Lilly's heart raced with nervous anticipation. The reality of meeting royalty, something she had never even imagined before the attack, was suddenly upon her. 'How do I act in front of a princess? Should I bow deeply? Do I address her as "Your Highness" or "Your Majesty"?' Things she had been certain of before now seemed completely unknown, and each one added to her anxiety.
Turning to Selene, she asked for guidance. "Selene, how do I act in front of the princess? And what do I call her?"
Selene offered a reassuring smile. "You should bow when greeting her, and refer to her as 'your highness'. And you shouldn't interrupt her or talk over her. Just treat her with respect and you'll do fine. I'll make the introductions for you."
Armed with this advice, Lilly tried to steady her nerves. She practiced her bow in her mind, mentally rehearsing the proper etiquette.
As they waited, the air in the office grew tense with anticipation. Lilly's hands fidgeted at her sides, and even Eolande seemed unusually alert, her eyes scanning the doorway.
Finally, the moment arrived. The door to the office opened, heralding the arrival of the royal entourage. A well-dressed butler with white hair stepped into the room. He cleared his throat before announcing in a clear, resonant voice, "Presenting Her Royal Highness, Princess Adelia of Eldoria, and Master Keldorn, the Royal Enchanter."
The princess gracefully entered the office, walking with a regal poise befitting royalty. She was stunningly beautiful, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and an extravagant white dress with blue decorations. She bore an emotionless expression, but her eyes betrayed a hint of curiosity, looking around the room.
Master Keldorn exuded a different charm, clad in a stylish suit covered by a golden cloak. He had a golden plate with green crystals attached to the cloak, which probably was an enchanted item. He seemed more serious than the princess, with a piercing green gaze behind golden glasses.
'Wow, she's gorgeous… Maybe the war really is about a denied proposal.' Lilly thought, taking a bow before the arriving guests. 'And Master Keldorn looks like a real master enchanter, with golden trinkets and years of experience. I can't wait to get back to practicing!'
As they straightened up again, Selene started the introductions. "Welcome, Your Highness, and Master Keldorn. It is an honor to be in your presence once again. This is Lady Lilly, the one who saved the city with her Vermilion Flame and the current Lady Protector of the city. And beside her is Eolande, a highly skilled rogue currently serving as her bodyguard. They were both essential in saving my life during the attack."
Princess Adelia nodded in acknowledgment, with little change in her expression. Master Keldorn on the other hand offered a warm smile, with a hint of curiosity.
"Thank you for receiving us, Lady Selene, and Lady Lilly," the Princess said, her voice carrying a hint of formality laced with a subtle warmth.
Master Keldorn inclined his head in a polite gesture. "It's an honor to meet the one who valiantly defended Thundrel," he added with genuine respect.
The group then moved to the sitting area of the office, where two ornately decorated couches flanked a small table. Lilly and Selene took seats opposite the Princess and Master Keldorn. Lilly felt the atmosphere was less daunting now, and she could relax her posture a little.
The Princess's eyes surveyed the office, her gaze lingering momentarily on the lavish decorations. "Your deeds have reached even the Capital, Lady Lilly. You've shown
remarkable courage and strength."
Lilly felt a blush creep onto her cheeks at the princess's words. "Thank you, Your Highness. I only did what I felt was necessary to protect our city."
Master Keldorn leaned forward, showing clear interest in Lilly's deeds. "Your Vermilion Flame is a topic of much discussion among the magical community. It's a unique power thought to be lost to time, and I'm very curious about its potential in enchanting."
Lilly nodded, feeling a mix of pride and responsibility. "It's an honor and a challenge to wield such a power. I'm still learning to master it fully, and I hope you can be of some help in that regard."
Master Keldorn leaned back on the couch with a thoughtful expression while nodding. "We shall see, we shall see." It seemed like he didn't want to take up too much time in this conversation, giving respect to the princess.
Princess Adelia seemed eager to continue the conversation around the flame, and for the first time had a notable change in her expression. "Lady Lilly, would it be possible to see the flame in question?"
Lilly was hardly in a position to decline, but she didn't mind at all. "Of course! As I said, I'm still not very good at controlling it, but showing it won't be a problem." She lifted her arm with her palm facing the ceiling, and slowly conjured the flame. She tried lowering the output as much as she could to avoid accidents, but with her current level of control, it still gave off considerable heat, flaring beautifully in the air.
The princess and Master Keldorn studied it intently, clearly intrigued by this unique power. Lilly wondered if those glasses Master Keldorn was wearing had any enchantments to help with sensing details, but she couldn't see any runes or other indications that they were.
"Are you fine with that much heat so close to your skin Lady Lilly?" The princess asked, sensing the heat on the other side of the table.
