Alyssa walked out of the room with her head held high.
Most of the royal spectators followed suit, the show was over, and they were satisfied--- they have a new topic to talk about.
Alyssa, thrilled and overjoyed, kept her composure and walked into the garden. Alyssa hid at the gazebo where other royals rarely visited. She took one long deep breath; a wide smile was formed in her face as she jumped in the air with excitement.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Alyssa cheered to herself.
It was decided, she will have her pre-ceremony tomorrow.
"Congratulations, princess." Ziloh was standing behind her.
It was no time for bantering, it was a call for celebration.
Alyssa skidded to Ziloh and embraced him. "Thank you!" Alyssa buried her face on his chest. "You are officially forgiven; the ginger milk is permanently forgotten."
Ziloh smelled nice today, like a vanilla mixed with coffee. Alyssa stayed on his arms longer.
"Uhm…" Kiva was hiding behind his brother's back.
"Kiva?" Alyssa finally released her embrace and peeked behind Ziloh.
"Does it mean I'm forgiven too?" Kiva hunched on her shoulders, fumbling with her hands.
"Kiva," Alyssa grabbed Kiva's arms and dragged her to the side. "Are you joking right now?"
Kiva stiffened.
"You're not forgiven," Alyssa stood in front of Kiva. "There's nothing to forgive, I've never been mad at you."
"Really?" Kiva twisted on her toes.
"Yeah, what in the world made you think I was mad at you?"
Kiva glared at his brother.
"You're my best friend, I can't be mad at you." Alyssa smiled.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"If that's the case then… can I get a hug too?" Kiva blushed.
"You don't even need to ask." Alyssa lunged at Kiva and squeezed her tight.
A smile formed on Kiva's face. "I love you Alyssa, I won't do anything to harm you."
Alyssa rolled her eyes; her best friend was being overdramatic again. "I know that."
"So tomorrow, you will drink." Ziloh informed.
"Yes, tomorrow." Alyssa cannot wait, she might not be able to sleep tonight.
"Oh no," Kiva said gravely.
"What?" Alyssa was alarmed.
"No…" Kiva paced back and forth. "We only have a day to prepare…and you don't have a dress yet!" Kiva grunted.
"Oh, that's fine. I have plenty of dress."
"No, not a Sunday dress! This is a disaster!" Kiva stomped on her feet. "You have to have that certain air around you." Kiva paced back and forth again.
"Well… I'm sure I can find something to wear tomorrow."
"No, you have to let them know," Kiva grabbed Alyssa's hand. "that you are the Princess, and they are your pedestal. I have to prepare… I have so little time!"
Alyssa shook her head. "You really don't have to."
A plan was already forming in Kiva's mind. "I have to go now. But I promise when you wake up in the morning, you will have the perfect dress." Kiva scurried away from the gazebo, leaving Alyssa and Ziloh alone.
The sun was seen on the sky bidding its goodbye, as the moon glided to take its place.
Alyssa looked at the departing back of her best friend. "This is not a good sign. She might go overboard. The fact that I got the council's approval is enough for me."
"You're happy." Ziloh was loitering behind Alyssa.
"Of course, I am." Alyssa pivoted and sat on an empty bench. She removed her high heels, its purpose already done.
"You've got your wish, to be one of them." Ziloh followed her. He lowered his head to her eye level and pinned his palms on the wall.
Alyssa was trapped between his arms.
"Hey…" Her heart was pounding, her cheeks burned.
Ziloh gazed at Alyssa's eyes, he did not let the stare be broken.
"What?" Alyssa's back was pressed on the wall.
"Is this what you really want?" Ziloh inched closer. Their lips, almost touching.
Alyssa pressed her neck on the wall, a thread of space between their lips. "Yes." Alyssa breathed.
Ziloh bared Alyssa's face naked with his eyes, his gaze lingered a little longer on her lips.
Alyssa felt so vulnerable yet comforted, defenseless yet unharmed, untouched yet connected. She held her breath, overwhelmed with his presence.
If Ziloh closed the distance between them, Alyssa would not have the strength to pull away.
And so, he did.
Ziloh lifted her wrist and pressed it into his lips. "I will miss this," Ziloh traveled to her elbow and caressed it with his lips. "this," Ziloh nuzzled up to her neck as his soft skin lingered. He savored on her scent, a musky floral of intoxication. "this" Ziloh snuggled his way down to Alyssa's chest and marked a kiss. "and this."
