Embers

Chapter Fifteen

Lily was fourteen years old, but not just any ordinary girl. She was an adopted daughter of the king and queen. She was the youngest princess there was across the land as far as anyone knew. She had been living in a castle at the edge of a forest all her life a long time ago, never entering the yard, which was of a vast waste of space, if she told you her thoughts. There was just enough land for her to discover, but she wasn't allowed. To protect, to safeguard, were the words she often heard when she made that request. Who was she being protected from? She always wanted to ask. She had asked once, but everyone looked at her as though they wanted to protect themselves from her. Looking at it all from her window made her bitter at the thought of where she was, living lavishly, while others below her looked up at her and wondered what luxuries must she have, and how happy she must be? She was tormented.

She felt like a prisoner in her own home, captured like an exotic bird in her father's cage. Lily felt as though they would hide away her from the world behind these castle walls. It was only because of one minor detail about her. She wasn't a human girl. She did not know what she was, but she can do things human girls cannot. She doubted anyone knew of what she was capable of, but even her features weren't all that human, too. She had point ears, bold green eyes, or at least when she wants them to be, and long hair, grown out to block her pointy ears. Adopted into a royal family, they taught her to be human and hide her powers. The humans don't know about magic and powers, or anything to do with that world. Only rumors and stories around the campfire told to give you the sense of having a good time.

A knock on her door interrupted her sight as she was looking out the window.

“Miss, your dress is ready for the evening. Your parents would like for you to come down immediately after dressing.” The head maid said as she walked in with an oversized bag and shoes dangling from her fingers.

“Thank you, Charlotte. Are the handmaidens with you?” Lily asked kindly, breaking a small smile.

“Yes, they are outside, Miss. Please call if you need me. There are two girls, fairly new, so call me if they are not of much help.” She said and bowed.

“That’s alright. I think we would do fine. I am going to take a bath and you can hang the dress in the closet.” She was going towards the bed to admire the shoes that were left on the vanity table. They were sparkly, like most shoes she had. For once, she wanted plain comfortable shoes. They don’t make those, she thought sadly to herself, or else she would have gotten some a long time ago.

“Of course, Miss. Would there be anything else you need?” Charlotte asked before opening the door.

“No, Charlotte. Thank you for your help.” Lily said, giving her a pleading look, wanting her to take the dress back and just leave her be.

Lily’s room was all that a girl could want, heavily draped, expensive curtains, stained windows and clear ones to see down below. Her room stood at the top of the palace, so she had more views of being closer to the sky than the people below. Her parents installed the most comfortable cushioned carpets in her room, and her bed could fit at least three people, all to her comfort.

Her essentials and bathroom were out the door and into the room in front of her, but the thing she enjoyed most of all among all the things she wanted to change, she admired a painting that stood towards the east wall in her room. It was a meadow, filled with flowers in bloom. The grass was green and not a person in slight. It looked untouched by humans and she enjoyed the thought the most. The moment she realized she had a knack for painting and to find inspiration out of nowhere to paint, she told her parents.

“A young woman should be able to reign like a queen, knowing things about the kingdom, not paint like a normal person,” her father had said one night at dinner.

“I agree. Don’t you see how I assist your father around the kingdom? What would painting bring you?” Her mother had chimed in a little angry too. They never supported her ideas about going outside or anything that has to do with it.

Lily was angry at that point, too. She desired a little freedom for at least one day, not to linger with people, but to find what she was looking for. Thinking about it now riled her up.

“Don’t you think you’ve locked me up long enough? Why would you not support my ideas?”

“Lily, you’re special. We don’t want you to get hurt, or people to call you all sorts of hurtful names.”

“I am not special, or the way you put it. You make me feel as though I am a monster. I assure you I don’t harm people.”

“The people don’t know that, Lily!” Shouting at her now, her father slammed his fists on the table and continued looking at her, breathing hard. She should have thought better than to ask these people.

“That is because you won’t let them know what I am. I feel like I am dying inside,” Lily complained sadly, “yet you don’t look as though you give one damn about it.”

“Watch your language Lily, others can hear you.” Her mother said, horrified at her with a hand to her chest. She had a pale expression nervously glancing towards the king.

Her parents didn't allow her to dwell with anyone, not even the maids, with the excuse of it being because of her gift. She never thought her gift to the kingdom would be such a stinging effect each time she thought about it. She felt isolated and often feel as though she would go mad by herself. She had the gift of conjuring herself to different places, even when she was home, so basically, she could go anywhere she wanted to go. It all ended when the day was over, and she goes to sleep right after. The important part of her gift, each figure she conjures up, is their own person. She can talk, as though it is someone else. She really admires the ones that talks of adventure. Those are the ones that venture outside. It wasn’t always fruitful though. Someone always sees a new person and highlights it, making her run away.

