In the morning, her Uncle Samuel visited their house, he had some pending works here in the village and he will eventually pick lilly on his way as well. Lilly barely met her Uncle, maybe for once or twice as her father and her uncle are step brothers.
Her grandfather adopted him when he was young, maybe of seven years old. They do share a close bond but we cannot describe everything on the basis of two or three meetings as the saying goes all that glitter is not gold.
Lilliana greeted her Uncle who was with her mother as they were discussing on some of the daily events that occurred at the capital.
Her Uncle works for pureblooded vampires as their coachman, that is why, it is easier for them as they didn't had to travel in public carriages. It is expensive and most of the time they are already full.
Humans tends to face many hardships to meet day to day expenses. And Averdale family is one of them, due to the rise in crimes against people, fewer people are working per week than usual.
Nearly no one is on the path after dusk. This is among the factors that prevent most people from travelling after dark.
Lilly saw a young girl seated next to her uncle who was somewhere around her age. She recalls that her Uncle had a daughter; perhaps the girl is her cousin.
"Lilly dear, meet Ellis she is like my daughter." Like my daughter, I found this to be quite perplexing. Lilliana contemplated, but in the end she just shrugged.
"Good morning, Ellis." commented Lill'.
"Very good morning, lilliana" Ellis responded with a friendly smile.
After a brief conversation, they quickly grew closer and became friends. It is really helpful that Ellis is a talker because lilly finds it challenging to engage in open conversation with strangers.
Her mother called them for breakfast as they had to leave for capital immediately. Through conversation lilliana came to know that Ellis is Uncle Samuel's friends daughter. Given that they live in a nearby town, she came here to meet them.
She even learned that Ellis has been working in the Royal Castle for the last six months to support her family since the demise of her father.
She recalled that wealthy families hardly ever employed human staff.
The majority of low-ranking vampires and half-blooded vampires work for noble households; employing humans as servants is a complete waste of time and resources. Humans are employed exclusively for their blood, and they are paid for it.
Following breakfast, Lilliana and Aera had a brief conversation in their room as she packed her belongings.
"Lilly, take this with you as well." aera gave lilliana two of the most pretty dresses of hers. She knew that her sister had handful of dresses and she won't ever accept it. Since their sizes are nearly identical, there won't be a problem as they frequently used to swap the clothes.
"Nope," Lily answered after pausing. Why do I need more outfits when I won't be staying at Capital indefinitely and will likely to return with their father? It's merely an additional item for her luggage. She also needed to bring some books with her.
Lilly thought.
"Yes, you will or else I am going tell felix that you were the one who broke his pocket watch."
"Aer-"
"Please, Lill, okay you will get me three new dresses from mother when you get back here." At her sister's suggestion, Lilliana chuckled.
"For sure." Aera grinned at her sisters reply.
"Come fast, Uncle Samuel and mamá is waiting for you"
°°°
On the following day, as the sun reached at its peak, the three of them were in the carriage. The two ladies was sitting in the back and Mr. Samuel was taking the lead.
Even though they had to stop by Ellis' place, they left Lilliana's house pretty late. Certainly it will pass the midnight if they want to reach the capital within a day. Mr. Samuel initially wants girls to be safe. He needs to figure out how to get through this night without frightening or disturbing the females.
"What if that was really your fathers body lil' ?"
"It is not. Uncle do visit them and its just- the person was wearing papa's clothes and had his identity letter. He is not my father. "
Even lilly gave a thought to ellis's words, what if that body was really belongs to her father? But somewhere she knew that her Uncle won't make a mistake to identify his brother.
"And even if it doesn't belongs to your father then how come you will find him? Edinburgh is huge place."
At her friends remark, the young girl was silent. She don't know how she will manage all this 'cause her aunt isn't welcoming at all and she is well aware of that fact. She just don't want to create a rift between them.
"I- don't know"
"Don't worry lilly I'm with you, we will find your father and if you want I can ask for madam cabello to look a job for you in royal kitchen. "
"Are you sure?" Lilliana can't believe her half-problem was addressed here; those handfuls of pennies won't last for more than a week or two. She feels hesitant to speak with Ellis about this matter, despite wanting to.
