บท 72: Visiting hours
"You're supposed to bring me this…Lily," Princess Alyssa was sitting at the round table. "but why are you alone now?" she glanced at the empty space beside Maya.
"Lily is dead." Maya's head was lowered as she replied. "She was infected."
Whatever the questions princess would like to ask, she now had no choice but to bury them.
"I understand." Princess Alyssa exhaled. "You may go."
Maya walked away hurriedly out of the room, she did not even wave to Eli goodbye.
"Eli, go prepare my robe, we're going down the dungeon." The death of the attendant does not matter to Alyssa, the investigation was not over, there are always at least two sides in every story.
***
Alyssa instructed Eli to wait at the dungeon entrance. "I won't be long." she took a step forward as the guard standing at the side of the door stiffened. "Or do I need to come back during visiting hours?" she looked sideways, not looking at the guard directly in the eye--- which made her more daunting.
The guard shifted his weight, wiping down a cold sweat on his forehead. "No, of course not princess, but please…" he glanced on either side of the hallway.
Alyssa descended down the stairs before the guard could finish his sentence.
"…come back before my shift ends." The guard's words faded at the retreating back of the princess.
The air suddenly became colder. The passage was so narrow that only one person could fit at a time, a few more inches and the wall would scrape Alyssa's shoulders. Wall lights on either side were just enough so one would not trip but not enough to let one see what was ahead. Alyssa clung onto her arms as she lifted her head above--- there must be no attendants assigned in this place for spider webs weaved above the concrete ceiling. Alyssa traced a hand onto the wall, as if to make sure she won't lose her way. A tapping noise reverberated as she nears to the ground--- it was a beat of stone clashing against stone.
Tick. Tick. Tick
The rhythm became louder and clearer as she took her last step.
Alyssa passed by the first dungeon where its occupant was scrubbing something against the wall--- or pounding on the wall. Or maybe he was sculpting something, his stone as his medium, the dozens of drilled circles as his masterpiece. 'Or was he a she?' Alyssa cannot tell if the occupant was a man or a woman for how thin the person was and how its long hair covered its bony face.
Alyssa's trail of thoughts was interrupted by a passing of wind towards her, overwhelming her nose, bringing with it the reeking aroma of human feces and urine. Despite the enclosed space, strong wind managed to enter through the small cracks on the wall. Alyssa fought the urge to cover her nose as she willed herself to breathe in as shallow as possible.
Passing by the first was another prison. This time, the stone walls were smooth, and the prison cell was not as filthy as the previous one. There was a silhouette behind the bars that Alyssa could recognize even from afar. Crouching at the corner, Duchess Zenalda--- or Zenalda now that she is just a mere prisoner--- was staring up the ceiling.
Alyssa followed Zenalda's gaze, there was a hole right above where Zenalda was sitting, it was an opening not bigger than a fist. The small window was meant to let the prisoners know if it was morning or night--- as if time mattered if one were locked up. Or maybe it was part of the punishment, a reminder, to make them see what they can't have.
"It looks the same no matter where I sit." Zenalda did not leave her eyes away from the window. "Nothing to see."
The sky was pitch black, and even at her angle, Alyssa could not see a single star--- or the moon for that matter.
Alyssa sniffed, and almost gagged from the scent. It was as if the vulgar smell clung into her dress, wrapping her with bile scents. 'I really won't be long down here… I can't'
But Alyssa had to press on, if she wanted to learn more about the royals--- the royal she was supposed to be part of.
"Zenalda." Alyssa gripped on the cold metal railing. "I understand why you did it, I do not judge. You had to protect those important to you."
And Alyssa really did, she was sincere. Everybody would protect what are important to them, no matter what the consequences would be.
Zenalda broke her stare at the empty sky, she stood up and staggered her way towards Alyssa.
That was when Alyssa noticed Zenalda's missing left arm, remembering it. "But please do understand my mother's decision, you had to be an example, a sacrifice, so others won't follow what you did." Alyssa was proud of herself she knew this what her queen mother would have said. "Causing the royals to extinction, we don't want to encourage that."
