Before they reach the ground, Ray grabbed Lillian's hand as Orion shrunk to the size of a squirrel.
With a wave of his hand, they began to descend very slowly until their feet touched the ground. Lillian was in too much of a surprise to shout or feel scared this time.
Before she knew it, they were far behind the last house in front of a vast open field, a five-hour journey to the next town. The voices of people came from beyond the only house they can see at the moment.
"I'm impressed you didn't start screaming, Lillian," Ray said brightly but her attention was on the field as she remembered that family from the other people.
I made that house stand out like that on purpose. Hopefully, Rose will see it and question them. This is a stupid plan.
"Lillian~" Ray waved his hand in front of her playfully. "Are you ok?"
"Oh, yes. I'm fine." She grinned at him. "Let's go to the first house."
"Don't you mean the last house? We are starting at the last house in town." He said pointing to the house in front of them.
"Right. Does it really matter though?" She rolled her eyes, walking to the house.
"Not really. I just like teasing you." Ray followed after her a tiny Orion on his shoulders.
"What happened back there anyway?" She asked, scratching Orion's neck.
"Orion isn't one I show to everyone. His species have been hunted down for years, only a handful of them exist now. So, every time we are about to land to a public place, he shrinks if there is a threat of being seen, just like he did now." Orion rubbed his head on Ray's cheeks, letting out a soft sound.
Lillian paused, "But you showed him to me. Why are you so careless?"
"Are you saying that you would do something to me and Orion?" Ray asked, taking a snack out of his pocket and gave it to Orion.
"Of course not. But still, you have to be more careful." Lillian huffed, "Is everyone in this Kingdom recklessly trusting?"
"What do you mean by everyone?" Ray tilted his head to her, eyebrow raised.
"The King, princess and now you." She said, quickly walking past him again.
They have wasted too much time in the skies, she needed to hurry and get the list done that day so that she could begin preparations that night itself.
"The King? But His Majesty hardly ever trusts anyone. Let alone someone that just appeared from nowhere." He mused, hands in his pocket as he walked beside her as the voices of people got louder.
They reached the house, meeting some children playing tops in the dirt of the ground. Since the house was a little more outskirts as compared to the others, they could afford this luxury. Though being closer to the castle doesn't mean better houses or roads.
"Now is that any way to talk to your sister?" Lillian asked as they walked up to the wooden house and knocked.
"It's coz you are my sister that I can talk like this," Ray said, turning to the kids and waving at them. One of the girls waved back at him shyly.
Lillian looked at them and gently hit him across his arm, "Don't go flirting with children."
"I wasn't flirting." Ray laughed, making Orion join him with a shrill growl.
"Hey, quiet down. They will notice him." Lillian panicked, gripping his shirt sleeve.
"Him? Orion? Oh, right. I didn't tell you yet right?"
"Tell me what?"
"Well, you see-" Ray stopped talking as the door opened and a middle-aged woman appeared.
"Yes? How may I help you?" She asked, pleasantly. Though her dress is dull and worn through, she still looks very dignified with her posture and demure.
"Madam Lesh. It's me, Lillian." She greeted with a beaming smile.
"Lillian?" She leaned in closer, taking in her face as Lillian took off her bonnet. As soon as her bonnet is off, recognition came across her face.
"Lillian! Sweetheart. Look at you." She gasped. "Do a twirl for me."
Lillian did a little twirl as Ray leaned against the porch fence, watching them with a smile never leaving his face. There is no hint of a romantic feeling in his eyes, just pride.
"Lovely." Madam Lesh said, taking Lillian's hand in her own.
"Of course. There is no one as lovely as my dear sister." Ray couldn't help himself, he was almost giddy with happiness hearing one compliment made to Lillian.
He looked at Lillian, expecting to see her basking in that praise but though she smiled, her eyes look sad.
What-?
"Sister?" Madam Lesh became startled seeing Ray there. His presence is very difficult to detect, it could be a skill of his though. "May I know who this is?"
"Oh, right. Introductions." Lillian held her hand out for Ray, who placed his own there. "Ray, this is Madam Lesh. She is a skilled weaver. Madam Lesh, this is Commander Ray."
"Commander? As in the commander of the royal army?"
"Yes." Lillian nodded, but she stiffened when she saw Ray's frowning face. "What's wrong, Ray?"
"You forget to tell her something else about me." He grumbled.