Alyssa's heart was beating fast, her skin tingled where his lips touched.
Ziloh smirked. "You're nervous." He pressed his palms on the wall and locked her with his gaze again.
Alyssa's face reached its boiling point, her cheeks were steaming off heat.
"I'm not." Alyssa whispered.
Ziloh closed his eyes. "Your heart had been beating faster when you spoke," Ziloh opened his eyes and smirked. "You're lying."
"I'm not." Alyssa felt the pound in her chest.
Ziloh straightened his back, walked on the corner, and looked at the sky.
"On your birth date, the sound will vanish completely." Ziloh put his hands on his pocket. "Your heart will stop."
"As it should be, just like any other royals."
Ziloh inhaled deeply. "Your scent will be like theirs too."
"As it should be, it's tiring to be an outcast."
"Then, I demand payment for your life debt," Ziloh grabbed something from his side. "I will accept a lock of your hair." Ziloh revealed his dagger to Alyssa.
Alyssa stood up and walked on his side. "Did you always carry one around?"
"I'm your protector." It was obvious for Ziloh to carry one since the incident at the mess hall.
"What are you going to do with my hair? Are you going to curse me or something?" Alyssa took the dagger from him.
"No," Ziloh looked straight into her eyes. "You might hate this version of you, but I don't."
"And if I get cured?" Alyssa studied the dagger on her hand.
"None of that matters." Ziloh rubbed on his chin. "You are you Alyssa, and I'll torment you the same."
Alyssa shook her head. "Of course, what did I expect."
"Your payment?"
"Will this really be enough to clear a life debt?" Alyssa was uncertain, but she grabbed a chunk of her hair--- the one where she thinks would not be obvious if cut.
"More than enough."
Alyssa cut a lock of her hair. She gave it to Ziloh alongside the dagger.
Ziloh returned the dagger on its hilt. He studied the lock of hair on his hand.
"You…I don't hate you." Alyssa blurted out.
Ziloh closed the gap between them, he lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"We're the same." Both of us are different, Alyssa thought.
Alyssa always knew that Ziloh was different. How different? She doesn't know.
"Why don't you… try to be like them too?" Alyssa searched through his eyes. "I'll help you."
Ziloh let go of Alyssa and took a step back.
"I can never be like them." Ziloh stared at the distant moon in the sky.
There was longing the way he said it, and Alyssa knew very well what it was. He was lonely--- just as she was.
They were two royals, neither here nor there.
In this moment, they were alone--- together. And that made their forsaken life much more bearable.
Ziloh walked Alyssa to her chambers. Alyssa walked on her bare feet; she carried her heels with her.
Alyssa prepared herself to go to sleep, she took a shower and laid on her bed.
She tossed and turned, but she cannot sleep. She knew exactly why.
It was not because of her excitement for tomorrow's pre-ceremony. It was because of what happened under the roof of the gazebo.
Sha had a long night ahead.
***
Alyssa was sitting at her vanity table. She just woke up, she had two hours of sleep. She fell asleep as the sun rose.
Her hair was pointing everywhere, her face puffy.
Kiva was pacing back and forth behind her. Alyssa followed Kiva's movement through the mirror.
"What's taking so long?" Kiva was restless.
The door suddenly opened, and an attendant arrived with a bucket of ice. The attendant passed the bucket to Kiva.
"Finally. Here," Kiva wrapped cubes of ice on a cloth and offered it to Alyssa. "Just press it to your face."
Alyssa obliged.
Another attendant arrived carrying a cup of tea and gently placed it on the vanity table. It was Lady Grey tea to help Alyssa come to life.
Alyssa followed everything Kiva ordered. Alyssa numbed her whole face with ice until her puffiness subsided. She took a long bath drowned with flowers. And she skipped brunch, they do not have enough time and Alyssa needed to trim an inch or two on her waist just to be sure--- according to Kiva.
Alyssa was back at her vanity table, smelling like a garden.
"We're just going for a simple makeup." Kiva began to draw on Alyssa's eyelids. Kiva made sure that she used waterproof make-up. "We don't want a panda emerging from the waters, don't we?"
Waterproof eyebrows, waterproof eye liner, and a tattoo lip tint was Alyssa's final look---but Kiva did not stop there.
"More?" Alyssa asked.
"Oh, were just getting started." Kiva placed a hand on her hips.
