"Is this real? Is that an authentic dagger knife?" Lillia asked.
"Um, I can't quite fathom why you'd want to harm me, but I assure you, it's not worth the tremendous effort it would take to end my life," Lillia attempted to persuade the assassin, but they remained unmoved, resolute in their intent.
"Don't attempt to deceive me, princess. I am well aware of the immense value of your life," They retorted firmly.
"Hold on a moment, you've got it all wrong. I am not the princess," Lillia corrected them.
"I insisted you couldn't trick me, but... wasn't the princess renowned for her unmistakable pink hair?" The assassin revealed a portrait of the princess concealed within their shadowy attire, their words tinged with doubt.
"I told you, see? I was right!" Lillia exclaimed.
"If you hold your life dear, reveal the princess's current whereabouts right now," The person demanded.
"Very well, it's right down the hallway, the first door on the left," Lillia disclosed reluctantly.
"You better keep this to yourself, or I'll ensure your demise," That person warned before stealthily exiting the room, leaving Lillia with a chilling glance.
"Well, that wasn't too terrible; I managed that rather adeptly," Lillia said as she reclined back into her plush bed.
Lillia was fairly confident that they would have a hard time locating the princess's bedroom, considering she wasn't familiar with the palace's layout herself.
But her bedroom's lack of security was indeed concerning, and she couldn't help but feel slighted. After sharing her thoughts, exhaustion finally overcame her, and she drifted back to sleep.
The early morning, 5 AM.
Lillia woke up just on time for her morning workout. She rolled out of bed to see the mess that assassin made last night.
"Glass everywhere. He had to enter through the window, shattering it like he owned this place. Why don't they consider using doors? They're designed for a reason, much quieter," Lillia grumbled as she cleaned up the mess.
After tidying up her room, She stepped outside.
"Once again, here I am, and what a splendid day it is," Lillia remarked, appreciating the beauty of the early morning.
The atmosphere was eerie, with the fog outside reducing visibility to almost nothing. A single lamp in the garden cast long, wavering shadows that seemed to dance with the mist.
"Never mind the weather, I can still have a nice workout," Lillia assured herself, undeterred by the conditions.
Lillia begun her exercise routine with a series of gentle stretches, allowing her muscles to loosen up and her body to awaken. As she reached and bended, She could feel the tension of the previous day slowly melting away, replaced by a renewed sense of energy.
Lillia took a look at the heavy object she had brought with herself for her workout.
It wasn't easy to drag it outside, but it was here to help her set and achieve her fitness goals.
Lillia's initial target was to lift it for 10 seconds, and with consistent effort, She'll gradually increase the duration as she became stronger and more capable. This was the first step towards building the strength she needed to face any challenges that may come her way.
With determination in her eyes, Lillia attempted to lift the heavy object as she strained and made the ugliest face she can muster up on her unworldly face.
She could feel the resistance challenging her newfound strength. It was a battle, but she knew that every second she held it brought her closer to her goals.
Lillia counted through each and every second, her breath coming in pants, "One," pants "Two," pants "Three." The weight felt substantial, but her determination drove her to persist.
With a final burst of effort, Lillia released the heavy object, letting it fall to the ground with a resounding thud.
That wasn't too bad. It was definitely a start, Lillia thought to myself, gasping for breath as if she was having a heart attack, when she heard someone's voice drawing closer to her.
"What was that?" Someone said in a distance but it was hard to see due to the mist.
Dread gripped Lillia as she thought about the assassin from last night. Paralyzed by her inability to defend herself, She started reflecting on the brief, eventful moments she had experienced. Recalling the beautiful faces she had encountered adding even being carried by a handsome young man.
Regretlessly, Lillia laid down on the ground, closing her eyes and crossing her arms over her body and mentally prepared herself for whatever may came next.
She stayed laid down on the ground, resigned to her fate, Lillia took a deep breath, savoring the cool night air, If this was truly the end of her journey, at least she could say she faced it with a sense of peace and acceptance, and perhaps that's all she needed to find some measure of contentment in this life.
Lillia opened her eyes, surprised to hear a voice that wasn't menacing or hostile. she slowly sat up and saw a concerned face looking down at her from above.
It's not the assassin from last night; it's probably a palace guard...
"I... I thought you were someone else," Lillia stammered.
The guard extended a hand to help her up, and she gratefully accepted it. As he pulled her to her feet, Lillia noticed the worried expression in his eyes.
"Miss, it's dangerous to be out here alone at this time. Is there something troubling you?"
Lillia hesitated for a moment, torn between revealing her strange predicament or keeping it to herself. But his genuine concern prompted her to speak up.
"Of course I'm okay. I was just, uh, meditating. Yeah, I was meditating. I heard it's good to meditate; it helps your brain to recover your memories."
The young guard clearly skeptical of her explanation eyed the sword on the ground.
