Lilian was sitting on the sofa chair enjoying the snacks Roxanne had prepared for her. There was a spread of cookies with jam and fruits as toppings. Small cute cucumber and deli sandwiches. The tea was of mint for digestion. All of the food seemed to something easy to digest yet still tasty and sweet. Every bite Lilian took she couldn't help but hold her cheek with how delicious it tasted. The maids chuckled at the sight she reminded them of a chipmunk preparing for fall.
"My lady please slow down, they'll all still be there even if you take a minute to breathe." Eliouse gigled out.
"I am glad to see you can show that type of face. Why don't you all come sit and partake in these scrumptious snacks Roxanne prepared." Lilian said with a smile.
Eliouse flustered face red as a tomato " we can't my ladyship we are merely just your servants." she retorted.
"Nonsense you all are now my family. My people, come and sit don't have me request this as an order." Lilian responded smirking with a teasing face.
All four of the maids sat Roxanne was on Lilian's left side Eliouse on the right. Esther and Arianna sat on the other sofa across from. All five ladies were smiling and laughing enjoying the snacks as well as each other's company. Roxanne grabbed a few more cups for all of them to join in one the tea. It was something Lilian wasn't used to having caring people surround her. She was used to the dull an annoying office workers who would only come to her for help when they couldn't manage their work load. Even her parents weren't this kind. Her mother only ever called for money and she hadn't heard from her father since she turned thirteen when he abandoned them. It was serene this very moment was so sweet her eyes began to well up. Tears of joy undenounced to her started to fall. The maids looked at her shocked questioning each other why she could possibly be crying.
"My lady are you okay did you bite your tongue from eating to fast or did we insult you somehow?" Roxanne asked with concern.
"No not at all if anything these are happy tears shedding, because I finally have something or more precisely people who make me feel like home. I never got to enjoy moments like this not since I was a child." Lilian said with a smile trying to wipe away the fallen tears.
In awe the ladies all jumped on Lilian smiling and hugging her tight happy by her words. She was an unusual noble they all thought to themselves. But if they were to be in anyone's care they're overjoyed it's in hers. Arianna being the youngest was crying like a baby as well with Lilian as Lilian stroked her head. It was definitely a sight that would leave other nobles questioning her sanity and etiquette. The women all tried to pull themselves together quickly when they heard a knock on the door. They all seemed sadden when the moment was ruined.
"Yes who is it?" asked Roxanne.
"It is me Jon Lukas the tailor ma'm, Im here for her ladyship." answered Jon.
Roxanne opened the door and Jon Lukas came clattering in with several bags an assistant followed him with even more items in hand and suitcase that was being rolled across the floor. He stationed some items out on her beds and a nearby round table. There were boxes of confined jewelry that sparkled like stars in the night sky. Dresses from different trends and fabrics hanging off a rack and shoes of galore towering on top of a multi tier shelf. Lilian's mouth almost widened. The view was from a fairytale like Cinderella. It was spectacular the dresses were all beautiful and the heels were gorgeous. In her old life she never got to enjoy wearing anything except for office clothes and pajamas. She couldn't afford to take time off from work and have fun.
" My lady these are just some examples I've brought to show you I also have a catalog that shows more designs we carry. Unfortunately with the last minute call to come here I wasn't able to bring everything, I hope you don't think me of being impertinent." Jon said handing the catalog to Lilian.
"Not at all, I should be the one apologizing I hope it didn't cause you any issues. If it did please let me know so I can find some way to repay you. Business is important and if you lost any it would be on my fault." she replied to Jon Lukas as he looked at her stricken with bewilderment a noble apologizing would be weird, but a noble engaged to royalty basically already of royalty is weirder. She was much more different than the snobby nobles he was so used to working with.
"My lady I appreciate your offer. However you are to be my queen. No client is as important as you" He said with a smile bowing to her "now shall I take your measurements so you can finish quickly and be free for the rest of the day."
Lilian nodded and Jon Lukas motioned her over to a stool for her to stand one. Him and his assistant helped her to get on the stool. Then without delay they took out measuring tape and tools and wrote down her sizes they were quick, hard to keep up with your eyes. They moved furiously around Lilian. When they finished they helped her off the stool and escorted her back to her seat and started to measure out her feet. They were writing swiftly on their small note pads.
"My lady I have all your measurements for you. Fortunately I have four dresses currently with me in your size I can leave them here with you if you like them and I have three pair of shoes available as well. If there is any Jewelry you find to your liking please let us know as well. When you get the chance you fill out the catalog and have it sent to our shop so we can finish up any orders you may want." Jon Lukas told Lilian.
Lilian ushered her trusted maids over to have them help her pick as her fashion sense was worse than dull. The women analyzed the feel of the dresses and the look of them. One was an emerald green with white lacing on the arms and end of it. The other was a red dress with black lacing at the end of the arms and the neck and chest. Another was yellow with green trimmings and a flower on the chest with bow in the back. The last was white with white lacing and a slit with lacing as well, it had a golden belt and golden arm bands there was lacing on the neck too and a matching cape that went with it. The women chatted and continued looking at the dresses. Finally they seemed to come to a conclusion.
"My lady we believe the whit and golden one, the red and black one, as well as the emerald and white one would suit you best. The yellow one seems to childish with your physique and beauty and would do no justice for you." Roxanne said.
Esther and Arianna shook their heads in agreement and Roxanne gave a thumbs up. Eliouse just smiled at her with a look of approval. They waited for their lady's decision.
"Well you heard them those are the dresses I will be taking and I will take any shoes that will match with them as well as accessories." she said to Jon Lukas.
