Author's note: You will notice that the words are becoming a present tense rather then a past tense. Because as you may recall, the prologue was meant to be the present. But since the previous chapters all occur a year before the present, you readers are brought throughout the events that lead to the present which is happening "now". 

https://youtu.be/Va9owlwb9Sg

In Her Highness' chamber, Princess Angelica waits for her husband to hear good news to come. News of Alexander's safety. Anything that would mean that he's still alive. She hears footsteps approaching her doors and then finds her husband, John Church, entering in haste.

The princess rises to her feet to hear him out. John takes a deep breath and responds, "I helped Alexander escape."

The good news takes her breath away, and can't help but asks "You mean that?!"

"Lord James Hamilton shall soon mobilize our troops and come to our aid," her husband continues.

"Of course! That is what must happen!" Angelica almost exclaims, trying to hide her emotions. Unsure of what their future holds, John holds her hands to reassure her. In response, Angelica feels nothing. After a moment of silence, the door behind John suddenly opens loudly.

It is Eunice, Angelica's lady in waiting, who bears bad news. She quickly curtsies to the royals afterwards, as an apology for disturbing their moment.

"Your brother, Prince Edward, must have been startled by all this! He's suffering from cold sweat, and his hands and feet are so cold!" Eunice's bad news concerned the royals. Angelica and John ran to her brother's chamber.

However, they were too late once they reached the Prince of Wales' room. 

"What are you doing here? Get out of the way!" Princess Angelica demanded the guards who refused to let them meet the prince. They are under Lord Schuyler's orders not to let anyone in. 

"Step aside. What are you going to do if something happens to the Prince of England?!" John includes himself in the arguement by his wife's side. 

"Without Lord Philip Schuyler's consent, nobody is allowed in," one of the guards neutrally insists. Angelica sighs heavily by the men. 

Not wanting to lose their chance to meet him, John decides to ask the physician who stands beside the guards. "How are the prince's conditions?"

"We managed to stabilize them, but..." Prince Edward's physician trails off. The physician rubs his hands, nervous for the prince's conditions that have grown worse. Prince Edward's symptoms were passed down by his father who experienced such a sickness at a young age. Many tried to point out what type of illness the late King Henry had, but their resources would not help them figure it out otherwise. 

