"Lillian." A woman in a sunhat and a sundress waved at her from the distance in the middle of a field of flowers.
Lillian turned away from her, she doesn't recognise the woman and would not risk anything by walking to her.
"Are you abandoning me again?" The woman appeared in front of her. Lillian could only see her lips curl into a smile but she couldn't make out her face.
"Who are you?" She asked, trying to walk away from the woman.
She froze then her smile disappeared. "Oh my, my dearest Lillian doesn't remember me? What shall we do about that? Oh, I know."
She walked closer as Lillian moved further back. With her hands outstretched and the skin falling off the bones, she grabbed Lillian's face as the smell of rotting flesh filled her nostrils.
Lillian tried to push the woman away from her but her grip on her was so strong and everything else around them degraded away.
The woman placed her lips to Lillian's ear and whispered something that made her blood run cold.
"Don't think you'll ever be rid of me, Myra."
With a burst of strength, she pushed the woman away from her and fell off the bed, landing on the floor face first.
"Ouch." She pushed herself off the floor and rubbed her nose, her heart still drumming in her chest.
Lillian leaned against the bedpost and buried her head in her hands.
There is no way that's her. She's dead. That's definitely not her.
The music coming from her phone startled her from her thoughts. Reaching out for it she saw the caller ID and took in a deep breath.
With a wide grin and a cheery voice, she picked up the call.
"Hello, Jasmine."
"Hi, Lillian. I am done with the alterations, can you come now?"
"Sure, I'll be right there."
"See you then."
"Sure."
The moment Lillian hung up, the smile from her face vanished.
I don't want to go anywhere at the moment.
But you have to.
I know.
Lillian reluctantly pushed herself off the floor and hopped into the shower, hoping it will remove some of the grogginess and the unsettling feeling in her body.
Myra.
"Get out of my head." She said, hitting her head repeatedly as the water from the shower ran down her body.
Looking into the mirror, she saw her tired and worn out expression and just behind her was the woman. Her sunhat still covering most of her face.
"I need to get out of here fast."
Lillian got ready and was out of the apartment in a couple of minutes.
What time is it?
4:43 p.m.
Wow, how long did I sleep for? I have to hurry.
--------------
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Rose asked, walking back and forth in the workroom.
"Sure what is a good idea?" Jasmine looked up from arranging the two dresses on the table. "If it is about the trip, remember that you already agreed with it."
"I know. But, you know how I often overthink. I'm just worried so many things can go wrong." Rose sat down on a chair in frustration, head in her hands.
"I know, Rose." Jasmine sat down beside her, "But if you only see how it can go wrong then you'll never actually have the courage to get anything done."
"I guess that's true."
"Of course, so just know that if there are chances it can fail, there are chances it can succeed too. Alright?" Jasmine patted her back and grinned.
"Yeah. Thank you."
"Hey, it's no problem. I understand how you're feeling, we've never been apart from the moment we met. So I am a little worried about how you will handle the palace work." She placed a hand to her lips, teasing her.
"Be more worried about yourself. Lillian is a handful." She retorted.
"Yeah, maybe but you should try to be a little nicer to her too, don't you think?"
"I'm trying but she always finds a way to annoy me whenever we talk."
"It would seem like she feels that way about you. Just try ok? We are much older than her."
"Fine, I'll try. Speaking of which, where is that girl?"
"Sorry, I'm late!" Lillian burst through the door, a half-eaten baguette in her hand.
"Speak of the devil." Rose murmured.
"Be nice," Jasmine said threateningly and made her way to Lillian. "It's ok Lillian. Want to see the dresses?"
"Sure."
Jasmine pulled her to the dresses laid on the table and Lillian bit hard on her lip like she was trying to hold back her tears.
The beautiful blue gown with intricate lace detailing is now a simple plain blue dress.
"What do you think, Lillian?" Jasmine asked. "One is yours and the other is mine. Same cut and fabric, yours is just embedded with magic. Honestly, I'm surprised the Old Sage let me alter it. I need to do more studies on this."
"It's really good. You worked so hard on it." Lillian said through gritted teeth.
