At the day when no one arround, there's a single flower that bloom more beautifully than the others. The flower bloom without human intervention, but the day when those beautiful day began to crumble. Fire goes through the place, blood scattering, and the flower tarnished.
The ground shook and many people screamed. On the backyard of the castle, there's stood still a single girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. With her innocent look in her eyes, she's witnessing the revolution that happen two years ago. The world cruelly show her the truth behind the wall that has been keep secret until now.
"Princess Alice!"
A man with military uniform calling her name from afar and run toward her.
When the man seeing that the girl is alraight, his face loosened a little bit.
"Princess Alice, we must hurry to retreat," said the military man.
They're running through the corridor, trying to escape the castle. But, when they are still in the running. An explosion happen destroying the wall and send her flying. The man that in front of her was scattered everywhere and her face splashed by the man blood. Her eyes widened by shock, in her whole life, this is her first time witness a human body blow up.
Her ears still ringing from the explosion, her breathing become hard, and her sight slighty blurring.
"Prince-"
Her maid calling but she indifferent.
"Prince-... Al...."
"Princess Al-..."
"Princess Alice!"
After a few try, the maid voice snap her sense back to the reality. With a confused look, Alice staring her maid. Instead soothe the princess, the maid helped Alice to stand with haste and lead the princess to the safe place.
They're continuing the running, leave behind the scattering corpse and immobillized soldier for the sake of the Princess. But, after a few minute of running. An explosion happened again, wiped out the maid and soldier that leading her. Fresh blood spilled, soiling the floor with it's red and leaving behind the scent of fresh blood.
The moment after that, she saw someone wearing a civilian clothes pointing his gun to her.
*Bang!
A gunshot echoing and her vision become pitch black suddenly.
"...!!"
A moment after, she's opening her eyes and awake on top of her dormitory bed.
Sweat running through her clothes dampen the pajama that she wore. Her heart racing so fast, and she is breathing hard, "hah, hah, hah."
'That dream again....,' thought her. Slowly she reach her head and touching her forehead with a gentle move.
She trying to calm down, and trying to forget what happen that day. At that day, the world arround her changed. An ignorant and innocent child slowly know the cruelity of the world. Poverty, coruption, slavery, thuggery. A new windows opened in her heart and slowly witnessing all the cruelity far away within it. Many nobles surrounding her with words of praise, but, after that incident. What she heard now not a praise and sweet words that she used to hear, but an empty words that filled with craftiness and madness behind it.
Few minute has been passed, her breath that breathing hard now slowly calmed. She's reaching a watch beside her bed, trying to verify the time.
"2 o'clock," she said, shifting her possition and take out her legs from the blanket.
Slowly, she stand up and walking to the table installed in her room reaching a single glass and pouring a water into it.
She drink it slowly and a moment after, she sighing quitely, "Fuuuuh,....."
Alice feel restless than ever, she wandering circling her room at slow pace while waiting for her sleepness to come back. As the time passed, Alice trying to drown herself in the solitude. White transparent curtain in her large windows beside the large bed flutter slowly. A night gentle wind come through into her room, waft gently through her body.
Slowly, Alice lifting her legs and began walking to the windows and open it. She walk to the veranda, her hand gently sweep the fence that prevent her to fall.
A single moment when she regaining her solitude, with gentle night wind and a harmony of nature orchestra. The thought that make Alice restless slowly subsided and gone, leaving her with the pleasant lonely feeling that ease her heart. With that, now Alice can passed this night.
Afternoon, all the class began to have a break. Alice walking through the corridor with smile on her face.
One after another, many of girl passed by while greeting her politely. Many girl in the school want to have a tea with the Princess, but the person itself avoiding such a thing and make a habit of distancing others. But, only one person have her interest and her only one that can be called her 'friend'.
From afar, a single girl seems to waving her hand in front of class while called Alice name.
"Princess Alice!"
Alice noticed, with slow and elegant move she wave her hand full of courtesy and make a faint smile.
"Good day, Beatrice," Alice said.
"Ah, good day, Princess Alice,"
Alice smiled at Beatrice, the lack of courtesy that Beatrice show is because of her backgruond. She's a candidate female attendant from house of Marquesses that has a potential because her learning capability. With a high grade and easy to learn something, the house of Marquesses Haileye gave her a schoolarship to enroll and have a privilege to studying in this school.
"Beatrice," Alice called out Beatrice,
Beatrice shrudder, her back feel chilly. With an intense smile carved on Alice face, she stare at Beatrice, "A-l-i-c-e." Alice said.
Beatrice smiled wryly, the corner of her mouth lifted up, trembling for maintaining the courtesy smile, "Wi-with utmost respect, I can't accept the offer to call Princess without a title."
Alice sighed, and then added, "At least drop the title when we are alone, ok?"
"I will try my best,"
After the little exchange, the two of them continue the walk. Beatrice bringing a hamper with her, following the pincess in front of her with full of coutesy like serving her own master. They're walking to the backyard of the school building, the yard is full of girl with they circle. Chatting each other with a cup of tea in hand. But, even if one of the bench are empty; Alice and Beatrice still continue they walk and entering the forrest that surrounded the school.
Half of the way, Beatrice seems to realizing something.
"Um, Princess Al-"
When Beatrice try to addressing Alice, in the middle of her sentence Alice interrupt her, "Alice," Alice said.
With wryly smile, Beatrice do over her way of addressing, "A-Alice,"
"Yes?" Alice smiled, hersmile bloomed as soon as Beatrice do over.
"It seem I forgor to bring the thermos, mind if you waiting at the usual while I'm get the thermos?"
Without hestitation Alice answered, "Sure, I don't mind."
As soon as Alice gave her consent, Beatrice give the hamper and began to rung lighly back to the school. When the cute figure of Beatrice dissapear, Alice continue her walk to the usual place. The place that become Alice and Beatrice destination is an old stone building slightly in the middle of the forrest. An old school that has been abandoned become her favorite place to eat her lunch while enjoing the solitude.
The old school is not maintained well, the well, and wall covered in moss. While vines trying to climb and embrace the building with gentle touch. And a wild flower sprout everywhere. Decorating the whole old castle with feasting color.
Alice inhale deeply and her eyes closed. She trying to savour all the earth grassy and sweet aroma to the fullest while make a little step forward eachtime. The wind blowing; by the gentle touch, the wind goes caressing her whole body and fluttering her skirt without her consent.
Slowly, her eyes opened; and saw a person in front of her eyes. Sitting on the stools, facing forward as he showing his back at her. A single canvas can be seen, with nomble movement he brushing and make the pencil at his hand dancing through the canvas, sketching the scenery in front of him.
Alice stood still stunning, watching the person that she's never meet before sketching her favorite place. When the sound of scratch can't be heard, the person in front of her turning back. Staring deep to her eyes as if he's can saw through her.
With a smile on his face, he said, "Good afternoon."