Kiva was sitting next to Duchess Zenalda. The dogs had been nibbling on Kiva's toes. Zenalda had been throwing cuts of meats under the table, which made the dogs more hyper and louder. But Kiva was obviously not aware of her butchered toe. She was too focused on the scene in front of her. Her chair had the perfect view of the neighboring table, the exact same table where she would usually seat.
Kiva was not missed; her family was eating like nothing was missing. Kiva was forgotten; Alyssa was eating just like any other day. Ziloh and Alyssa sat next to each other. Ziloh interrupted Alyssa's first bite of the main course, Alyssa stabbed Ziloh with her stare. Ziloh studied her salad for a second, then he gave a curt nod to signal her to eat. And unlike the dogs under Kiva's table, Alyssa silently obliged. Kiva gulped each of her food down, she might even have eaten a few table decorations.
Ziloh glimpsed behind his back as an attendant nervously approached. The attendant was not carrying a pitcher, there was a letter clutched on both of his hands instead. He was a royal postman unlucky enough to deliver a letter to Princess Alyssa right at the mess hall. Ziloh did not leave him from his sight, and the royal postman was well aware. The royal postman was also very informed of what this young Duke could do, Ziloh could take his life and call it self-defense.
"Princess," The royal postman bravely called. "an urgent letter."
Alyssa turned to receive the letter and the royal postman scurried away from the table as fast as possible.
Kiva stopped eating the pot of flowers. She rubbed her eyes and squinted hard, she saw a green blub on the letter. It probably was the kingdom's seal, a phoenix with six tails.
Kiva stood from her chair as she saw Ziloh leaned closer to Alyssa, their cheeks almost touching. Ziloh and Alyssa looked at each other, there was understanding between them. But from Kiva's view, it was a look of burning desire.
Kiva choked.
"Are you okay sweetie?" Zenalda was patting her chihuahua as it lapped on Kiva's glass.
"Yeah." Kiva pounded her chest hard. "I'm okay."
"Here, a glass would flush the meat down." Zenalda offered the glass of water.
The chihuahua barked profusely for the glass was stolen from him.
"Thank you." Kiva accepted the offer.
Ziloh and Alyssa stood up as soon as Kiva was occupied with drinking her water. They did not finish their meal. Alyssa walked hurriedly away from the mess patio as Ziloh followed behind her.
As soon as Kiva landed her glass on the table, the pair was gone.
The nerve of her brother, planning to be alone with Alyssa again.
Kiva won't let him; Alyssa is hers too.
Kiva hurriedly gulped her meal, she drank water in between the bites so she won't choke this time. It did not even take a minute when she stood up and followed the two at a distance.
She walked from right to left, then left to right, hiding from every corner and columns along the way.
But she could not hear anything through the distance between them. So, she dared to take a few steps closer, close enough to hear their conversation.
"I hope it's good news." Alyssa rubbed the letter between her palms.
"A letter from you won't be ignored."
"You think so?"
"I know so." Ziloh put his arms around her shoulders.
"It better be," Alyssa shook her shoulder away from Ziloh. "so this," Alyssa gestured on both of them. "could finally stop."
Ziloh put his arms around her shoulders again.
Alyssa sighted and allowed Ziloh to do whatever he wanted.
This alarmed Kiva, she glared at his brother.
Ziloh turned his head at the side and looked straight at Kiva, he smirked. Ziloh tightened his hold around Alyssa.
"But my mother did not mention anything about my letter to the council. What if my request was declined?"
"Then write another one. Flood them with letters until you can't be ignored."
"That's tiring to write."
"I'll help you. I'm your new best friend."
Kiva's ears perked at the word best friend. She bit on her thumb with annoyance.
"Kiva?" Alyssa saw the lurking figure hiding beside a column.
Kiva was hiding a step away from them.
Kiva was alarmed so she ran, as fast as she could, farther down the hall. But she discovered a new column to hide and continued to eye them at their backs.
They went inside Alyssa's chambers. Kiva bit her lip, what's taking them so long. Well, actually, a minute had not passed yet but Kiva can't wait any longer and decided to come closer.
Kiva could only hear the chirping of the wind, so she stood right in front Alyssa's chambers and pressed her ear on the door.
Their voices where very faint.
"They accepted! This afternoon! I can't believe this!" Alyssa was talking with high spirits. "What should I wear? Should I prepare something?"
"You just have to be present." Ziloh's voice felt more distant.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course." Ziloh assured her. "Now, let me go and catch a pest."
The door suddenly opened, which flattened Kiva like a mosquito.
"What was that all about?" Kiva inquired her brother.
