Alyssa did not have to wait that long, a few minutes after her request, she could hear the chains on her door being unlocked again.
Alyssa immediately stood at the door and waited for it to open, expecting her attendant's dumbfounded face. She cannot wait to have Eli investigate what she overheard. But her determination turned into confusion for as soon as the door opened, Eli was nowhere to be found. Instead, standing in front of the door was Maya.
Maya had the audacity to glare at the princess.
"Uh," Upon seeing the princess' confusion, the guard tried to explain himself. "we thought your highness would be more comfortable with a woman."
The guard who was standing behind Maya, had no idea what kind of face she was currently making.
"You're right," Alyssa observed Maya. "Thank you."
"What do you need princess?" Maya smiled to the princess, but her eyes stayed the same.
"Yes, I need…" Alyssa looked behind Maya. "Are you planning to listen in our conversation?" she asked the guards.
The two guards looked at each other, forming an agreement between the two of them.
"Of course not, princess" one of the guards shoved Maya inside. "Five minutes," he tipped his chin to Maya. "if you want your neck intact."
Maya tripped inside as the door closed behind her.
"Princess," once steady on her feet, Maya bowed curtly. "I was on my way to you, actually. But a guard helped me arrive faster by dragging me in here." she looked at the princess from head to toe. "They said you needed something that I would know."
"Yes, it's that time of the month…"
"You are bleeding then." Maya nodded in understanding. "I'll get some…"
Alyssa grabbed both Maya's arms. "…or so they thought." she lowered her voice, careful not to be heard. "Eli has not returned yet, I need him. But you will do,"
"This is basically house arrest, princess." Maya lowered her voice too. "As punishment."
'A punishment without actually being punished.' Maya thought. 'It's all for formality.'
Before Maya could say her intentions, the princess said hers.
"Well, yes." Alyssa looked sideways at the door. "And it's killing me not to go outside today." She bit the inside of her cheek. "It's Ison Vis, he always hated me, but it does not matter for now." she tried to relax and focused on her concern. "I need you to investigate something for me," she glanced sideways at the door. "I heard a bidding is about to happen amongst the attendants."
"Yes, it happens all the time, usually once every two weeks." Maya nodded. "But a royal is not supposed to know that."
"I heard there is something I own that is apparently part of the bidding."
Maya was not fazed. "And?" she already knew about this. "What about it?"
"You already knew," Alyssa's eyes narrowed in accusation. "and you chose not to tell me."
"Princess," Maya exhaled. "you have to understand that it's their way to earn some Rigs. Not everybody is born a royal."
'Fortunately.' Maya kept her opinion to herself.
"And besides," Maya continued. "all of those items are so immaterial that a royal would never even notice they was gone."
Alyssa wondered how many items of hers had already been sold without her consent.
"Yes, well, what they are doing is illegal, I want my item back, whatever that is." Alyssa was already thinking to report this to her mother.
Maya read through the princess' mind. "You think we're the only ones who are doing this?" she shook her head. "You really know nothing, princess."
"What do you mean?" Alyssa tightened her hold onto Maya.
Maya was about to say something, but a knock on the door stopped her from explaining herself. "Time's over." a guard warned. "Come out if you value your neck."
"Get my item back, and I won't interfere with the attendant's matters." Alyssa said in a rush.
"Alright, just a second." Maya announced at the door. "Princess," she turned to face the princess. "You might think of this as punishment, but it's not." she glared at the princess. "I guess this item of yours is more important than a person."
"What do you mean?" Alyssa was confused, not understanding.
"He might not say this, but I know Eli trust you," Maya observed the princess from head to toe. "probably because you're technically a human being." She looked at the princess straight in the eyes. "But I know deep down inside you're a royal." She lowered her voice into a whisper. "And one day, you will get us killed."
"Don't make me into a bad person here, after all, both of you are trying to kidnap me." Alyssa reminded her." And yet, I chose not to report it."
