16 Chapter 14: The Prince Meets The Princess

Princess Shaotzie panics when someone grabs her. She thought that the woman was just crying and not yet infected with the virus.

She saw the broad shoulders of a man. Observing him, Shaotzie can tell that he is a Prince. His royal cloak, and the way he stands.

"Who are you?" She asked the Prince while walking ahead of her.

The prince replied, "I am Zeln, and you are?"

"I am Shaotzie and I'm looking for a way to the palace." She told the Prince.

Zeln gasped and turned his head then he asked, "Palace?"

"I'm living in the palace and my sister, my Queen, possibly looking out for me." Then she halted and looked up at the tall Prince.

Shaotzie gulped upon seeing the man's face. He's literally handsome and he ages like her sister, Alice.

"Oh! Perhaps, you're a princess!" Zeln exclaimed and abruptly laugh at the young lost princess.

"Can you help me to get into the palace? You look like a swordsman or a warrior!"

Zeln clasped both hands and said, "Sure, young lady. By any chance, do you know the name 'Catthia'?"

Shaotzie tried to recall the name but she can't remember the name. "No, I don't. Why, Mr. Swordsman?"

The silly smile at his face shroud by a sudden sadness. If anything bad happened to his mother, he can't forgive himself for letting his mother be in vain.

"Nothing," Zeln uttered and leads the way into their hideout.

Prince Zeln was once a swordsman, hoping to see and to save her mother from the undead. Together with his men, they took the short way to Alicesha. If they don't, then he can no longer see Catthia, alive.

"Where are we heading at? My friend, Billy was in the food store with strangers!" The princess told him.

"Strangers? You mean with other survivors?" Zeln didn't tell her where they're heading at.

Shaotzie nodded her head and replied, "You're right. But, I can't get rid of the thought about Alice."

Zeln gulped and cleared his throat. There's something strange in his heart when Shaotzie uttered the name 'Alice.' Something like, its electrify the whole system that he never felt before.

"Alice? You mean, Princess Alice?" He asked her in disbelief.

The young Princess giggles and sighed. "Yes. She's my elder sibling and soon she will be crowned as the Queen of Kingdom Alicesha."

"Shh." He hushed, to stop her talking about Alice.

Shaotzie rolled her eyes at him without knowing the real reason.

"Heard that ridiculous breaths and roars of zombies? There might be a fight, somewhere. Let's go! We need to get out of here!" Prince Zeln told her. Shaotzie has no choice but to follow the rules.

Zeln walks so fast that makes Shaotzie annoyed. Yes, he's handsome but he's too serious. "Are you a prince?"

"Why did you ask?"

"It's obvious."

Zeln didn't answer, instead, he sheathed his sword and let Shaotzie stand behind him. "Stay behind me!"

The Prince saw five walking dead at his left side, five on the opposite. Shaotzie quickly hides at the prince's back and prayed for their safety.

"Grrrrrggg!" A loud, horrible howl of the undead. Five of them walk nearer to them but Zeln can't let them touch Shaotzie and himself.

His sword was sharp that can slice anything. Zeln ready himself and waited for them to attack.

"Ahhhhhh!" Shaotzie screamed upon seeing a walking dead coming to her.

"Yaaah!" Zeln, turned around in a quick way and slice the zombie's hands. Shaotzie covered her head as she hears the splashing of blood.

Undead walks closer to them, but Zeln was skilled enough to be defeated. "Are you fine?"

Shaotzie shook her head in fear and said, "Yes. Thanks to you, swordsman!" Her lips and her knees were shaking because of fear. For the second time, the zombie tried to bite her.

As Zeln fight against the zombies, Shaotzie hopes that Alice is at her side to save and protect her from greedy and awful undead.

"Shaotzie!" The prince exclaimed and stabbed the undead to the core. The five undead at his left walks towards him.

Zeln steps back as he was attacked by one of them. He twirled his weapon and cut its gut. Then, he swipes it at the other one crawling at the ground. Bodies were scattered and cut into pieces, but still, Zeln struggles to kill them one by one.

He jags the blade at the remaining undead. It was deep, and he was about to heaves it but a zombie attacked him with no warning. He rolled out and felt something in his back. Shaotzie was still standing, frightened, and afraid.

"Watch out, young lady!" Zeln screamed and drew off his gauntlet at his left knee. Then, without reluctance, he throws the dagger into the zombie's head. 

