiment, before researching the cure against the undead. It makes the Princess wonder, he's right, he has a point. "If so, as an order, gather all knights and they just went to the far, far Kingdom of Masulle. According to the current news, zombies commenced in the Kingdom of Masulle." Everyone in the room was scared and exhausted. They are not yet ready to be killed by zombies, and no one will never wish to be infected.

"You must come back with a live zombie. Keep it alive and active, tomorrow at dawn, they will begin their long journey. I, Princess of this kingdom, giving you an order to release all knights and warden to the Kingdom of Masulle. I am counting on you, and I'm expecting your success." Princess Alice announced with no doubt. After the conference meeting, all the people will be busy, all knights, guards, and volunteers will be gathered immediately.

"We will win against the zombies! We will win against the zombies! You can count on us, your honor." Conny bowed as he was the leader of all knights.

"Let's make an immediate action before it's too late. This meeting is done, and thank you for coming." Alice told them calmly and still. All of them went off from the summit room, leaving Princess Alice and Cartlon.

"Your honor, If you don't mind I want to volunteer." Cartlon started up the conversation. He walked closer to the princess and tried to touch her back, but he chooses not to. "Stay here! I'm sending my best warriors and troopers, right away." Alice replied, exhausted and weary.

She can't believe that this phenomenon will happen. But, Alice will not sit back and watch her men became infected. She will never let it happen. "But–" Alice interrupted him and said in a cold and authoritative tone, "I need you here, Cartlon! I need someone to look up to Shaotzie." Cartlon widened his eyes in shock. For almost four years of hiding his true feelings for the princess, he can't believe that Alice needs him at her side.

Cartlon gulped and cleared his throat. "Aye! Your honor." He replied.

Alice remains quiet and calm, she's creating sound with her fingers. She was looking up at the white ceiling and thinking about how to protect her sibling– Shaotzie. "I don't know what to do, Cartlon. I'm afraid for my people's lives and Shaotzie." Princess Alice can't hide the fact that her hope began to fade. But, she needs to stand still for the sake of the kingdom and for all the people who believe and trust her.

"Your majesty." Cartlon embraces the Princess with no hesitation, and Alice cried out, without him knowing.