Lillian opened her eyes just as the sun's rays burnt into her eyeballs.
"What the fu-*k?!?" She screamed and fell off the bed, rubbing her eyes.
Her vision was filled with black spots for a solid minute before she could make out where she was.
"My . . . apartment?"
Her worktable and floor were still as messy as when she last saw it. The room looked smaller than before, could it be because of the enormous room she stayed in for the past day?
Wait.
She looked all over herself to see impressions of wounds on the places where she got hurt. Those places still hurt when she moved too much.
She still had the undergarments on but they were torn. What about . . . ?
"The dress."
She rummaged throughout the apartment but couldn't find it. Lillian panicked, she was getting closer and closer to find this truth but without the dress, it would be pointless.
Lillian laid face-first on the hardwood floor, her hair scattered all around the floor as she wondered what she was going to do.
She gently hit her head on the floor continuously when she got a call on her phone. Working her way to the worktable, took the phone and picked it up.
"Hello?" Her voice sounded muffled from being pressed on the floor
"Lillian! Thank goodness you picked up. Can we meet for lunch? There are some more things we have to finalize."
"Finalize what?"
"The party, Lillian. Are you okay? Have you been drinking?"
"Oh! The Masqura-" Lillian pushed herself up with one arm only to fall back on the floor, forgetting how weak she was "-Ouch!"
"Lil? You ok?"
"Yeah! Bright as a cherry!" She shouted.
The hell was that sentence?
". . . Okay? I'll see you in about two hours at Ann's."
"Sure."
"By the way, do you know a boutique I can go to for a gown?"
"Boutique? Boutique!! Elizabeth, you are a genius! Thank you so much! I'll see you in a while."
"Wa-"
Lillian hung up, threw her phone on the bed and ran to the bathroom. Just washing her face isn't going to cut it. She looked so tired and stressed.
Nothing a little makeup can't cover-up. But she needed a bath for her hair.
Jumping into the shower she felt all her tension melt away.
"When was the last time I took a bath? Damn. I miss this so much."
At the moment nothing mattered and she could actually relax but not for too long. She still had work to do and she does enjoy being in the other world as much as she enjoys her job in this world.
Stepping out of the shower, she quickly got dressed, as quickly as someone who hates tight jeans now and only has those in her closet can get dressed.
She wore the one with the stretchiest fabric and even then didn't like the way it felt on her legs anymore.
She felt so subconscious as she walked on the streets, constantly pulling at her shirt. She felt people's gaze more than before, but that could just be her.
"Unbelievable. I actually miss wearing that dress every day." She said, quickly entering the boutique.
"Maybe it's because you miss feeling like a woodland fairy and frolicking in the gardens." Rose teased, standing up from her seat on the table.
Rose and Jasmine sat at a table right at the centre of the boutique. Cookies, crumpets and tea were laid on it. They looked like they were waiting for her, with all that extra chair, teacup and bounty of treats.
"Hello, Lillian. I'm so happy you made it." Jasmine waved at her.
"Yeah. We thought you see a little earlier."
Why do I feel like I did something wrong?
"I cam as soon as I remembered you guys."
Rose threw a paper napkin at Lillian. "It took you this long to remember us?!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Thing is, you guys were always on my mind, it's like I think of you so much that's why I forgot that-"
"Yeah. Yeah. I get it. Come. Sit. You haven't had breakfast yet, have you?" Rose sat back down, taking a sip of her tea.
Lillian teared up. "You guys are truly the truest friends I could ever ask for. It's like you know me more than I know myself." She sobbed.
"It's just tea and snacks." Rose murmured under her breath.
Jasmine got up from her seat and embraced Lillian. "Don't cry, Lillian. You can rely on us as friends do."
"But then. . . Why do you two keep disappearing the moment I need you." She wailed.
Rose and Jasmine exchanged guilty looks.
'H-how about you eat first. Then we can talk properly ok?"
"Ok." She sniffled, wiping her eyes and nose with her sleeves, walking to the table.
"Oh, honey. Take this." Jasmine handed her tissues.
"Thank you." Lillian wiped her eyes and threw the tissues in the dustbin as Rose poured tea for her.
She placed the teacup and saucer for Lillian and Jasmine handed her the snacks. Taking one of the crumpets, Lillian immediately devoured it whole
"Would you like some more?" Jasmine gave the whole plate to her.