"Our princess is so gracious." Maya said mockingly. "But you're not doing your side of the deal. How can we prove the truth if one of us is being flogged as we speak?"
"You mean…" Alyssa shook her head, not fully understanding what Maya meant.
"Eli is currently being punished, for you violating the law." Maya said.
'A stupid law.' Maya thought.
To tell the truth, Maya would not have been angered by the princess's actions. In fact, she would have celebrated it if no one were being punished as a consequence.
"I see." Alyssa hid the shock on her face. "As my attendant, he should understand, I want my freedom, no matter what the cause." she crossed her hand on her chest. "Consider it as a warning, for lying to me, for trying to harm me."
There was a knock on the door. "Time's over, we're opening the door." a guard said.
"Well, I hope your freedom does not imprison others." Maya bowed mockingly as the door opened behind her.
Maya took a step away from the princess' room.
The door closes once more in front of Alyssa, the chains rattled as the guards locked her once more.
'My family is the only thing that matters.' Alyssa reminded herself. 'My mother will make things right.'
The silence inside her room was suddenly unbearable.
Alyssa grabbed her cassette tape and listen to music that allowed her mind to wander away from her room.
Her queen mother always gave Alyssa everything she desired, and this time would be no exception.
Alyssa will get the freedom she wanted.
***
"I hear your concerns, and I do agree with them." Queen Kathy smiled. "I don't intend to amend the law in its entirety." She walked towards the audience, swaying her hips elegantly. "It simply needs a little bit of tweaking." She waved her right hand in the air to emphasize her point.
Queen Kathy was in the middle of the room, the royal council was looking down at her, the audience was holding onto her every word. "My sole concern, as you all know, is my daughter's well-being, the sole heir of this kingdom." Her long silky blue gown swayed with her every step. "The time has come."
"I know the rumors behind my back," Queen Kathy continued, flipping her golden hair. "many of you do not welcome her into our family, my daughter had suffered enough."
There were murmurs amongst the crowd of royals. It was a well-known fact that conservative royals wound always discriminate against the princess.
"As this involves our royal family, I will leave the royal council to come into a decision."
After her short speech, Queen Kathy sat amongst the audience with her head held high.
Queen Kathy was engraved that she was not able to do anything to stop her daughter from being locked in her chamber. The Royal Council had spoken, and as the Queen, she had to respect it. But she knew--- as every royal in the room knew--- that she has the last say to everything.
"Let us thank our Queen for her presence." Ison Vis rested his chin on his hand. "Now, on our vote."
"All right, let us get to the point." Duke Emil chimed in. "To those who are in favor of amending the law please raise your hand."
Duchess Sisa, who was sitting amongst the crowd, agrees with the queen on amending the law for the well-being of their princess. Sisa was eying her husband, David, who is part of the council, to vote in agreement. The princess' fate would be Ysa's future and helping the princess would eventually lead into helping their daughter's rights.
Duchess Sisa saw the hands raised one by one. It was no surprise that Duke Emil from the house of Kundi was in favor of the change, so does Duke Cliff from the house of Arquall.
Duchess Zenalda raised her hand grudgingly, her babies--- her precious toy dogs--- were not around.
"I see," Duke Emil turned to each of his side to count the vote. "three in favor of amending our law."
Sisa was staring at her husband, willing him to raise his hand.
"The king's vote is needed for the matter." Duke Emil continued.
Sisa was perplexed by this, she was making gestures for her husband to notice her, but David did not look her way. Sisa knew well that her husband could see her, and he deliberately ignored her. This was about the future of their daughter and it was unusual that David was not cooperating at all.
The king did not even need a second for him to decide, it was obvious what the main family wanted, he raised his hand in the air.
"The decision was made." Duke Emil declared. "The amendment of the law is therefore approved."
Conversations amongst the crowd emerged, some in agreement of the decision, some don't.
In the middle of the commotion amongst the audience, Queen Kathy held her head high---smiling.