7 Chapter 7: Childhood Friend

I arrived home rather quickly, if I don't say so myself and gave all the products I bought to my parents. Once, Father took a look at the materials I had harbored, he looked shocked and delighted all at the very same time.

"Lilian, how...how were you able to obtain these fabulous materials?" Father asks me incredulously.

"I bought them from a new stall owner who was selling beautiful embroidered materials for quite a cheap price." I tell Father truthfully.

"How peculiar...I will need to get my hands on their tricks around how they made these materials." Father raises the materials up to admire them.

"Father! Don't do that. Leave the nice man alone..." I look down at the floor and think about the stall owner that I had met so luckily and I smile shyly.

"Lilian? Why are your cheeks so red?" Mother notices my blushing face.

I glance up at my parents. Should I tell them that the stall owner I met is the one I have truly fell in love with? Or should I be quiet and tell them at another time?

RING!

"Oh? Who could that be?" Father asks as he stands up to answer the door.

Mother looks at me. I glance back and then look away.

"Lilian dear, would you come by the Study Room later on, at around 5 in the evening? I want to discuss a topic with you." Mother says.

"Of course, Mother." I reply, nervousness and curiosity mixing inside my stomach.

"...not to worry, everything is under control and has been dealt with comprehensively." I hear my Father's voice near the room which Mother and I are currently in.

The doors swing open and there, at the doorway, stand my Father and...

"Kerberus?" I mutter softly.

Kerberus Hamselfire is a Prince who has a great deal of power and wealth behind his family and he was a great friend, when I was younger, that helped me in my studies and knowledge in certain areas of royal practices.

"Lilian!" Kerberus smiles.

"How long has it been since I saw you last? Five years or isn't it seven?" Kerberus walks over, takes my right hand and places a small peck on the top of my hand.

"It has most certainly been seven years. I remember you were twelve and I was ten and you had to leave with your parents to your Kingdom." I answer, quite happily. I DID enjoy Kerberus' teaching and his tales of grandeur whenever we had a free moment from studying.

"What a splendid memory you have! Nothing less to expect when your memory has been this great since you were just a baby."

"Lilian spends her time studying in the palace even now. I guess your teaching inspired her to keep her mind sharp and up to date, is that not right Lilian?" Mother adds.

"Mother." I start, looking at her pleadingly, hoping that she stops embarrassing me in front a childhood friend.

"I'm just happy to have helped Lilian so early in life. Anyway, I came here for official business as Lilian's designer. Whilst I am a Prince of a great Kingdom, I also spend many hours designing clothes for myself and other private connections...I haven't really officially told everyone that I design clothes as a dedicated past time." Kerberus truthfully tells us.

"I beg your pardon. You design clothes as well?" Father looks at Kerberus with visible joy. I think if he were a wizard, he could engulf Kerberus and use his skills of making clothes for his own clothes making but I think that isn't possible since 1) Father is most definitely NOT a wizard in disguise, trust me, I would know and 2) Father is already good enough at clothes designing and does not require any more help.

"Well yes. It has been a dream for quite a time now. I'm just glad that I am able to design freely."

"Well, my boy, don't hold back! A clothes designer you wish to be and a clothes designer you will be! Let your dream flourish! You are still young after all." Father bellows with excitement.

"Darling, don't scare Kerberus with your dastardly loud voice. You don't have to be so happy to meet a fellow designer." Mother speaks out.

"Scare? I'm not doing anything to anger him. I am only humbly complimenting his choices as a wise King." Father replies confidently.

"As if." I hear Mother mutter under her breath.

I chuckle. It is funny to see my parents fight like this. They aren't really angry, they're just making each other annoyed on purpose. They could never be angry at each other for long and there is rarely a topic that makes them heat up to the point of me needing to evacuate to the great outdoors.

"Anyway, enough with you, Kerberus has come here for business, not to watch us devour each other of the depths of our home. Lilian, Kerberus, you are excused to carry on with your business. Also, make sure to come over to the Study Room Lilian later on, okay?" Mother says.

"Alright Mother." I answer and then, lead Kerberus to my bedroom chambers.

Once we arrive at my room, I let him and walk in, searching my eyes over everything for any signs of mess or private belongings that I do not want to be seen by Kerberus. However, to my luck, I find that my room is as clean and spotless as usual. There is nothing worthy of cleaning because I always clean my room when I wake up, every single morning.

"You're still the same dedicated, motivated and determined girl I once tutored 7 years ago." Kerberus starts.

"I do hope that this palace does not make you too lonely. Having a princess locked up in a place is not good for her health..."

"I'm not locked up. I can go outside as I please. I always go to the local village by myself." I point out, blatantly.

"I'm guessing that you enjoy it?"

"Yes." I answer back.

"Walking through the woods keeps me calm."

"But...I still feel you are lonely. I can hear it in your voice and see it in your eyes." Kerberus stops looking out the window and takes a look at my face.

"I know that you have no idea on who the Prince is like or his ways of action..." Kerberus pauses.

"...but I want to tell you this as a friend and as a Prince..."

"Marry me instead."