"What about-?" Lillian couldn't get many words out with her mouth stuffed.
"Rose and I don't like crumpets. It's a good thing that you like them this much. We didn't know what to get so we just got whatever without realising it. It's a relief that they won't go to waste anymore."
"Oh . . . Thank you then."
After a minute or two of silence, Rose spoke up. "Lillian, can you tell us what happened?"
"What do you mean?" Lillian didn't even look up from her snacks.
"I mean, Jasmine and I found you impaled in your waist, arms and legs by the Old Sage's branches. What happened?? Did you do something to anger it?"
"I doubt that, Rose. There was no hostility coming from the tree."
"I don't think I made it mad but I can tell you everything I know so far. Maybe you guys can help me to connect the dots because, with every clue I find, I just get more and more confused."
"We're listening."
-------------------------
"Woah."
"I know right? Nothing makes sense."
"So, you're saying that the King has no idea that most of the people are suffering from extreme poverty? That doesn't make sense. How does that happen?" Rose leaned her head back, letting out a loud sigh.
"I believe he has no idea because he says that he knows that the people are living a good life, not just that, the records indicate that he does make laws and rules to help his people. Strange thing is that the people have no idea of the King's face. I mean, if they are from far away then I can understand but just the people outside the palace wall also have never seen him."
"From what we know, the royal family has a habit of making themselves and their presence known. They never liked hiding. Could it be because he doesn't have any magical abilities that he doesn't want to show himself to the public?" Jasmine tried to rationalize the situation.
Lillian chocked on the tea, coughing and laughing at the same time as she leaned against the table.
Rose and Jasmine could only stare at her, confusion riddled in their faces.
When she finally calmed down, Lillian said, "He doesn't care about that. Magic or no magic doesn't matter to him, he has so much confidence in his abilities that he can't believe that the people would even have the idea to rebel."
"You seem to know the king quite well, Lillian." Jasmine gave her a sly smile.
"It's nothing like that. He annoys me to the core. But . . . He's been really helpful so far, so I appreciate him."
Lillian bit into a crumpet, looking very lost in thought. The corners of her mouth turned up.
"And he's gorgeous! Imagine the beautiful babies he'll make."
"Lillian! Lillian! You're drooling again."
Rose threw another tissue at her, trying hard not to laugh.
"About your dress."
"What dress?"
Rose gave her an exasperated look. "Why did you come here, Lillian?"
"Oh, the dress! I forgot I wasn't wearing it at the moment." She smiled sheepishly. "It's with you right?"
"Unfortunately, it's not, Lillian."
"What do you mean?"
"If it's not with you or with us, it may have been seized before it could transfer to either of us."
"People can do that?"
"If they are powerful enough, then yes."
"Why would they want the dress? For its magic? And why aren't you more worried?"
"No. Once the dress has chosen, it is kind of bound to them and will find a way to return. That's why."
"If it's not with you or with me then who will it be with?"
The bell at the doorway rang as someone peeked in. The sunlight streaming in from behind the person, the hustle and bustle of the city could be heard in the back.
"Uh. Excuse me." A voice called out. "Is this a bad time? I just really need to find something for my wife. It is our anniversary."
"Of course. Please come in." Jasmine made her way to the door, holding it open for the man to enter.
As the person entered in a heavy feeling of dread surrounded the boutique, Rose felt it sooner and jump up from her chair and run to Jasmine.
An old man stood there, very smartly dressed and leaning against a cane. He had an air of sophistication on him, that mixed with an overwhelmingly threatening aura.
"Thank you so much. It is a bit chilly here. The inside is warmer. What a quaint little shop." His gaze landed on Lillian, there was something so sinister in his expression.
"Hello, pleasure meeting you again."
"Who are you?" She stood her ground, though her legs feel like jelly and she needed to hold onto the chair for support.
"Oh. Do forgive me." He snapped his fingers and his face melted away, dripping into the floor and disappearing like vapour.
Rose pulled Jasmine behind her, ready to attack. But the man never looked away from Lillian. Completely unbothered by Jasmine and Rose.
Once the disguise was gone, Lillian's eyes widened in shock.
That purple hair, those purple eyes.
"You?" It could only come out as a whisper.
"Duke of Lenhd at your service, pleased to meet you-" he gave a bow, smiling manically "-Fairy Godmother."