"And what if she rejects?"
"So what? My cousin is working for some elite humans and they hire only human servants." It is true mostly human families hire humans only as their servants as precautions is better than cure. But there are barely any rich mortals.
"Oh god! Ellis. I don't know how to thank you." Lilly hugged her in pace of emotions.
"No need to thank me. Let's meet my family" Ellis grinned, honestly speaking she missed her mother and little bro alot.
Lilly met ellis mother- Mrs Harper, she was a sweet lady in her early forties and for her brother Elliot, he is like Marcus, so mischievous and an active boy. It isn't even a day and here she is missing her family.
They choose to stay over at Ellis Place. Darkness and danger prevailed together. However, Mrs. Harper asked them to stay before Mr. Samuel could bring up the subject. She was worried, and more than anything, she yearned for more time, even if it was just a few hours, with her daughter.
Lilliana and Ellis stayed in her room. She's sleeping on the ground for the first time ever. As Ellis dozed off, Lily was lost in her own thoughts she can still picture the green eyes she encountered while travelling.
The eyes of a vampire are often crimson, and she was aware that witches and wizards are solitary creatures who likes to remain hidden. So who was he?
He even had the ability to change the colour of his eyes from green to crimson and back to hazel. Is it even conceivable? Or perhaps she had hallucinations.
Maybe she was having delusions.
The following morning, they left for the city. Ellis gave her mother some money and promised her to take care of them and she will return once she will have enough amount of money to start a little business here in her town.
Indeed, It is difficult to say goodbye to our love ones.
"Where do you stay at capital?" Lilliana's sudden question made Ellis out of her thoughts.
"At servants chamber lilly"
" aren't you afraid?" At her friends question Ellis chuckled.
"His highness is very strict, even though I had seen him only twice but as far as I know without his permission no one can even hurt a fly in his mansion
-The royal palace prioritises the protection of their workers.''
"But again his royal highness has short temper, he even killed two servants in the last month, people says they were assassins"
"then? Were they really there to assassinate his highness?"
"I don't know, nobody dares to question him and he won't kill any maid for no reason. By the way Asmara was a real bitch." Ellis completed her sentence, Asmara gave her a hard time in palace, always downgraded her for being a mortal, and she was suspicious.
"Asmara?" Lilliana commented
"The maid. His majesty killed" lilliana was having a hard time to even digest all these things. Killing, bloodshed and what not. They talked about numerous things.
Lilly felt that something just passed through their carriage. Her heart had pounded faster due to the unexpected change.
"Elli' do you felt that"
"What happened?"
"Something just passed through an-and-
"We are about to cross the black forest. This forest is filled with magical creatures including faes." before lilliana could complete her words Ellis said.
Some Says they are mythical and some claimed to see them but one only believes them until and unless they saw these things with their own eyes or else everything is rumour.
Finally, they reached Mr. Samuel's house.
Well there is still some time for sunset and Ellis had to reach royal palace within that period of time.
"Lilly day after tomorrow I'll take you with me to the castle and eventually, you will meet madam cabello, is that okay with you?"
"Why you're going to palace?" Mr Samuel questioned.
"Don't tell me you want to work there, that's dangerous and my earnings are enough to feed you my child."
"I know uncle bu-"
"Why not Samuel. If she wants then who you are to stop her and clearly your earnings isn't enough, we are already three people and additional people will cause additional expenses."
Her aunt clearly despise her. And about her cousin she didn't even met her till now.
"Uncle, aunt is right."
"No she is not, you don't have to work for those creatures"
"But uncle, atleast let me visit for once the pay is very high, and if I didn't got an approval I won't work"
"Okay then as you say. Tomorrow we will visit Mr. Griffin and we will see your fathers body"
After dinner lilliana went to sleep and Ellis left for the palace. Lilliana knew that something is wrong with this place. And those emerald eyes are still haunting her.
'Whoever he is or whatever it is, I just hope we don't have to encounter again'
•••
Hello lovelies! 🖐
Who-evers sweet eyes are reading these I hope y'all will like it as well. Do comment your thoughts on this chapter. Your comments are open handedly welcomed.