Chapter 3: Underneath The Castle

Governess Lumina returned the next day and Lily had not imagined she could get any stranger but she had.

However, this time Lily only found her strange because the things she did before, she no longer did them.

She remained lenient and laid back as before but instead of her usual strict nature when it came to some specific aspects of her learning, the governess simply turned indifferent, almost cold.

It confused the young miss, and only made her hunger for the secrets she tried to keep herself away from even more.

But time passed by and the rumours and secrets told behind closed doors began to die out and fade away.

"What are you thinking about?," a familiar voice brought Lily out of her thoughts. She smiled when she turned to look at the person.

It was Ava, the youngest daughter of the Viscount of Meriwess and her very good friend.

"You have been staring at this dress for a while now. Do you like it?," she asked, coming to stand beside Lily as she gazed at the emerald, silk dress in her hands.

Lily had accompanied her mother into town to meet with the seamstress and they had bumped into Amelia Burgess, who had coincidentally brought her daughter as well.

Lily shook her head, laughing softly. "It wouldn't suit me." She held it up to Ava's body, replacing the girl's dress with the one in her hand from her perspective, a bright smile still on her face. "Though I think it would suit you quite well."

And she wasn't lying. Ava had beautiful emerald eyes and pale, flawless skin

that matched the aesthetic of the elegant dress.

In fact, it almost seemed like the dress was made specially for her.

Ava laughed, pushing Lily's hands down, along with the dress. "I do not like the colour green, Lily. You know that."

"A shame," Lily replied. "Green looks so natural on you and I am sure if you wear this dress to the ball this Saturday, you will capture the attention of Sir Benjamin."

At the mention of the name of the boy she fancied, Ava's cheeks instantly turned red. Her emerald eyes darted to her mother swiftly and finding her still conversing with the Duchess, she turned back to Lily, glaring at her.

"Don't announce it!," she scolded, causing Lily to laugh mirthfully. "You are a menace, Lillian Baker."

Lily smiled, her laughter dying away. "I enjoy teasing you, Ava."

Ava rolled her eyes at Lily, though there was a faint smile on her face.

"What are you wearing then, Lily? I suggest the colour red," she said as she began looking through the racks of dresses.

"I have looked through the red dresses already, do not bother wasting your energy, Ava," she replied with a sigh. "I do not fancy the red dresses here."

"Then will you have one customised?," Ava asked her curiously. "Because if so, I am going to have to choose the design myself. You know you are terrible at choosing designs that suit you."

Lily looked offended but her expression only made Ava laugh. "I am not that bad."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, my friend. Will you have it customised or not?"

Lily sighed, a resigned expression in her face. "Yes, mother mentioned wanting us to match for the ball."

"Wonderful!," Ava smiled, walking to where both their mother's stood. "Let's go!"

♡

It was the time of night when Lily returned with her mother from town. And though she had enjoyed her time with her mother very much, she itched to return to her room where she had discovered something interesting.

"Make sure to sleep early tonight, my love," her mother said to her as she scrambled away from the table after dinner.

She hurried to her room, shutting the door and locking it behind her. She stripped herself of the outing dress she wore, putting on a cleaner, more comfortable dress.

After she was done gearing up, she held her hair up tightly, turning to her close. Lily stalked towards it and opened it, parting her neatly hung dresses and coming face to face with a door.

Excited and afraid, she reached her hand out to twist the doorknob but just as she began opening the door within the closet, a knock was heard on the door, startling her.

She quickly shut the closet closed before turning to the door.

"Miss Lillian?," it was Aurora. "Are you not going to have your bath tonight?"

Lily remained quiet, hoping the older woman would think she was asleep and leave.

A few seconds later, something slid below the door, capturing Lily's attention. It was a letter and judging from the design of the stamp, it was from the palace.

Lily stifled a sigh. It was from prince Gilbert.

After a few moments, the place quietened and she heard receding footsteps from outside the door.

Heaving a quiet sigh of relief, she tiptoed to the letter on the floor, picking it up and tearing it open.

In the prince's perfect, cursive handwriting, she read the contents of the letter.

Dear Lillian,

I only intend to remind you about our little picnic early next week. I hope you haven't forgotten as you do tend to have the memory of a reptile. I am rather excited and I hope you are too.

Your fiancè, Gilbert.

Memory of reptile? Her memory was not that bad! Besides, how could she forget about the picnic when he had written to her about it four times this week already?

And the audacity of his to already call himself her fiancè when it wasn't even official yet!

It was not that she did not like him. Rather, she knew he did not like her! He had only decided to marry her because his father had told him it was for the best for the kingdom.

That was the only thing Gilbert seemed to care about. Alfadamia.

Lily heaved an exasperated breath, only turning back to walk to the closet when she had dropped his letter on her dresser.

As she opened the door behind the closet, her thoughts drifted to Gilbert and her parents' stubborn decision to have her betrothed to him.

She was only fifteen and could meet the man of her dreams any time between now and the time she would turn eighteen.

Having her betrothed now, especially to the Prince of the kingdom, would put a tag on her, preventing other potential suitors from wooing her.

And as much as she liked the prince, she knew he wasn't the man she wanted to spend her life with.

If she married Gilbert, she knew for certain they would not have what her parents had, to talk less of something better.

She sighed, shaking these thoughts from her mind and instead, choosing to focus on the dark catacombs she now trudged through.

She had a lantern in her hand, dimly illuminating the dark environment. It was eery, the quietness, somewhat unnerving.

But she trudged on anyway.