Frustrated by all this commotion, Angelica goes back to confront Elizabeth's father herself if she has to. 

~~~~~~

Finally, Eliza finds the palace gates, but no palace guards were there. Instead, she finds her fathers guards using their spears to block her from entering. She gets off her horse and angrily makes her way to them. 

"Who are you?!" one of the men demanded to know. 

"I came to see my father, Lord Philip Schuyler," she announces her presence. 

"No one is allowed to enter. Go back." 

Even though she tries to move the spears out of her way, the soldiers would not budge. "I must see him so step aside," Eliza demands the guards.  

"What is the matter?" a familiar voice reaches her and she sees Tench Tilghman and his comrade Charles Lee before her. She was surprised to see them here of all places and of all events that could happen at this night. 

"Does Sir Tilghman have something to do with this charade too? What in the world has Father done all this time to gather this many allies?" Eliza thought to herself. She stands stone-faced as Tench walks towards the lord's daughter

"It's dangerous here, so go back home," Sir Tilghman puts a cautious tone in his voice, however Eliza does not buy what these men including him would say about this place. 

"What are you doing here? Did you join my father's cause?" she questions his loyalty. 

Sir Tilghman does not say anything. Assuming that is a yes. 

"How can a friend of his..." Eliza grits her teeth. Her blood boils the more she thinks about the betrayal that has stowed upon Alexander who could be anywhere God knows where. 

"Go back. Escort her back home," Sir Tilghman continues. "Yes," the soldiers respond his command. But before they can grab her, Eliza steps forward and doesn't take away her attention on Tilghman. 

"What about him?" Eliza asks him. Tilghman stops in his tracks. 

"Where is he? Is he alive?" Desperate for him to look at him in the eye and tell her the truth. He studies her for a moment, and eventually obliges her to enter. "Take her to Lord Philip."

The soldiers eventually release her arms from their grasp. Before she enters, she mouths "Thank you" to Sir Tilghman and gets pass him to see her father.

As they make their way to the lord her father, all Eliza can hope for his Alexander to be alive: "Alexander, please be okay! I'm coming for you!"

The trio enter the court where Lord Philip awaits for good news. Little does he expect that his daughter show up here on her own will. Eliza can not believe what she is witnessing when she finds the guards who led her here bow to her father before they take their leave. . Her father is fine; he doesn't seem surprised by all of this commotion. 

No injuries? No ropes tying him to a pole? His legs not trudging? Nothing. 

"What are you doing here?" he asks his daughter. 

"I've heard Jemmy and Mother talk. And they say "that man" is here. Where are you keeping him?" she raises her voice, demanding her father to speak. 

"It is nothing that should concern you. Go back home," her father responds. 

Right now, she has so many questions about her father that she doesn't know. She realizes she doesn't know her father anymore. "Did you not tell me you would propose a betrothal to his father? Or did you just use  that as an excuse to bring harm to the House?" his daughter continues. His father remains stone-faced, not facing his own daughter. All he could say is "I cannot turn back time".

"Spare that man. Heed  my pleas and spare his life!" Eliza pleads her father. Tears well in her eyes as she stands before her father who is responsible for Alexander's disappearance. All this time, she felt powerless not being there for Alexander when he needed her most. She cannot forgive herself for being insecure even before this day. 

No emotion is shown upon Lord Schuyler's face, one cannot tell what he's thinking. "Must I bring you his lifeless head to finally wake you up?" he coldly speaks. 

That's it?! That's all he has to say to me? Eliza thought. He's been doing all this right under my nose and I did not realize it! What have I done to allow all this to happen?

"Were you always this merciless a person?" she questions him once more. 

Before she can continue their argument, Eliza notices that someone is approaching. She can recognize the royal silk. The woman's hairstyle pulled into an updo at the back of her neck. The woman who comes before them is none other than Princess Angelica. 

Eliza notices that Angelica does not seem as surprised as she was, and how tired she is. What really comes to her mind is that fact that Angelica previously mentioned about her father's greed on her wedding day. The late king's daughter approaches Lord Philip like a weary corpse. 

The Prince of Wales suffered a shock. I must see him, so please allow your men to let me in.  

What?! The prince suffered a shock! Just how many more lives does Father plan to put at stake here?! Eliza thought. 

"I shall care for His Majesty. I suggest Your Grace go back," the lord advices Angelica. 

"I must remain beside him. Should anything befall His Majesty... Or maybe that is exactly what you wish for?" Angelica asks, terrified of not being aware of his evil plans. 

Eliza's father then starts to give the princess the look that he is furious with her attitude. He angrily says, "Don't be so impertinent, Princess! I shall not tolerate that insolence of yours!"

"And if you can "no longer tolerate" it, what will you do?" she asks him furthermore. 

Instead of answering her question, he commands his men to bring her to her knees.  

His insults take Eliza's breath away. Did he just talk to the princess that way? Is he really all high and mighty to speak in such a manner?  "Father! Enough with this. I will escort Her Grace to the Prince of Wales," she suggests. 

The princess and the lord look at her in confusion. "How dare you get involved?!" Lord Philip is furious that he almost took Eliza into the castle.

"Why did you separate her from him, despite being aware of his conditions? Unless you truly wish for something to happen to him, let Her Royal Highness see him," Eliza asks one last time. 

"Let us go." Eliza turns to the guard who blocks her and Angelica's path. Finally, the lord gives in and lets them pass to see the prince of Wales.  

~~~~~~~

"What did I tell you? Both when I told you that your father coveted the throne...and was trying to bring harm to His Highness, you scoff at me believing it was impossible. After seeing it firsthand, do you finally believe me? 