Lilly nodded. "I seem to have become immune to heat after the flame was awakened, so there's no reason to worry. It's hard for me to tell the temperature of things now, but it's really usefull when I control the flame," Lilly responded.
The princess seemed very interested, and came with a barrage of questions. "Really? Does it cover all kinds of heat, like radiating and direct contact? And is there a limit to the temperature? Is there a barrier around your surface preventing high temperatures from penetrating, or is it spread throughout your body? Have you tested it over long periods of time? Is the flame consumed while you're protected? Does bathing feel–"
"Your Highness, perhaps we should moderate our inquiries." The butler that had introduced them suddenly interrupted her, with a resigned expression.
Princess Adelia stopped, and for a brief second, she seemed extremely indignant before correcting herself. "Thank you, Claude. I apologize, Lady Lilly, I have a tendency to let my thoughts run wild when I find things interesting."
Lilly's expression had been one of mild shock since the third question, but now it slowly changed into a knowing smile. "It's quite alright, Your Highness, I tend to be the same way actually. It's mostly related to enchanting in my case, but still, I've bothered my mentors and teachers quite a bit in the past."
Lilly was organizing the questions in her mind, thinking of the answers she knew. 'I really should have tested the immunity myself at this point. How does it actually work? Since spreading the flame through my body only felt slightly hot earlier it should cover my internals as well, right?'
"I'll answer what I know though. It seems to be all kinds of heat, yes. I haven't found a limit for the temperature yet, but I've tested it at around 4000 degrees without any issues. I haven't noticed any drain on the flame while being protected, and I haven't tested it properly over long periods yet. I'm not sure about the exact workings of the protection, but I'm pretty sure it covers my entire body, considering some testing I did recently." She decided to ignore the half-asked question about bathing. 'I do miss the feeling of getting into a hot bathtub though…'
Princess Adelia seemed to take in every piece of information with poorly masked glee, nodding absentmindedly while fidgeting with her hands. To her side, Master Keldorn also seemed to show interest, but not at the level of the princess.
"Thank you for answering so thoroughly, Lady Lilly. I would be very interested in discussing the flame in greater detail later during my visit," the princess said, straightening up,and regaining her composure. Then, her attention shifted, noting something amiss. "I think your bodyguard might be in distress, Lady Lilly."
Surprised, Lilly looked over at Eolande. She looked sick, pale and glistening with sweat. "Elly, what's happening? Are you alright?" Lilly hurried out of the couch to help her, but Eolande stopped her with a wave.
"I'm okay, I just need some air… Please excuse me, everyone," she managed to say between labored breaths. Despite her obvious discomfort, she stood and walked towards the door with a steady determination.
'What could have disturbed Elly so much?' Lilly wondered, thinking back to everything that had happened so far. Nothing really stood out to her, so she was left wondering.
"I'll go check on her, Lady Lilly, I'm also trained in medical practices." Master Keldorn said reassuringly, as he got out of the couch to follow Eolande.
Lilly considered stopping him, thinking Eolande might just need some time alone. But if something really was wrong, it was better for a trained professional to have a look. "Thank you, Master Keldorn. I appreciate your help."
He simply waved as he walked out of the room, leaving Lilly, Princess Adelia, Selene, and Claude in a somewhat tense silence.
"Is this a common occurrence?" Princess Adelia asked worriedly.
"Not at all, she's usually very composed. I think she might really be sick," Lilly responded, trying to mask her worry.
Princess Adelia still had her brows furrowed while looking at the door, but she turned back to the conversation. This time she took a deep breath before continuing. "We should talk about official business now. First of all, Lady Selene. Due to your failure to save the city during the attack, it has been decided that your role as Lady Protector of Thundrel is to be permanently relinquished."
Lilly was about to protest, but she felt a hand on her own before getting a word out. It was Selene, who gently looked at her and quietly shook her head.
She faced the princess with composure. "I understand, Your Highness. Will I finally be permitted to fight on the frontlines of the war instead, then?" she asked, sounding neither relieved nor disappointed.
The princess seemed relieved to see Selene taking the news so well, and continued. "Yes, after your initial request was denied due to your duties as Lady Protector, there's nothing preventing you from joining now. We hope you will continue serving the country despite this setback, as you are an invaluable asset on the front lines."
"It would be my honor, Your Highness." Selene got out of the couch and bowed again, satisfied to finally be able to fight again. "I will still need some time to heal properly though, so I ask for some time before deployment."
"Of course, you will get all the time you need. We hoped you would help the next Protector get used to the role in the meantime," she started, looking over at Lilly.
Lilly had a bad feeling about this, and dreaded the princess's next words.
"We had hoped to ask Lady Lilly if she would be willing to take on the role of Lady Protector of Thundrel permanently."