Chapter 39: Found
Alyssa and Eli continued their mission to find Kiva as they wandered around the palace.
Attendants would crinkle their nose towards Alyssa, wondering where the foul smell was coming from.
The brown-green mush on Eli's left shoe was not completely removed.
"What is that smell?" The attendants would say as they pinch their nose, passing by the princess. "Don't tell me it's perfume." The attendants whispered, stealing glances at Alyssa.
Eli was the culprit, Alyssa wanted to say to them. "Eli." She stopped on her tracks.
Eli rushed in front of her. "Yes, Princess."
"We cannot move forward." Alyssa shook her head. "That has to go." She pointed at Eli's left shoe.
Eli just blinked at her.
Alyssa looked sideways, making sure the attendants were out of earshot. "Remove your shoe."
Eli obliged, hovering the shoe in front of the princess.
Alyssa sniffed in the air, not smelling anything foul, it dreaded to her that she might have gotten used to the smell herself.
"I smell nothing." Eli inhaled--- he too was accustomed to the smell.
"No, put that away." Alyssa waved a hand in the air." Leave it…there." She pointed at a random column. "You can come back in here later to get it."
"It does not bother us anymore," Alyssa bit her lower lip. "but others are." She inched closer to Eli, saying something in a lower voice, causing Eli to move back a step. "They think it's my… perfume."
"Oh," Eli finally obliged and left it at the hallway as instructed by the princess--- the least the smell won't follow them anymore.
They continued wandering inside the palace with Eli's left feet barefoot.
The attendants stopped commenting about the smell, but they stared at Eli's foot instead.
Alyssa pressed her lips together, hiding a laugh. "Much better."
They were passing by the kitchen when Alyssa heard something.
"It's the princess, tell HER." Someone whispered.
One of the attendants---who was perched on the wall---was alarmed and suddenly ran inside the kitchen.
Alyssa saw this and stopped at the kitchen's doorway.
"She's inside." Alyssa crossed her hand on her chest. "Well, played Kiva." She was about to go inside when Eli's voice stopped her.
"Princess." Eli said sternly. "It's the kitchen."
Alyssa fisted her hands on her side, attempting to enter the kitchen once more.
"Princess." Eli repeated. "It's the kitchen."
Maybe she could go inside again, just like the last time. But this time around, no one would be punished.
Alyssa exhaled, knowing very well what Eli was trying to say. She is not allowed inside and if she force her way in, others will be punished for her own selfish actions.
Alyssa relaxed her hand on her side, not crossing the line of the kitchen. "Right, we have more days to hunt her down. She will come out of her own one of these days."
Alyssa was standing at the kitchen door, inhaling deeply. "KIVA!" She shouted. "I know you're in there, you better go out of the palace if you don't want to see me around." After clearly expressing what she wanted to say, she exhaled. "Eli, let's go." She beckoned.
Alyssa turned around and saw Duke Emil walking towards her.
"I thought I misheard the voice, but it was really you, princess." Duke Emil bowed curtly. "What made you so worked up?"
"Just a mouse, hiding in the kitchen." Alyssa glanced sideways at the kitchen door, seeing a glimpse of Kiva's ginger hair.
"Princes, a quarrel with Kiva?" Duke Emil pressed his hand on Alyssa's shoulder. "What is it about?"
"I wanted her to tell me everything, "Alyssa bit the inside of her cheek. "but she is avoiding me. Which leads me to you, Duke Emil." Alyssa's stared to Duke Emil with determination. "Is your offer still valid?"
"Princess," Duke Emil smiled. "I thought you'd never ask." His eyes traveled downwards, distracted but Eli's bare foot. "But if I may just ask, what happened to this man's shoe?"
"I don't think you would like to know." Alyssa said with a blank face.
***
Duke Emil walked with a purpose as he reminisces his past.
His parents killed themselves before they turned into zombies.
His colleagues, friends, everybody he knew—gone.
Everything in exchange of the life he had now.
'I want to know the truth.' Alyssa said to him at the hallway that afternoon. 'Tell me everything.'
'Rather than telling, allow me to show you.' Duke Emil was about to break the rules he co-authored.
Emil was on his way to their dinner--- the royal's dinner.
Emil sat at the farthest end of the long table, overlooking the door, to see a better view.
***
All Alyssa needed to do was to follow Duke Emil's plan.
She waited for the curfew so she would be left alone. She waited for Elion to go, making sure not to get them involved this time. She ran towards her bed, underneath it was a box given by Duke Emil. She opened it to reveal the attendant's uniform.
The uniform was a white buttoned-down blouse with a logo of a phoenix on its breast pocket--- it was identical to what the day attendants would wear, the only difference between them was their color-- the morning's uniform was black.
A baseball hat and a sunglass were also provided for her by Duke Emil to conceal her identity.
She changed into the uniform, wore her baseball cap and sunglass. She walked outside her room and breached her curfew once more.
The hallway was dark--- mostly because of the sunglass she was wearing.
She reviewed on her mind the instruction Duke Emil gave him.