Shaotzie jumped off upon watching the undead slowly fell into the ground, bloody and hungry. She quickly heaves the dagger from its head and throws it back to Zeln. "Catch it, swordsman!"

Zeln, while enduring the pain at his back tried to catch the dagger but he failed. Zombie grabs his leg with no mercy.

Shaotzie saw the prince, struggling to withstand. Then, she saw his sword at the undead's gut. If she won't help him, zombies might eat the handsome prince or it will bite him and get the virus from it.

It was hard for her to heaves the weapon since she was not used to gripping it. "Why is it hard to pull this sword?!" She puts her right foot at the body and pulls it with full force, but still, it didn't work.

"Grip it with enough energy!"

Zeln screamed loudly. Shaotzie is the only person who can help him. But, it took her to free up the sword. "It's not working!"

He cursed out of frustration but he keeps kicking the zombie. But, it didn't work, the zombie bites the prince's upper thigh. "Noooo!"

Blood splashes into his face, when Shaotzie swipes the sword. "Leave him alone, you ugly zombie!" Then, she stabs it again.

Zeln felt the pain in his tighs. He was really bitten. "Stand up!" Shaotzie told him and help Zeln to stand.

"Be ready, I'll be sending you back at the Palace."  Zeln didn't tell her that he got bitten. She will be afraid and anxious if she finds out.

Zeln stood up as nothing happened. It would be safer for her, and for him. "We need to walk faster, it's getting dark again."

Shaotzie sighed of relief, she's still gripping the prince's sword, breathing deeply. "Give me that!"

Without her approval, Zeln gets it from her grip and sheathed it.

"Wait for me, swordsman!"

**

"Who are you?" Alice asked Sahara, upon seeing her face. That she wasn't Shaotzie, her sister.

Billy looked at Sahara who's gaping and shocked. "Answer me! Who are you!"

Sahara came back to her senses when Alice screamed. Her voice was full of anger, disappointment, and authority. Alice's paled cheeks flashed into a shade of scarlet.

Cartlon tried to calm the princess by holding her arms. "Calm down, Alice. She was frightened of the way you asked her."

"I can explain it, your majesty." Billy step in front of her and bowed his head.

He lied to her. He lied to the respected person, which is his majesty, his one, and only queen.

"Where is Shaotzie? For pete's sake, I've trusted you, Billy! Now, tell me where did you hide the princess?"

Billy gulped and cleared his throat before speaking to the princess. It's his fault, if he told her right away, Shaotzie and Alice might see each other again.

"This is all my fault, your majesty. Yes, I lied to you. I lied that she's here, cooking. But Shaotzie came out with me. She's with me but I told her to hide while I went to the food store for food. My sincere apology, your highness. I will accept everything, I am willing to be punished due to what I've done to you, my queen."

Billy told the princess the truth. He wanted to tell his reasons why he did it but Alice won't accept it, no matter what.

"I'm disappointed with you! Why you didn't tell me when I asked you, huh? Who are you for you to do such an insulting thing to the princess?"

"Your father killed my father! That's why I thought that it was the best moment to avenge his death. But, as soon as I met you, my plans suddenly changed. You are not King Sulliman and I regret putting Shaotzie at risk. I am really sorry, your majesty. I am really sorry."

Billy kneeled down in front of Alice. He's trembling, regretting the crime he committed.

Sahara can't explain what she's feeling at the moment. She can't get off her gaze at the angry princess in front of her. "Billy."

"Alice, leave Billy for a while. He must suffer for so long because of hatred in his heart. He's too young to avenge, he's too young to be this miserable." Cartlon told the princess calmly.

She needs to calm down for her to decide fairly. She can't blame Billy for doing it but it's not the best way and the best solution.

Alice looked up at him and tears springing into her eyes and there's sadness in it. "Cartlon, I thought I can embrace Shaotzie, again."

"For the third time, I failed to protect her. I broke my promise to her." By then, Alice left them hanging and quiet.

"Stand up, Billy. Don't worry, she will forgive you right away. But right now, she needs time and space to fully accept that everything happened today."

Cartlon helped the young boy to stand. "Thank you, swordsman." Then, Cartlon followed Alice. 

"What happened, Billy?!" Sahara steps closer to him and can't believe what just happened.

"Prepare more potatoes, Sahara. Give it to the Princess and to the swordsman with a cup of coffee. I'll tell you later."

Billy told her and went to his room.