Chương 66: Capital punishment

As expected, killing all the infected was not enough for the Queen.

"Bring Zenalda to me." Queen Kathy ordered as her voice reverberated around the room.

Smiling, Ziloh bowed. He pivoted around--- his smile already gone---and walked towards the metal door.

As he walked away from the throne room, he could feel her gaze on him.

It was as if time slowed down, he cannot believe he's capable of feeling that---of all things, he wanted time to go by faster.

Alyssa was looking at him blankly.

Ziloh cannot help himself, he winked at her.

Alyssa's brows furrowed in disgust.

He was conscious of how he looked like, he looked like a monster--- as what others are saying behind his back. But he did not care about them, he was only concerned of one thing--- he was afraid of showing this side of him to her. But Alyssa's eyes did not linger on his bloodied hands nor on his stained shirt--- it was already enough for him.

Ziloh stood taller.

To look for Zenalda, well, that would be easy.

As soon as the metal door closed behind him, he ran straight to the room where he found Alyssa. He could tell—or rather smell--- that there's a royal nearby.

He knocked on the door twice.

There was no response.

He kicked on the door, making it fly to the side.

There she was, Zenalda, hiding in the dark, sitting at the corner of the room.

"I told you to leave me alone." Zenlada said, rocking back and forth.

"Kathy wants you." Ziloh revealed his intention.

"No!" Zenalda's saggy skin wobbled from side to side. "I followed everything she said, I followed everything…" her raspy voice turning into a whisper. "All I ever wanted are my babies…"

"Kathy wants you." Ziloh grabbed her on her shoulder.

"What are you doing?! Leave me alone!" she protested. "Leave me alone!" she shifted her arms to free herself. "Leave me alone!" failing to free her arms, she laid on the floor.

"You know that's not how it works." Ziloh unperturbed, dragged her outside the room.

"Kill me!" she provoked. "Just kill me! I've lived long enough!" she snorted. "Maybe too long."

Kathy's order was to bring Zenlada to her, she did not say to bring her whole. He looked at her, struggling on the floor.

'A missing arm would not hurt', he thought.

Duchess Zenalda suddenly bit him on his wrist.

He did not wince, he stared at the punctured mark as blood oozed from the wound.

'Yes, she won't be needing two arms.'

Without hesitation, he pinned her on the floor, smiling at her. He easily tore her left arm, tossing it on the floor like carcass.

"Maybe a missing leg won't be missed too."

Zenalda grew silent, her mouth wide open, her gaze on her detached arm.

"Do not deceive me, Zenalda." Ziloh warned. "No royal would like to die. If they liked to, they would not have chosen to be a royal in the first place."

"Are you afraid to die too?" the old woman asked.

"Do not include me in your league." Ziloh stood up and tossed the arm to her. "See if Natalie could fix that."

Zenalda stood up. She grabbed her arms onto her chest, she followed Ziloh closely behind as they walked towards the throne room.

***

The throne room was in chaos--- not out of fear but out of excitement.

The infection was contained, though still not advised to leave the throne room--- they can if they would like to.

But no one royal left the room, for a chef is right here to serve them. "I brought the kitchen with me!" he announced as Chef Will opened the door, with an army of guards behind him, carrying food ingredients and kitchen utensils.

His royal audience encircled him, watching his every move, observing as he set-up his booth.

He piled bags and bags of pig brains into the table.

The royals were gulping and covering their mouths—they cannot hide their desires.

"Are you hungry?" Alyssa asked.

Kiva was still, locked into Alyssa's arms. "No," her mouth hanging open. "I'm not hungry."

The brains on the table, the royals could actually eat them raw. But with their senses still intact, they mustered all their will to go against their instinct.

Chef Will started the fire as he opened a bag and stir fried it on high heat, just seasoning it with salt and pepper--- without any vegetables in it. "Who wants the first batch?"

The royals suddenly became agitated, but a big shadow from behind came forward. It was the King and the Queen.

Chef Will offered a plate each to the King and Queen.

A bite from the plate made the Queen's face light up. "I've never seen you before." she took another bite from her plate.

While King Garrett, he already finished his, asking for another one. Chef Will refilled his plate.