Lily got out of the bathroom and she heaved to keep her tears at bay. She couldn’t cry over spilled milk. Unable to take it anymore, Lily decided one day to escape from the cursed room and go wherever she wants. If she decided to come back, she will, otherwise, she will enjoy her life the way she wants. Lily wanted to know what it felt for the phrase sand between her toes, or dirt in her nails. Yet her mind was in torment. She wanted a life for herself, to shape the way she want, to experience hardship, and to have a good life experience.

She didn’t understand certain concepts of life because she was always locked away in a room. There are more things the world had to offer and she would grab her opportunity and dash. Knowing her emotions were getting out of hand, she had to brace herself on the vanity over the force that pulled her from behind. She felt her anger spike, knowing very well what was happening.

“What do you want?” She snarled at the figure behind her.

“Lily, you can't do that. We have warned you to not go in the forest.” said her insecurity. She was never a favorite. She was the buzz kill. Standing just as tall as Lily was, she was in another outfit, a dress, light pink, and looked as calm as a peach turning to look at her.

“I do not appreciate your appearance. Go back Insecurity,” commanded Lily as she sat down in her chair in front of the mirror, combing her hair.

Brave said, “Come on, you have been locked away for too long. We have to see if we could get out.”

“I agree,” Lily said happily, smiling a little.

“What do you mean, get out? We are not going anywhere,” said Insecurity once more. At this time, she was in a full-blown panic mode.

“You’re being livid, you know that? Let her roam freely and do what she likes for once. She knows what she wants.” Brave always watered down the fears of Insecurity, and she goes headstrong to her, trying to knock some sense into her.

“Does she know the danger she puts herself in or what to do when she is in danger?”

“She would find her way out,” said Brave in a grim tone, getting equally angry at Insecurity.

“Fine, weigh your options. If you're in danger, we won't be here to cover for you anymore. You can die out there,” Practicality said.

“I can also die in here,” said the real Lily this time. She has been listening to their conversation all this time. She needs to make a decision. The time came for her to tell them her decision when her bedroom door opened and everyone disappeared.

Her mother marched in, lifting her evening gown and perched herself on the edge of the bed, watching Lily intently. Lily knew she was about to get a hearing or two or maybe a speech about womanhood she had no interest in.

Her mother, Lilian, inhaled deeply and shook her head at her daughter. It was something she hardly did, but she turned around, watching as the tired woman crunched her eyebrows into knots and folded her legs.

“Lily, we need to talk,” said her mother as she continued on with that strange expression on her face.

“What is it, Mother?” Lily, respectful of calling the queen Mother, treated her very well. She was soft, adorned in golden clothes and her feminine crown.

“I heard what you were talking about. There is a reason for us to protect you. You are our protector.” She was now walking into the room and looking around, seemingly for something.

The situation was getting harder to comprehend given that she dropped vital information like that to Lily. She began pacing up and down the room, battling whether to tell Lily the complete story or send her off to dinner while keeping a close eye on her. Unfortunately, she heard the little dramatization about wanting to get away and it is up to the queen to stop her.

“What do you mean? Why have I not known about this sooner?” Lily countered, very upset right now, looking at the woman who equally stared back at her with fury.

“You were a present to us, you were given a task to protect our kingdom. If anything, dark was about to happen. We have you, but all we have been doing is protecting a brattish child from running away.” Lilian said, standing to her daughter, who now stood angrily.

“You’re speaking nonsense. All you have done was make me feel odd about myself, like a curse on you. You're trying to stop me from leaving,” Lily complained, flailing her arms like a fish out of water, and holding on to her head.

All the while, Lily was pacing and her mother stood a good distance toward off the flailing hands as she spoke, distressed.

“If you leave, what would happen to us if we can't fight off your kind?” Her mother gravely said, and her eyes hardened even more. If Lily was to learn a few hardships in life, this would be one of them.

Her mother exclaimed, now equally going up to her to confront her, “I know of your kind. It is what humans are scared of. The man who gave me to you promised that one day you would be our protector. He was being hunted, and I was too caring to give you up. I wanted you to be explorative, but you want daring, and that is what royalty protects their own from doing."

“My kind? What is my kind? I wonder what I did to deserve such a punishment. All my life, I never experienced love, touch, or adventure.”

“You will, all in good time. Please, don't go.” She cried pleadingly. Lily almost felt sorry, but her heart was now set on leaving.

