Princess Lily

Chapter 43

Lily sighed. "Something troubling you Lily?" asked Lady Molly.

"I-I just wish James didn't have to leave so soon," she said smoothing the bedspread.

"Oh Princess," said Lady Molly. "Patience is a virtue. It'll all be over soon and then you two can get married." There was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" said Lily.

Georg entered and bowed flourishingly. "Princess, am I to believe that you are not willing to spend your true loves last hour talking to him?"

"Oh he's packed already?" Lily asked getting up.

"Why yes. He is and he's waiting down there for you," Said Georg.

Lily ran past him and down to the second story of the castle.

She saw James standing there looking out of the window. Down below Anya, Carl, and Edisson were trying to ride the horses that belonged to Lord Wodsworth. Anya made Carl fall down on his bum sending everyone into gales of laughter.

"Lily I'm terribly sorry that I can't give you the engagement ball within the agreed upon time," said James sincerely looking into her eyes.

"Oh that's ok." Said Lily convincingly. "I don't mind-" she faltered and took a deep breath. "But I will miss you."

 James took her hands in his. "Tell me, what do you want from Pacem?"

Lily laughed. "I want YOU to return safely from Pacem," said Lily. "James, I'm serious I don't mind. There'll be a lifetime of balls for us to spend together. But right now, your main priority is this."

"Sir." Said a guardsman. "Your carriage is prepared."

 Both walked down together and before James stepped outside were everyone was waiting he kissed her brow. He opened the door and an icy chill greeted the couple.

"Good-bye mother." Said James giving her a hug. He then got into the carriage.

* * *

Lily watched him go.

"Now Lily-" said the Empress with a clipped voice. "-we shall continue with your lessons."

Lily nodded and followed the Empress into the palace. She walked upstairs to find a wave of sadness wash over her.

*    *    * 

"Wait!" yelled a guard from behind. "Stop the carriage!"

The carriage was stopped and James poked his head out. "I demand to know what is going on," said James.

"What is going on-" said one of the guards through his long moustache. "Is that I can't stay upright on this horse another minute. Brother, I'm tired!" he exclaimed and removed his moustache. James started laughing when he saw it was Carl.

"The crazy things a man will do to get away from Sasha!" he exclaimed laughingly as he moved over for Carl to get in. They had a long journey ahead of them but Prince James found himself feeling lighter now that his brother was with him

*    *    *

"Well what do we do now?" asked Lily the next day. 

It seemed odd to have a break from palace intrigues. 

Lady Molly hesitated for a fraction of a second before saying. "Princess, if I take you some place you must swear not to tell anyone."

Lily looked at lady Molly startled.

"You see I go to an orphanage regularly to help the poor orphans. I'm-I'm like a second mother to them. But I don't think the Empress would-approve." Lady Molly admitted.

"I swear I won't tell anyone." Said Lily. "When can we go?"

"Well we don't have to be back until five-why not go now?" asked Lady Molly. 

Lily jumped up excitedly. Her white dress looked stunning and contrasted with her halo of golden hair.

* * *

Anya crept around the underground secret passageways hoping to find some secret plans made my Baron Rothberg and Counselor Vesky.

She suddenly heard a soft voice singing.

"Down the fair road where the berries grow.

 Where the berries grow 

Tempting as the devil and poisonous as the snake

Sweet as candy but as bitter as death.

 Is were I sit to await my doom."

Another voice suddenly chirped, "To await my death."

"Sir Henry," breathed Anya.

 But who was that girl? 

"Hello?" called Anya. 

She put his ear to the wall. It was as if the voice was coming from the wall.

"Hello?" came a girls voice. "Who is there? Is that you Counselor Vesky?" she asked with hatred in her voice.

Anya suddenly recognized that voice. "Bella! Bella it's me Anya! Why aren't you in Pacem yet?"

"I WAS going," said Bella angrily. "But Counselor Vesky kidnapped me and-and locked me in here."

"I'll find Lily and Bella I swear we'll find a way to get you out. James has already left for Pacem so we can't-"

"WHAT?!" came Bellas voice. "He left? No! They'll kill him if he arrive there without me!"

 "All the more reason to get you out of here quickly," responded Anya. "I'll find Lily and we'll free you tonight!"

"Be careful," said Bella. "And take the back way! Through the dining room! That's how you'll find me!" she called.

*    *    *

Lily entered a two story house with peeling paint and creaky decayed looking walls. The house itself Lily guessed was not in the best shape.

"Lily these are my orphans," said Lady Molly looking at the children who had gathered around them fondly.

"LILY!" came a little girls voice. Lily looked around and spotted a girl...an extremely familiar girl.

"Abby!" Lily exclaimed as the girl ran towards Lily. Lily picked Abby up into her arms and rested her on her hip. "Abby how are you? I wondered about what had happened to you for the longest time." said Lily. She stared at Abby's blue eyes.

"My goodness you two know each other?" asked Lady Molly.