"Chef Will, my queen." he bowed.

She nodded and walked away, her king beside her.

After she left, the royals piled in line, eager for their turn to arrive.

Chef Will was smiling from ear to ear, offering each royal a plate in delight.

Alyssa removed Kiva's hand away from her forcibly.

Kiva looked at her, her eyes looking like they're about to cry.

Alyssa caressed her cheeks. "I'm not going anywhere" she assured her best friend. "Go eat." she pointed her chin towards the food.

"Really? You mean it?"

"Of course," Alyssa nodded. "I'm not leaving even if you want me to."

"Okay, just…" Kiva looked back and forth between her best friend and the food. "Just stay where I can see you." she then ran towards the line, eagerly waiting for her turn.

Come to think of it, it's been a while since Alyssa ate too. As if on cue, her stomach crumbled.

And with that, the door flew open.

Ziloh, together with Duchess Zenalda, entered the room. They walked straight towards the throne.

Ignoring her stomach, Alyssa followed suit, becoming an observer.

Almost all the royals did not notice their arrival—or they did not just care. Although the culprit is now found, they just cannot be bothered--- food is their priority after all.

King Garret stood up from his heat, ready to tear the old lady down into pieces. But the queen stopped him, calming him down, letting him sit back down on his throne.

"My Queen," Zenalda bowed. "My King." she placed her severed arm at her side.

"Zenalda, you violated our law." Queen Kathy said.

Ison Vis and Duke Emil was below the stair, regarding the culprit with scrutiny.

"My Queen," Zenalda knelt down. "You have to understand, it's not my fault, it's that ISON VIS." She spat his name like poison. "he did not let me in the club! I have a right too! I'm a duchess! A discrimination against me!"

'A club?' Alyssa picked on.

"Duchess Zenalda, you must have mistaken, the said club is a private business of mine." Ison Vis countered.

"He underestimated me! Just because I'm a nobody in my previous life!" Duchess Zenalda continued on. "You must have forgotten! All of you!" Zenalda looked around the room. "Would not be here without me!"

"Unfortunately, Ison Vis is right." Duke Emil chimed in. "This called club is a private business of his, we cannot force him to accept members he does not prefer" he cleared his throat. "If it eases you, I myself am not a member of the said club."

"All I wanted are my babies!" she continued. "I never asked for anything more. I…" she trailed off.

Ison Vis tossed something on the floor.

Zenalda recognized it right away. "Cici!" using her right arm, she crawled towards her baby. "Cic! What did they do you!" she wailed, her droopy skin wiggling. "NO! NO!"

She held it tightly onto her chest, feeling it stiff and cold--- Cici's head missing.

"We believe it would be inhumane for us to let you see the other two in much worst condition." Ison Vis reasoned out.

"You monsters! They did nothing wrong!"

"We have no choice Duchess Zenalda." Duke Emil said. "If they have not been… killed, the infection would have spread more in the palace, or worst spread into town."

"NO!" Zenalda protested. "They're not infected! They're cured!"

"As a mother myself, I understand where you're coming from." Queen Kathy looked at her daughter longingly.

Alyssa smiled back to her mother.

"I don't know what I'll do without my daughter." Queen Kathy turned her attention back to the duchess. "Nonetheless, what you've gone is not just a crime, but you've also put everyone in danger, including my daughter." she crossed her hands on her lap. "With that, this cannot go unpunished. Duke Emil, what is the proper punishment for her crime according to our amended constitution."

"Lifetime imprisonment." Duke Emil cleared his throat. "Feeding the water of the gods to her pet and endangering the heir to the throne. Duchess Zenalda shall be imprisoned for eternity according to the crimes she committed."

Duchess Zenlada lowered her head, expecting that much. "All I wanted was to cure my babies too…just as you did to me."

"There's a reason why the vaccine is not offered to pets," Ison Vis said matter-of-factly. "It was never proven to be effective…without side effects"

"Kill me then!" Zenlada dared. "Just Kill me instead."

"Our Dear Duchess," Ison Vis said. "Death is not the kingdom's capital punishment. Eternal Captivity is."

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