When they regained their composure, Lillian sighed softly and said,
(Lillian) "The prophecy said that once the younger reaches adulthood, things will start unfolding. But… Do they mean seventeen, which is the current age of adulthood for the Adrenian Empire or twenty, which is the age of adulthood in the Vayithen Empire?"
Liana frowned, thinking.
(Liana) "There's also the chance that they mean the age of adulthood when the prophecy was made, but we don't know exactly when that was. It could also not be an age…"
(Lillian) "It could also mean it metaphorically."
Liana nodded. They both thought in silence for a few minutes before Lillian spoke up.
(Lillian) "We can guess that we both still haven't fully reached adulthood, metaphor or not."
When Liana nodded, she continued:
(Lillian) "I think we should just continue doing what we were doing and just see where it goes for now. The highest chance is that we'll fulfil the prophecy but we don't know for sure."
Liana nodded slowly.
(Liana) "Will you still continue being my so-called bodyguard, then?"
Lillian raised her eyebrows.
(Lillian) "You didn't ask this question when you found out my position as chief."
Liana chuckled softly.
(Liana) "Don't you think this situation is slightly different?"
Lillian smiled and replied,
(Lillian) "Technically I'm still hired by your parents, so yes, I'm still your bodyguard."
Liana grinned and a few seconds later, a faint blush was visible on Lillian's face. Liana's eyes widened when she saw Lillian blush.
(Liana) "I thought you aren't reading my thoughts?"
The blush on Lillian's face darkened as she blinked in surprise. Frowning slightly, she replied with a confused expression.
(Lillian) "I'm… not."
Then it was Liana's turn to blink in surprise.
(Liana) "Then how did you hear my thoughts?"
Lillian bit her lower lip lightly as she replied,
(Lillian) "I don't know… could it have something to do with the bond?"
Liana thought for a few moments and nodded slowly.
(Liana) "It's possible."
Lillian's eyes widened and she gave Liana a strange look. Liana grinned as she asked,
(Liana) "Did it work?"
Lillian blinked in surprise but nodded her head slowly. Liana chuckled as she said,
(Liana) "The prophecy never mentioned this, did it?"
Lillian shook her head.
(Lillian) "The portion I have doesn't mention anything about the bond, just that it's there."
She grinned as she continued,
(Lillian) "We have time to figure it out, and I'm sure there will be many more things like this."
A few moments later Liana blushed again, prompting Lillian to realise what had happened and blush as well.
(Lillian) "But first, we should probably figure out how to control this."
Liana nodded in agreement.
(Lillian) "I would love to do it now, but unfortunately we have to go for breakfast, then I have some duties as chief."
She said with a soft sigh. Liana looked disappointed for a moment, but the look quickly disappeared.
(Liana) "What kind of duties are they?"
Lillian's eyebrows rose as she said,
(Lillian) "You can… accompany me if you want… But they're pretty boring."
Liana grinned.
(Liana) "Really?"
Lillian nodded slowly with an amused look on her face.
(Lillian) "You actually want to watch me?"
Liana raised an eyebrow and said,
(Liana) "I think you already know the answer to that."
Lillian nodded but Liana noticed she seemed a little off.
(Liana) "What's wrong?"
Lillian blinked before shaking her head.
(Lillian) "Nothing, don't worry about it."
Liana raised an eyebrow.
(Liana) "Do you seriously think I'm gonna believe that? You seem to have forgotten my other skill, along with the fact that I think the bond also tells me."
Lillian looked embarrassed for a moment, but it cleared quickly.
(Lillian) "You're… not asking questions or anything."
Liana frowned. Then, with a gentle smile on her face, she asked,
(Liana) "Do you want me to? I figured you'd tell me when you were ready, and even if you're never ready, I'd rather not make you relive it more than you already do."
Lillian gave Liana a sort of tired-looking, resigned look.
(Lillian) "You can ask… if you want to know."
Liana shook her head.
(Liana) "I already said, you can tell me when you're ready."
Lillian nodded and was about to respond when there was a knock on the door. Liana raised an eyebrow and Lillian called out.
(Lillian) "You can just come in, Liz."
The door opened and Liz popped her head in.
(Liz) "Hey, I don't mean to interrupt if you haven't finished your talk, but breakfast is ready."
Liana and Lillian shared a glance and Liana spoke.
(Liana) "Thank you for telling us, Liz. We will be down in a few minutes, so could you go ahead?"
Liz raised an eyebrow.
(Liz) "Are you mocking me?"
Liana couldn't hold back her laugh as she said,
(Liana) "I forgot you have the same ability as me."
Liz gaped for a moment but soon joined in, laughing as well.
(Liz) "Don't be so mean, Lil has me learning how to be formal, and when situations are serious, it tends to come out."
Liana chuckled.
(Liana) "Sorry, sorry. It's just so fun to tease you."
Then, with a more serious tone she said,
(Liana) "But I understand what you mean. As part of training to be the queen, I have to learn how to conduct myself as a 'lady', which includes formal speech."
She emphasized the lady in a way that showed how lowly she thought of it. Liz grinned and asked,
(Liz) "So are you two coming or not?"
Lillian, who was still sitting quietly on the other side of the room, stood up and walked over to Liana, offering her hand. Liz smirked as Liana grabbed Lillian's hand and Lillian pulled her up.
