After politely leaving the dining room, Lily walked quickly down the hall to her quarters. Her head ached from the hours of useless chatter. She could still hear the prince's words buzzing in her ears, like a bitter taste you can't get out of your mouth. "My kingdom is known for its powerful army, and long line of kings who-...well, you already know about that!"
"Of course my father wants me to marry him! The guy with the big army! How convenient!", she muttered to herself. "You know, you could be there with me, ruling it all by my side. I know! What an honor!!...IF, of course, you accept my proposal."
'Honor!? Yeah right! I'd rather marry my horse.', she thought as she shoved the door to her bedroom open, refraining from slamming it shut.
"How did it go?", Liz asked as soon as the door closed, setting her book aside. Lily rolled her eyes and responded sarcastically.
"Oh, fantastic!! Everything went wonderfully! He's so-so...charming.", she finished through clenched teeth.
"So- I'm guessing you didn't have any fun?"
"Of course not.", Lily sighed as she picked up the neatly folded nightgown Liz had laid out for her, and stepped into her changing room. She couldn't wait to get out of the itchy, uncomfortable dress her father had picked out.
"What was he like?"
"He's an arrogant, selfish prick! He thinks he's the greatest wonder of the world, just cause he owns a good army, and his daddy's not there to tell him any better!"
"How did he make you feel though? Did he ask about you? Your hobbies, interests, habits?", Liz asked. A moment went by before Lily replied.
"He made me feel like a pretty painting he saw at a gallery. Like I was a prize he wanted to win, but also like I should admire him, as if being his queen was the greatest honor a girl could have. As for him inquiring about me, the only thing he asked -unless you include him wanting to know what I've heard about him or his oh-so-powerful kingdom- was, if I had any hobbies.", Lily told her handmaiden, as she laid her clothes in a neat stack on her table and picked up the brush next to it.
"Well, at least he was partially curious about what you like."
"Yeahh- well, when I told him I like growing medicinal herbs to make lotions and tinctures, he grimaced...and you know what he said!? "That's not very proper for a princess, Is there anything ELSE you like to do? I'm afraid we don't have any gardens in my palace, they're too... dirty."", Lily spat the words out, mocking the prince and how he said it. Liz giggled.
"I can't believe my father wants me to marry him! Or even consider it!"
"Well, if you don't like Alex, you'll have another option next week. A prince named Finn. He's apparently the shy type."
"Next week?! Already! Uhggg-!" Lily trudged across the room, dragging her feet across the soft fur rug, and plopped onto her bed face-first.
"Well, you made it through today, and you'll make it through next week."
"And the next week, and the next week, and the next-", Lily groaned, her voice muffled by the bed. Liz took the brush from Lily's hand and started to detangle her long, blond hair.
"Well, maybe you'll like Fin. He definitely doesn't sound like the arrogant type."
Lily grunted and closed her eyes, letting the brush's long strokes calm her. "We'll see.", she mumbled.
By the time Liz was done braiding her hair, she was nodding in and out of sleep. She faintly remembered Liz kissing her shoulder and whispering goodnight before sleep overtook her, and the dream started:
It was the same place I used to dream about every night. The place I escaped eight years ago, but never really left.
I was back; the damp, moldy stone walls. The icy chill that ran down my spine like a cold trickle of water. The smell of chemicals, blood, fear...the screams...
Although, something was different this time. I was taller and faster, but that's not what I noticed first. What I did notice, was the lack of control over my body, which seemed to move on its own.
The next thing that caught my attention was the searing pain that shot up my leg every time I moved. I tried to scream, but couldn't. 'HELP! SOMEONE! ANYONE!! HELP ME!!! Please!'. My screams echoed through my head, but never left my lips.
Even though my leg screeched with every step, my body ran on. Farther and farther down the tunnel, turning right, then left, never hesitating, as if I knew exactly where I was running.