'On the ground floor near the staircase, you will see an empty food tray. Stroll it to the night kitchen and follow what the others will do. Make sure to be in a low profile and not to be the center of attention.'
Alyssa followed as instructed, she saw the tray on the staircase and walked towards the kitchen. She hesitated for a moment to enter, but she lowered her cap further down to her eyes and entered the day kitchen.
The day kitchen only had a dim light, making it harder for her to walk, she bumped the tray at the counter tops a few times as she finds her way towards the night kitchen.
The night kitchen was the opposite of the day kitchen, it was alive with people. There was only one chef to serve all the royals. The attendants were also few, but they were efficient.
Foods were already prepared when Alyssa arrived, the counter tops were filled with golden plate covers.
"Hurry, get two plate each to serve to the royals. Remember, do not look at them in the eye and go back straight in here you understand?" Barn instructed.
"Yes, sir." The attendants replied.
Alyssa jerked her head towards Barny, she was itching to call for him, but she managed to control herself--- it was better not to involve Barny.
The attendants piled up in line, each taking turns to get covered plates on the countertop.
Alyssa followed them in line, waiting for her turn.
"Pssst," The attendant behind Alyssa was trying to get her attention. "You're new, aren't you?"
Alyssa nodded.
"But what's up with the attire?" The young man laughed. "Are you a spy or something?"
Okay, maybe there were a little big flaw with Duke Emil's plan, but it was the only thing Alyssa had.
"Eye infection." Alyssa lowered her voice just in case someone might recognize her.
"Oh, so you're not cured too?" The young man nodded, seeing Alyssa with fresh eyes. "We must be careful, there's only a few of us during the night, but the pay is much better isn't it?"
Alyssa nodded.
"We can have the spare Rigs." The young man whispered. "We just have to keep our mouth shut."
Alyssa nodded.
She was the next in line to get plates, she took two covered plates just like the others.
"Make sure to give it to the right royal, check the plate's name." Barny reminded the attendants. "Don't make any mistake."
She looked for the tag of her two plates---it was Sisa Aorsa and Ison Vis.
The line moved forward, as the one in front of her exited the kitchen. Alyssa rushed to follow the attendant closely behind--- it was already too late to change Ison Vis'plate for others.
The attendant in front of her lead her to a black floor to ceiling door. The attendants in front opened the door, Alyssa inclined her head downwards, making sure not to get attention.
The attendants piled on either side of the room, taking the first plate each and giving it to whom it belongs. Alyssa decided to give Sisa's plate first, she imitated the attendants and opened the plate in front of Sisa.
What was on the plate was not new to Alyssa---brains. A quick scan on the table revealed that all of the plates had brains, Alyssa wondered the sense behind naming the plates if they were served the same meal anyway. She went back to her tray, holing the golden cover plate. She fetched the other plate for Ison Vis.
Alyssa felt the eyes of Duke Emil on her, expecting some kind of reaction, but she gave him none.
Alyssa placed the plate in front of Ison Vis with a thud—she cannot help herself. She took the cover when Ison Vis grabbed her by the wrist.
"Unacceptable." Ison Vis tightened his grip on her. "Inept… and dared to serve me last."
Alyssa stood on her ground, not bowing to Ison Vis.
"Never serve me again." Ison Vis shoved her wrist away.
"Yesss," Cliff announced excitedly. "Look Kiva! They served my favorite!"
Alyssa turned around, clutching onto the cover plate.
'Kiva is here, is Ziloh here too?' She wondered.
A quick scan in the room revealed that Ziloh was nowhere to be found.
"Lucky you, dad." Kiva clapped.
"Ohh yesss, " Cliff said as he took the first bite of his meal. "Yes, I could hear her sing on my ears. Her name was… Elizabeth, she used to be an opera singer…. She tastes sooo good!" He laughed. "What about you Kiva who you got?"
"Nothing dad, just an ordinary man." Kiva said.
Alyssa's grip on the plate cover weakened and it fell on the ground.
There was silence in the room.
"I have enough of this!" Ison Vis stood on his chair as he marched towards her. "This will not be left unpunished."
Ison Vis slapped her on the cheek---hard---making her slam on the floor.
All of the attendants bowed their head, afraid to help her.
Alyssa's sunglass was thrown away somewhere, she was holding onto her cheeks as she struggled to stand up.
"Stop!" Duke Emil walked towards Alyssa to protect her. "You do not have the right to hurt her."
"Move away, " Ison Vis shoved Emil to the side.
Alyssa glared at Ison Vis, removing her hand on her cheek. "He said stop." She removed her baseball cap, revealing her raven hair.
Duchess Sisa gasped. "It's the princess!"
Ison Vis was about to slap her again, despite of recognition her.
"Don't you dare Ison!" Queen Kathy warned.
Alyssa stood on her ground as Ison Vis' arm swayed towards her cheek.
But King Garrett stopped him, holding Ison Vis' arm on a weird angle.
Ison Vis smirked at Alyssa before turning to the Queen. "I'm sorry my Queen," He freed himself from King Garrett's hold." I did not recognize the princess." He fixed the angle of his arm. "She is… forbidden to be here after all."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone