บท 5: Strawberry polka dots

"What?" Queen Kathy was taken away from her thoughts.

Queen Kathy and Alyssa was sitting at the round table in the Queen's chambers. Teas and cakes were served for both, but the Queen rarely touched hers. She prefers meat on her platter, especially the very wrinkly ones. And besides, the Queen had more concerns on her mind than playing house with her daughter. To eat something not appealing to her appetite was hard especially when the only thing you could think about was to severe the King's neck.

The Queen was fumbling a safety pin on her right hand.

"I said, why drinking the water of the gods before my birthday is such a bad idea?" Alyssa repeated.

Alyssa stabbed on her mango cake and shoved it into her mouth. It was fresh yet sweet. This is the kind of food she would never dare to eat in public. Being accused in public as a vegetarian is a nightmare and to add being sweet tooth on the list would be a social suicide. Alyssa is not even a proper vegetarian; she just can't stomach the fleshy kind. Not eating meat inside the palace is unusual, especially when you're a royal and more particularly, a princess. But there are also some perks into this that even Alyssa enjoys, she and her mother has the perfect table etiquette whenever they eat together. Alyssa would eat the plants and pastries and the queen would eat the savory ones. There was never an argument between them on who would eat the last bite.

Alyssa visited her mother's chambers three times already, but her mother seemed to be out of focus.

Alyssa snaked through her mother's chocolate cake. It was bitter yet sweet. Simple pleasure such as this alleviated the frustration for a moment.

"That's against our rule, love." Queen Kathy sipped her diluted green tea.

Alyssa drunk her lady grey tea without milk. She had been avoiding milk lately thinking that would make her safer from unsolicited sedatives.

They had this conversation the fourth time now, but the outcome had always been the same. It's against the rules, and even the Princess had to follow the rules.

"But if I drink it now, you won't have to be paranoid that a safety pin might kill me. It makes more sense if I would just drink it now, and less hassle for a lot of people."

Queen Kathy saw a safety pin tucked in between a pair Alyssa's buttons. Queen Kathy immediately directed Alyssa to remove it as soon as she saw it. Queen Kathy have many traits but being paranoid is not one of them. Well, unless it involves her daughter.

"I'm sorry, love. We just have to wait for a few more weeks for your ceremony." Queen Kathy patted her daughter's hands. "And you don't have to worry about your safety, Ziloh can protect you."

Queen Kathy stood up and ended their conversation. She had plants to make so her daughter can have her safety pin back and everything would turn back to normal.

Alyssa stood on defeat for the fourth time. "This is not over, I'll be back."

Alyssa was not able to finish her tea and both cakes. It was her biggest regret of the day, or so she thought.

Alyssa went through the door and was welcomed by Ziloh's side profile. He was perched on a column, hands on his pockets. He stared as a royal blue butterfly landed on his nose but flew away as soon as he smiled--- his boyish smile.

Alyssa's heart skipped a beat. She hates her stupid heart as much as she hates Ziloh.

She forced herself to look away from him and pivoted to the hallway.

"She just won't agree. I don't get it. I mean, everybody's job would have been easier if she would just agree." Alyssa was walking without any direction in mind.

Ziloh followed at her side.

"I mean, she could bend the rules, she's the Queen." Alyssa fisted the side of her dress in frustration. "I'm not even asking her to do something crazy, I'm just asking for a little adjustment."

Their hands were slightly touching as they walked. Then he casually held her hands with his.

Alyssa jerked his hands away.

"Don't you guys get me? I just want to start my life as soon as possible." She felt a rush of heat forming in her face. "I want to be just like you guys. Is that so bad?"

He grabbed her hand again and again, but she would just pull her hands away on every attempt.

"Ziloh, stop it! I'm trying to have a serious conversation in here." Alyssa moved a few inches away from Ziloh.

Kiva would be the ideal person to talk to, but Alyssa had not seen Kiva lately. Kiva would stick to Alyssa's side more often than Ziloh, which is mainly because Alyssa is the most fascinating royal in the palace--- at least in Kiva's eyes. Like watching Alyssa's height grow a few centimeters over the years was a wonder to Kiva.

"I'm tired of people looking at me like I don't belong, like I don't deserve my position." Alyssa continued. "As if you guys deserve your positions."

There were two guards at the end of the hallway, on their way to report to the Queen.

Ziloh suddenly gripped Alyssa's wrist to swivel her to the right and face him.

"Red polka dots." Ziloh announced with a blank face.

"Red polka dots?" Alyssa slightly shook her head from side to side. She had no idea how red polka dots would help her current dilemma.

"Or more like…" Ziloh's eyes traveled down to her breast. "Strawberry polka dots."

It took Alyssa a second to process what happened. Alyssa attached a safety pin into her dress to prevent her boobs from peeking, her mother took her safety pin, her boobs are now exposed. Ziloh saw it the moment she stepped out of her mother's chambers, that was the reason he smiled. He allowed her to do a monologue as he was laughing inside.

"Holy mother of---" Alyssa was about to slap Ziloh but was halted midway.

"You can slap anyone you want but not this face." Ziloh smiled smugly as he held her arm midair.

The guards saluted behind the Princess before they continued to walk.

"I hate you." Alyssa tried to strike him on the face again, but his hold was firm. "I hate you."

"I know." Ziloh let go of her arm.

Alyssa's cheeks were burning red and her heart was beating fast. She was grinding her teeth from annoyance. She pulled down her dress to cover the exposed skin.

There was a dark aura lurking behind one of the pillars. Kiva was hiding behind it but failed miserably. She was hunched on her back. There was a frown on her face as she was gnawing on her thumb.

"Kiva!" Alyssa noticed Kiva.

But Kiva pretended not to notice Alyssa's call and stared long into his brother's back. If only stare could puncture, Kiva would gladly stare at her brother all day.

"You need my help." Ziloh tilted Alyssa's chin to get her attention.

This pissed Kiva out; her brother should not touch Alyssa. Kiva could not even get closer to Alyssa. So Kiva sprinted behind his brother and kicked on his shin.

Ziloh endured the pain.

Kiva was about to kick his brother again, pulling her feet back for a better force, when Alyssa called. "Kiva?"

Kiva was shocked to be noticed twice. So she gave up her mission and scurried away from the scene. Kiva had been avoiding Alyssa since the ginger milk accident. Kiva, instead of talking, left a memo on Alyssa's room which she wrote: the ginger milk was not me, it was my crazy brother.

Which reminded her…

"I was overdosed with some kind of a sedative that almost killed me. You owe me one." Alyssa pointed out.

"You owe me two life debts." Ziloh countered.

"Well…" Alyssa cleared her throat. "That is different…you owe me. You've got to help me to convince my mother…then I'll forgive you."

"I'm at a disadvantage here, princess. I did not ask to be forgiven."

"Well… I did not ask to be saved either." Alyssa crossed her arms.

"You could have died."

"And I will…" Alyssa tilted her head to the side. "if I won't drink the water from the gods."

"That would be a problem," Ziloh studied Alyssa's face for a moment. "I can't let as obscene as death take my future queen."

"Yes, that would be a record. I would have been the first royal to die, die." Alyssa sneered. "And you would be the first to laugh at my funeral, because it would be a comedy. I would not rise; I would be buried instead."

"That image is pretty tempting," Ziloh flickered at his lower lip. "But keeping that filthy mouth of yours is way better."

"So, are you helping me?"

"Do you really want to?"

Alyssa nodded. She had no other options. Ziloh and Kiva are the only people she could call as friends, and it was even a bit of a stretch on Alyssa's part to categorize Ziloh as a friend.

Ziloh held her hand and dragged her as he led the way.

"Where are we going?" Alyssa had to double her pace in order to keep up.

"To the library." Ziloh noticed this so he slowed down. He forgets once in a while that he was taller and faster than her.

"Why?"

"A copy of our code."

"Oh," Alyssa realized what was his plan. "You should use that brain of yours more often."

Ziloh opened the doors of the library.

Alyssa was greeted by a smoky and earthy tang from the huge collection of old books. The library was cylindrical in form and there were unending shelves of books that occupied the three-story high space. The books were arranged alphabetically based on the heading at the top of the shelves.

They were on the X,Y, and Z part of the shelves. They were on the third floor and some royals were sitting at the study tables reading anything that could pass their trivial time. There was a tranquil silence on the library, the occasional flipping of a crispy page was the only sound.

Alyssa could get lost in here, she had to admit. She does not come in here that often.

They descended through the curved stairs that had maroon carpets intended to soften the stamp of the feet. They arrived on the first floor and went straight to the librarian's desk, but there was nobody around. So, Alyssa pressed the bell at the table once.

There was a thud under the desk.

"Opps!" Poppy, the voice of the librarian was muffled. "I'm re-categorizing the books… I'm thinking of categorizing them by colors, won't that be more fun?"