In the distance, I started to hear voices. They became recognizable as they drew nearer. Guards. Eli and Jake. The two guards who, if I had to pick, would be my least favorite ones in the palace, but at the moment -as the darkness seemed to get darker, and the cold seeped into my bones, as the screams pressed against my head, making it throb- their voices provided the slightest bit of comfort. All I wanted to do was yell out to them, but my lips refused to move. 'It's ok, they'll help me. It's ok. I'm gonna be ok. They'll see me.' I told myself as they drew closer, their torches lighting up the tunnel walls.
Almost as soon as the sigh of relief left my lips, I felt my body shrink back into the shadows, slipping into a side tunnel as if it didn't want to be seen. I watched in desperation as they passed by, not even sparing a glance. 'NO!! COME BACK! PLEASE!!! Don't leave me!..' I cried out in my head, but it was futile. They couldn't hear my screams, and part of me thought that they wouldn't have helped even if they did.
Once the guards were out of sight, and their footsteps faded into the distance, I felt my body move. Pain shot up my leg again and I tried to will myself to wake up. 'Wake up! Wake up!! WAKE UP! Please! Why can't I just wake up!!' My internal pleading did no good. My body moved on, and the pain never left.
I waited. This wasn't the first time I've dreamed about the dungeons, and it always ended the same way, more or less, so I waited.
I waited for the dreaded door to come into view. For my hand to clasp the handle, despite my brain screaming at me to stop. For the few seconds before I wake up when I look beyond the door; at the men in lab coats, painted red. The people screaming in agony. The mutilated hands that reach out of their cages, begging me to save them, or kill them....
I waited, but the door never came. Instead, the sound of running water rang in my ears. A sound so sweet, I thought I was imagining it. There couldn't possibly be running water in a place like this. However, the sound came nearer, and became more aggressive, drowning out the screams, until it was all I could hear. 'A waterfall?' I wondered.
Something touched my shoulder. I tried to turn and look, but my body refused. I felt it again, harder this time, but before I can try to turn around again, I'm being shaken awake by Liz.
"Lily! Hey Lily, wake up!"
"H-huh?..." Lily slowly lifted her head and looked around, confused. Her blanket was wet with tears, and when she wiped her face, she could feel its pattern imprinted on her cheek.
"You were crying and muttering in your sleep... are you ok? Do you need me to call anybody?" Liz placed one hand around Lily's shoulder and wiped her tears away with the other.
"N-no...I'm ok, I just...had a bad dream..." She looked up at Liz and managed a thin smile.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Liz brushed the stray strands of hair out of Lily's face and reached for her hands.
Lily told her everything. Starting with not being able to move, the pain in her leg, Eli and Jake passing her by, and ending with the waterfall.
"You're just nervous Lily. Your whole life is changing, and you feel like you have no control over it, like no one listens to you, or is willing to help. Your brain is just taking your current worries and problems and mixing them with your past fears." Tears welled up in Lily's eyes.
"I wish I could just forget!! I wish I never went down there in the first place! God, I wish-!" A wave of sobs interrupted her as she buried her face into Liz's shoulder, letting her presence soothe her. At least she would always have Liz. The thought gave her comfort.
"I know. I know. Trust me, I wish I could take it all back...I wish I could help you.", she whispered into Lily's ear, slowly stroking her head to calm her, as she had done so many times. Silently, she cursed the king for the misery he had put her through, intentionally or unintentionally. "You don't deserve this...", she whispered so quietly, only she could hear her shaking voice.
"Do you want me to make you some tea? It might not help much, but it could help put you to sleep at least."
Lily thought for a moment, wondering if she even wanted to go back to sleep, then decided to give it a try.
"Yes, please. Lavender and Chamomile, with..."
"...two spoons of honey, just how you like it.", Liz finished for her.
"Thank you, Liz, really. I don't know what I would do without you."
"It's my pleasure, Lily." She squeezed her hand tightly before leaving the room.
When Liz came back with two steaming cups of tea, she found Lily sleeping peacefully on the bed. She set the tray down on the nightstand and pulled the blanket up to Lily's chin.
"Goodnight Lily. Sleep well."
Gently, she kissed her on the head, grabbed her cup of tea, and quietly left the room. She caught one last glimpse of Lily before the door closed softly behind her.