Lilian looked at the jewelry a few kept catching her eyes. She didn't want to keep getting things without it actually coming out of her pocket. But they were things she could never dream of in her world. A large squared pendant that held an oversized emerald kept catching her eye. She picked it up and and length was short that of a choker it hung off a silver chain that had a Victorian look with side having hanging chains attached. It was beautiful a masterpiece she thought. The other was of a red Sapphire it was oval shape this one was attached to a black laced collar it was also a bit longer. She showed the two items to Jon Lukas.
"I will be taking these two as well. They're masterpiece please give my regards to the one whop created them." she said humbly.
Jon Lukas smiled and bowed to her he prepped all the things she asked for her in boxes and put them gently in a corner in her room. The rest he packed up to prepare for his leave his assistant gathered all the small items like books, pencils and papers then tossed them in a beige leather duffle bag.
"Well my lady it was pleasure working with you. I hope you call on me soon." he said with one last bow.
Lilian simply smiled and waved goodbye to him and his assistant. She looked back to her maids watching them fan girl over the clothes. She thought to herself it would be nice to get them each two outfits as well for when they got out all together. The day had almost passed and they hadn't even had moment to go out and enjoy the day. She didn't want to spend another minute in her room or more like Lizbeth's room. She wanted some fresh air and some time to think.
"Ladies will you help me get dressed so we can enjoy an evening walk? Is there somewhere nice we can enjoy our walk?" Lilian asked.
"Of course my lady leave it to us! There's a wonderful garden not too far it was the previous Queen's rose garden she filled it with most beautiful flowers." Arianna answered Lilian with overjoy.
Arianna and Esther carried the red and black dress over and helped Lilian change into it. Eliouse brought over the new black heels. Roxanne chose the red sapphire necklace and draped it over Lilian's collarbone fixing it to look right. Then all the maids come together at once each of them worked on a braid one on each side and one on the back of her head then they handed the braids to Roxanne who pulled it into a bun she then placed black lace over the bun and used a hair tie to keep it in place and pins to hide the extra. They stood back and watched Lilian stand she looked breath taking all of them thought. She was like a goddess the clothes matched her hair and her powerful demeanor. She seemed too beautiful to be of simple nobility she be a better fit if she was born as a princess or a demi-goddess. Lilian smirked at their stares and headed to the bedroom door.
" What are you girls waiting for let's head out now." she looked back at them as she told them.
Roxanne showed Lilian the way standing by her side. The rest of the girls walked behind them. They travelled down several hallways down two sets of stairs when they finally exited the palace and entered the palace grounds. It was so beautiful out the sunset orange with a mix of red stars appearing out in the sky. Tall trees lined up along the path with beautiful hydrangea bushes following along side, she definitely wan not in the city from her old world. The city could never offer such a beautiful view. The continued walking down the pathway where they saw a white stoned gazebo and rose bushes everywhere. There were mostly beautiful red roses stretched as far as you could see. But occasional bushes had white roses. It was truly an amazing scenery definitely fitting for a Queen Lilian thought to herself.
Lilian sat at the table that was located inside the gazebo. The maids stood beside her looking at the flowers. Lilian felt much more comfortable out here where she could think that room that was meant for Lizbeth. She still couldn't remember what happened to her the night was reading the novel. All she could remember was reading the novel and nearing the end of it. She had gotten to the part where it was only weeks away from Leon's and Lizbeth's wedding. She didn't know how to get back to her world or if she could. But she did know she didn't really want to go back to her old life. But how would these people feel if she said she was inside a novel or if she told them she wasn't the real Lizbeth. She bet Leon would have her executed for impersonating a long lost noble especially since that noble was his lost fiancé. She had to come up with a plan and quickly first thing first she needed her own personal knight. Lizbeth ended up in scary unsafe situations all the time in the novel and for one Lilian was not willing to be weak in those situations. She needed a personal knight to protect her and teach her swordsmanship.
"Do any of you know of a capable knight who would be willing to be my personal knight?" she asked her personal maids.
"Yes my lady, my brother Christopher Youriel is knight here he is pretty exceptional for a dope head like him. But I am sure he is capable of being your person knight." Esther replied quickly.
Just like Lilian had hoped for she wanted to kill two birds with one stone helping her maid protect her brother and gaining another close ally that could protect her. "Exceptional you say but you call him a dopehead. Hehaheha, well I shall see for myself make arrangements for us to meet for me to test out his abilities." Lilian said laughing at Esther's remarks of her brother.
Lilian remembered the only reason Christopher had passed was because he had not reached a high enough circle. Circles were used for those who could control mana some could even use magick. Even Lizbeth was a ninth circle when Leon proposed to her. So maybe Lilian was too as she was in Lizbeth's body.
Esther rejoiced and jumped happily "Yes my lady I will let my brother know right away and have him meet you soon." she said smiling brightly.
Lilian nodded smiling back, they must be close for her to be so happy Lilian thought. Unbeknownst to Lilian Leon was also walking the pathways to the Garden. He wanted an escape from the never-ending paperwork still piled on his desk. But he walked so quietly like he was trained to do in case assassins or enemies were nearby to be able to attack them first, that is why Lilian did not hear his nearby steps. Leon turned around the corner from the Gazebo and saw Lilian sitting there. She was so beautiful he was stunned to see her there. Her Ivory skin and red piercing eyes drew his attention. He was glad to see she was able to get something to add to her wardrobe too. He started walking over towards her. He remembered what her message was to him and thought this would be the best time to clear up any misunderstandings.