Capítulo 79: Visitor

Alyssa took a bite of her third tart. "It's tasty, thank you, Kiv." It was a lemon this time.

Two boxes full of pastries were sprawled in front of Alyssa--- one for the tarts and the other for the cupcakes.

Kiva's elbows were perched on the table, her head resting on her palm, expectant.

Alyssa was already running out of words to describe the taste. "Pastries are really good when they're from outside the palace."

Kiva beamed, "This one," she took a cupcake and offered it to Alyssa. "Mr. Baker said he thought how your eyes would look like and made these."

Well, it was far from the shade color of her eyes considering that the cupcake was in pastel green.

"Really?" Alyssa placed the unfinished tart to the side and accepted the cupcake from Kiva. "The color is not deep enough but…" she took a bite. "… as long as the taste is good, it's fine."

"Okay," Alyssa placed the pastel green cupcake to the side too, her throat was getting parched from all the sweets she was eating. "I'm already full, I think that's enough for the night."

Kiva kept glancing at the unfinished pastries beside Alyssa.

"But…" Kiva pouted. "But…you did not even finish half of it!"

"I'm saving them for tomorrow." Alyssa took her glass of water and gulped it in one sitting.

"Ah, yes, you can eat them for tomorrow too, I guess…"

"I won't be needing dinner, I'm too full." Alyssa closed the boxes in front of her in fear that Kiva might offer her another one. "Are you not eating dinner?"

"Ah, yes! Dinner!" Kiva stood up and engulfed Alyssa in a tight hug. "See you tomorrow Ali."

"See you, Kiv."

Kiva rushed outside and closed the door with a thud.

"Well, that was easy." Alyssa took a deep breath of relief.

The door slowly creaked open, with half of Kiva's face peeking with a blank face.

Alyssa sat straight up from her seat. "Happy dinner, Kiv." She waved.

Kiva beamed and waved in reply, closing the door.

Alyssa waited for a few seconds before she spoke again, just to make sure. "I never thought sweets could be a form of torture."

Elion took the pitcher and refilled Alyssa's glass.

"Thank you." Alyssa took her glass and drank every drop of water.

"Would you like some?" She opened the boxes again.

"Princess… I'm not…"

"Okay, let me rephrase that." Alyssa angled to the side to face him. "Eli, I order you to eat two of each."

Eli stared at Alyssa for a second then took a cupcake and shoved it into his mouth.

"If you won't help me, I would be forced to eat them for days…" Alyssa shook her head. "I'm thankful for Kiva, but these are just too much for one person."

Alyssa rubbed her belly. 'Not to mention my bulging stomach… we don't want that on my ceremony.'

When Kiva barged into her room, Alyssa knew right away that Barny was back in the palace too.

Alyssa misses her old Barny, back then when Barny was only hers and they would let time pass by talking all day. But Alyssa knew that it was for Barny's best interest that he was promoted.

After contemplating for a few minutes, Alyssa drank another glass of water. "Let's go!"

Eli just finished his fourth pastry and was drinking a water when the princess stood up from her seat. He coughed from the sudden interruption.

"Carry a box and we'll visit Barny."

Eli did as what was told.

"Let me say this before I forget," Alyssa said to Eli. "Don't eat your breakfast when you get here tomorrow."

Alyssa was excited to talk to Barny, things she does not talk about with her new attendant… not when he's from the slumps.

Alyssa walked her way toward Barny's office, knowing she could tell him everything just as she used to.

***

Alyssa arrived in an empty office.

Instead of going back to her room, she decided to wait for Barny to come back. She waited patiently on the sofa, observing his office without touching anything.

The door creaked open behind Alyssa. "Princess! What are you doing in here?" he rushed towards her and held her hands gently in affection. "Were you waiting for a long time?"

"No. No." The half an hour of waiting was already forgotten the moment she heard Barny's voice. "I finally saw you Barny."

"But you see me all the time."

"Yes, at the patio, around the corridors, but that is Chief Barn, I've never seen Barny since…" 'Since he had been turned.' "Anyway, I just wanted to have a chat with you. It's been so long, I missed this."

Barny sat down adjacent to her. "About what" all eyes and ears are towards the princess. "Hopefully not about desserts." Barny wiped the side of his lips. "I just had dinner."

Alyssa's eyes went straight to the box of pastry in front of her, she smiled and shook her head. "Silly me of course." Barny was already cured, he does not eat these things anymore.