"Forget something? Should I tell her your age?" Lillian asked, confusion riddled in her face.
"No." Ray bent down and whispered in her ear, "About me being your brother."
Lillian couldn't help the smile that came on her face as she saw his sulking expression, and for such a simple reason.
"Alright." She whispered back, smiling at him. "I almost forgot to mention this, Madam Lesh. He is also my brother."
Madam Lesh smiled at them, a knowing look on her face. "My, seems you have gone through quite a lot since I last saw you. Why don't you come in and we will talk."
"We came here to ask you something, Madam." Lillian quickly said, almost forgetting their reason for visiting.
"All the more reason for you to come in." Without waiting for them, she entered the house, still talking, "What kind of tea would you like?"
Ray and Lillian looked at each other, shrugging their shoulders as they entered the house. Ray held the door open for her, then shut it behind him.
___________
An hour later,
"Thank you so much for your time, Madam." Lillian called at the door, closing the clasp of her bag as Ray walked to the children still playing, "I will send you a message once I have finalized everything."
"Of course, dear." Madam Lesh called to her, looking a little brighter than when they met her earlier. "Come by any time you wish to. My door is always open for you."
"Thank you, Madam. We will see you later then." Lillian waved at her, turning her attention to Ray.
"Hello there." Ray bent down, talking to the children. "What have you got there?"
"Tops." One of the boys said, holding the spinning wooden contraption out for Ray to see. Orion looked at them with keen interest.
Don't they see him?
"I remember playing with these," Ray remarked, taking the one the boy was holding out for him in his hands. "Say, do you think I can try?"
"If you can beat me." One of the boys said, standing up and crossing his arms over his chest. A proud air about him as he tried to size Ray up.
So, he's the leader.
But, try as he might, he still isn't close to being taller than Ray, though he is crouched down.
"Alright. I accept then." Ray declared, not making any attempt to crouch lower for the boy's pride. "May I borrow this top?"
"Ok." The kid replied, shyly speaking. Some of the girls stood in a group, watching everything unfold.
"Ready." Ray wrapped the string around the top of the top.
"Set." The boy held the top, ready to throw it.
"Go!" They shouted at the same time, releasing their tops. Everyone looked with bated breath every time the tops hit each other.
Even Lillian felt nervous, clenching her fists with each bump. Until one top was left spinning.
"Yes!" Ray shouted as Lillian clapped her hands for him. "I won. So, can I now play with you?"
"Sure!" The group of boys shouted, clearly enamoured by him.
"Battle me next!"
"No! Me!"
They began to push and shove each other, holding each top out for Ray to take. Lillian laughed seeing them fight for Ray's attention as they would to an older brother. They began climbing on top of him, knocking him to the ground.
"Sorry to cut your fun short, but we still have places we need to visit, Ray." Lillian walked to them, feeling bad as the boys groaned and got off him. She extended her hand, which he took to pull himself up.
While he dusted himself off, Lillian talked with the children.
"Will you be here tomorrow?" A boy asked, pulling at her skirt. This question made all the eyes fall on her.
"Uh … Well, I don't know." Lillian said nervously, "Do you want to play with Ray that much?"
"Yes!" They shouted.
"Our fathers and families are always busy. They go to work by the time the sun rises and come back home by nightfall." The 'leader' said, answering Lillian's unasked question.
"Is work that bad?"
"Yeah. Sometimes we don't have enough to eat at night." He said, quickly perking up "But it's ok. They are working so hard so we will one day be able to eat many things."
"Right." Lillian murmured, looking at them continue to play without a care in the world.
"What's wrong, Lillian? You look disturbed." Ray came beside her after wiping the dust off him.
"It's just … no matter how hard they work, they won't be seeing much profit." Lillian sighed, "The economy is stagnant. One day, these children will have to work their butt off just to be able to have a meal a day. If I fail … what's going to-"
"Hey," Ray rested his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. His eyes looking very serious as he began speaking, "That's what you are trying to change here, right? Don't look so down. You will be changing their futures. OK?"
"Yeah. Your right." Lillian raised her fists, "I will do whatever I can to make sure they avoid that fate. Thank you, Ray."
His expression softened, "I'm only doing what a good brother would do. Rely on me when you can too, alright?"
"Alright." She shouted with him, giggling.
I have to change this. Lillian thought as they made their way to the next house. There is no room for failure here.