Eliza looked back up and wished she could say something. Anything to apologize for her foolishness. But nothing came out. She knew that her apologies would not fix this mess. 

"He used your betrothal as a pretext to cross the palace gates," 

"Do you know what happened to Al- that man?" Eliza solemnly asks Angelica. 

In response, Angelica scoffs at the thought of Eliza asking about that now, aware that she's referring to Alexander. "After seeing what your father did, you still have the courage to mention his name? You're shameless beyond any limit." Her mouth quivers as she glares at Eliza. Her blood boiling. Thinking of Alexander and Eliza together. 

To finalize their conversation, Angelica claims "That's right! Alexander Hamilton is dead! And the one responsible for his and his father's death...is none other than you." 

Eliza's heart shatters the moment she has heard "Alexander Hamilton is dead", the very sentence that she has feared to hear. Eliza's tears finally melt sliding down her cheek, for she is not able to put a brave face anymore. All she can do is sigh heavily in shock and listen to her heart beat. No words would come out of her mouth anymore. 

Once Angelica stormed her way pass Eliza to find Prince Edward, Eliza was left alone standing in the castle grounds. 

Eliza walks further down the aisle of stone walls guiding her throughout the palace. The same words echo in her head. Shortly after, one of her father's personal guard finds her and tells her that he has found a carriage for her to return home in. 

"Did that man really perish? You must have witnessed it all." Eliza tries to hold her tears He doesn't say anything for a while. The silence makes Eliza beg him to say that he is alive. "Did he really..." she trails off when she cannot bear saying the last word one more time, for it has broken her heart. 

There's nothing left for me here...

She eventually decides to go back home, with a need to rest. On the way to the palace gates, she overhears a conversation between her father and a familiar group of men. Once she takes a closer look, she finds out they were the bandits who chased after her and Alexander and hurt him. 

Eliza stops in her tracks to observe when she notices one of the bandits holding a circular object bandaged in a white cloth. Eliza gasps. She is horrified due to the blood stains.

"My liege, the head of James Hamilton," one of the men say when he puts down the beheaded head of Lord Philip's enemy. The men who attacked them at the mountains and these men in her father's presence were the same.

"James. Hamilton. That old lion king has finally perished for us all," Thomas Jefferson scoffed. "Tell me about it. He sure took his time." The others smirked at the sight of Lord Hamilton's lifeless head. "And now it will be Lord Philip Schuyler's time to shine!" 

All Chatilot lords encircling the head with muffled laughters. His body must have been left behind at his home. Eliza could not believe what she is witnessing. She becomes horrified of her father out of all his followers. The muffled laughters that echo make Eliza feel overwhelmed by fear she almost faints.  

Am I really his daughter? Alexander, how could I? Because of me being his daughter, I did this to him....to us.... I'm sorry this happened! I wish I could tell him how sorry I am! This is all my fault! I'll never forgive myself! 

Eliza hits herself on the chest with her fist, not being able to bear the pain that stings her. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop. 

The sounds of the rain reach Alexander's consciousness when they drip into his eyes, which keeps him blinking. The cold hard ground underneath him. Once he wakes up, he doesn't know where he is. 

No longer in the place where he last saw his father, he finds himself in the woods instead as if he was abandoned by someone. 

He coughs by the pain in his neck, but he remembers his father's last words: "Alexander...Rise at once!" Alexander tries to get up with all his might, trying to get it together. 

But he feels so overwhelmed by all that he has lost in one night, he lies facing down and takes deep breaths. 

But no matter how many times he inhales and exhales, and closes his eyes, his memories of many times with his father would reappear in his thoughts. Alexander also tries to recall his father's exact face because he realizes that he will not see his father again. 

His father's warm smile whenever he watches his family from afar. His pride that is motivated by his family and allies who have supported him. The stern look with his furrowed eyebrows that face me whenever Alexander did a wrongdoing. 

Alexander's scream echo throughout the forest. 

He is on the floor, one hand propping his body up- and the other covering his eyes. 