"Are you feeling ok, Lillian?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. I'm good."
"Really? You look a little pale. Did you get to rest?"
"Yes. I did. What about both of you?" Lillian tried to shift her attention to something else other than the hurt she felt seeing the dress.
"We just need to fill our Vials and then we're fine," Jasmine replied, cheerily. She glowed like one who slept and woke up satisfied with her sleep. While Lillian still looked like she didn't sleep for weeks and that day, she couldn't get her hair to cooperate with her so she just decided to go out looking like a sheep that needs trimming.
"Curse everyone and their beauty." She hissed under her breath.
"Should we get going then?" Jasmine asked as Rose picked up the dresses and draped them across her arms and summoned a portal.
"Sure." Lillian caught the dress Jasmine tossed to her from Rose's arm and begun wearing it.
"We'll see you there."
They walked through the portal and vanished.
"Sure."
----------------------
"Hey. I'm going on a trip for a while. Are you ok with that?" Lillian asked hands-on the Old Sage's trunk. "Well, you kinda have to be because I already am ready to go. Maybe I should have talked to you about this properly first? I don't know. I admit I was a little impulsive. Sorry."
Lillian leaned her back against the trunk and looked at the garden around them. Everything looked so peaceful at the moment.
At the other side of the castle, the servants were preparing the carriage for their journey and Rose and Jasmine were with the Duchess getting some portions from the treasury.
Myra.
Lillian sighed, shaking her head and covering her ears with her hands. Why can't this voice leave her alone?
Something brushed against her shoulders and wrapped around her waist, pulling her into the air.
"Whoa. Wait. What's going on?"
The Old Sage placed her on a branch and from the height, she could see the entire garden and the sun's rays on each of the plants with their colourful leaves.
"Wow." She whispered as the breeze blew and a warm feeling covered her entire body.
The mark on her chest glowed as the warmth spread through her entire body. Magic spread through her veins and nerves as she continued to look at the garden all around her.
Once her body cooled down she missed the warmth, wishing she could feel it again while the tree placed her back on the ground. Her legs felt like jelly as soon as she stepped on the ground, making her lose her balance and she fell.
"Ouch. Oh, thank you." Lillian smiled up at the tree that didn't bother to answer her but she still felt happy with what it did for her.
"Lillian!" Jasmine called to her from the castle.
"Thank you again. I'll take care of the King. I promise!" Lillian shouted to it, running to them.
A soft tinkling could be heard from the tree as she got further and further away.
------------------
"Are you ready, your highness?" Lillian asked the Frog sitting on a cushion across from her as the carriage door slammed shut.
The frog croaked in response, looking out the window to see the Duchess, Jasmine and Rose make their way to them.
"Thank you so much for this, Duchess. Your kindness is eminent." Jasmine said a satchel draped across her torso.
"Please don't thank me. You are doing so much for our kingdom, this is all I can do." Margaret said, hand on her stomach.
"Lady Lillian, take care of Roman for me, ok?" Margaret took Lillian's hand in hers.
"Sure, Duchess. Uh … I have a question." She fidgeted nervously.
Do I even have the right to ask about this?
"What is it? Do you need anything, Lady Lillian? Don't be scared to ask for anything."
Margaret smiled so gently at her, she felt something stab her heart.
"No, it's just … Are you ok, Duchess? You just lost a child and now you have to run a kingdom. We didn't really ask about that an-"
Lillian stopped talking when she heard Margaret's laugh.
"Lady Lillian," The Duchess squeezed her hand tight and smiled, "Thank you, for being worried about me. My children are coming as we speak and Rose and I will deal with the husband as soon as we can. We will take care of everything here, you just worry about Roman, ok?"
"OK, Duchess." Lillian smiled up at her as Jasmine entered the carriage and settled herself on the couch.
"Ready?" Jasmine asked Lillian and the frog, who croaked in response.
"Yup."
"Let's get going then."
Jasmine waved her hands and the carriage started in its way. It uses small amounts of magic from Jasmine to move so there is no need for a driver.
The three of them waved at the two figures that waved back until they couldn't see each other anymore.