Ziloh walked away and ignored her.
"What was it?" Kiva asked again.
"It's between best friends only."
"I'm her best friend!" Kiva announced.
"Then ask her yourself." Ziloh smirked before he walked away.
"But I can't," Kiva whispered. "I've hurt her."
***
Alyssa was wondering if her attire is appropriate enough. She wore a white blouse and a black jean for the occasion. She had blisters on both of her feet, her soles ached from walking. It had been a while since Alyssa wore her five-inch black heels. Wearing It might be a little uncomfortable, but she thought that the added height would boost her confidence. She also pinned her hair on a tight bun to look more mature, but her young face was highlighted instead.
Alyssa was the first one in the council's room.
It had wooden panels on all four sides, even the high ceiling had wooden panels. There was a long wooden bench fixed at the center of the room, it was slightly elevated from the ground. There were seven chairs at the bench reserved for the members of the royal council. The middle chair was reserved for the main household, and the remaining six was for the representative of each royal houses of the kingdom. There were also long benches on either side of the room--- open to any royals who had spare time in their busy schedule.
The place exuded with authority, control that Alyssa do not have in the room. But influence she believed she had, she's the sole heir of the kingdom after all--- even if people would say otherwise.
Half an hour had gone by when the first member of the council arrived, it was Ison from the house of Vis. He was wearing a thee piece suit that made Alyssa's attire too simple. But Alyssa noted that it was Ison Vis after all, it was expected from him. He was known for his love of suits---he always wore it on every occasions. He did not acknowledge Alyssa in the room and went straight to his chair--- the one beside the center chair on the right.
Royal Council members began to arrive one by one.
Unlike the forbidding arrival of Ison Vis, Alyssa was warmly welcomed by the couple from the house of Arosa.
"Oh, our princess." Duchess Sisa embraced Alyssa tightly. "I'm here to support." Sisa caressed Alyssa's cheeks. "You don't have to worry about us, you got David's vote."
Duke David nodded. "Your safety is more important than the law."
"Thank you." Alyssa smiled in gratitude.
Sisa sat on the empty side bench then David proceeded to take the opposite seat from Ison Vis.
There was a knock on the door, a royal attendant scurried to open it. The other four petitioners entered the room. Their movements were very constricted as they marveled at their surroundings. It was apparent that this was their first time to visit the palace. They were standing like a sore thumb. Their clothes maybe blanched from its original colors, but they were freshly washed and ironed.
"Petitioners," A royal council attendant called out." Petitioners, follow me." The attendant yawned.
The petitioners, including Alyssa, lined up nervously. The attendant gestured for them to follow; he led the group at the back-right corner of the room where five chairs are prepared.
One of the citizens, an old man in his fifties was coughing severely.
"Please seat in order as I call your name." The attendant flipped through his file and his drowsy eyes widened as he read the first name on his list. "Prin---"
"Princ—"The attendant tried to call again.
"Name." Alyssa coughed. "Name."
The attendant nodded in understanding. "Alyssa Ewi…Er…Alyssa…" The attendant gestured to the Princess to seat on the leftmost chair.
The attendant called the next four in order. As they settled themselves, the old man---who was sitting next to Alyssa---was coughing his lungs out.
The old man grabbed a patch of cloth from his pocket to cover his mouth. The old man quickly hid his handkerchief, but Alyssa already saw the crimson stain on it.
"Excuse me." Alyssa called out the attendant. "I think there's some mix up on your list." Alyssa ordered. "He should go first before me." Alyssa gestured to his seatmate.
"But Prin… Miss, you would have to wait after his turn before you could go." The attendant informed.
"Yes, I'm aware. I believe I'm second on the list."
"Of course, right." The attendant scribbled on his list to correct it according to the Princess. "Mr. William Baker, you're first."
Alyssa and Old William exchanged seats.
All the six council members were present and seated on the central bench. And just as Alyssa had suspected, the other five were wearing their everyday clothes. Well, except for Zenalda who chose to bring a living accessory—her chihuahua.
"Mr. Baker, please be ready. We will start in five minutes."
The old man nodded and fixed his old shirt.
The old man preceded to stand at the center of the room.
The benches for the audience were starting to get filled. The seats were usually empty on a normal day, but words in the palace had spread regarding the petition of the Princess.
And of course, Ziloh was one of the audiences, with Kiva hunched beside him.
There was a commotion from the crowd as Queen Kathy herself arrived. She sauntered to the center chair and sat. It was known that common tribunal proceedings was a King's duty, but today might be special for the Queen herself to attend.
The royal attendant settled the crowd, the proceedings had begun.