"Poppy." Alyssa greeted. "Er, won't that be too tedious if you're looking for a particular book?"

"But won't that be the main point? Some activities that burns time?"

Alyssa was reminded why she rarely visited the place. The books were kept spine-in the last time she visited; it was a labyrinth. She also experienced that one time where it was arranged by publishing date; it was a puzzle that was impossible to be solved.

"Well, I guess most royals would agree with you." But not me, Alyssa thought.

The head of the librarian peeked through the table. "Oh, princess! What a surprise! Good to see you, are you looking for something to read?" Poppy's head disappeared under the desk and produced a bulky hard bound book. "I would recommend this." She finally stood up and placed the book on the desk with a thump.

The book looked like a thousand pages of boring, it was too intimidating for Alyssa.

"No, actually. We were just looking for a copy of the Conduct Code." Alyssa slid the thick book away from her.

"Oh, non-fiction." Poppy's face sunk.

The resemblance was uncanny, she looks just like Dr. Natalie. But compared to Dr. Natalie, Poppy's blonde hair was put into a messy bun with a chunk of hair loose on the sides. One more thing to distinguish her from Dr. Natalie was that Poppy wears her thick round reading glasses.

Poppy left her desk and beckoned them to follow her on the shelf with a letter C as its heading.

"It's somewhere around here." Poppy began to skim through the bottom most part of the floor to ceiling shelve. Her face was too close to the spine of the books as she squinted her eyes for a better read. She continued to skim through the next rows of books until she reached the row on her eye level. "Halfway there," Poppy nervously laughed. "feel free to sit wherever as I find the book."

Ziloh sat on the floor.

"No, it's okay. I can wait right here." Alyssa stood on her ground.

Poppy pulled the ladder from the side and began to climb on it as she continued her search. The rollers where a little rusty so she had to climb back down again so she could adjust its position.

Alyssa gestured to Ziloh to help Poppy. But Ziloh shrugged and laid on the floor.

Alyssa glared at Ziloh. "Let me help you, Poppy."

Poppy looked down. "Oh no, princess. I can manage." Poppy caught her glasses before it crashed on the floor.

"No, it's okay really." Alyssa smiled at her.

They continued the routine until Poppy reached the topmost part of the shelf. "It's here. I found it!" She managed to grab a thin book with a red bound cover.

"Finally." Alyssa blurted out.

"Thank you, princess." Poppy climbed down and offered the book to Alyssa. "Here."

"It's nothing. You're welcome." Alyssa was about to take the book when Ziloh beat her to it.

"Thank you Poppy," Ziloh held the book on his side. "You're efficiently helpful."

Alyssa mouthed Ziloh to shut up.

"Well, I'll be on my desk," Poppy dusted off her hands. "I mean under the desk if you need me." She corrected. "Mind that this can only be read within the vicinity of the library." She smiled and she walked back on her work.

"I'm never going back in here"

"That is a big statement, princess."

They sat at one of the many empty tables. They chose the most secluded one, so that in case someone enters, no one would immediately spot them. She does not want rumors to spread that she's studying before she could defend her case to the council.

They sat across from each other. Ziloh placed the book in front of him and blew the dust straight to Alyssa's face.

Alyssa cough. "Hey!"

"Did not notice you." Ziloh smirked.

"Yeah, right." Alyssa glared at him.

Ziloh was skimming the table of contents.

"It was thinner that I thought."

"Well, old laws are pointless if you don't die. Most laws are obsolete." Ziloh found the one he was looking. "Here."

He flipped through the page that he wanted. "Article III on the Conduct of Ceremonies"

He skimmed though the page as he read some phrases. "…. A ceremony is when a perishable acts on his own will to self-implicate a life-threatening wound to oneself to be witnessed by the incumbent Queen and the majority members of the council…The Queen shall issue the dagger at the day of the ceremony…the ceremony shall only be witnessed and performed by those of legal age prescribed under the law."

Ziloh looked at Alyssa. "You got your wish."

Alyssa smiled. "Yeah."

"You can seek a tribunal."

"I think I will."

There were silence for a few minutes.

Ziloh broke the silence first.

"Strawberry polka dots." Ziloh shamelessly looked at the peeking flesh in front of him.

Alyssa grabbed the book and threw it to Ziloh's face."Shut up!"

But he was able to catch it.

Alyssa straightened her dress again to temporarily fix the problem.

"Not the face, princess." Ziloh smirked.

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