It somehow saddened Alyssa now that Barny was cured, he won't be able to enjoy eating desserts anymore just as he used to in the past… and the thought that dinner might mean eating brains to him now…

'Would it be possible that Barny eat human brains too?' Alyssa ignored the thought away as soon as it came. "We used to eat desserts together, and dinner too."

"That is because you refuse to eat at the mess patio all the time."

"Well, it's more peaceful to eat when nobody is staring at every bite you take." Alyssa bit the inside of her cheeks. "Eli, take this." She pointed at the box.

"Oh, princess." Barny stopped the box from being taken away mid-air. "I could still eat some,"

"No, No." Alyssa waved a hand. "And besides, I already had too much dessert." She was biting the inside of her cheeks.

Barny saw what the princess was doing and knew something was bothering her.

"I know you did not come here to have a dessert party, princess." Barny leaned in closer. "What has been bothering our princess lately?"

Alyssa glanced sideways at Eli, he was at a distance close to hear their conversation, but it did not matter at this point really, Eli was already part of the plan anyway.

"I do have a concern regarding an event this Friday." Alyssa looked at Barny in the eyes, but there was no recognition or whatsoever that Barny had any idea what she was talking about.

"Friday, hmmm." Barny crossed his arms on his chest and leaned onto the sofa. "I don't think there's an event this coming Friday. The next event the palace has is your birthday. In fact, I'm already preparing for it."

Alyssa released the air she did not realize she was holding. She was glad Barny does not know about the auction. She told everything to Barny as a child. From when the first day she's got her period, to the first crush she had on the gardener's son, and this is not an exception. She decided to tell him everything Duchess Zenalda told her. "Actually, there is this auction…"

Barny's eyebrows were knotted together as Alyssa filled him with everything, including her plan to sneak in.

"If all of these are true, princess, it's better not to proceed with your plan, you're the sole heir of this kingdom and you should always be careful."

"Barny, I have to know," Alyssa said with resolution. "I need to know the truth, everything, before I'm able to rule thing kingdom beside my mother."

"But…"

"Even you won't be able to stop me Barn." Alyssa did not come here to be lectured--- she came here for support. "I've already decided."

"But the Duke," Barn sat on the edge of the sofa. "Ison Vis, if he found this out, he won't be satisfied in just locking you in your room this time."

"He can try, I know what I'm doing." She does not know what she's doing. "Besides, I won't do anything stupid, I will just observe, nothing more. Now that my curfew has been lifted, I can roam around the palace at night however I want."

"Of course, you're right, princess. I just want you to be careful all the time, especially now that I'm not beside you anymore."

"My new attendant can follow my pacing, in fact I believe he could outrun me if he wants to, I doubt I'll be able to escape from him."

Alyssa used to run all around the palace as a child, and the poor old Barny spent all his day chasing after the young Alyssa. Come to think of it, Barny gradually lost some pounds as years went by--- Alyssa suspected that it was because of her.

"Good," Barny turned to the side to look at Eli. "He better not lose you from his sight, maybe it was a blessing that I was replaced by a young one."

"Don't be worried about me, but I just…" Alyssa fumbled with her hands. "I just hope I won't see anything that would make me doubt… everything."

Barny stood up and sat beside Alyssa. "Oh, princess, I assure you, there's not such a thing as that, there's nothing to fear." He placed his hand over Alyssa's "Do whatever you need to ease your mind as long as you don't get hurt."

Alyssa smiled. "Thank you, Barny."

"Anytime princess."

"I know you have a lot of things to do, I'm sorry for intruding, I know I should not bother the Chief like this. "Alyssa teased, she stood up and reached for him for a hug, but he pushed her away.

Alyssa was forced to take a few steps back, confused as to what just happened.

"I'm sorry princess, I…" Barny wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I guess I'm not used to being hugged anymore."

"It's alright." Alyssa spread her arms wide open, encouraging Barny.

Barny closed the gap between them and gave Alyssa a hug. "Good night, princess." He gave three taps on her back and then immediately released her from the embrace.

Alyssa went back to her room feeling lighter, as if she left a lot of her baggage in Barny's office. But somehow, at the back of her mind, she knew something was different.

Barny used to hug her until she would let go.

She casted her question away and enjoyed a blissful dreamless night.

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