Alyssa had her fair share of law violations, but she won't do anything that would cause harm to her family. Well, at least cursing at them and stabbing them--- Ison Vis for example-- in her mind does not count as treason.
"Your mother?" Zenalda's chin wobbled from left to right. "That is not your mother." she gripped onto the metal bar, pressing her forehead into it, facing Alyssa as close as possible. "Would you like to know about your real mother? Your mother was---"
"Enough." Alyssa stopped her. "I only have one mother, and she's currently the Queen of this kingdom."
"You don't know anything Alyssa, your mother would be disappointed with you if she could see you now."
'Unfortunately, she's not.'
"Princess," Alyssa glared at Zenalda. "You are to address me as the princess."
"If you're not interested about your real mother, then why did the princess herself visited me in my new home?"
"This VIP club, tell me more about it."
"Before I say anything, if you allow me princess. Can you call Natalie down here, I've been trying to ask for her since yesterday but nobody came back down here until you." Zenalda jerked her chin towards the stone bed. "I need to stich this up before it becomes rotten."
Something was wrapped with a bundle of cloth on her bed, a few flies circling around it.
"You have my word." Alyssa promised, though she doubts if the doctor would be talked to that easily. She wanted to press on, to gather some kind of information, something tells Alyssa that the wrinkles on Zenalda's eyes have knowledge in it. "Tell me more about the water of the gods, does it really have side effects?"
"Why yes, of course." Zenalda nodded as her droopy cheeks bounced up and down.. "You don't expect not to be cursed by playing with the gods, do you?"
"What are the side effects then?"
Zenalda's raspy laughter echoed. "Where do you want to start?"
"Does it infect you if you drink it?"
"Of course, it's not a one size fits all." Zenalda let go of the metal railings. "A body might react differently and instead of preventing it, it might explode like a cancer in your body." Zenalda circled around the spot. "You see I know these things too, though I did not learn from school…"
Alyssa was unfamiliar with the word cancer, but she did not interrupt Zenalda, fearing Zenalda might stop talking.
"I learned all these from your mother by the way…" The confused look of the princess made her stop. "Your real mother of course." Zenalda smiled as if reminiscing the past. "I may just have been a mere cleaner, a nobody! But your mother treated me as someone important, as part of the team," she regarded at Alyssa softly. "You have her eyes." Zenalda's demeanor suddenly changed without warning and spat her next words. "But not hear heart, you look at me the way the queen does."
Resembling the queen, Alyssa took it as a complement.
Alyssa would have to admit, as a child she used to like to know more about this real mother of hers, she used to go to the queen and asked for a bedtime stories, stories about the adventure of the queen and her best friend, Ana. Somehow, she imagined Ana to be like Kiva--- innocent, full of passion and life. But she buried her desire to know about her real mother when growing up, she realized that there was no use to talking about someone dead. Alyssa decided to focus her attention to the parent she has right now and not to the one who is not here with her.
"My mother would not have used it if it was that dangerous."
"Oh trust me, the queen will do anything for money and power… and you have to admire her though, she succeeded! But the queen is not as good as you think she is…"
Alyssa shook her head, refusing to hear more hateful words towards her mother.
"…look up the VIP club and you'll know what I mean… considering you won't believe what a criminal will say…it's better for you to see it for yourself. I'll tell you the time and place the next club meeting will take place, but fix up my arms first…"
"Whose down there?" Someone from above demanded.
Alyssa's time was running out.
"Nobody." Eli replied.
"Yeh, nobody." The guard earlier chimed in.
"You look familiar, are you not the princess' attendant?" Heavy steps descended from the stairs.
Alyssa nonchalantly stepped out, revealing herself.
"Princess!" the guard stood shocked and stilled beside the wall.
The other guard and Eli followed closely behind.
Alyssa walked pass by them, ignoring the looks she was receiving from the new guard.
Eli followed closely behind Alyssa as they descended up the stairs.
Alyssa could hear muffled voices of the two guards arguing below. "I think I need a drink. Tell Maya I need a glass ale."
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