"Meditating in the middle of the garden in this weather?, That's an unusual choice of location."
Lillia chuckled nervously, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Well, you know, sometimes you just need a quiet place to clear your mind, right?"
He nodded slowly, still not entirely convinced but decided to not press the matter further.
"I suppose so, miss. Just be careful, and if you ever need anything or feel unsafe, don't hesitate to call for help. The palace guards are always here to protect you."
"Thank you," Lillia said insincerely. "I appreciate your concern. I'll keep that in mind."
Lillia watched the guard take the sword and leave, relieved that he didn't make a scene and left her alone.
"Now they're worrying about me, but when an assassin was in my room, no one was there. Whatever, at least I survived and saw a handsome knight instead of a killer." Lillia continued her workout.
---
It's only 8 am right now, and I'm so exhausted. It feels like I've been awake for 3 days, but the day is just starting. How does the princess sitting in front of me look so fresh and composed? Estoria lazily thought.
"Did you sleep well, miss?" The princess asked while pouring herself tea.
"Yes, my bed is really soft. I wish I could just go back to bed."
The princess laughed richly. "I'm glad you like it here; I was a little worried actually."
"Did you sleep well too, your highness?" Lillia asked with a warm smile, knowing all too well that she sent the assassin to her room.
The princess replied with a polite smile, "Yes, thank you for asking. I always make sure to get a good night's rest." She didn't seem to suspect anything, which eased Lillia's anxiety about the previous night's events.
As Lillia engaged in conversation with the princess, She wondered about the fate of the assassin from the previous night. It did seem like they were unable to locate the room and ultimately left. While it's a relief that she managed to avoid harm, the mystery surrounding the assassin's intentions and identity still lingered in her mind.
"I did hear from Sebastian that you were outside in the garden early in the morning meditating." The princess said sipping the tea.
"It's just something that helps your memories to return. No need to worry about it yourself, your highness."
"I was quite intrigued, to say the least, about meditation. How do you do it? I was hoping to join you."
"It's nothing special, your highness, but you can always join me at 5 am."
"Actually, I just remembered I was going to be busy for some time, so I might not be able to." The princess looked away abruptly.
Lillia's smile quickly faded as she accidentally dropped the tea cup, causing a red stain on her dress.
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness. It seems I'm a bit clumsy today," Lillia said, feeling a bit embarrassed by the mishap.
The princess got up from her seat worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay; the cup was a little too hot; that's why it slipped from my hand. I apologize, your highness."
The princess smiled, "No need to apologize, accidents happen to all of us. I'm just glad you're not hurt. Please be nore careful in the future."
The princess, concerned for Lillia's well-being, instructed her maid, Jade, to escort her back to her room. Jade immediately stepped forward and said, "Please, miss, allow me to help you back to your room."
"No need, your highness; I can walk just fine. I'll be back after changing my dress," Lillia refused politely.
The princess nodded, her worry still evident in her eyes. "Please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything."
With that, Lillia excused herself and headed back to her room to change her dress after the little tea mishap.
Lillia walked out of the room,"Never thought I would be appreciating these heavy layers of my dress, but it saved me from getting burned," She mumbled on her way to the room.
"Did you hurt yourself, My lady?"
Lillia heard a familiar voice from behind her in her left ear.
She turned her head and found the handsome young man with red hair standing close to her, bending down slightly to be on her level. Their eyes met, Lillia saw a familiar blush creeping up on his face again.
"Ugh, sorry, no. I mean, are you okay?" He panicked for some reason, moving his face away from Lillia's and standing up straight.
"I'm fine, just some spilled tea," Lillia replied, trying to ease his concern.
"Can I take you to your room, or do you need anything?" He took out a red handkerchief and started wiping the tea off Lilla's dress while kneeling.
What is this situation? He was the one who ran away last time. Look at him now, kneeling in front of me.
"I can do it myself." Lillia took the handkerchief from his hand wiping the dress.
He stood back up. "I'm Aluxio, my lady. Can I get your name?"
"I don't remember my name. You can call me whatever you want," Lillia said while wiping her dress, not even looking at him.
"Then can I call you mine?" Aluxio blurted out.
Lillia looked up in a frowned and disgusted expression,"What?"
"I'm sorry," he said, then swiftly departed, his quick steps carrying him away.
Lillia was left alone shocked in her steps. It was unexpected, but she wondered if he was being genuine. She couldn't shake off the feeling of being a bit rude just now, but she was unsure if any of it was her fault.
The surprise pickup line briefly caught her off guard, wondering how she might have reacted if she had been gazing into his pretty gray eyes when he had said it.
However, she consoled herself quickly afterwards, thinking it was better this way.
Lillia realized that he had left behind his handkerchief, completed with his initials. With a sigh, Lillia continued walking, leaving that encounter behind her.