A group of female attendants barged in and took each of Alyssa's hand and feet. They painted her nails black, to match her hair. And while they were doing this; Kiva was hovering behind her. Kiva knew Alyssa's secret compartment; she pressed the upper right corner of the drawer and there emerged Alyssa's treasures. Kiva took the curler and began to heat Alyssa's hair.
"Is this really appropriate? I'll get drenched anyway." Alyssa tried to stop her best friend.
"Ali, it's the walk. Everything has to be perfect." Kiva continued to curl Alyssa's hair.
"What is this?" Kiva lifted the chunk of hair shorter than the rest.
"I made a good deal with the devil." Alyssa evaded Kiva's eyes.
"Well, I hope it was worth it." Kiva curled the last strand and tucked it at the back.
She was ready, except for the dress. "Where's the gown?" Alyssa turned her head back to search the area.
"You can't believe what I've got for you!" Kiva hid it in the closet, she rolled the body mannequin that carried the gown. "Surprise!"
Alyssa turned to the side and saw it.
"No way." Alyssa marveled at its beauty.
It was a dark olive-green gown, a low V-neck dress that was above the knee in front and long at the back. It had no busy patterns nor designs, it was simple and elegant.
Fortunately, the gown fits, it embraced Alyssa's body perfectly. "How did you know my size?" She looked at herself in the mirror.
Kiva rolled her eyes. "Here, take this." Kiva offered an opened jewelry box to Alyssa. It had an emerald headband and a dangling emerald earring. It was perfect to match her eyes.
Alyssa wore the accessories to complete her look. "You've outdone yourself Kiva." Alyssa thought that she looked good herself.
It took them three hours to prepare this look, and the pre-ceremony would only take three minutes to finish.
"Well, that's because my canvas is beautiful enough." Kiva kissed her on the cheeks.
Kiva then slid a black open toe heels in front of her.
"No," Alyssa agreed to everything but this, she had enough heels for the week. "I'll go barefoot."
"Okay. Not a bad idea, actually." Kiva smiled. "Then let's go, everybody's waiting."
***
They were standing in front of a closed door. Alyssa was far from being nervous, she was excited.
"Ready?" Kiva shook her hands; she was more nervous than Alyssa.
Alyssa took a deep breath. "Yes." She lifted her head high.
Kiva nodded and opened the door.
Alyssa was welcomed by a line of royals on both sides of the aisle. The room was full, the audience craned their necks to follow Alyssa's movement. Alyssa took her step slowly as they marveled at her beauty. Her long tail gown fluttered behind her as she walked. The emerald stones glistened through the light. Queen Kathy was at the front, waiting to guide her.
Alyssa savored every step; this is her monumental moment. It was a prequel of her rebirth. The beginning of a promise of eternity. The walk to defeat time, to preserve youth.
Alyssa smiled to her mother.
Queen Kathy smiled back. She was proud of her daughter.
In front of Alyssa was a pool of water, not just any water but the water of the gods. To others, a drop might be precious but to the main royal family, the water was abundant. The water of the gods symbolized the power of the Queen. And as long as she held its secrets, the power is hers.
Queen Kathy held her daughter's hand as Alyssa stepped down the pool. Her dress floated behind her, engulfing the water with its color.
The Queen was beside her ready to guide her to submerge.
Alyssa gave a curt nod to her mother signaling her approval.
The Queen guided Alyssa to lie on her back slowly until her entire body was submerged. She stayed under the water. She fondled with the water, taking a taste until her chest burned--- then she took a gulp. It was sour, tangy to the tongue, and it burned her throat as she drank it. But to Alyssa, it was a dessert. It tasted wrongfully right--- it was as sinful as the cakes and macaroons she had eaten. It was the sweetest thing she ever had.
The Queen's arm was on Alyssa's back to help her to rise from the water. Both were proud of each other. Drops of water was dripping on Alyssa's face. Her gown drenched, turned into a darker shade of green.
They parted from the water as they ascended the stairs. Alyssa longed for the water's embrace on her body.
They stood in front of the royals. There was a deafening silence in the room.
Alyssa did not flinch. She welcomed the cold caress of the water on her skin.
Ziloh was standing in front with a blank look on his face, a locker bracelet on his wrist.
The Queen gestured Alyssa to address the crowd.
"I, Princess of Kingdom Nowar, heir to the throne…is cured from the plague." Alyssa hovered her head to the crowd before she spoke. "The next time I bleed, it would be the last." Alissa lifted her head in triumph.
"All hail the Princess!" A royal farthest from the room called.
"All hail the Princess!" The crowd echoed.