"William Baker, state your concern." Ison Vis demanded, he was sitting at the right of the Queen.
"I am requesting for an early retirement," He coughed and wiped his mouth with his reddened handkerchief. "and permanent residence at Golden Town."
As if he understood, Zenalda's dog barked in protest. Zenalda sweet talked the dog, but she was bitten instead.
"And why is that?" Ison Vis asked. "You still have a decade before your retirement."
"I'm afraid I'll be dead by then." The old man fumbled with his handkerchief. "I am---"
"Terminally ill, I'm afraid." Dr. Natalie chimed in. "No treatment available."
Dr. Natalie was one of the Royal Council.
"But if I may dare say Duchess, if only I can have the vaccine…I might have a chance. I will continue to work eternally."
"The water of the gods, the vaccine, or whatever." Ison Vis waved his hand. "Unfortunately, is extremely limited. Imagine this," Ison Vis linked his arms. "if we, the Royal Council, are liberal enough to give you the vaccine." He quoted in the air. "then what about your daughter? Your son? You grandchildren and their children? Are you willing to drink the vaccine knowing that you deprived others from it?"
"No, that's not what I meant. I love my family."
"You drinking the vaccine, is simply a deprivation to your future generations."
"Of course, I understand that. I'm sorry." The old man wiped on his forehead. "I just, I don't want to be an inconvenience to my family. I am hoping to be a resident of the Golden town before I get bedridden. And the pension my family will receive would very much help our family."
There were three scribes right below the Royal council members, documenting the conversation.
"Ison Vis, I think his request is reasonable enough." Cliff Arquall, Ziloh and Kiva's father, stated in. "Those in favor of allowing Mr. Baker for an early retirement please raise your hands." Cliff lifted his hands.
The Royal council members lifted their hands except for Ison Vis and the Queen. But the majority had spoken, and his request was granted.
"I would actually like to propose that this be included in our law." Duke Emil from the house of Kundi added. "That in case of a terminally ill working citizen, an early retirement can be automatically availed."
The scribes noted on that.
"Mr. Baker," Cliff noted. "Your request is hereby granted."
The crowd clapped in celebration.
"Thank you, Thank you." The old man was guided outside the room.
"It's your turn Princess." The assistant said bluntly.
"Princess?" The woman next to Alyssa studied her. "But there's no resemblance at all." The woman looked back and forth from the Princess and to the Queen.
Alyssa stood up and sauntered at the center of the room, there were whispers among the crowd.
"Princess Alyssa, state your concern." Ison Vis ordered.
"I would like to drink the water of the gods before my birth date."
"You have the right to drink the water of the gods as you are adopted to the royal family," Ison Vis announced to the crowd.
Alyssa winced at the word.
"But Princess as you may be, there are still rules to be followed." Ison Vis clarified.
"I don't think there's a problem at all. She only has one month for her to be of legal change, I don't think drinking it today will change much of anything." Cliff argued.
"Cliff, just as you said there's only one month left, and I think patience is a virtue the Princess must learn." Ison Vis argued.
The Royal Council began an argument among themselves, but the Queen was silent.
"Excuse me," Alyssa said. "I would like to agree that we should follow the rules. Rules as stated in our law." Alyssa began to explain. "As stated in Article III of our Conduct Code, it is clearly defined in there what a Ceremony means. It means I quote 'Ceremony is when a perishable act 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' unquote. If we all would read the laws directly, it does not state that one should be of legal age before she can drink the water of the gods."
"Can we have a copy of the code?" Emil Kundi asked.
"Poppy could get the copy." Dr. Natalie noted to her twin sister.
Poppy stoop up from the audience, nodded and limped away.
Alyssa may have stood for half an hour before Poppy retuned with a copy.
Each Royal council took turns to read it, they reread and validated what Princess Alyssa was saying.
"It was not in our law," Alyssa added. "it was merely our custom, a tradition. And no tradition is higher than any law." Alyssa lifted her chin in triumph.
"Well, we have to admit that the Princess is right." Cliff cleared his throat. "Those who are in favor of the Princess' request, please vote."
Only three raised their hands, Cliff, Emil, and David--- Zenalda was too busy with her dog that she can't be bothered to raise her hand.
"We need the Queen's vote for the majority." Cliff explained.
There was a reason the Queen was silent, her role would only come at such a time as this.
Queen Kathy looked at her daughter lovingly as she slowly raised her hand.
There was no applause from the crowd.
It was decided, Alyssa won. Alyssa's heels resounded the room as she sauntered to the door.
There was no need to wait for her birthday to come.
Alyssa would drink the water of the gods.