Chapter 6: The Legendary Phoenix Sword

Twelve days passed after the royal burial. Princess Alice and Shaotzie, fortunately, learned to accept their parent's death.

In almost two weeks of weeping and lament, Alice survives the sadness and shadow. She needs to be strong, she must be.

"Your highness, it's time for breakfast," Lucy told the Princess, who's looking at the window. Alicesha was ready for any enemy, the borders and walls are made of stones and sharpening steels.

"I shall eat if I am hungry. Lucy, call Shaotzie! She needs more strength and protein than me." Alice said, still watching keenly the Alicesha.

"Don't let Shaotzie get out of her room. Lucy, watch her attentively." The Princess added.

Lucy shook her head and went to the younger Princess's room.

Alice walked out and went to the King's old study room. She remembered the royal and powerful sword of King Sulliman. It was buried deep down at the ground. It was the King's gift to Alice, at the previous birthday celebration.

"Where are you going, Alice?" Cartlon saw her, walking fast.

"Follow me!" Alice told him.

They went to the underground at the palace. Well, of course, the servants know that Alicesha has an underground but they don't know that there's a secret room at the wall.

"Slow down, Alice! It's getting darker here." Cartlon runs off to reach the Princess, and so, Princess Alice saw the marked wall. It is the way inside.

"It is a secret route into the late King's study room." Alice traces the mark, and she presses it lightly. In a surprise, the wall opened and unlocked.

Cartlon got surprised, he never knew about the secret room. "For all this time, the King built and kept a room for his family. How thoughtful he is."

"Cartlon, help me!" Alice called for help. She can't nudge the antic cabinet alone, it was full of old books and ancient maps. Cartlon steps closer and push the cabinet with his full force.

"It's too heavy!" Cartlon screamed loudly and fortunately, they did it.

"What is your looking for, Alice?"

He asked her.

Cartlon looked around, there was a family portrait hung on the wall. It was them, the royal family.

"I am ready to claim my gift, from my last year birthday." Alice shoves the loamy soil, "Stop looking and touching my father's stuff, Cartlon! Lend me a hand, shoveling the soil."  Alice grinned, looking at Cartlon sarcastically.

Cartlon shrugged his shoulders and get the shovel from Alice. "Let me." He said, folding his sleeve up.

Princess Alice watches him, she saw how his muscles move.

"Stop, Cartlon!" Alice shouted.

She finally saw the ancient box made of steel and metal. It looks like a coffin.

"It's a casket! What are you doing, Alice!" Cartlon tried to stop her from opening it but Alice was too irresistible.

"Stay back." She told him, boldly.

Cartlon has no choice but to obey the Princess. Alice opened the box and turned around, eluding the dust.

Princes Alice gets the sword from it. It was concealed by a piece of cotton fabric, that makes its blade still shiny and polished.

"Alice!" Cartlon exclaimed. He can't believe that the most powerful and refined sword is at Alice. "It is the sword of the late King Sullivan. Isn't it, Alice?"

He asked her. Alice nodded and glared at her reflection on its blade.

The mythical phoenix rises from the flames, its stylized

sweeping wings create the hilt with its majestic head for the pommel. The handle acts as a neck and the blade the tail.

Phoenix sword with amethyst lambskin handle with inlaid bronze bands and leaf-shaped blade. Matching sheath of wood with purple lambskin leather and bronze fittings. (Source: Google.com)

"It's the legendary phoenix sword of my grandfather, King Sullivan. Look at it carefully, try to hold its hilt Cartlon." Alice lends the sword to Cartlon.

It wasn't heavy, the sword must be made personally for a woman. Its hilt is easy to grip on, and you can easily move the sword with ease.

"It's beautiful, Alice! I've never seen such a sword." Cartlon exclaimed.

Aside from its hilt, the blade was long and polished enough to cut a zombie into halves. Princess Alice grips the hilt upright, she sweeps it side by side and laughs abruptly.

"This is what I'm looking for. Let's go back now!" Alice organized everything before leaving. She let Cartlon push back the cabinet on its usual spot.

"Don't tell anyone about it. We must keep it from our enemy." Alice told him.