(Liz) "Oh right. I was going to mention this earlier, but I wasn't sure if you two would have realised it anyway. Earlier, Lil didn't actually read your thoughts, Liana."
Liana raised her eyebrows.
(Liana) "Well, we found out that we can talk like that through the bond, but how did you know?"
(Liz) "I have a skill that I sort of created or developed that lets me know when Lil activates her mind-reading skill. When we were younger and we used to play, she would always use her skill to cheat until I managed to develop this skill. She didn't activate her skill earlier."
Liana had a slightly surprised look on her face as she asked,
(Liana) "Lillian cheated!? What kind of games did you two play, anyway?"
Liz shrugged.
(Liz) "Mind games and puzzles, but mostly we just sparred with each other."
She paused and made a face.
(Liz) "Now that I think about it, playing mind games with someone who has the ability to read minds is quite dumb."
Liana gave her an incredulous look.
(Liana) "You only just realised?!"
Liana asked, emphasizing the 'just'. Lillian shook her head, amused at the two girls and said,
(Lillian) "You two can continue this another time, but how about we go eat breakfast first, then we can continue training?"
Both girls glared at her. Lillian raised her eyebrows but said with an amused smile,
(Lillian) "Okay, no training today, then. However, it means that you two have to work harder tomorrow."
The two smaller girls groaned in unison.
(Liz) "Do we have to, Lil? Can't we just take a break? Your training is insane."
Liana added softly,
(Liana) "It really does make someone want to die by the end of the day, no offence, Lillian."
Lillian raised an eyebrow. Then with a smile that sent shivers down their spines, she said to Liz and Liana,
(Lillian) "Alright. You two can have two days off. However, you will have to spar with my selected soldiers after that."
Both girls immediately thought that they should never try to argue with Lillian or something worse would happen.
*
They then realised that Lillian was looking past them and turned around to see one of the ladies Liana had seen the first day she arrived standing near the door. Liz had a scared look on her face as the lady bowed slightly to Lillian before turning to Liz.
(Rose?) "I told you to come and get them for breakfast, not join their conversation and complain about your training."
(Liana's thoughts) 'Is that the lady Liz called Rose that day? Or was it the other one? Also, why does Liz look so scared of her—'
Her thoughts were cut off by Lillian laughing, but trying to cover it up. Lillian made eye contact with her and used their bond to tell her that she'll answer her questions later on.
The lady turned to Lillian and greeted her properly this time, fisting her right hand and bringing it over her chest while bowing lower than the first time.
(Lillian) "Rose, you can bully Liz later, but for now, thanks for coming up to get us."
(Liana's thoughts) 'It is Rose.'
(Lillian) "Let's go down now before we get side-tracked again."
Rose nodded before turning to the side. Lillian started walking and Liana and Liz followed suit. Rose fell into step on Lillian's right, about half a step behind her. Liana noticed this and wondered whether Rose was a soldier or just someone directly under Lillian.
(Rose) "Chief, Hunter and Erich have gone for a hunting trip and said they would not be back for a month or so."
Lillian nodded.
(Lillian) "When do you think Hunter's going to realise his job is well, not really a job?"
Rose chuckled softly and Liana as well as Liz had to hold back their laughs as well.
(Rose) "You could just tell him instead of letting him do what he likes."
Lillian shrugged.
(Lillian) "He's really hard-headed."
(Liana's thoughts) 'She seems to be pretty close to Rose. I really want to know what position Rose has in the Tribe now. That day it didn't really seem like she had a very important position… Unless Lillian is like this to everyone? No that's not right either. Don't tell me it's—'
Her thoughts were cut off again as they reached the dining room. Liana glanced at Lillian and saw that she was still talking to Rose. After a short while, Rose bowed and walked away.
Since Liana had arrived at the Clan, she had been sitting on Lillian's right, which was usually left empty. Liz herself would sit on Lillian's left. Liana wondered about this but never thought it was important enough to ask.
They had their meal quickly, with light conversation over the table. The meal was uneventful and Lillian stood up when she finished to go about her chiefly duties. She waited for Liana to get up as well before turning to the door.
(Liz) "Sis! Since we have two days off, can I go visit Ruby? I'll be back in time for the spar."
Lillian raised an eyebrow but nodded.
(Liana's thoughts) 'Who's Ruby?'
(Lillian) "Say hi to Robyn for me."
(Liana's thoughts) 'Now who's Robyn?'
Liz grinned.
(Liz) "Of course. Thanks sis."
(Lillian) "Yeah, yeah. Bye."
Liana noticed no one else was affected by this exchange between the sisters and were instead focused on whatever they were doing. Lillian saw Liana observing the people and explained,
(Lillian) "They are trained to avoid listening in to conversations if it seems private, whether accidentally or intentionally. Even if they're listening, most of them already know Liz likes to disappear once in a while."
(Liana) "So, are you intending to tell me who Ruby and Robyn are and where Liz is going?"
Lillian frowned slightly, almost unnoticeably, almost. Liana still noticed it however and wondered if there was a story connected to the names.
(Lillian) "I'll tell you later, if that's okay with you."
Liana nodded.
(Liana) "You don't need to tell me if it's something you're not supposed to tell or you're not comfortable with telling me. You know that, right?"
Lillian smiled and nodded.
She went to do her duties as chief, with Liana accompanying her and talking to her when she had breaks in between, but mostly just observing her work.