Lilian was still slumbering in the golden palace room her eyes were twitching away while maids just stood and waited for her to wake. But Lilian was not dreaming of sweet blissful dreams. No while her eyes twitched away in her dream she was stuck at her cubicle desk at work alone in the dark trying to complete her work with no light except from her work computer. Unfinished worksheets spread along the desk some falling to the ground. As they fell loud hard thumps would echo. She would see eyes appearing and staring at her as she tried desperately to finish her workload her eyes drooping body becoming more heavy and then a strange man in older clothing from another era appeared. Smoke engulfed the room and and fire followed behind him as he took steps.
Lilian started coughing eyes blurring trying to keep her eyes straight on him. They started to burn and tears welled up in her eyes. The man smile grew as he grew closer to her. His hand reached out to Lilian's gesturing for her to take his. But her body felt too heavy to move from her chair. She tried desperately to grab onto his hand as the room was completely engulfed and she could barely see anything in front of her. The fire lit the whole room she was in it was ablaze around the two of them a trail was left from where he walked. The man pointed to the trail and smiled at her.
"Didn't you want to escape from here your own little hell?" the man asked with a bright smile.
"Wait.. wait, wait please take me with you." Lilian screamed out desperately.
The man reached out further for her hand and Lilian finding strength swung her arm towards him when the fires began to split the two. She tried to run towards him screaming out for him. Choking on the smoke more as it filled her lungs that couldn't escape to anywhere else. Like a thousand needles stabbing inside with every breath she took. It became so unbearable but her body kept reacting to get to him as her mind told her that she had to get to him as well. The fire grew taller an as it did it grew harder for her to breathe the man looked at Lilian with a sunken face stepping back from her. She started to cry she was afraid he was leaving her there alone again. She didn't want to be alone again she didn't want that lonely repetitive life again. The ground shook under the two and the floor began to crumble under her feet. She tried her hardest to escape as the the floor crumbled away after her like a it was game of prey and predator. Without realizing where she was running at the floor under her right foot was crumbling quickly and she fell backwards only seeing the man watching her as she fell. His face was darkened and filled with sadness his hand reached out as if trying to grab her but she was far too gone.
Lilian sprung upwards sitting up on the bed panting and breathing hard with tears in her eyes. Her head was throbbing like as if she really fell in that dream. Was that nightmare just a dream or did it have something to do with her reality. She was still so out of it that she didn't realize she was in that golden room still. Lilian didn't have any acknowledgement of the servants and maids that were there shocked with how she awoken. Her chest was beating too fast and hard for her to take a minute to care about her surroundings. She gripped her nightgown that was soaked with sweat and tried desperately to catch her breath. The maid who first spoked to her before she fainted approached her quietly and slowly as if approaching a wounded animal to not scare them. Once she was at her bed side she kneeled on the floor by Lilian's side and swept some of her sweaty soaked hair behind her ear. Lilian flinched and looked at the maid now coming to realization of her surroundings.
"My lady please breathe in and out slowly and those of you who have chores to do get out now and do it." said the maid softly.
Lilian slowed down and started to inhale slowly then exhale even more slowly. After a few minutes she was calm again. Her breathing was stable her eyes didn't seem to be filled with dread anymore. The maid looked pleased to see Lilian doing much better than before. She stayed holding Lilian's hand for comfort and easement. She watched Lilian's composure carefully to ensure she was actually okay now. Lilian was so appreciative of the maid and how she help coax her to calm down. The maid seemed to be about the same age as Lizbeth. Lizbeth in the novel was roughly 20 years old now at this point in the story only a about four months away from her twenty-first birthday. But Lilian in her world was twenty-four. It seemed like Lilian could trust this maid and actually get along with her.
"Thank you very much. Your efforts seemed to have worked and I am feeling much better now." Lilian said as she reached out and gave the maid a hug, forgetting how the usual hierarchy usually worked between nobility and servants.
The servant stunned yet ecstatic with Lilian's advances hugged her back "it is nothing to thank me for my lady I was truly concerned for you and could not just watch and sit by." the young maid answered back smiling softly.
"If not for you I don't know when or if I would have stopped." Lilian replied back.
"Well in any case you're doing better now and we should get you cleaned up and out of those sweaty clothes." the maid said to Lilian.
Lilian nodded in agreement and the maid motioned her over towards the bathroom where a large white clawfoot tub with a wolf's head which was at the end as some kind of emblem. The maid walked out of the room and Lilian could hear her opening the door to her bedroom and hearing more footsteps approaching. Several other maids came into the room two filled the tub one put oils and petals in it. While the young maid an another helped her undress and enter the hot steaming tub. To Lilian it felt exquisite like the hot springs she used to visit years ago before her career at the company made her too busy. The sweet smells from the petals were so calming she could smell a hint of rose and lavender with an incense nearby burning a small hint of sage and sandalwood. The maids helped her bathe washing her down allowing Lilian only to was her most private areas.
"My lady I will leave you here for a little while so you can enjoy and relax a bit." the young maid said.
"Wait I don't know your name, what is it?" asked Lilian.
"Apologies my lady my name is Roxanne." she answered back while bowing and exiting the room.
Roxanne left the room completely with the other maids, outside the room she told them to call the tailors to come and make some clothes for Lady Lizbeth. She ushered over a knight and whispered in his ear how the lady awoken and to let the king know what has happened. The knight scurried quickly down the hallway towards the stairs as another knight took his place. Lilian was entranced with her relaxing bath she forgot that she had to remember every detail of the novel to get a better understanding of what is taking place currently and what was to unfold next.
"I'll have to think about it once I get dressed and am more recuperated." she said to herself in a whisper.
The knight reached the King and knocked on his door. He waited for a response so he could enter. The tall knight who was with the King before opened the door and gestured the knight in. The tall knight returned to the King's side and stood there. The other knight stood in front of the King's office desk standing at attention. The King looked at the young knight his eyes staring him down analyzing him and his features. He waved at the knight as if giving him permission to speak.
"Your Majesty King Leon the Lady Lizbeth has awoken after three days of being unconscious. She apparently awoke from a terrible nightmare. She sat up quickly breathing hard and heavily having a hard time catching her breath drenched in sweat. She is currently bathing in her chambers sire, and seems to be doing quite better now." the knight reported.
"Okay. Have the servants prepare her something easy to digest that won't upset her stomach. Then make sure she gets an appropriate wardrobe with only the finest." the King ordered to the knight.
"Yes your Majesty." the knight replied in acknowledgement.
"That is all, you may return back to your post." The King said as the knight who stood beside him walked to the door and opened it for him to leave.
"Make sure we are getting routine updates on Lady Lizbeth and anything she needs prepared quickly." The King told his personal knight.
The knight nodded and exited the King's office room. He left and went straight to the main hall and called over all the servants including the ones that were just with Lilian explaining the new orders the King gave. He instructed that all maids will return with him to Lady Lizbeth's room for her to choose her personal maids. Those that were not chosen were to return to their original duties. The young maid who helped Lilian then informed him how she ordered servants to call for the tailors. The knight was pleased with her actions she eliminated one task for him. He called over the head chef and informed him of the nutritional plan for Lady Lizbeth until new instructions came from the King. When he finished talking the servants dispersed, He let them take a rest for now as many things were going to change abruptly. He wanted them ready and prepared for the new changes.