"Are you sure about this, your majesty?" Lillian asked, staring at Sappire.
"Yes. I wish to confirm something." He answered calmly seated on his chair.
"But … are you really sure?" Lillian asked again, nervousness in her voice.
"Yes. Is something wrong, Lillian?" Sappire raised his brow and looked at her.
"Well …" Lillian trailed off, her hands on his head as she stood behind his chair, "It's a little … awkward, don't you think?"
"Awkward? I don't think so. Do you feel uncomfortable around me?"
"Uncomfortable isn't the word here. It's just … you are the King and I am still just a peasant. Laying my hand on your head like this while we are alone in a room is a bit …"
"Don't worry. This is my room, no one will dare to enter here without my permission." He said, very nonchalantly.
That makes it even worse!!
"As the King, shouldn't you be more mindful of your image?"
"I have always been careful of how I presented myself to the public, what do you mean?"
"I don't know. This may just be me, but being in your private chambers with a woman might not sit well with many people if they ever find out. You know?" Lillian tried again.
"You worry about the most trivial things, Lillian." Sappire laughed. He reached his hand out and patted her head. "Don't worry. I will see to it that your reputation isn't tarnished."
Lillian felt herself almost melt into a puddle when his hand rested on her head. A soft red blush crept from the back of her neck to her ears and she lost all reasoning.
"Shall we get started then?" He asked, relaxing back into his seat.
Unable to find the words to say anything, Lillian just nodded and placed her hands on his head again.
"Ready, your majesty?" Lillian managed to force herself to say as her hands felt the soft hair.
"Yes."
"Then, please relax and let your mind do the work."
Lillian released a breath as she forced her magic to work as she wanted it to, by taking in the magic from the King and manipulating it, just as she did before.
This time she focused on finding the King's magic and seeing how she can put that to use.
Closing her eyes, she let her body wand through the darkness of the King's subconscious. There are several chests in that darkness, some were open with soft, warm light emitting from them, while others were empty and cold.
Lillian rummaged through those chests, looking for something she wasn't sure of.
What am I doing? What the hell am I doing? Why did I agree to this?
A few minutes ago,
"It seems that your magic is entirely based on the mind so I want you to look through my mind and see if you can find anything there," Sappire said like he was presenting a fact.
"Something? What do you mean? What will I be looking for, your majesty?" Lillian asked, confused. "I need you to I have no idea how my magic works or anything about it, really."
"Your magic, from the way you used it last time, it can be seen that you need not just the magic from another person but also their subconscious mind to cooperate with you. That is the only way it will work."
"OK." Lillian nodded her head, he was paying more attention than she suspected.
"So, that means, you may be able to dive into my subconscious mind and right the wrong there." He spoke with so much enthusiasm, Lillian didn't want to say anything that may make him feel otherwise.
"I may be able to do it." She said and raised her hand before he had the chance to talk again, "I also may not. The mind is a very delicate thing, your majesty. I don't think it is very wise to pry into what shouldn't be pried into."
"If I am permitting to let you do that, then how is it something that shouldn't be pried into?" Sappire asked, stubbornly.
"Then may I ask you not to be as vague as you currently are? I still do not understand what you are trying to ask of me."
"Well … fine. I guess since I am asking you for help here, I may as well tell you." Sappire leaned forward and rested his head in his hands. "Do you know about the battle of Uris?"
"Battle of Uris? Could it be-"
"Yes. I went off to another battle that day, I had promised Vaille that it would be my last conquest. But I didn't know what waited for me. I blinked and the entire battlefield had become littered with the bodies of my men. Only I stood, alive and unscathed.
"Until now, I don't know what happened that day. I have no memory and, what was strange about it is that the battlefield only had the bodies of my men. No other troops were there and I couldn't even remember the kingdom we set off to attack."
Sappire stopped talking and sighed, his frustration at the lack of memory he has of that day clearly showing. His hands covered his face as he looked to the floor.
"You used my magic and my mind to create that scene right?" He asked, looking at Lillian through his fingers
"Yes."
Pausing while his mind went into deep thought, he contemplated on how open he should be to the mysterious girl in front of him.
She doesn't seem to be as suspicious as a lot of other people he met but he can't be too trusting. After all, she is still much unknown. Her past as well as who she is.
But … she might be the only one that can help him and he can't take the risk of finding someone else that may be able to what she can.
If she can do it anyway.
"I know you don't trust me, your majesty and that is understandable. But why not try your luck with me. If it doesn't work, then at least we tried." Lillian said, quickly covering her mouth with her hands.
What's wrong with me? Why did I say that? What on earth? It's like my mouth moved on its own. What's going on?
"You are right, Lillian." Sappire instantly regained his composure and smiled at her. "I will tell you what no one outside this castle knows, not even the servants. I have lost my magic."
"What?" Lillian frowned. "You can lose your magic?"
Is that even possible? Neither Jasmine nor Rose has told me about it.
"I didn't think it was possible either but from what has happened to me, I wouldn't rule it out." Sappire leaned back against the chair again, trying to relax.
"That's why you are asking me to try looking into your subconscious?"
"Yes. You might find something there. Something that has to do with that day and what happened."
"What if I'm not able to do it?"
"It's like you said, at least we tried right?" He smiled and rested his hand on top of Lillian's fidgety one. "I'll be in your care then, Lillian."
At that moment, when he said that with his soft voice and gentle eyes, Lillian knew, she would not be able to say no to him even if he asks her for the world.
And that is how I got here. Lillian sighed, looking through each chest. The empty ones faded the moment she touched them while the open ones had lots of memories in them. As she entered further and further in, she could see the chests getting bigger and bigger.
But they all hold the same things, memories. Though they were getting scarcer.
She kept walking, trying to find something, anything, out of the ordinary. That was when she came across the only closed chest with a big lock in it.
"Hmmm? Strange." Lillian walked to the chest and touched it, quickly pulling her hand back in pain.
"Hot." She hissed, trying to cool down the burning feeling in her hand. "Well, this just might be it."
She shook her hand and blew on it, but the burning sensation wouldn't calm down.
"What should I do? Try to break it?" Lillian looked around her, everything was dark except for the light from the chests. "Well, maybe I can try it."
Lillian took a deep breath and tried to release her magic on the lock to try and break it, but no magic came from her hands.
"Hmm? Guess I can't use magic here. Is there something else I can use?" She looked around her and saw … nothing.
"What can I use then? I can't touch it without burning myself." Lillian sat cross-legged on the ground and tried to think. But she couldn't come up with anything.
Lillian let out a scream of frustration both from the burning pain on her hand and her annoyance at what is happening at that moment.
"I'll go back for now and talk it over with the King." She finally decided, standing up.
Taking another deep breath, she pulled herself out of there and back into her own mind.
"Ack." She clenched her teeth, feeling the pain in her hand finally subside.
Sappire stood up and held his palms open, brilliant golden flames emerged from his hands and he smiled at Lillian with sparkling eyes.