Chapter 19

"Paloma....?" Alice called the name. She had heard the name before but wasn't sure if she was the trainer being talked about.

"Okay...so you mean to say you don't know your parents.....at all?" Alice questioned with a brow raised and Melina shook her head.

"Did you ever ask your trainer or anyone about them? Or why you don't remember them?" Alice still tried to find out. At least, there would have been a slight remembrance or something...

"I did ask...once but my trainer was completely unaware of what happened to them. She claimed she didn't know anything."

"Oh..." Her trainer still didn't know. Then her mother, the Queen or her father had to know... She thought but didn't want to bother the girl by continuously talking about her parents who she knew nothing about. It might start to create a void in her heart.

She stood up and gave the maid a pill to reduce her headache. Her body was scorching that one could feel the fever by just staring at her. She was only bearing the pain that came her way because she had no one to cry to, Alice observed.

"You may go to your room now. I'd escort you." She said.

"Hmm. Thank you milady." Came Melina's short statement that sounded so genuine.

She hardly said thank you to people because she felt they didn't deserve it and that was why whenever she said it out of her own will, it sounded so sincere.

She stood up from the stunning couch she sat on earlier and proceeded to leave the room. The two ladies left the room and when she got to the exit of the quarters, where two guards were stationed guarding the place against intruders, Alice escorted her out to make it look like she had sent for her and the guards allowed the maid to pass.

The quarter subsisted where the royal members of the palace stayed apart from the king and his right-hand man. It was the most protected place in the entire Castle which was why it was surprising that Melina was able to pass through without any disturbance. Though the King needed protection too, it was his verdict to decide whether or not he would stay in that quarter and most of the time, it was based on the situation at hand.

Since Leon was trying to investigate his father's death, it was only reasonable that he stayed in an area where he would be more alert and cautious.

Alice went back to her compartment and was still clearing up her things when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in. The door is open." And the person came in.

"Milady, Prince Leon has sent for all the royal family members including you." It was her maid.

"Why?" For the past three weeks, she doubted her brother had even seen any of them's faces so what was the sudden summoning for?

"I don't have any idea, Princess. I was only ordered to call my lady." She responded.

She sauntered to the private room where the family meeting was usually held. It was just like the courtroom, only that it was meant for family members. When she arrived, she saw that everyone was already present and she was possibly the last.

"Alice...here you are!" Leon exclaimed immediately he sighted her. It seemed like they had been waiting for her all along.

"Good evening, everyone." She greeted.

"So why did you call us here, brother Lee?" Princess Amy looked extremely impatient as if she was coaxed from what she was doing to this place.

"It's about our father's funeral. The mastabas have already been built and prepared so I just wanted to inform you all that it would take place on Saturday evening. You would have enough time to prepare then-"

"You want to bury someone whose killer hasn't been found yet... How do you want his soul to rest in peace?" Queen Sonia retorted before he could even complete his statement.

"Mother-" Alice wanted to stop her but she hushed her.

However, Leon simply just acted like he didn't hear anything and concluded. "I believe I have declared and I will not go back on my words." And stood up to leave while the three just stared at him, looking dumbfounded.

He didn't usually behave like this and would always give room for their opinion, even responding. But he was slowly changing into a different person as every king did.

The meeting was a short one since there was not much to talk about and they all dispersed to their rooms.

...

"Lee, as for the invitation, why is it not specific?"

"Invite as many people as you can from all districts. I'd explain to you the plan later."

"Wouldn't inviting many people to the funeral be like adding more trouble?" Matthew reasoned.

"That's the problem. It sounds unreasonable but is the best option. Else, we can't get hold of certain things."

"If may speak, milord. I feel like the culprit is someone in the Castle not outside. There's no way it could be."

"I'm aware. It's not just about who killed my father anyways. There's more to this." The two who were walking abruptly stopped and turned to each other."

"What do you mean?" Matthew asked, looking disturbed.

"Sigh! I'm not sure I can explain that now till that day. Just follow the instructions." He pleaded and Matthew nodded.