Alice locked up the entrance, keeping it as secret. No one can recognize that its a foyer for a hidden room. 

Cartlon obeyed what the Princess requested. But, he wanted to tell the truth, the truth behind the King and queen's death.

"Cartlon!" Princess Alice shouted. She walked too fast and so he runs to reach Alice.

**

– The Kingdom of Atlantis –

A long time ago, there was a young boy who never dreamt to become a Prince. He believes that even you are a slave, or belong to the lower class, still, you can be called a man.

Being a Prince of a Kingdom doesn't define the bravery and confidence of a person, of a man to be certain.

"Zeln, my son." King Zeus, tapped his broad and firm shoulders. "Your mother run away from Atlantis and brought you into Alicesha that rainy midnight. She took you and hid from me for almost twenty years, thinking that the Queen will kill her and you, Zeln."

Twenty years have passed since Zeln's mother, Catthia run away from Atlantis. She has her own reason why she suddenly left without telling the King, aside from the Queen's death threat. The late Queen Sapphira was cruel, abusive, and scurrilous.

The moment she heard the rumor that the King of Atlantis, Zeus impregnated a woman who belongs to the lower class. The Queen was humiliated and offended, the King lied and did an immoral sin.

"That's why you ordered your men to follow me at Alicesha? I can't forgive you! My mother suffered from pain and misery, you ruined her life! My life!" Zeln told the King, his father angrily.

King Zeus can't withhold the truth. If he didn't rape Catthia, she will never give birth to the handsome and brave man, Zeln. Catthia was deniable beautiful, despite her status, the King allured with her beauty.

"Your highness, I can't do something immoral against my Queen, Sapphira," Catthia told the King but he was too aggressive and militant.

They were alone at the King's vast and well-decorated room, King Zeus didn't let Catthia go that luminous and cloudless day.

He stood up and slapped Catthia that made her stumble and fell into the ground. "Don't do it, your highness!" Catthia screamed for help but no one dared to help her.

Catthia left the palace at midnight, and she left the King sleeping peacefully. She hid for almost nine months and after she gave birth to an adorable baby boy, Catthia decided to move into the far, far kingdom of Alicesha.

She spoke to one of the King's right hand and pleaded to take her, and Zeln away from the King and Queen.

"I regret it, Zeln! If only I can turn back the time, I would do it with no hesitation and reticence. But, I love your mother so much! I love Catthia for all my life but I don't have a choice but to marry Sapphira to possess my biggest dream, to be a King. However, she can't halt my plans. Sapphira can't stop me from crowning you as the Prince of Atlantis."

"But you have raped my mother! Is that your selfish definition of love, huh? You don't know how much she cried every single day and night for what you've done! You've hurt her! You hurt me, King Zeus."

The King gasped out of disappointment. Perhaps, Zeln will never accept his offer, and so, King Zeus slowly turns his back at him. If Zeln would not condone, then he has no choice but to let his son decided on his own.

"If that's what you want, to be a swordsman and son of a slave, then be it! From now on, I won't bug and pester your life again." King Zeus told him for the last time. He glances at his cold and stone-hearted son, before walking out.

Zeln on the other hand felt a pang of sudden guilt. If he will reject the offer of the King, Sapphira will rule the Atlantis.

"Wait!" Zeln shouted.

The King smiled secretly before turning his head into his son, Zeln. He knows that Zeln will accept it no matter what, and no matter how he hates his own father.

"Does it mean...?"

"Yes, your highness! I'm ratifying for your offer." Zeln bowed to the King.

King Zeus abruptly laugh because of happiness, he tapped Zeln's shoulder and said, "I know you will accept it, son."

"I'm doing this for Atlantis, your highness," Zeln added.

The King didn't bother to answer him back, "Prepare yourself, we will and shall crown you as the Prince of Atlantis, right now."

Zeln lifted up his head and looked up at the King. "Right away, your majesty?" He can't believe it. He accepted the offer a few seconds ago.

"Don't be afraid, I'll be at your back, Prince Zeln." For the nth time, the King thumped his shoulders and seated back to his throne.