I awoke the next morning, getting up as I yawned and stretched out my arms. I then glanced at the window which reflected the beautiful clear skies. Through the parted curtains, a small crack in the windows let in a cool wisp of air making me smile at the breeze. I'm still here,huh...
"Young Miss, you're up. Permit us to get you ready for breakfast." A group of maids said as they bowed in an orderly manner. My nanny smiled as I caught her eyes. She then walked towards me and helped me out of bed. "Good morning Young Miss, I've got ready for you a beautiful dress for breakfast. The Master and Madam are already headed for the dining room." she said as she led me to the bathroom.
I smiled and thanked her politely, making everyone in the room flinch from the unexpected gesture. My nanny's expression did not falter however and she kept a firm grip on my hand as she led me from the room filled with rising tension.
***
"... I bid you a good morning... mother... father..." I said as I curtsied with a slightly bowed head. My parents stopped in their tracks as I noticed my mother beaming at me. My father on the other hand seemed to have choked on the piece of bread he was eating just a moment ago as he coughed in a fit.
"My~ Lily! You're so well behaved today! I feel as if I hadn't heard you call me mother in years!" my mother said as she rushed to hug me.
If I remembered correctly, Lily and her mother got into a fight a year ago and slowly drifted apart as Lily didn't want to apologise first. The cause of the fight was honestly so silly. Just because Lily's mother refused to buy her an expensive porcelain doll, she had thrown a fit and ignored her mother for a whole year. How childish! So... I suppose the mother's reaction is pretty normal but... why is the father so surprised as well?
"Lily~ Mother is sorry! I missed talking to you! I'll buy you that doll if you will forgive me." Lily's mother wailed as she squeezed my frail body. "Um... mo... mother... you're crushing me..." I gasped as I pushed her off. "Oh my! Lily dear, I'm so sorry!" Lily's mother replied... well... my mother... replied.
"I... don't need the doll. I'm... sorry as well..." I said as I glanced up towards my mother's face, locking eyes with her tear filled emerald eyes. "Ohhh~ I love you Lily!!!" my mother cried with glee as she wrapped me in a tight embrace once again. "... I... love you too..." I said softly, resulting in a tighter grip around me.
I'm sure this would be what the real Lily would have wanted. After all, she never made amends with her mother before her mother died, hence she always held contempt for Delia who seemed to have the perfect life, a happy family and a fruitful future. Lily also hated the fact that she could no longer apologize nor tell her mother that she loved her and that thought haunted her even till the day she died. Truly... TRAGIC.
A cough filled the air as we both turned towards it. My father's stoic expression was replaced with one which spelt out, 'Don't leave me out of this loving family scene' which made me giggle a little. His face then flushed a bright red as he coughed once again to hide his embarrassment.
That's right, Lily's family was a happy one before her mother died. Everyone in her family got along well and the thought of her being abused by her father was practically impossible as he loved her dearly. Speaking of which... where was her brother, Cain?
As I turned to look for him, I noticed a head of black hair and blue sapphire eyes. That's my brother alright. He had the most beautiful pair of eyes and a look of disinterest on his face whenever he were out on social gatherings. Though, that's far ahead in the future. Now instead, he was a young boy who was yawning and rubbing his eyes groggily as he made his way to the dining table.
"Hwaa... Oh... Sister! Gwod Mwoning!" Cain said with a sweet smile as he rushed to hug me. I of course grinned with glee as he was so adorable! It's hard to imagine how he would grow up to be the knight who won many wars acting as the crown prince's right hand man.
"Oh, Cain... Does mommy not get a good morning from you?" our mother asked with a sad puppy look on her face. "Heehee... Mommy! Daddy! Gwood Mwoninggg!" Cain grinned as he grinned at them whilst clinging to me. Both our parents broke out in grins as they greeted him as well.
"Sister... Mommy... No fight?" Cain asked as he glanced from me to our mother with a confused look on his face. "Ah, no Cain. We made up!" I said beaming at him. Cain smiled back and gleefully ate his breakfast as our parents watched us in silence with smiles on their faces.
As we neared the end of breakfast, my father told me to visit him in his study, making me jump from this sudden development. It made me question myself to quickly determine what could possibly be the cause of him calling me to his study. It can't be that he found out that I'm not his daughter... can it?
***
In Lily's father's study, I sat in silence at the sofa placed in front of a coffee table. My father then sat across me from another sofa in front of the coffee table. We sat in silence for a long while as I fiddled with my fingers worriedly.
"Lily... I called you here because..." my father said, suddenly breaking the silence causing me to jump from my seat. "Uhh... I was actually against it but... since it would benefit our house and I couldn't really go against their orders... Ermm..." my father continued in a fidgety manner.
"Erm... You're going to be having a formal meeting with your fiance today in the afternoon..." he finally blurted out. Hmm... I see... A meeting with my fiance in the afternoon... Huh... Wait...
"Eh? Isn't that... Very soon...?" I replied with a shaky voice. "Wh-who is it?" I asked obviously knowing the answer. It wouldn't hurt to ask, after all, my future might have changed as I already changed one part of the novel where I got along with my mother again.
"I-isn't it obvious? Your fiance is... the crown prince. Alexander Blaiyth." my father said with a serious face, cold sweat trickling down his forehead. N-NO WAY! That's too sudden! I have no idea how to act! Isn't this like a confirmed route to a dead end?! I wasn't ready for this!!!