"Oh Lady Molly she was the one who saved me," said Abby happily.

"It's a small world indeed," said Lady Molly with a smile.

* * *

"Oh summer is going to be utterly boring!" Sasha exclaimed to counselor Vesky. "Daddy is gone. So is James and God knows where Carl has disappeared off too!"

"Yes. Yes very interesting." Said the Counselor looking through old files.

Sasha taped him with her fan. "Are you even LISTENING?"

"No." he relied curtly and left the room.

"Ooohhh." Sasha muttered. She was not used to not being the center of attention.

* * *

"I have an idea." Said Lily. "Why not-why not arrange a party?"

She had been seated on the ground with the children gathered around her listening to stories.

"Yea!" exclaimed all the children.

"We-we could have it at the palace!" said Lily. "And-and Lord Wodsworth could provide the entertainment."

"Oh Princess are you sure the Empress will allow it?" asked Lady Molly.

"Well it's for a good cause. How could she not allow it?" asked Lily. "I'll ask her as soon as we get back."

"Which is now," said Lady Molly looking at her watch. "It's quarter to five now, your supposed to back for your lesson's by 5."

Lily rose from her place with the promise of returning soon.

*    *    *

The Empress sat at her study as Sasha entered.

"Oh your majesty!" Sasha moaned coming in. "it is so boring everyone gone! What ever shall we do? It won't be the same without Ca-"

A knock interrupted Sasha's moaning.

"Come in," called the Empress gratefully.

"Your majesty." said Lily coming in and bowing.

"Five minutes early." Said the Empress raising an eyebrow. "That's a first."

"Your majesty I was-well I was wondering if -" Lily stumbled with her words until she took a deep breath and started over "-if we could hold a party-"

"Why that's a wonderful idea," said the Empress, her eyes lighting up enthusiastically. "We haven't had a party in ages." She suddenly regained her composure. "We shall invite the most prestigious inhabitants of our land and maybe Lord Wordsnut will be willing to entertain our guests with his carnival."

"Wodsworth your majesty," Lily corrected.

"Yes, yes whatever his name is."

"And I did not mean for the dukes and earls but for the-for the-for the-" she took a deep breath. "-for the orphans."

"Certainly not." Said the Empress going back to her paperwork. "The palace is not a play house for little children-especially such dirty little children," she added dryly.

""But it is for a good cause!" Lily exclaimed.

"When I say no I mean no Lily!" said the Empress sharply and Lily bent her head in submission. "Now to start with your lessons."

* * *

"Anya, have you been drinking?" asked Georg staring at her strangely.

"I swear it Sir Georg! " said Anya. "I-we-we have to find Lily."

"She's having her protocol lessons with Soph," said Georg.

"Poor Lily," said Anya sadly. "The Empress is really hard on her."

"She's an old softie." Said Georg. "You just have to know how to handle her. But then again she does have something going against Lily for ruining her future plans. But seriously who would want to marry Sasha?" he shuddered at the thought.

"I think we should wait until Lily is done. She has only an hour left. When she gets out, we shall talk to her," suggested Edisson.

Sasha came in at that moment, happily smiling. "Oh I'm going to organize a small party!" she said twirling about happily. "And I'll invite only the palace inhabitants and exclude that brat Lily-"

Edisson had to hold Georg from lunging at Sasha.

"-oh and then when James comes home, he'll be so proud of me for organizing it that he'll take me in his arms and-" Sasha stopped mid sentence and looked around blushingly noticing that she had an audience.

Georg let out a nasty laugh. "Sasha, if you think James is going to sleep with you for organizing a party-" he let his laughter come out in roars and Edisson along with Anya joined in.

"Humph," she mumbled and left.

*    *    *

A man was driving a cart of hay with his donkey moving at an extremely slow pace. He had a stubby beard and wore a white straw hat on his head so that it covered his eyes. He reached the palace and the guards stopped him.

"Hay for the carnival animals," he said roughly.

The guards poked at the hay with their spears before allowing him to go through. The man reached the carnival tent and saw Lord Wodsworth.

"Hay?" said Lord Wodsworth confused. "But I didn't order any hay!"

The man tipped his hat up slightly and winked. Lord Wodsworth took in the man's eyes and face. It was already dark so it took him a minute to register the man's features.

"Alexei!" he hissed and pulled him into his tent. "What are you doing here?"

"I knew there was something wrong when I got Prince James's letter. He said that they had let the rebels go free. But Bella never returned or sent me a letter confirming this. The other members were set free and decided to stay at the carnival but Bella had strict orders to return to me. She never returned. I had a feeling that someone had lied to James. I didn't want an uproar started so I quickly came to free Bella. We need to free them as soon as possible because my people are becoming restless. If I'm not back in time, then my people will kill James."

"We have to tell the Princess immediately," said Lord Wodsworth.

"But how?" asked Alexei.

"She and Lady Molly visit me regularly. We shall talk to them then," said Lord Wodsworth.