Lily arrived at Prince Aiden's palace and was shown into a room to wait for him. She had never seen such luxury in her life; she could not believe she was in a prince's crystal palace. The nerves consumed her as she anticipated dining with Aiden.
The door swung open, and Prince Aiden entered the room. "Ah, there you are, milady," he greeted her.
Lily bowed politely. "Pleasure to see you again, Prince Aiden."
Aiden smiled warmly. "Come on now, no need to be so formal; we are friends, after all."
Lily smiled back, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks.
"How is the School of Magical Arts? Are you settling in fine?" Aiden inquired.
"Yes, the curriculum is quite intense, but I am learning more about my Ramava every day, and eventually, I will master it," Lily replied.
"I am glad. Come with me; I have had my chef prepare dinner, something that will remind you of home," Aiden said, extending his hand to her.
Lily took his hand, and they made their way to the dining room. Upon reaching the door, it swung open, revealing a magnificent banquet hall. The entire place was adorned with crystals, from the furniture to the lights and cutlery.
"Wow," Lily whispered in awe, admiring the beauty of the dining hall and the delectable food spread before her.
"Trust me, it tastes even better," Aiden assured her, pulling out a seat for her and taking a seat opposite her.
"Go on, help yourself," Aiden encouraged. The table was filled with burgers, smoothies, chicken, rice, and various human foods and fruits. Lily immediately reached for a burger, and they began their meal. Once they finished eating, the servants cleared the table and served wine.
"I enjoy watching you eat; you seem so content," Aiden remarked, winking at Lily, who blushed in response. Prince Aiden was undeniably handsome, and it was challenging for her to maintain eye contact with him.
"Do you stay here alone?" Lily asked, attempting to divert her attention.
"Yes, my father stays in the main castle in the capital of Esteria, but I much prefer my privacy here. So, have you made any new friends?" Aiden inquired.
"Yes, Mikka," Lily replied.
"A boy or a girl?" Aiden's voice grew serious, as if he would be jealous if Mikka were a boy.
"Mikka is a girl. She is Esterian, a flower fairy, your grace," Lily clarified.
"Hmm, I see," Aiden said, visibly relieved, with a smile.
"I have a question," Lily added.
"About what?" Aiden asked curiously.
"About my father. My mother told me he was Lysterian, a witch. But I found out that witches are immortal, so I wonder how he died if he was immortal?"
"I wondered the same thing because when I cured your vision and felt your powers, it was familiar, like that of a changeling. Your Ramava's unique magical signature is much more similar to mine than a witch's. So, you think I am half changeling and Esterian, not Lysterian," Lily pondered aloud.
"I'm not sure, Lily. Perhaps your mother wasn't certain about your father's origins because changelings can take on the form of any creature in the Seven Realms, and we can adopt their powers as well. But your powers aren't just those of a witch; you bear energetic markings of a changeling as well," Aiden explained.
"Wow, so my father was a changeling and a witch?" Lily was mind-blown.
"It's impossible to be both of those things, but from what I have seen, yes. This just shows that we have a lot in common. Plus, I can help you understand your powers better," Aiden offered.
Aiden got up from his seat and gently took Lily's hand. "Come with me; there's something cool I want to show you," he said with excitement.
"Okay, what is it?" Lily asked as she stood up.
"Close your eyes, Lily," Aiden instructed. Lily hesitated for a moment but then closed her eyes as he requested.
"Now open them," he said. Lily opened her eyes and found herself standing on the rooftop of Aiden's castle.
"Oh, my," Lily exclaimed, gripping onto his arms tightly.
"Don't be scared," Aiden reassured her with a smile.
"How...how did we get here?" Lily asked, still in awe.
Aiden touched the ring on his finger. "It's a magical family heirloom given to me by my mother before she was banished. It's a teleportation ring that allows me to travel anywhere within the Seven Realms, except for Vesteria. It is cloaked by potent magic."
"Why was Vesteria cloaked away from the other realms?" Lily inquired.
"It was during the great war. The vampires of Vesteria sought to conquer Earth and enslave humans. My uncle, Ariton, sealed them off before he succumbed to dark magic. Some of the vampires managed to escape, including the vampire prince Antonio, and they found refuge on Earth. After my father defeated my uncle Ariton, he granted the vampires on Earth clemency. So, we are no longer enemies with them. However, no one is powerful enough to break down the magic shielding Vesteria, and the witches of Lysteria have refused to help because vampires are their natural enemies. As for my uncle, he is currently trapped in a magical sleep under the catacombs in my father's castle. Only he has the power to free the vampires."
"Wow, your uncle must have been incredibly powerful," Lily remarked, trying to grasp the magnitude of the situation.
"You have no idea. Your Ramava is almost as strong as Ariton's," Aiden said, realization dawning upon him.
"Then why do I struggle so much with magic and my classes?" Lily questioned, feeling discouraged.
"Give it time; you will become a master," Aiden reassured her with confidence.
"Thank you for being kind to me. It's been a struggle adjusting to life in Esteria. Aside from Mikka, none of the other students seem too interested in getting to know me. I fear the human reputation on Esteria must not be that great," Lily confessed, grateful for Aiden's support.
"You're welcome, Lily. Don't worry, I believe things will get better for you. Just remember, you have a friend in me," Aiden said, offering her a comforting smile.
"Do not let it get you down; many of them have never left Esteria or been to Eartheria, so they do not truly know what humans are like," Aiden reassured her.
"You're going to think I'm crazy, but the strangest thing happened to me earlier today. I had a vision of vampires plotting to remove the spell that traps them in Vesteria," Lily confessed.
"What? Are you sure about what you saw, Lily?" Aiden asked, his expression filled with concern.
"It was the strangest thing. The one they addressed as King Antonio mentioned working with your father, King Nebaken, to free Vesteria," Lily explained.
"That's impossible; my father would never help the vampires. They would wreak havoc on all the realms," Aiden responded, disbelief evident in his voice.
"I'm sorry, but that's what I heard. They also mentioned a war with werewolves and how their numbers are dwindling," Lily revealed.
"The wolves do reside on Earth, and they have been at war with the vampires for centuries. They have protected humans from the vampires," Aiden acknowledged, deep in thought.
"The truth is, I am not close to my father, so I cannot speak for his involvement with certainty. I will investigate this matter further. Thank you, Lily, for trusting me with this information. I should probably take you home now," Aiden said, breaking the intense moment.
Lily smiled at him, and he gently held her face, his eyes reflecting excitement and mischief. He leaned in and kissed her, causing Lily to close her eyes and surrender to the moment.
He broke the kiss, and Lily opened her eyes, finding herself back in her room at the school.
"That ring is amazing," Lily remarked, still in awe of their teleportation experience.
"I have engagements tomorrow, but it was a pleasure having dinner with you. I'll see you again soon, Lily," Aiden said with a smile as he stepped back and disappeared.
Lily jumped on her bed, feeling elated and giddy about the time they had spent together. She couldn't believe her first date in Esteria was with the crowned prince. Her friends back on Earth would never believe her if she told them everything that had happened.