"May I step in, my lady?" Mark stood at the doorstep. Lilly stepped aside to let the young man make his way through. She gestured to the bed that he was standing next to, so he could take a seat. Nisha had just finished putting away all the training material. When she came back, she saw the prince seated. "Greetings, your highness, I hope the day leaves you in good health." Nisha bowed her head.
"Ah, Nisha, I see you're in good health, as am I."
Lilly gestures, and Nisha steps away. The two sat side by side, alone. Cold air blew in through the open window, flowing through the room. Her hair danced in the wind, revealing her glowing eyes. Mark stared straight into her eyes, the glow capturing his breath for a brief moment.
The air got heavy, and sweat formed on Mark's face. He slowly reached out for her hand. As it drew closer to her skin, he could feel her body heat. The room went utterly still, a heavy silence falling between them.
"Shall we begin?" said Lilly, breaking the silence. An invisible force collided with Mark's hand, stopping midair. Nisha walked back to the room with a folder in hand. She hands it to the princess. "Here's the information you requested." Lilly hands Mark the papers. "All locations of nests for the low-ranking beasts." Mark opened the file and analyzed the contents. Inside was a map showing the plains near the mountains of Emberfall. "It would be wise of you to avoid the mountains themselves," Lilly warned the young prince, "unless you have no desire to live, that is."
"I believe your stay is long overdue, your highness," said Lilly as she stood. She walked closer to the door, gripping the doorknob, and flung the door back. Girls fell on top of each other at the doorstep. Becky, who still stood among the crowd, froze when she saw Mark sitting at Princess's bed.
"Hahaha, ladies, I suggest we make way," one of the girls says, and then she stands and jolts away. The others follow suit, but one was left on the floor. Briteny was crushed on the floor by the other girls. unconscious on the floor, drool falling from her mouth. Mark's expression turns to disgust at the sight. "I told her to stay away."
He maneuvered around her body and walked out of the room. Lilly's figure loomed on top of Briteny with a cold expression on her face. "Nisha, pick her up and place her on my bed," she instructed as she walked away without a glance at her.
The dark corridors of the girls' dorms washed over her. A crimson glow illuminated her face as she passed a reflective window in the hallway. Her footsteps echoed around the walls. As she exited the Dorm hallway, she walked towards the school's training grounds.
Making her way to the grass, Lilly gazes at the sky. The wind blew her dark hair, revealing a dark purple hue as the moon's silver glow fell upon her.
Cold air once again claimed the room, brushing against Nisha's shoulders. " I should really close that window." She watched over Briteny, who lay on the Princess's bed. Arms crossed, Nisha sat on a stool awaiting her awakening.
"You really are lucky," Nisha thought. "In other situations, you'd be reprimanded by the authorities, given your low position." Nisha sighed as she turned away from Briteny. "But that's not the plan."
Briteny's eyes opened. She felt the warm, silky blankets over her. Turning to a more comfortable position, she clutched the hem of the blanket. "Wow, this is so soft," she mumbled.
"It seems you're awake, and quite comfortable, I see."
Britney rotates to face Nisha. Her eyes still half open, she asks, "Who are you?" The blur cleared from her eyes, and she saw Nisha. "Oh, it's that low life's servant," she mumbled again, then closed her eyes. Nisha smiled coldly, knowing that Briteny had no Idea who Lilly was.
"I wonder what she's doing by the bedside... Wait, what is she doing in my room?" Britney shot up from the bed, clutching the warm blanket in her arms. " W... What are you doing here?!" Britney shouted out. She took a glance at the dark purple fabric she was desperately clinging to.
The plush fur on the top side of the blanket shimmered in her eyes. It dawned on her that she wasn't in her quarters." Where am I?"
Nisha, watching with a predatory gaze, was still on her stool. Britney crawled backwards against the wall. "Well, since you seem to have grasped the situation you're in, I'd advise you to leave before her majesty returns."
Britney froze, her eyes widened as fear crouched on her face. "Did she say Her Majesty?" She glanced at the room's lavish interior and arrangement.
"This is the royal room setup," she murmured. Her eyes slowly returned to Nisha's gaze. "Low life?" she remembers, " I... apologize for my words, I was ignorant, please forgive me."
She hurried off the bed and rushed towards the door. Her heart spiked when the door opened, and her gaze met Lilly's.
"Welcome back, Princess," Nisha said with her head bowed.
"I see our guest has fully recovered," Lilly said. Crimson light from Lilly's eyes seemed to petrify Britney, as her hair stood on end. Lilly didn't move, her figure blocking the door. She stood aside, letting Britney pass through. She closed it behind her.
Her heart pounded hard in her chest, realizing the danger she put herself in. She slowly walks away, clutching her chest. Nisha watched the shadow beneath until it vanished in the shadows of the hallway, her footsteps fading in the silence of the night.
With Britney gone, Lilly steps closer to her bed. " Please, your highness, let me remove those garments." Nisha requests, but Lily silently declines. Her cold eyes closed. "Did you treat her well?" Lilly asked as she lay on the bed. Nisha, with her head still low, said," Yes, your highness."
"Good. The operation starts tomorrow."