He could feel the tears roll down his face. 

It wasn't until this moment he realized that he is the remaining Nepalese royal successor. 

Later on...

https://youtu.be/yMRDC_nFFaQ

Finally, the sun has risen, but the sunshine vibe does not shine so bright anymore with everything lost in one night. All that has given one happiness is destroyed by power and hate. Alexander thinks. 

That's really all that comes to mind. He does not care if people around him are frightened by his gruesome appearance. His ragged clothes that blood has been spilled on. Bags and grays under his eyes, his hair a mess and probably put up in a pony tailBags are slightly showing under Angelica's eyes from not being able to sleep. 

Little does he expect the people around him to say things he is furious to listen to: 

Person 1: What on earth could lead to Lord James'...

Person 2: Shh! Watch your mouth! From now on, this is Lord Schuyler's world. 

Not only that, but Alexander also decides to follow the crowd that leads him to a circle of people that surround two guards. To Alexander, the guards must be positioned to be presenting the peasants and farmers something. He makes his way through the crowd. 

His eyes gradually trail up from the bottom of two poles... to something horrifying that has Alexander drop to his knees with his body trembling. Names of the killed are written in blood.  

First his brother, now his father. 

(Mature: Blood scene. The trio of asteriks (***) will tell you where it is if you're frightened to read a little more)

Alexander cannot help but burst into tears just thinking about his own father's head on a sharp spike. All his life, he never thought that this day would come. It's like he lost his own family, and now he is on his own. The blood that he shares with his father slips down blood red all the way down the pole. Such a venomous color. 

The chips of the remaining are stuck on the spike, which makes it so hard to bear. (oh god. I don't know if I'm 

The crowd murmurs to one another, and what they say makes Alexander realize his purpose and target. 

Person 2: Looks like the prince is passing by. The late king's brother: Lord Philip Schuyler. 

Person 3: But I hear he's as merciless as it gets. Are you sure he won't scare us?

Schuyler...Schuyler...Philip Schuyler....I will remember this time to my grave! Just you wait Father and Brother. I will have my revenge! How dare he murder my father?! He has murdered him! And yet he puts my father on a spike like a trophy! he thought. 

"Ohh...here he comes!" 

Alexander gets up to his feet and turns around to face Lord Philip coming his way. He's disgusted by the sight of him being in a royal carriage, full of men and servants by his side. While the lord has all of this richness, here is Alexander who has lost everything. 

Alexander grabs one of the men from behind and covers his mouth to keep him quiet. After covering his nostrils, the guard faints and is unconcious. Alexander takes the guard's sword and holds it by his side. 

He follows the crowd and finds himself ending up at Lord Schuyler's mansion, where his family waits for his arrival. He quietly approaches through the crowd like a predator on a hunt for prey. However, more of the people's gossip continues to stop his tracks. 

Person 1: (gasps) Look at how charming all his children are! 

Person 2: Yea! Take a look at that one over there! He's so charming! 

Alexander: His children?

Person 3: To think those will be our future prince and princesses. 

Alexander's eyes follow Lord Schuyler who is walking towards his family who gather around him to embrace him for coming back alive. All of them except one, which catches Alexander's attention. Even though he grabs hold of his sword's handle, his eyes end up finding a very familiar figure. 

Time seemed to slow down when he had a feeling he knew her but he keeps denying it. 

No! It can't be! 

Alexander could not believe her eyes and is horrified by the sight! Eliza is the of Lord Schuyler, the man responsible for the fall of the Nepalese House. 

(Hey guys! This is the author speaking:  It's so sad to see that his own father has been murdered and that his own head is being displayed. Yes, there were dark times when the royals, especially kings, would present a murder in front of the public and present dead bodies to prove their death. Now that Alexander with Eliza, how do you think he would react? What will he plan to do now? To be continued...)

Starting tomorrow I just need to get a hot choco and a decaf latte from Starbucks and I am ready in the morning! Pinky Swear!)