“If you leave, and anything happens to you, I won’t be able to forgive myself. I am begging you Lily,” Her mother was crying now, and it pinched her cheeks and her nose felt tingly. Soon, a warm drop plopped on her cheeks.

“You're selfish, only thinking about yourself. Leave.” At this point, Lily's hand was only pointing to the door. She wore a glare and a frown, looking at her jewelry, giving her mother one last look and turning away. She turned her back on her mother, remembering the key factor of the last time she would see her mother. She made her mother, the queen, cry.

Bitterness rose at her throat and she spat in the sink, but she not once given the thought about what her mother said to her. The thoughts she blocked out, and she has hidden them away. Yes, she can do that too. Her mind would let her block the things she does not want to deal with. Her neck ached, and her back felt as though she was carrying a heavy load.

Sadness came out of her, saying quietly, “I can feel you hurting. Why are you so intent on leaving?”

“I don’t know. I feel this is not my place.” Lily said, tears blurring her vision from seeing her saddened self.

“You can make it your place. One day, this place would be yours. You can do as you like.”

“I wouldn’t know of my kind. What am I?” she said, crying in her hands now. Her muffled hiccups were hidden away in her hands.

“What if you are something you will come to despise? I can’t stop you from leaving, nor will your other emotions. Adventure wants to be with you. Good luck, Lily.” Sadness whispered and she vanished slowly. Lily did not miss the wash of sadness that came from her.

Danger wasn’t coming. She does not know of her kind. She just knew she was special, but she knew she was good at heart. There is no hurt in trying to find out what or who she is. She would try to accept what she finds, but she only needs to know. Lily thought she would not hurt someone intentionally. She held on to that thought very strongly.

The moment Lily reached the border of the forest floor, she began feeling uneasy. Nervousness was stepping in, and she took herself a calming breath. Taking one last look at the place she once called home, she kissed her palms and bid farewell to her old life.

Within a few steps of moving further into the dark forest, it was something she had never experienced before. She began hearing whispers. They were faint at first, but as she got closer into the forest; they became louder and slightly overwhelming. Trees rustled in the distance and above her, bushes moved and she felt as though eyes were looking at her from all corners.

She saw the little creatures moving around her scattering frightfully. Some looked at her and scurried away, leaving her to wonder what was really wrong. She cried out in a faint voice for them to stay, but her voice was locked, scared away, like the animals were. She was appalled but intrigued. Then she saw someone else. He flew, she thought. What a wonder! When he saw her though, he stopped mid-air and was about to dash off.

“I won’t hurt you,” she said quickly, frightened she might have to go at it alone when it is getting dark. The place had a coldness she wasn’t familiar with and it felt creepy from all corners.

“Hello, show yourself,” she said, twisting fingers in her hand and a timid voice too small to make the ground creatures shiver.

There were creatures who were hiding in the dark. All around her had a slithering creature waiting for its order to pounce on their prey. None of them knew such a beautiful prey would step into their forest. Unknowingly, she brought her pleasant light to demise itself. She heard a wicked chuckle, but still saw the figure in mid-air, refusing to come down. He made a dash, and she took off after him. She continued running, keeping sights of him and lucky for her, she found a clearing, but it was a horrid sight she found herself in.

She waited to see if anyone would show, but she didn't and so the fright stepped in waves washing over her. She looked around some more, trying to comprehend what she should do now. All around her she heard slithering and movement and stepping to the middle of the clearing. Then something bigger came creeping from behind her, and its shadows began covering her toes, ankles, knees, and then her entire body. She started getting scared. She let out a scream and fell backwards, crawling to get away, glimpsing behind her, and stopped when she saw what towered over her.

It was a tall creature man. He outstretched his dirty hand, but she saw someone very handsome and clean, almost glowing. Lily was so mesmerized by his beauty and his interest in her as he smiled. She hadn't realized her feet began levitating from the forest floor, and she lost her inhibitions to reply to him. Chuckling wickedly, he licked his lips deviously and his spliced tongue went out, licking her jaw, and he giddily wrapped her entire body in a black inky mist.

He said in a hypnotizing voice, “Take my hand. You will find what you want here. Be prepared to be mesmerized by your enchantment, little faerie.” He had graced her with such a beautiful name, she thought. Wow, this must be a dream. She thought she was being led to her place where she can find other people who were not human too.

Without hesitation, she rested her hand in his and away he took her. She was unaware of the cackles, the snarls, and gargles all around her. She held on to the voice of the man who hypnotized her without even trying too hard. Silly girl. She had no fighting chance now.